As we were transitioning between Christ the King and the First week of Advent, I snuck into the school chapel to get in some prayer time. Coming into the chapel from a side entrance, I saw the Advent Wreath. But I also saw that they had put up the stable for the Christmas Creche. I prayed as I walked to the front that they had not placed Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and the rest in it yet. I was shocked and in awe of what I saw. There was no Mary, Joseph, Jesus, or any person in it. Only sheep and some hay.

I had never seen this before, and was completely engrossed in it. A simple stable unknowingly waits to receive our Lord. For now, it is crowded with animals. They make a mess of the floor, live their daily lives and are none the wiser. As the weeks progress more animals will be stabled because of the census. It will be very crowded.

The same happens in our very own lives. Advent is a time to prepare for Christ to enter into our lives. Yet, there are tasks and activities which also enter our lives as Christmas approaches. There are cookies to bake. Presents to wrap. Events to attend. All of which can be good, but they have a tendency to muck up our lives. They leave us so busy and frazzled, we are more ready for Christmas to be over as it has just begun.

The good news. As with the stable, there are opportunities to muck out the stalls and floors of our own hearts. It’s not a pleasant job, but it must be done. New hay needs to be laid. Waste removed. Hungry animals fed. If you aren’t a stable hand, what are you to do?

New Hay – Many barns or stables have a dirt floor, so hay is needed to keep animals warm from cold, and to absorb animal waste. Try to get into the true spirit of the season by starting a new devotion. Attend daily mass. Sign up for daily mass readings via email, (https://www.flocknote.com/list/431). In short, do something new to help you grow this Advent.

Muck the Stalls – This job is often smelly, stinky, and required for the health of any animal. The same is true for our souls. We need cleaning up so that we are presentable for this great celebration. While Advent (a time for preparation) is not Lent (a time for repentance), we still would not go to a fancy party without cleaning up first. The same is true for the reception of Communion. We need to be in a state of grace when we receive him.

Feed the Animals – Nutrition is a fundamental aspect of our daily lives. Do we feed ourselves spiritually? Although Advent is a season to start new practices, do not let current practices fall aside. Just because you could sustain yourself on a liquid diet, doesn’t mean you should pass up a chance to eat your favorite meal. That would be like praying daily and never receiving the Eucharist. Sure, you could live like that. But it wouldn’t be filling you.

Today marks two weeks until Christmas. If you haven’t started anything, that’s ok. There is still time. If you are like me, you have lists of everything to complete by Christmas. Take a few minutes to make one more list. But instead of who is getting what, or the menu for Christmas day, make a list of what you want to have completed spiritually before Christmas comes. Mine looks something like this:

Go to Confession

Read the Daily Catechism (http://www.flocknote.com/catechism)

Read the Sunday Readings before Mass

Take 15 minutes of silence per day for God

Pray daily with my husband

It’s a short list but it’s manageable. In time, my stable will be fresh and ready to welcome the Holy Family. Blessed Advent all!

This past weekend, my husband and I decided to go tent camping to take in the change. It was a wonderful adventure. We finally used the camping gear we received as wedding presents almost 2 years ago. A gorgeous day transformed into a clear and brisk night. We hiked and took in the beauty of God’s creation in a corner of the world that is still very new to us.

There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for every affair under the heavens.

 

A time to give birth, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;

a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

When fall comes, I can’t help but think of this passage from Ecclesiastes. There is always an appropriate time for everything. Days pass and the seasons change. Crops sprout and are harvested. Children grow. Loved ones inevitably pass away. Change is necessary, beautiful and difficult which makes it such an amazing gift.

At the end of our small camping excursion, my husband and I rushed back into town to clean up and since it was Saturday, go to Confession. Since we moved, I haven’t had much of a chance to get back into a normal routine. It was longer than usual for me between Confessions.

I begin my examination of conscious, at my “new” parish, with a “new” confessor, who also happens to be my boss; I was a bit nervous. Then I began my Confession and realized it is still the Sacrament that I know and love. Although my confessors have changed throughout the years, the love, mercy and grace I receive is still the same.

