Sister of Charity Tells How Theory of Evolution is Not Contrary to Faith

Today I listened to "American Catholic Radio", a weekly podcast sponsored by the Communication Campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in conjunction with the Franciscans.

I heard a wonderful interview of Sister of Charity Paula Gonzalez. Sister Paula is a former professor of biology, now working as an environmentalist, presenting workshops and retreats on how to live in better harmony with creation.

Last November she wrote an article in St. Anthony Messenger about Charles Darwin, the theory of evolution and how it relates to our Catholic faith. Sister Paula kindly points out that the theory of evolution is not contrary to our Catholic faith, although some atheists do try to use it that way. Evolution is, in fact, an excellent scientific theory that is supported by a large body of scientific fact.

Evolution simply appears to be the way that God chose to create the Universe and fill it with life. How wonderful Thou art, O God! How mighty the works of Thy Hands! Our Eternal Creator continues to support and sustain all His Creation. Praise God!

Read Sister Paula's article is at: http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Nov2009/Feature2.asp

Hear the interview with Sister Paula on American Catholic Radio program #10-07, February 8, 2010, at: http://www.franciscanradio.org/ACRepisode.asp?EpisodeNum=307

American Catholic Radio is also available as a podcast on iTunes.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen Now On Internet!

Archbishop Fulton Sheen was one of the best public voices for the Roman Catholic Church -- his radio show was outstanding. Yet, many people today have not heard him -- well, he has passed away.

But now some wonderful people have put him on the Internet! His voice lives on!

The main thing is that Archbishop Sheen gives really, really good explanations of the Roman Catholic faith, making it very easy to learn about our faith, and to defend our faith.

Here is a website I just went to tonight, and I am downloading all the mp3 files as I write this:
http://www.americancatholictruthsociety.com/articles/sheen.htm

Step Up California, Campaign to Cut Poverty

Approximately 30 percent of Californian families do not earn enough to pay for basic needs. Many of them are struggling with inadequate resources and are forced to make hard choices between hunger, housing and health care.

To build awareness of the facts and to fight poverty more effectively, Catholic Charities of California launched Step Up California, Campaign to Cut Poverty.

For more information on the Step Up California campaign and on what you can do, visit: http://www.stepupca.org

The program has six concrete steps that you can take:

* Step 1: Support Our Resolution
* Step 2: Join Us
* Step 3: Advocate
* Step 4: Volunteer Your Time
* Step 5: Make a Donation
* Step 6: Educate

Fast for Haiti program

Fast for Haiti is a program by a Catholic youth ministry leader.

The tradition of fasting and praying is thousands of years old -- raise your small sacrifice in prayer to God -- it is really powerful.

Since Lent is coming up, this is a good way to start thinking about how you will live out prayer, fasting and almsgiving for your Lenten observance.

http://www.fastforhaiti.com/

Preaching and Promoting the Gospel of Life

Does an embryo have a soul?

Isn't society justified in putting to death a criminal that has committed a capital crime?

Why should taxpayers have to support health care and schooling for undocumented children?

Why didn't Pope John Paul II agree to call President Bush's invasion of Iraq a "just war"?

When did health care become a "right"?

All of these apparently unconnected questions actually involve the same central Catholic moral principle, the consistent ethic of life. This principle is often associated with Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s 1983 proposal of the “seamless garment” analogy, a reference from John 19:23 to the seamless robe of Jesus, to provide a moral compass to help Catholics apply moral principles to life issues present in the public square.

The “consistent ethic of life,” as it is now commonly articulated, states basically that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II taught the principle clearly:

• “"Human life is sacred and inviolable at every moment of existence” (n. 61).
• “As far as the right to life is concerned, every innocent human being is absolutely equal to all others” (n. 57).

Read more about this in a great article by By Rev. Richard Benson, C.M. at http://www.cacatholic.org/index.php/news-and-analysis/life-issues/bioethics/651-gospel-life.html

Catholic Relief Services Brings Help to Haiti

Generous contributions from Catholics across the country to Catholic Relief Services are helping thousands of Haitians after the devastating earthquake on January 12th.

