Ireland’s David Biggest McConnell Trinity professor has low view of Alive! human life FREE PAGE 7 The newspaper for all the family Paper Pius XII No.110: February 2006 • Free to 320,000 homes nationwide Scholars demolish Huge role of Catholic Church in attack on Pope’s Western civilisation recognised reputation

SEE PAGE 9 PAGE 16 Benedict XVI publishes his first encyclical letter ‘Let love light up our lives’

THE Church’s teaching on sex and love is the real path to freedom, human dignity and happiness, according to Pope Benedict XVI, in his first encyclical letter. “Today the word ‘love’ has become so The letter is divided into two parts. The tarnished, so spoilt and so abused, that first offers a challenging reflection on one is almost afraid to pronounce it with human love while the second sets out the one’s lips,” he told a recent gathering. principles which must guide the But there was no question of abandon- Church’s involvement in society. ing the word. “We must take it up again, Commodity purify it and give it back its original splendour so that it may illuminate our Benedict rejected today’s abusive inter- lives,” he said. est in the human body. “Eros, reduced to This was exactly the task he set himself mere ‘sex’, has become a commodity, a in his letter, Deus Caritas Est (God is ‘thing’ to be bought and sold; or rather, Love). man himself becomes a commodity,” he wrote. Above all, he wanted people to see once more that God’s love is the driving force He singled out marriage as revealing of all creation, and that the greatness of most fully the true nature of human the human person lies in his capacity for and divine love. “Part of love’s growth true love. To Page 2 ➤

ANTI-CATHOLICISM: LAST ACCEPTABLE PREJUDICE?...PAGE 8 2 Alive! February 2006 Arab nations finance the spread of Islam in Sudan ‘Let love light up our lives’ ARAB nations have set aside $30 million in a drive to ■ From page 1 plined and purified.” often made, for example, raised recently by islamise the Nuba Mountains region of Sudan, according to a local Catholic bishop. towards higher levels and Then it will provide “not against the work of Mother Archbishop Paul Cordes, “One year after the peace agreement, Muslim fundamen- inward purification is that just fleeting pleasure, but a Teresa of Calcutta. president of Cor Unum, the talists are concentrating their efforts on schools and hospi- it seeks to become defini- foretaste of the pinnacle of “What we have here is Church’s central agency for tals,” Bishop Macram Gassis said during a visit to AId to the tive,” he wrote. our existence, of that hap- really an inhuman philoso- aid to the poor. piness for which our whole Church in Need, in Germany. In other words, love phy,” wrote the Holy According to the being yearns.” Thanking the missionary sisters working in his diocese, he wants to be “exclusive (this Father. “People of the pre- Archbishop, some large said that priority must be given to training the laity so they person alone) and ‘for Charity sent are sacrificed to the Catholic aid agencies have can withstand the advances of the Islamists. false god of the future—a been “tempted to drift ever’.” In part 2 of his letter he Bishop Gassis, 67, was exiled from his diocese for a future whose effective real- away from the Church and Benedict recognised that noted the view of those decade, returning after the January 2005 peace agreement. isation is at best doubtful. the bishops.” They identify “love is indeed ‘ecstasy’,” who argue that charity to themselves simply as “One does not make the but not in the popular sense the poor and suffering NGOs “and not as part of world more human by of a moment of intoxication. should be halted as it the Church’s mission to refusing to act humanely Rather it is an on-going reduces the demand for bring the love of Christ to social change and justice. here and now,” he said. First Holy journey “out of the closed, the world.” inward-looking self This was a complaint He also took up an issue To counter this “activism towards liberation through and growing secularism” self-giving, and thus ‘Being Christian is not the result Benedict stressed the Communion towards authentic self-dis- of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, importance of prayer for all Parents, as your children prepare for this great covery and, indeed, the dis- those working in Christian covery of God.” day, take the opportunity yourself to learn more but the encounter with an event, a charities. ● about the Eucharist in a simple, easy way. He was emphatic that the Person, which gives life a new Deus Caritas Est is love between a man and available in English at Parish teams, you can help parents to deepen woman “needs to be disci- horizon and a decisive direction.’ www.vatican.va/ their faith in the Eucharist. A Pocket Catechism on The Eucharist Evolution: bogus science Gives the Church’s teaching in a balanced and complete way. Simply written, it is suitable for adults and used to attack religion teenagers. THE real driving power behind the theory of evolution challenge to all religious • 150 questions is not science but hatred for religion, a leading US claims.” • Brief answers sociologist of religion has claimed. That the theory has sur- • 48 pages Professor Rodney Stark In other words, “species vived is due in no small part has argued that Darwin’s do not arise gradually by to the intimidation of theory of evolution is bad the steady transformation of experts who disagree with Cost (postfree) : 1 copy: science, with virtually no ancestors; they appear fully it, according to Stark. €2 • 6 copies: €10 fossil evidence to back it up. formed.” “An appeal for a united 36+ copies: 25% discount “Rather, from the very Darwinist Stephen Jay front on the part of scientists start,” he said, evolution Gould described this fact as to oppose religious opposi- Also available: was primarily “an attack on a “trade secret of palaeon- tion has had the conse- No More Tears in My Eyes religion by militant atheists tology,” and admitted that quence of silencing dissent The deeply moving story of Kathleen Kilbane. who wrap themselves in the the diagrams in textbooks within the scientific com- Cost €5 (6 for €25) mantle of science.” are based on “inference... munity,” he wrote. not the evidence of fossils.” The Dumbag Letters Darwin argued that Professor of the Social species like dogs, apes, and Sciences at Baylor Central ● Letters from a Master to a Trainee Tempter. Cost €10 human beings came into Thomas Henry Huxley, University, Rodney Stark is 1824-1895, doctored dia- existence by the gradual According to Stark, from a religious agnostic. A well- ORDERS TO: early on “atheism was cen- grams to make evolution change of one species into look more plausible. known author, he was Alive!, St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24 another. tral to the agenda of the Professor of Sociology at Darwinians.” He was disturbed that the of species is still not under- Washington University for Please send me: Number Amount fossil evidence did not back It was the use of bogus sci- stood, he was amazed that 30 years. enclosed his theory but hoped fur- ence against religion which “Darwin is treated as a secu- His article, “Fact, Fable ther research would pro- eventually provoked reli- lar saint in the media, and and Darwin” appeared in gious opposition to the the- Catechism on the Eucharist...... duce the fossils to show the the theory of evolution is The American Enterprise, gradual transitions between ory. “For the heirs of the regarded as the invincible and can be read at alive.ie. No More Tears in My Eyes...... species. Enlightenment, evolution “Today, the fossil record is seemed finally to supply the The Dumbag Letters...... enormous compared to weapon needed to destroy Baby’s right to privacy! Darwin’s day, but,” said religion,” said Stark. Donation for Alive!...... Stark, “the facts are Thomas Huxley set the ■ A hospital in Halifax, England, has banned visitors unchanged. The links are pattern by claiming the only from looking at newborn babies in cots, on the grounds Total enclosed: ...... still missing; species appear choice was between Darwin that the babies have a right to privacy. suddenly and then remain or Bible literalism. Rejecting In one ward staff have placed a doll in a cot with a Name...... relatively unchanged” until this view Stark commented, card asking, “What makes you think I want to be BLOCK CAPS PLEASE they disappear. “one may note the serious looked at?” Address...... shortcomings of neo- He quoted evolutionist Not all mothers, however, agree with the change. Steven Stanley that “the Darwinism without opting “This ludicrous idea is taking patient confidentiality to ...... known fossil record... offers for any rival theory.” the extreme. If people did not ask me about my baby I no evidence that the gradu- As leading biological sci- would be offended,” said one young woman...... alistic model can be valid.” entists hold that the origin Alive! February 2006 3 Journalist wants more JUST A THOUGHT action on absent dads 500 years since work on St Peter’s began AS the Irish government, n 18 April 1506 Pope over from Raphael he told the pope that a ton of step by step, follows an Julius II laid the money was being wasted agenda that is undermin- Ofoundation stone of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. and the work was being ing marriage, Brian done poorly. Lenihan, Minister for Five hundred years later Children, receives in- the biggest church in the Michelangelo world draws some 18 mil- creasing powers to act lion visitors annually. In time, his design was as Daddy to the nation’s rejected by Michelangelo, children. The building was to who claimed it was too Similar moves in Britain replace the ancient basilica elaborate and created too have met virtually no oppo- built by the emperor many dark, winding corri- sition from religious lead- Constantine above the dors. tomb of St Peter, and then ers. Instead, it has been These, he said, would pro- close to