My favorite part of Reconciliation is the Act of Contrition. I still say the same version I learned at my First Reconciliation, with the thee, thy and thou in it. But regardless of the version you say, the intent remains the same. I realize that I have hurt God through the acts of my sin, and I firmly resolve to not do it again by the grace I have received in the Sacrament.

God is not a housemaid only there to clean up your messes. God will help through the grace of the sacrament. The change of heart must come through personal efforts. That is why repentance must always be followed with penance. We give thanks to the one who forgave us, and begin the necessary change in our lives. How profound the conversion in our lives would be if we truly took the Sacrament of Confession for what it is; a call to change.

Fall is just beginning. The white blanket of winter will swiftly follow it here in Minnesota. The same happens with our souls. Sins as numerous and varied as the colorful leave that scatter on the ground of our souls. We need to gather them into a bag and remove them. Confession is not only the bag that God uses to gather those leaves, but the bonfire he throws them of. Those sins are forgotten. Our souls are once again in a state of grace, pleasing to God.

When I attended college, our mascot was the Saints. I loved attending sporting events, seeing my friends and roommates, and even getting back to classes. Reflecting back on that time, I am also reminded of our friends and family in faith who have gone before us, the Saints in Heaven. Often Saints are given a patronage for those that they are especially apt to pray for. I want to share a few of my favorites with you to kick off the school year.

Saint Joseph of Cupertino – Patron of Students

A shoe in for the State High Jump competition

Saint Joseph of Cupertino had very little education during his lifetime. He was known to have a violent temper, and was very forgetful when he was young. After unsuccessfully trying to become a Franciscan and Capuchin as a young teen, he was accepted as a servant for the Franciscans when he was 18.

While serving the Franciscans, his demeanor began to change. St. Joseph became more gentle and successful in his work. His superiors declared that he was worthy to study for the priesthood. Studying was extremely hard for St. Joseph but he always tried his hardest. During his test for the Diaconate the teacher only asked him questions about his best topic. This allowed him to become a Deacon and later a Priest.

St. Joseph often would have grand visions and experience levitation while praying or saying the mass.

Saint Francis de Sales – Patron of Teachers

Persistent and patient, marks of any great teacher

Saint Francis de Sales was born into nobility. After many years of study and discernment, against his family’s wishes, he became a priest. He felt that it was his mission to travel across Switzerland in order to convert Calvinists to Catholicism.

St. Francis would often have doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. So he had to try different techniques to reach people he wished to speak with. Highly educated, he would often write sermons and slide them under the doors of homes for people to read. He would also begin speaking and playing with children in order to show parents and adults that he served no threat to them.

St. Francis’ patronage of teachers comes from his devotion to leading common people in spiritual direction. His letters to St. Jane de Chantel, now collected in the Introduction to the Devout Life, are the start of his teaching that anyone, not just priests and nuns, can live a holy life.

Saint Lawrence – Patron of Cooks

Remember to eat your veggies!

What school day would be complete without lunch? Saint Lawrence was a Deacon in the early Catholic Church, entrusted to spread wealth among the poor and the needy. When the Prefect of Rome claimed all the Church’s wealth in tribute, Lawrence told him to be patient and he would have it in three days.

After distributing as much wealth as possible in that time, St. Lawrence gathered all the poor and crippled that he could. He presented them to the Prefect, saying, “This is the Church’s treasure!” The emperor seized St. Lawrence and had him attached to a grate placed over a fire, essentially grilling him to death. As he was dying he joked, “Turn me over, I’m done on this side.” and when about to die, he said “It’s cooked enough now.”

Saint Sebastian – Patron of Athletes

And you thought gym class was hard

Saint Sebastian was the Captain of the Roman Guard under the Emperor Diocletian. Saint Sebastian was able to keep his beliefs secret during DIocletian’s persecution of Christians. Using his status, he worked in secret to free many Christians.

