The Sunday Homily: The Dynamics of Discipleship
Published February 7, 2010 | 
Fr. James Farfaglia, Pastor, St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus Catholic Church, Corpus Christi, Tx, Feb. 7, 2010
Father James Farfaglia is pastor of St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus Catholic Church in Corpus Christi, Texas. His email address is fjficthus@gmail.com. You can visit Father’s Electronic Parish at www.fjicthus.com.
PALIN–American is Ready for Another ‘Revolution’! Palin Blisters Obama at Tea Party Convention
Published February 7, 2010 | “How’s that hopey-changey thing workin’ out for you?”
Editor’s note: After the initial clip this playlist includes the entire Palin speech and the question and answer session that followed.
ENTIRE SPEECH BELOW:
Palin Brings Tea Party Convention To Its Feet
Published February 7, 2010 | 
By February 06, 2010
If Sarah Palin is the future of the conservative movement, then one thing can be certain: leadership isn’t going to suffer from a lack of support.
Her keynote speech at the Tea Party Convention brought the audience to their feet eight separate times, and every major point was followed with applause, whoops, and cheers. Palin talked about conservative activism, foreign policy, the economy, and a general political outlook, communicating her message with a personal touch and occasional jokes. It was what everyone had been waiting for.
“We know that we’ve got some big problems to solve… we want to look forward. But from here, it looks really good, because if there’s hope in Massachusetts, there’s hope anywhere,” she said.
One of Palin’s first jokes truly resonated with audience members.
“I’d like to give a special welcome to the CSPAN people. You may not be welcome in the health care debates, but you’re welcome here,” she said. Then she switched over to Republican primaries — a major issue in a GOP that has been wrestling with rowdy conservative tea partiers.
“A lot of common sense conservative candidates are going to be put on the line. There’s going to be some tough primaries. And I think that’s good,” she said. “Despite what the pundits want you to think, contested primaries aren’t civil wars. They’re democracy, and that’s beautiful.”
She said something similar about foreign policy.
“It’s not politicizing our security to discuss our concerns, because Americans deserve to know the extent of what they face,” she said, and then touched on Middle East, Korea, and the terrorist threat, including President Obama’s treatment of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. She also launched sharp criticism at Obama for being unable to juggle both health care and the economy at the same time.
“As the saying goes, if you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus,” she said.
After her brief remarks on the economy, she commended Rep. Bart Stupak for his work on the abortion amendment in the health care bill and then switched gears to speak about how she personally related to the tea party movement.
“The best of our country is not all gathered in Washington DC. It is here in our communities where our families live, and our children learn, and children with special needs are welcome in this world,” she said.
Little girls wearing glitter on their faces were shepherded into the room by their mother, and well-dressed couples from around the United States swooned over Palin’s performance while dining on lobster and tea.
Bright red roses served as centerpieces, but participants stuck “Palin 2012″ bumper stickers on top of them, right next to the copies of Palin’s book that were on the tables.
“A year ago, if you would’ve told me what I’m doing tonight, I would’ve had two questions for you: what have you been drinking? And two, could I have some?” said Judson Phillips, the event’s organizer, in a speech before Palin came on. He called the event “the hottest political convention in 2010.”
Catholic History of New Orleans Saints Runs Deep
Published February 7, 2010 | 
“In recent years, as Mr. Tom Benson has owned the team, the Saints organization has been very involved with the local Catholic Church and Catholic Charities,” Sarah Comiskey McDonald, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, said on Friday. “Mr. Benson is a major donor to our PACE Center (Program for all-inclusive care for the elderly) and our first center was named the Shirley Landry Benson PACE Center at St. Cecilia in memory of his deceased wife.”
“His granddaughter, the team’s executive Vice President, chaired the 2009 Archbishop’s Community Appeal to raise funds locally for the work of Catholic Charities,” she added.
The communications director also commented on the involvement of the team members within the archdiocese.
“Throughout the years, players have been involved in different programs and school visits – recently, Drew Brees visited one of our elementary schools; Reggie Bush has donated several hundred thousand dollars to Holy Rosary Academy and High School, and Scott Fujita, who is adopted, has been an active spokesperson for our adoption services of Catholic Charities,” the archdiocesan spokeswoman said.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees
“Additionally, Coach Sean Payton, who is Catholic, sends his kids to one of our Catholic schools and appeared in a PSA for the archdiocese on racial harmony.”
The Catholic connections to the New Orleans Saints will be in evidence on the day of the big game as well. Archbishop Gregory Aymond, retired Archbishop Philip Hannan and two Dominican sisters from Cathedral Academy in New Orleans will be attending the Super Bowl this year as guests of the Bensons.
Even the name “Saints” has a Catholic genesis. According to the New Orleans archdiocesan paper, the Clarion Herald, in 1967, the owner of the team approached then-Archbishop Hannan and asked if using the word “Saints” for a football team was sacrilegious. Archbishop Hannan not only loved the idea but wrote an official prayer for the team within that year.
