New York, NY (November 17, 2014). Most people don't realize that abortion, abandonment of newborns and infanticide are not just modern problems. They were also common in the Middle Ages. Lack of care for the poor and the elderly was also common back then.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary was a medieval saint who cared for poor pregnant women and their babies. The daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary, and wife of a German prince, Ludwig, Landgraf of Thuringia,built a hospital for the poor near Wartburg castle in her husband's domains. She was a true "mother" to sick children, and devoted to the physical and spiritual care of pregnant mothers. After her husband's death on crusade in 1227, she built a similar hospital in Marburg in Hesse, where she worked after taking the Franciscan habit and serving the poorest of the poor with several other women, who were perhaps the first Third Order Sisters in the world, until her death.
Dr. Lori Pieper, OFS, a medieval historian and a secular Franciscan, has detailed Elizabeth's work for the poor and its significance in her biography of the saint, "The Greatest of These is Love: The Life of St Elizabeth of Hungary." The new revised edition is now available from Tau Cross Books and Media, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other outlets.
Dr. Pieper says: "Elizabeth was very sensitive to poor women and the circumstances that might pressure them to abort or abandon their children. Once in Hesse, she cared for a poor pregnant woman who was alone, and continued to care for her after her child was born. As the woman got ready to leave Elizabeth gave her some food and clothing for herself and the child. The woman's husband, who may have originally abandoned her while pregnant, now returned -- and the two ran off, leaving the child behind. They eventually returned for the baby and asked forgiveness. The people who witnessed this tended to condemn this woman and told Elizabeth she should not receive any further aid, and should even have what was given to her taken away. But Elizabeth continued to have compassion on her and her child. We see this so often today. People often condemn women in difficulty, but compassion is still the true pro-life attitude."
The book tells the whole story of Elizabeth's life from her birth in 1207 until her death. It is based on the truth that love or charity is the greatest of the virtues. Elizabeth practiced this virtue as a vocation in her love for her husband and children. She was a young wife and mother of barely 18 when she met the first Franciscans who came to Germany and through them discovered her second vocation to the poor. She died beloved throughout Europe, and already considered a saint, on November 17, 1231 -- still only 24 years old -- and was canonized in 1235.
Since then she has inspired a multitude of men and women who have imitated her life of service in religious orders and other communities and charities named for her. One of them was Fr. Ludovico da Casoria, a 19th-century Franciscan friar who founded the Suore Elisabettine in Italy, and who will be canonized on November 23, 2014.
Also inspired by St. Elizabeth was a courageous Jesuit priest, Fr. Alfred Delp, who in a sermon in 1941 in Sankt Georg church in Bavaria, denounced, though in veiled terms, the Nazi regime's program of euthanasia for the mentally and physically handicapped and other seemed "unfit to live." But St. Elizabeth, he said, teaches us "the true meaning of human life . . . This quiet woman bears a grave and urgent message for our land, for our people, for each of us: everywhere, wherever we find ourselves, wherever we may be called upon to bear witness, we must protect life, we must guard human beings from everything that can crush them underfoot. Woe to those who inflict suffering! And woe to those who have destroyed a human life, who have desecrated an image of God, even when it was already breathing its last, even when it seemed to represent only a vestige of humanity."
There is more of Fr. Delp's sermon, and other reflections on St. Elizabeth and the "culture of death" in this inspiring book. They make it clear that she is not just a distant medieval figure but a woman for today.
Using Electronic Devices in the Liturgy
Recently, the bishops in New Zealand issued a letter stating that iPads and other electronic tablets are not to be used to replace the Roman Missal in the celebration of the Mass. Over the last couple days, it’s received some attention from blogs like Thomas McDonald’s God and the Machine and Deacon Greg Kandra’s The Deacon’s Bench.
Now, it’s very clear for those who know me or have read my blog for some time that I’m a computer geek. I make no attempt to hide this fact. I have an iPad and an Android smartphone, as well as several computers (including a classic Commodore 64). I follow trends in the tech world, and try to figure out how to use them to the Church’s advantage.
With my geek cred established, it might come as a surprise that I agree with the New Zealand bishops. Electronic devices, like iPads and smartphones have their place within the Church, and should receive wide use by people at all levels for the work of the Church, but the celebration of the Mass is one place where we should be reticent about bringing these forms of technology into play.
The written word is an important aspect of our worship, so much so that the books used for the celebration of the Mass should be high-quality, durable, and beautiful. There should be a permanence to the books used at the altar and ambo, because the words we speak at Mass are truly the Word of God. Words have power, and the Word of God spoken during the Mass have the power to make Christ present in the proclamation of the Scriptures and in His Real Presence through the Words of Institution.
The Word of God is permanent, existing for all eternity, and became incarnate through Our Lord taking on human flesh through the Blessed Virgin Mary. For this reason, it is fitting that the texts used for the celebration of the Mass be permanent and tangible through the use of books dedicated for the celebration of the Mass, and not transitory and intangible data on an iPad screen. So, for the purposes of celebrating Mass, I agree that electronic devices should not replace the Roman Missal.
I do believe there are places for electronic devices outside of the actual celebration of the liturgy. For at least 2 years now, I have used an iPad to display my homiletic notes while I preach the weekend homilies. I’ve found this to be a good use for the iPad, especially since it is a lot less wasteful than printing up the notes on paper – I’d estimate that I’ve saved well over 100 pieces of paper in that time. It also allows me to occasionally record the homily for later publication over the blog (as I did last weekend).
I also agree with Thomas McDonald that e-ink devices could easily replace the throw-away missals that nearly every parish uses. (Catholic publishers, like Our Sunday Visitor,Word Among Us or Magnificat, are you listening?) Instead, the parish buys a dedicated “plug server” and the required number of dedicated e-ink readers (think non-Fire Kindles). The server is connected to the Internet, and communicates with the readers over a dedicated wi-fi link.