Once it was revealed that St. Sebastian was Christian, Diocletian called for his execution. His method of choice was to have St. Sebastian shot by arrows. Miraculously, St. Sebastian survived, aided by a widow who found his body and helped him to recover. Once healthy, St. Sebastian encountered the Emperor again and condemned him for his intense persecution of Christians. Emperor Diocletian had St. Sebastian beaten to death for the strength of his beliefs. This, and the enthusiasm St. Sebastian had for his faith, led him to be the Patron of Athletes.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria – Patroness of Mathematics

Not your typical damsel in distress

St. Catherine was a beautiful, young woman who was greatly educated in many different disciplines, primarily philosophy and mathematics. The local ruler, Maxentius, offered her a royal marriage if she would refuse her faith. St. Catherine’s constant refusal resulted in her arrest and imprisonment. While imprisoned, she converted Maxentius’ wife and 200 soldiers with her elegant, honest evangelization. All of them were martyred.

Maxentius, not wanting to be further shamed by St. Catherine, wanted a gruesome and unusual death for her. He had a spiked wheel built for St. Catherine’s execution. She would be tied to it and then rolled over. However, when the went to execute her, the wheel fell to pieces. She was later beheaded and according to legend her body was taken to Mount Sinai by angels. You can read more here.

Saints have great stories, and do not have to be limited to a specific day or intention to look for them. They are intercessors, friends, and allies in our pursuit of Heaven, role models for our daily lives. So, whether you are a student, teacher, unsure about math, or a parent (like the blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, St. Monica), there are Saints in Heaven who can say, “Been there, done that” and help you everyday. If you want to read more on these Saints click their headings.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.” (969)

First of all, moms are amazing. They are all things to all people. Regardless of the time period they lived in, domestic peace is usually mom centered. Happy Mom equals happy home. We as Catholics know and publicly acknowledge Mary’s awesome motherhood through the Feasts of the Annunciation and Mary Mother of God. But to all the moms who are reading this, how often are you asked by a child, “Can you ask Dad about this for me?”

I am 26 years old and I still do this.

One of a mother’s great gifts is the ability to know their spouse so well they know how to obtain a favorable answer, if they also have a favorable answer to the request. So that as Mary intercedes for us, she is simply asking “Dad”, God the Father, to have a favorable answer for our prayers in accordance with His will.

Mothers also have a great influence over their sons. For example, my husband is 6’2″, his brother is about 6′ and my mother in law is about 5’2″. As teens she would ask her sons, to stand on their knees to hug her more at her height. In honoring his mom, my husband will still do this for her. It’s a loving and endearing sight.

Mary’s motherhood is eternal. She is always in contact with her son and Jesus is an obedient child. We must remember Jesus is part of the Trinity, Mary’s intercession cannot go against the will of God. However as at the wedding feast at Cana, she can encourage his will along.

In the same respect that we do not treat God as a vending machine, we are not to abuse the love that we are given by asking Mary to intercede for items that could potentially harm us. For example if I were to ask Mary’s intercession to pay the bills this month would be fine but asking for her intercession to win the lottery may do me great spiritual harm in the long run.

Lastly, just because we have Mary, our mother and Mother of God, does not mean we treat her as a God. No matter what great jobs our mothers’ do, they are still human. That’s what makes what Mary has done amazing. She is completely human, although by God’s will preserved from sin. She completely trusted in God when faced with the impossibility of conceiving a child while maintaining her virginity. Mary continued to voice her “yes” through every moment, even as her son was dying on the cross.

So in those moments when I don’t know how to address God, I often turn to Mary. As a mother she understands the struggles children face and has the unique gift to decipher what is it I, as a child, need. That being said…  Mom, can you ask Dad about…

Struggle can be defined as” to contend with an adversary or opposing force” and is essential to a great life. Let’s look at some fictional examples. Imagine had Romeo and Juliet been allowed to get married, Katness and Peta never chosen for the Hunger Games, or Voldemort never rearing his noseless head again; where would the story be? In any interesting story or noteworthy area of someone’s life there needs to be a rising conflict and eventual resolution.