Catholic Relief Services has provided food and other emergency supplies to more than 90,000 people through two large sites and parish distribution sites across Port-au-Prince. Catholic Relief Services medical teams are treating 300 per day.

For more information on Catholic Relief Services relief efforts in Haiti as well as prayer resources, educational resources, and information on how you can help with the long-term rebuilding process, go to www.crs.org.

For a beautiful prayer in solidarity with our Haitian brothers and sisters, visit: http://education.crs.org/resources/prayer-after-eq-haiti.pdf

Catholic Relief Services is the global outreach arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. They do great and lasting work for social justice and charity. A really effective organization!

Justice for Immigrants Campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' -- Matthew 25:35-36

Our bishops’ are currently launching a national campaign to support comprehensive immigration reform. This effort will educate and engage Catholics around the country on this critical issue. Learn more at: http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/

What Have Popes Said About Migration?

“Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence with the confines of his own state. When there are just reasons in favor or it, he must be permitted to emigrate to other countries and to take up residence there. The fact that he is a citizen of a particular state does not deprive him of membership in the human family, nor the citizenship in that universal society, the common, world-wide fellowship of women and men.” -- Paragraph 25, Pacem in Terris, Encyclical OF Pope John XXIII on Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity, and Liberty, April 1963

"Every man and woman may be regarded as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father"— Pope Benedict XVI

My Family Migrated to America: How About You?

My family has been in America for many generations now. Yet everyone of my forebears came from Northern Europe. My father's grandfather's grandfather fled the chaos following the fall of Napoleon, and came to Indiana by covered wagon. My mother's great grandmother's a few back all fled Scotland and England -- probably they were destitute second sons or other outcasts.

Try finding out about your own family tree. Unless you are 100% native American, your family were also migrants to America.

New Podcast: Catholic Stuff You Should Know

I just found a new podcast on iTunes: "Catholic Stuff You Should Know".

Just a few minutes long, this podcast presents fun facts of faith in a lighthearted, bantering style. If you are familiar with the "Stuff You Should Know" series for technology and history, you know what I mean.

I am a catechist for RCIA and a member of the pastoral council in my parish. I listened to the first four podcasts, and they were faithful to the Roman Catholic Church. One of the podcasters is an ordained deacon, and the other is a lay person -- and they know their theology and history . . . and can present the faith in an entertaining and engaging way!

The website is: http://www.catholicstuffpodcast.com

US Bishops Fight Human Trafficking

800,000 people are caught in this modern day form of slavery every year – and up to 50,000 are moved annually into the United States. Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world and is closely tied to the international arms trade. Women and children are the most common victims.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services Department helps survivors, trains volunteers, provides awareness, education and advocacy. For information on how to assist victims and combat this horrendous crime, phone (202) 541-3357, or visit: http://www.usccb.org/mrs/trafficking/usccbresponse.shtml

What does Catholic Social Teaching say?

"Slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children and disgraceful working conditions, where people are treated as mere instruments of gain . . . poison human society . . . and debase their perpetrators." (Gaudium et Spes, The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Paragraph #27)

What can you do? It looks like our prayers and financial support to Catholic Charities USA are the best immediate action to take for the average parishioner. For direct involvement, contact your local Catholic Charities office, found through the main website of Catholic Charities USA.

Busting the Over Population Myth: Catholic Scientist Sets Record Straight

The Catholic Laboratory podcast is a wonderful program put on by a Catholic scientist.

In episode 24, Ian Maxfield systematically and logically refutes common myths about over-population. This is important for Pro-Life because all of these over-population myths are used as arguments for abortion and infanticide the world over.

http://www.catholiclab.net/TheCatholicLaboratory/Podcast/Entries/2009/12/17_Cathlab24_-_Dear_Sir_David_Attenborough_....html

Did you know that we have enough clean drinking water and food and living space on planet Earth? The key is the distribution. First world over-consumption and food waste play their part, as well. And don't forget oppressive regimes and their human rights abuses.

Ian Maxfield provides a detailed and careful analysis of this complex issue -- don't take my word for it -- go listen to episode 24 of "The Catholic Laboratory" podcast.

Walk for Life in San Francisco: 40,000 Despite the Rain!