When a parishioner picks up the e-ink reader, it connects to the server and grabs the entire text of the Mass. I especially like Thomas’ idea of having the hymns right in line. No more page flipping or announcing, “Please join in hymn #XXX.” Think of a custom-made worship aid at every Mass without the hassle. Just tell the server what hymns to add for the day, and it does the rest, including downloading the daily readings directly from the publisher. It would also eliminate the confusion that comes with the necessary separation of the ordinary and propers of the Mass in current missals.
So, Catholic publishers who might be willing to take this on, I’ll take 150 e-ink readers and a couple of the servers, but I’ll keep the Roman Missal and Lectionaries in the sanctuary.
Today's Homily
You may have noticed over the past couple of weeks that the readings are clearly focused on the end of time. John has taken great pains to describe visions that he is seen about the next life in the next world. In the midst of all of this, perhaps the most important observation that John makes is the vision of a new heavens and a new earth. The reason I think that this is so important for us, is that all too often in our lives there are too many instances where we see things that are falling apart. I am not talking simply about physical things, although certainly watching someone age, and experience the inevitable hardships that come with growing older, is certainly quite important.
No, I am referring in so many ways to what we encounter time and time again in our world, throughout all ages of history. It’s not difficult to become overwhelmed by those things that we see occurring in our world. It’s sad in so many ways, that the things that human beings have been struggling with in terms of sin are still in our midst. People still do not get along, we still not learn to share, there are times are we treat people differently for very superficial reasons like the color of their skin, and the world is increasingly becoming a place of great disparity financially and otherwise.
If this is all there is, then indeed we are the saddest of peoples. About is not to suggest that life is miserable. I feel like I’m a pretty happy person. Perhaps you do too. But these events should remind us to focus our attention on the person of God who calls us to this new and extraordinary life. In the Psalms, God tells us that he is doing something new. In today’s reading John sees a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. And certainly the resurrection of Jesus changed everything about what it meant to be a follower of God. There was something far more important to hope for and to hope in because Jesus extends to each of us this tremendous gift of unending and eternal life.
It is important to remember that this newness occurs whether we see it or not. And so, it should be some comfort and consolation to those who may not feel that there is much new, or who may not see much new in their lives, to know that God continues to do these things, even when we are unaware.
source: http://www.deporres.net/category/daily-homily/
No, I am referring in so many ways to what we encounter time and time again in our world, throughout all ages of history. It’s not difficult to become overwhelmed by those things that we see occurring in our world. It’s sad in so many ways, that the things that human beings have been struggling with in terms of sin are still in our midst. People still do not get along, we still not learn to share, there are times are we treat people differently for very superficial reasons like the color of their skin, and the world is increasingly becoming a place of great disparity financially and otherwise.
If this is all there is, then indeed we are the saddest of peoples. About is not to suggest that life is miserable. I feel like I’m a pretty happy person. Perhaps you do too. But these events should remind us to focus our attention on the person of God who calls us to this new and extraordinary life. In the Psalms, God tells us that he is doing something new. In today’s reading John sees a vision of a new heavens and a new earth. And certainly the resurrection of Jesus changed everything about what it meant to be a follower of God. There was something far more important to hope for and to hope in because Jesus extends to each of us this tremendous gift of unending and eternal life.
It is important to remember that this newness occurs whether we see it or not. And so, it should be some comfort and consolation to those who may not feel that there is much new, or who may not see much new in their lives, to know that God continues to do these things, even when we are unaware.
source: http://www.deporres.net/category/daily-homily/
PRACTICAL THEOLOGY: New from Ignatius Press
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 18, 2014) St. Thomas Aquinas' theoretical and philosophical brilliance were evident in his writings, particularly his masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae. Aquinas also provided personal and practical wisdom in his highly acclaimed work. In his new book, PRACTICAL THEOLOGY: Spiritual Direction From St. Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Peter Kreeft provides 359 pieces of wisdom from the Summa Theologiae, which, Kreeft says, "are literally more valuable than all the kingdoms of this world because they will help you to attain "the one thing needful," or "the greatest good," the ultimate end and purpose and meaning of life.
Kreeft's book is unlike any other on Aquinas in that it provides the most practical analysis of the Summa Theologiae ever written. Aquinas had a reputation as an absent-minded professor, but he provided practical, personal and functional advice that helped his followers, including Kreeft, in their quest for sanity, happiness and union with God.
The 359 gold nuggets Kreeft selected helped him in the struggles of real life, to live in the real world and to grow closer to the Lord. He hopes they do the same for his readers. After each passage directly from Aquinas, Kreeft provides brief spiritual commentary to help explain it and apply it practical, personal, existential, "livable" thoughts.
Kreeft, who is an expert on Aquinas, has framed these readings as answers to questions that people actually ask their spiritual directors. Each answer is taken word for word from Aquinas.
Among the many topics Aquinas and Kreeft cover in PRACTICAL THEOLOGY include:
- The problem of evil
- Interpreting the Bible
- Love vs. knowledge
- Reconciling justice and mercy
- Human freedom and divine grace
- Angels and demons
- The need for theology
- Predestination and free will
- Three kinds of goods
"Peter Kreeft's writings fall into the category of true genius, and this work, PRACTICAL THEOLOGY, may be his opus," says Dan Burke, executive director, of the National Catholic Register. "Not only does Dr. Kreeft make Aquinas" thought more accessible, but he does so in what I believe to be Aquinas" most important gift to the Church, the revelation of truth illumining the path to union with God. If this path isn't quite clear to you, this is the book for you."
More Catholic books.
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