Often in lieu of “offer it up”, my friends would say, “Christ never said life was easy, but he did say it was worth it.” They were referencing this  “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11: 28 – 30

For those of you not familiar with farming, a yoke was a device personally fitted for one particular set of oxen in order for them to pull together. They were crafted by master carpenters who would make sure that they would sit exactly on the shoulders of the oxen without causing harm or injury. Yoke were designed to support the oxen who would share the load uniformly and would encourage the other if they were getting tired.

So imagine Christ handing you this big chunk of wood saying , “wear this, it fits well and it will help you get through tough situations.” Depending on your vocation in life, that second spot could be for your spouse, a parent, siblings, a dear friend, a member of a religious community, a fellow priest or Christ himself.

But how does this relate to struggle? Think about the last time something unexpected happened. Whether it was something good or something bad, what was your first reaction? If you are anything like me, my first reaction is I have to tell someone. If it’s something exciting, who do I share my joy with, if it’s hard who do I seek for help? Who is the person I am shoulder to shoulder with?

Struggle, although a natural effect of sin, help us to grow personally and spiritually. The question then becomes how do we overcome struggle? Here are some tips and tricks to help you through tough or uncertain times.

1. Pray – There are many many many ways to pray, but probably one way that you connect to most. Whether it’s an Our Father, Hail Mary, the Rosary, reading the Bible or a favorite devotion; find the form of prayer that is most “comfortable” or easiest for you and utilize it.
2. Find someone you trust – As I said above, most yokes need 2 oxen to work best. God never intended man to be alone and Jesus commissioned his disciples 2 by 2. Find that person you trust who can walk with you.
3. Frequent the Sacraments – Starting the day with a clean slate or having the most perfect meal can make all the difference. Reconciliation and the Eucharist are tools to be utilized rather than something nice to do when you feel like it.
4. Make a plan – no matter how overwhelming your struggle is, a plan can help put it into perspective and give you a path to get through it. Even if your plan is to make it through the month, week, day our even the hour, it can make a difference.
5. One more thing – At a retreat I attended on the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola our spiritual director encouraged us to find one extra spiritual habit we could do. This habit is intended for something we can do to help us grow and keep incorporated after the struggle has passed.

During our weekly staff meeting our priest loves to lead us in a small Lectio Divina of the upcoming Gospel for Sunday. This weekend’s Gospel comes from John 20: 19-31. Growing up I always knew this story as the one of “Doubting Thomas” and even then, I didn’t know what to make of it. In my opinion, Thomas gets a bad rap.

“Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

John 20: 24-25

Even when I was younger I wondered, where was Thomas? The streets were not safe for the Apostles. On Holy Thursday, Peter was almost captured to be prosecuted with Jesus, and by now news had spread that Jesus’ body had gone “missing.” The Apostles were hiding in a locked room when Jesus appeared and we find out that Thomas was not hiding with him. In my opinion Thomas was either very brave or very stupid. With everything that was happening in the region at the time, there must have been something very pressing for Thomas to leave the safety of that room.

Thomas was also very intelligent, he asks for very specific proof. Thomas knew the brutality that Jesus endured and that if Jesus was truly risen, there would be some marks left. Even scientists today look for very specific outcomes and if their results do not fit the norm, they question why. It is also very normal to question in order to understand. I do not think that Thomas asked this question because he did not want to believe but rather that he did not know how to believe. All the Apostles were still grieving Jesus’ death prior to seeing him again, and since Thomas hadn’t seen, we was still grieving.

“Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

John 20: 26-29

Faith in Action

Thomas has my favorite “light bulb” moment in the Bible, “My Lord and my God!” Not just “oh hey, it is you,” or some other greeting but my Lord and my God. When Peter was answering about who Jesus was, Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”  Matthew 16:16 (emphasis mine) but Thomas fully admits that Jesus is Lord. No doubt, no hesitation, just bold.