The West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco last weekend was amazing! Imagine 40,000 people standing in the rain to listen to speakers championing life, and then walking 2.5 miles along the San Francisco waterfront -- parents with children in strollers, elderly men and women, Roman Catholic Christians, Evangelical Protestant Christians, Jews, Mormons -- everyone celebrating and praying for life.

The purpose is to stand up and say: human life is sacred and must be defended from conception to natural death.

We are supportive of mothers, of fathers, and of babies. No one was there to condemn a woman with an unexpected pregnancy. Everyone was there to help mothers, and to help fathers, and to help babies -- to give a voice to the voiceless.

Everyone was praying, singing, laughing or just quietly walking. The only frowns were from tiny knots of counter protesters, a strange mix of atheists, pro-choice advocates, and random advocates for who knows what (this was San Francisco after all).

The leaders of the procession held signs like this: "I regret my lost fatherhood", "I regret my abortion", "Women deserve better than abortion".

Some of my favorite signs read: "As a former fetus, I oppose abortion", "A person is a person, no matter how small. Dr. Seuss", "Jesus heals".

The speakers included: a woman who deeply regrets killing her baby, a former abortion clinic worker who had a conversion and now is a Pro-Life advocate, an Evangelical Protestant minister, a Pro-Life advocate from France, a Roman Catholic priest -- really inspiring.

What can you do? Please write your Congressional representative to keep abortion funding out of health care reform. I recommend this easy to use site by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops:

http://tinyurl.com/StopAbortion

Also, keep an eye out for people collecting signatures for a change to the Constitution of the State of California to change the definition of a human being to include a fetus.

Free Audio Bibles for iPod! Also on iTunes!

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe has a wonderful program to distribute audio Bibles to the world!

Try it out!

http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/ambassador/free-audio-bible-download

I recommend the English Standard Version Audio Drama New Testament: The translation is easy to listen to, all the characters are done by different performers, and the music and special sound effects make the Word of God come alive! Your kids will love it! You will love it!

Over 400 languages now available! Because much of the world is illiterate, this is a great ministry for spreading the Bible!

If you wish to make a donation, of course Faith Comes By Hearing is happy to receive it. But they are also happy to give away their wonderful productions free of charge.

Don't have time to read the Bible? Think again! Think the Bible is hard to understand and boring? Think again!

US Bishops Ask Us to Write Congress: Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform

Here is a message from the Social Justice Coordinator from my own bishop's office:

Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform:
Protect Conscience - Ensure Affordable Health Coverage - Allow Immigrants to Purchase Private Health Insurance

As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Contact your Representative and Senators today by e-mail as soon as possible. It took me less than 5 minutes today. To send a pre-written, instant e-mail to Congress go to www.usccb.org/action.

To read a nice summary of the US Bishops' position, go to: http://www.oakdiocese.org/pastoral/SocialJustice/

LA Congress Coming March 19-21: Join 40,000 Catholics!

http://www.recongress.org/

The Religious Education Congress, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Office of Religious Education, is the nation's largest annual gathering of Roman Catholics!

Over the three days, Congress 2010 will offer 272 workshops presented by over 200 speakers . Topics range from personal growth to music to spiritual topics – in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

My parish always sends a busload down -- and people rave about it!

If you want to be re-inspired by the Holy Spirit, this is the place to be!

Pope Benedict Links Hunger and Climate Change

This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. --Jeremiah 22:3

In his message to the World Summit on Food Security, the Holy Father said, "The desire to possess and to exploit the resources of the planet in an excessive and disordered manner is the primary cause of all environmental degradation." He continued, "While the entire human race is called to acknowledge its obligations to future generations, it is also true that States and international organizations have a duty to protect the environment as a shared good. "

Read the entire statement at: http://zenit.org/article-27563?l=english

My understanding is that there is, in fact, enough arable land on the planet to allow everyone to grow enough food, but that the distribution of land needs improvement. For example, do we really need golf courses in poor areas? Would not the land be better used by the local people to grow food? Or, do we really need to eat beef? Poultry and pork can be a far more productive source of protein.

Also, climate change will hit the poorest among us the hardest. We need to watch out for that.