One line of the prayer reads “…Our Heavenly Father, who has instructed us that the ‘saints by faith conquered kingdoms…and overcame lions,’ grant our Saints an increase of faith and strength so that they will not only overcome the Lions but also the Bears, the Rams, the Giants, and even those awesome people in Green Bay… .”
However, the Colts also have Catholic boosters of their own, including Archbishop Daniel Buechlein of Indianapolis, who called New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond to make a bet about the gridiron match. If the Saints win, Archbishop Aymond will receive southern Indiana pork chops, but if the Colts win Archbishop Buechlein will have gumbo on his dinner table.
When asked if prelates often bet on sporting events, Archbishop Aymond told CNA that “As far as our friendly wager, we cannot say whether it is a norm, but it is all in good fun.”
“The Archbishop of Indianapolis called us to offer the wager, and I look forward to enjoying the pork chops!”
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic_history_of_new_orleans_saints_runs_deep/
Archbishop Hannan’s Original ‘Prayer for the (New Orleans) Saints’
Credit: Archdiocese of New Orleans – Prayer for the Saints – by WWLTV.com
Posted on January 26, 2010
Archbishop Philip Hannan penned the original “Prayer for the Saints” in 1968. You can see a copy of it by clicking here.
GOSPEL & MEDITATION: Teaching the Thickheaded
Published February 7, 2010 | Luke 5:1-11
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for revealing your tender, merciful, Sacred Heart to us. Your Heart gives me the confidence to turn back to you as many times as I fall. I know that I hurt you the most when I neglect to trust in your infinite love for me. And so now in this meditation, good and kind Jesus, I intend to rest in your love.
Petition: Lord, give me faith so I can be a docile instrument in your great work of saving souls.
1. Jesus Sees Our Hearts In today’s Gospel we see Our Lord presented as a wonderful teacher of souls. First, Christ is a teacher to the multitude whose hearts were opened to his teaching by his marvelous miracles. He is also more subtly presented as a teacher to Saint Peter, whom he would later choose to lead his Church. His first lesson to Peter, besides the one Peter hears Jesus preach from his boat, is the very personal message of his worth in Christ’s eyes. Jesus provides a miracle just for Peter-not to heal him of some infirmity, but to demonstrate Christ’s overflowing love for him. He speaks loudly through his action of the miraculous catch. Whether through want or abundance, health or infirmity, am I able to discern Our Lord’s lessons for me in my life? Am I open to his lessons of love?
2. From the Depths of Our Faith Our Lord implemented a deeper lesson plan with Peter in order to prepare him for his great mission of being the first pope. Peter would need to move to a more supernatural level if Christ were to entrust him with the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. Testing his generosity, Christ commandeered Peter’s boat in order to teach the crowds gathered at the shore. Then Jesus led Peter to make an act of faith: he asked him to set out into the deep and drop his nets at a time when it didn’t appear opportune to fish. If Peter were to answer the supernatural call to be a fisher of men, he would have to depend on Our Lord’s working of miracles. Only by the grace of Christ is God able to redeem what humanly seems unsalvageable.
3. A Lesson of Mercy Mercy is God’s divine method of teaching: by showing mercy to sinners, Christ teaches us important lessons. Peter’s intentions are discovered and revealed in his confession at the shore. Peter confesses his lack of faith despite his “obedience” to Our Lord’s command to cast out into the deep. Our Lord taught Peter a great lesson when he blessed Peter’s feeble and meager faith with a contrastingly abundant catch of fish. Does my faith in God show in my actions? Am I willing to respond generously in the work of the New Evangelization?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me with the grace of your mercy to accept what seems unfeasable in human terms. Help me to accept your call for me to work in establishing a civilization of love in today’s world. Help me Lord, to be always faithful to your friendship, sincere in my faith, and diligent in service to you and my neighbors in need.
Resolution: Today I will pray and make a sacrifice to Our Lord so that he sends generous and holy vocations to the Church, especially where she needs them the most.
http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/articulos/articulo.phtml?se=363&ca=975&te=735&id=20302
ST. RICHARD
Published February 7, 2010 | 
Richard was the father of Saints Willibald, Winnebald, and Walburga. He was on a pilgrimage to Rome from his native Wessex, England, with his two sons when he was stricken and died at Lucca, Italy. Miracles were reported at his tomb and he became greatly venerated by the citizens of Lucca, who embellished accounts of his life by calling him “king of the English”.
STUNNING! Former KGB Explains How to Destabilize and Destroy a Country. Is America in Stage 3?
Maybe it’s also time we brought ourselves up to speed on the Soviet illegals program, the results of which are still with us. The Soviets spent a great deal of time and money identifying possible collaborators (whether witting or unwitting) in the homeland of the Principal Enemy — that was their name for the United States — and then gliding the recruits along their support networks of fellow travelers and sympathetic “useful idiots” (especially journalists) through the elite universities and into high governmental positions.
The U.S.S.R. may be gone, but its handiwork lives on, and the struggle for the soul of the West that Marx began in London continues.