On top of everything, this weekend is Divine Mercy Sunday. If you are not familiar with the devotion to Divine Mercy you can check it out here. St. Faustina received many messages from Christ and often was described as “Jesus’ secretary.” The most important messages were about Christ sending his Mercy out on the world. The message can be boiled down to this 1. Ask for Christ’s Mercy 2. Be Merciful 3. Completely trust in Jesus.

In the Gospels we hear many pursuing faith and asking for help with their unbelief. We are completely human. We are limited and flawed, and because of this doubt is only a part of the human condition. Even though we doubt, with the help of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, we have the same boldness of St. Thomas and all the Saints every time we say “Jesus, I trust in you.”

If you have never prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet or it has been a while, please take a look at this web page from the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, How to Recite the Chaplet.

Happy Feast of Divine Mercy!

[author][author_image timthumb='on']http://www.ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Amanda-e1319548807143.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Amanda Castro is a Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education at a small rural Iowa parish. Some of her students have begun a crusade to try and stump their youth minister, even so far as asking the local Bishop for help. If they could have remembered the Latin they would have succeeded too! Aside from being happily newly married to her best friend, her passions include (but are not limited too) her 9 nieces and nephews, the Mass, Adoration, and photography. You can find her new blog at Defined by Faith.[/author_info] [/author]

It was only a passing comment but it very much changed my perspective, “My only regret is that I never experienced parish faith formation until I became a parish priest.”  With that, I was absolutely floored. Of course my first teachers of the faith were my parents, followed by the numerous volunteers and (eventually) one patient deacon who had to deal with me for 6 years. I was one of many kids who attended weekly CCD (the 90′s and early 2000′s abbreviation) and was eventually Confirmed in December 2003. Up through my Confirmation all I knew was parish based faith formation. Even once I was old enough to drive, a group of friends and I would drive 45 miles through northern Minnesota to attend another parish’s Life Teen program because we wanted more. We were the exception rather than the rule. I never knew any other form of Catholic Education until I went to college.

Now that I’m sitting on the other side of the desk, I understand the need for quality Parish Catholic Education and while I’m not the expert I’ve learned a few small things in parish ministry which I want to share with you.

These questions are meant to gauge the person who is overseeing your parish’s program, not the program itself. However, you can also tell a lot of a program by who is in charge.

1. What is your personal philosophy for this ministry?

My Introduction to Education professor in college taught us many great things and the one that stands out the clearest was the need for a personal teaching philosophy. It should be concise, have action verbs and be able to be easily said from memory. Another name for this is a mission statement. Despite what your Director of Religious Education calls it, it is a personal action statement that lends itself to how they lead their ministry.

2. Where do you see this program going?

This question will get anyone who asks it a wide range of answers, however, the listener should hear some sort of plan for the program. By all means, no program is perfect and all programs have an opportunity to grow. A program is just like a child; parents, clergy, staff and volunteers provide vision and direction to help form the program and keep it going.

3. What are you doing for your own personal faith development?

There’s an old saying, “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck; it’s a duck.” The same is true with our Catholic faith. You will not believe me if I say that our parish programs are worth attending if I’m crabby, impatient and never attend mass. While Directors of Religious Education are human and prone to error, we are still highly visible members of the parish. In essence, we must be ducks.

4. What are you doing for your own professional development?

Think about your own local school districts, at least in the United States, all teachers in public schools need to have the correct licenses in order to teach. In order for teachers to keep their licenses, they need to attend classes and seminars and accrue an amount of points. A Director of Religious Education should be no different. In order to stay current in matters of theology, spirituality, education, human relations and best practices a Director of Religious Education should be taking classes at some interval in these areas.

5. What are your hobbies?

This question may seem a bit in left field but everyone needs a hobby, a way to relax. It is not healthy for a person to be so engrossed in their job that they cannot step away to do something they enjoy. I’m even reminding myself to pick up my hobby once in a while to just relax.