I think it is always a good idea to read the Pope's own words, and take with a grain of salt any summaries you see in the secular press -- they do not understand Christian values, and often distort our Holy Father's meaning. Fortunately, all of the Pope's statements end up on the Vatican website, so that's easy enough.

Catholic Relief Services: Please Write Your Congressperson!

Please write your member of Congress on a number of hot topics.

Check current action alerts at: http://tinyurl.com/crs-action-center

This request comes from Catholic Relief Services in coordination with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Many items of upcoming legislation have moral dimensions, e.g. arms control, global poverty, immigration reform.

The website of CRS is sooooo easy to use -- will only take you 5 minutes to send your own representatives an email. If you are unfamiliar with an issue, all the policy statements and summaries are right there so you can understand WHY the Bishops' have a particular position.

The Bishops always apply Catholic doctrine to current issues -- they are not partisan. Their faith is informing their politics, not the other way around!

I just sent an email to my Congressperson regarding international nuclear arms control and global poverty.

Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity or I Am My Brother's Keeper

Why should we walk for life? Give the gift of English language skills? Give microloans to invest in tiny businesses in developing countries?

To live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To act out our faith. To live our discipleship.

Actions of charity and justice have a deep spiritual dimension.

Matthew 25 is very compelling: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40, New American Bible)

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops summarize the Catholic Social Teaching of Solidarity like this:

"We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.” The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict."

-- from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml

Help Others to Speak English: Volunteer as an English Tutor!

Now here is a New Year's Resolution you can make that will make a lasting improvement in someone's life: Give the gift of English language skills to an adult in your community!

Think how important it is for an adult in 21st century America to have good English skills: talking to their children's teachers, navigating the Department of Motor Vehicles, having better job opportunities. Good English skills can be the ticket to lift a family up and out of poverty!

In my parish, we are joining with a longstanding, successful program at the local public library. The only skill we need to qualify as tutors is to speak English. We do not need to be bilingual. The students are already in English as a Second Language classes taught by professional educators -- what they need from us is practice, practice, practice!

My local program is through the Livermore Public Library in the city of Livermore, California: http://www.ci.livermore.ca.us/library/literacy.html

To find a program near you, try the following website:

ProLiteracy (champions the power of literacy to improve the lives of adults and their families, communities, and societies): http://www.proliteracy.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=298

6th Annual Walk for Life, January 23, 2010, San Francisco

Mark your calendars!

Make a New Year's Resolution!

Make a stand against abortion -- and take a walk!

The West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco is January 23, 2010. Learn more at: http://www.walkforlifewc.com/

On the east coast, join the March for Life in Washington, D.C., on January 22, 2010. Learn more at:
http://www.marchforlife.org/content/view/13/26/

Last year, I joined two busloads of people from my parish of St. Michael. The rally at the start was incredible -- so many stories of women who bitterly regretted their abortions, men who regretted their lost fatherhood, and heartwarming stories of women who kept their babies and were so happy they had done so! I found the walk quite relaxing -- just strolling along the San Francisco waterfront with 32,000 of my best friends -- praying the Rosary, chatting, looking at the bystanders looking at us. There were only a handful of counter-protesters.

The walk is strenuous because you end up on your feet for several hours -- from the rally to the walk to the rally at the other end. If you cannot join the walk, please pray for the Walk and the March.

“Among Women” Celebrates the beauty and grace of Catholic Faith and Life among women

I just listened to an episode of the relatively new podcast, "Among Women", and found it very informative, enriching and worthwhile.

Here is a description from the Among Women website (http://www.patgohn.com/patgohn/AmongWomenPodcast.com.html):

Goal and Mission: “Among Women” celebrates the beauty and grace that women experience in their Catholic Faith and Life. They hope this “faith-sharing” program will be "faith building" . . . inspiring women in their call to holiness by drawing closer to Christ and the Catholic Church, by living lives of prayer and loving service.

Pat Gohn hosts this program featuring two segments: (1) “Blessed Are They”, a reflection focusing on faithful women who have gone before us . . . those saints and sages who bring inspiration for Christian life. (2) “Among Women,” features conversations with contemporary women from all walks of life.