6. Where are you going on vacation?

I look to the Bible for my inspiration for this question, “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation”. Genesis 2:3

Even God and Jesus rested. Jesus would often go ahead of the crowds or find a secluded mountain and be away from everyone. If someone were to tell you that they weren’t or even couldn’t take a vacation, you would encourage them to do so. The same goes for those who work in the Church, priests included.

7. What can I do to help?

Even for me this is a hard question to answer, and I know from parishioners who talk to me, it is a hard question to ask. There is always something that needs to be done, whether it is organizing the supply closet, stuffing envelopes, baking brownies getting the word out about an event, being a substitute or even a full time teacher (bless your heart), every little bit helps. By asking to help what you are really showing is your support and value for the program. Also if being a teacher isn’t what you are called to, remember to specify that or every year around July and August you are going to get phone calls asking if you can teach. There is nothing wrong, and I encourage you to do so, to explain where you want to volunteer and what you want to do.

As I said these are questions to let you see how a program works from the Director’s view point. Also by being able to get to know your Director of Religious Education, if and when problems arise, you will already know who to talk to and have a relationship built with them.

What questions are always on your list to ask a Director of Religious Education?

[author][author_image timthumb='on']http://www.ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Amanda-e1319548807143.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Amanda Castro is a Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education at a small rural Iowa parish. Some of her students have begun a crusade to try and stump their youth minister, even so far as asking the local Bishop for help. If they could have remembered the Latin they would have succeeded too! Aside from being happily newly married to her best friend, her passions include (but are not limited too) her 9 nieces and nephews, the Mass, Adoration, and photography. You can find her new blog at Defined by Faith.[/author_info] [/author]

Historically, this is what’s been happening and will be happening within a decade of  Humanae Vitae being released.

1960 –  ”The Pill” receives FDA approval despite the Comstock Laws still being in effect. The Comstock Laws were passed in 1873 prohibiting the sale of any form of birth control. Many birth control devices were still sold as feminine hygiene items regardless of the law.

1962 – Vatican II begins.

1963 – Dr. John Rock, the gynecologist who lead the medical trials of “the Pill,” publishes The Time Has Come: A Catholic Doctor’s Proposal to End the Battle over Birth Control. The purpose of this book is to convince the Church to allow the use of “the Pill” as a supplement to the rhythm method.

1964 – Pope Paul VI starts his Commission on Population, the Family,  and Natality.

1965 – Vatican II comes to a close with no definitive statement on Artificial Birth Control. The U.S. Supreme Court eliminates the Comstock Laws by a vote of 7 – 2 in Griswold v.s Connecticut. The citing factor is that the Comstock Laws violated a couples right to privacy.

1968 – Humanae Vitae is released by Pope Paul VI.

1973 – Roe V. Wade allows for women to have the right to abortion.

1976 – The Inter-Uterine Device is approved by the FDA allowing for a form of removable Artificial Birth Control that can last up to 10 years. *

But what does this mini history lesson have to do with both me as a woman and as a Catholic? As you can see in the realm of Pro-Life issues there is a lot going on and Pope Paul VI did not leave any room for wiggling. In Humanae Vitae 14** Pope Paul VI states the following,

Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary.

Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.

In one small section of this powerful document, Pope Paul VI strikes down, artificial birth control, abortion (which at this time is still illegal in much of the world), and intentional sterilization.

I can hear many people starting to wonder though, what about those people who have had surgeries, procedures or accidents which have rendered them sterile? At the end of Humanae Vitae 14 Pope Paul VI makes a statement which addresses this. The essential part of  it is that in those cases, becoming sterile was not the intended effect of these procedures.

How all this effects me and others like me.

Humanae Vitae has had a greater effect on me and others like me than I will ever know. Pope Paul VI predicted a huge downfall in the ability of the young people to keep the moral law. Teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, and pornography has latched on and become a part of the world wide culture that most do not seem to find offensive. Pope Paul VI even predicted that government officials would one day create laws such as the Health and Human Service Mandate which is being pushed by the Obama Administration.

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone.

Humanae Vitae 17

I, as a young Catholic woman and a professional who works with many teenagers and youth, am afraid. I am watching as the once most free nation on earth is imposing laws and regulations that are in direct violation of the Bill of Rights. I am watching as many of the youth I serve lack the support and education by those around them and tell them that the Churches teachings are outdated, oppressive, and limiting. I am watching a world that is loosing generations with a decreasing birth rate. I am seeing a culture that regards pregnancy as a disease to be controlled rather than a gift to be embraced, and all of this scares me.

What astonishes me is that we were warned about all of this less than 50 years ago and we as a culture don’t get it.  We get global warming, human rights, the need to help the impoverished and care for your fellow person, provided that they are outside of the womb and not in the bedroom.

We as Catholics have a right to stand up against this unconstitutional law. If you are an American Citizen over the age of 18, and would like to sign this petition, I encourage you to do so.

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/rescind-hhs-dept-mandate-requiring-catholic-employers-provide-contraceptivesabortifacients-their/lBxr7SdP

* The information from this small timeline is obtained from the following.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52188

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/timeline/timeline2.html

** You can read Humanae Vitae in it’s entirety here:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

[author][author_image timthumb='on']http://www.ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Amanda-e1319548807143.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Amanda Castro is a Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education at a small rural Iowa parish. Some of her students have begun a crusade to try and stump their youth minister, even so far as asking the local Bishop for help. If they could have remembered the Latin they would have succeeded too! Aside from being happily newly married to her best friend, her passions include (but are not limited too) her 9 nieces and nephews, the Mass, Adoration, and photography. You can find her new blog at Defined by Faith.[/author_info] [/author]

Awww... Weren't we cute?

Our theme for the morning was “Realizing Your Giftedness.” We started by discussing the best gifts we had ever received and why they were amazing . Some of the reasons for that amazingness included: who gave it to you, what point in your life was it given, what is the story behind the gift, is it a usable gift, is it cherished, and lastly, what sacrifice was given with the gift?

The last question stuck with me throughout the whole day, what sacrifice was given?

As we continued to talk about different kinds of gifts, we talked about items, experiences and people. When we finally got to the people section, our priest brought up one of my favorite passages in the New Testament, Ephesians 5:22. “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.” He mentioned that women do not like that passage, and he left it at that. I looked at my husband and the two of us tried our hardest to not burst out laughing. This scripture passage was the New Testament reading  for our nuptial mass exactly a year prior, and I chose it.

Although it was amusing to watch the jaws of our family drop as this reading was being proclaimed, it was something that my husband and I wanted to share and emulate in our lives. This is something that we think is important.

At our lecture, I was saddened because that small portion of Ephesians was all the priest left us with, he did not tell the whole story.

For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.

Ephesians 5: 23-24

Many of my friends who talk to me about this passage always get hung up on the word ‘subordinate.’ Yes, subordinate means, to be submissive or be under the authority of something or someone. I look back at the Church and how I am asked to be subordinate.

I am asked to look at issues that are hard and come to terms with them through education and personal convictions. I am asked to look at 2000 + years of tradition and scholarly learning and form my own opinions. I am asked to keep learning and be empowered, and my husband asks the same of me.

As this passage continues, St. Paul addresses husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

 Ephesians 5 : 25-28

“[...] even as Christ loved the church[...]” Christ loves us so completely that he laid his life down as sacrifice for us. In that same way my husband is asked to lay down his life for me. He does not get to leave me home alone and go out to play golf every moment he has free, but to care for me and guide me through life as an example to me and those that are around us. Husbands are asked to sacrifice themselves for their wives and families.

I call that a pretty powerful gift indeed.

[author][author_image timthumb='on']http://www.ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Amanda-e1319548807143.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Amanda Castro is a Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education at a small rural Iowa parish. Some of her students have begun a crusade to try and stump their youth minister, even so far as asking the local Bishop for help. If they could have remembered the Latin they would have succeeded too! Aside from being happily newly married to her best friend, her passions include (but are not limited too) her 9 nieces and nephews, the Mass, Adoration, and photography. You can find her new blog at Defined by Faith.[/author_info] [/author]