collapse. left to a handful of cam- vide hiding places for paigners and journalists It was not completed until prowling pickpockets and such as Melanie Phillips to 1620, and during its con- not enough natural light to defend marriage. struction all the leading help pilgrims see if they Most recently Alice Miles architects and artists of the were getting counterfeit of the London Times ‘The women’s rights movement day, including Donato ● coins in their change. (11/1/06) remarked that The dome of St. Peter's and the increased legal powers of Bramante, Michelangelo Basilic, completed in 1593, He told the pope he could in the UK “it is easier to and Bernini, worked on it. abandon a baby than it is a measures about 404 feet create a brighter and much mothers over their children forced from the floor and has a dog,” thanks to the coun- The story of the project simpler basilica in less time, fathers out of the picture.’ diameter of about 137 feet. try’s new Animal Welfare can be traced in great detail and his design was accept- because all the records were ed. He was head architect Bill. for the children they She believed that the kept: receipts for every sack washerwoman who hauled “Dump a cat or a goldfish spawn.” women’s rights movement, on the work for almost 20 of cement or block of stone travertine blocks with her years, from 1546 to 1564. and you face imprison- Instead, the State, she and the increased legal cart from a nearby quarry. ment; but when a father argued, has taken over the powers of mothers over quarried and hauled to One of the treasures of the And Victoria Pericali, a abandons a child we shrug role of father, with ABCs their children that followed Rome, the name of every archives is a letter dated 18 and mutter ‘B—’,” wrote (acceptable behaviour con- it, hurried or forced fathers worker hired, on-the-job glass cutter, who cut enam- February 1562 from the columnist. tracts), ASBOs (antisocial out of the picture. But this accidents, court cases and el pieces for some of the Michelangelo to the cardi- She was commenting on behaviour orders) and has to change. progress reports. basilica’s 2.5 acres of nals overseeing the project. mosaics. Government hopes to bring PGAs (parental guidance “Make it a legal responsi- Archive He wanted them to take on about “a cultural shift”: to agreements). bility if necessary, with Architects were not his friend, Pietro Luigi, as have society relearn con- severe penalties for walk- More than 10,000 pieces always impressed by the chief foreman. Warning of parchment, documents plans of those who went sideration for others. Some 13,000 ABCs have ing away from a child, and Knowing that another use that signal to create a and scraps of paper are cat- before them, and several But for her, “the cultural been drawn up with individ- man already had the job he shift that would be of great- social stigma (one that alogued and tucked away times the work was halted ual children. These warn a wrote: “If you don’t want to est effect in restoring a cul- must apply too to any par- in thick volumes in a spe- as earlier designs were child, under threat of an do it, then I will personally ture of respect is somehow ent preventing access to a cial archive. revised or completely ASBO, to avoid a range of pay Luigi’s salary because I to encourage fathers to child),” she wrote. Mentioned in the docu- scrapped. am not working to make take responsibility for their actions from writing graffiti The Daily Mail’s Melanie to hanging around in stair- ments are people like When Antonio da San money; I dedicate my body children again.” Phillips, an outspoken Pacifica de’ Crescioni, a Gallo, for example, took and soul for St. Peter.” She wanted government ways, throwing things or campaigner for marriage, ministers to take the lead swearing. commented on this propos- in changing attitudes to “They are doing the job al: “Hey, great idea, Alice! parenting: “it is about forc- traditionally done by a We can give it a whizzy new Trócaire launches emergency response ing people, be they 15 or father: don’t do that again, name too. I know—let’s 53, to take responsibility or else,” wrote Ms Miles. call it marriage!” to the developing food crisis in Africa TRÓCAIRE has launched an emergency response to the developing food crisis in the Horn of Africa: “Be it done Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. The DIVINE MERCY Catholic development agency will commit 15th NATIONAL CONFERENCE to me €750,000 to the region. An estimated 11 million people are on the brink of RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 according to starvation following severe drought, crop failure and Sat/Sun, 18th & 19th the loss of livestock, due to poor rainy seasons last Your Word” year. (Luke 1:38) February 2006 Hot meals will be provided for 1,600 school chil- dren until their families can once more feed them- SPEAKERS — selves. And already therapeutic feeding for 600 ● Sr. Alicja Zelmanska O.L.M. (from St. severely malnourished children in Gedo is underway. Faustina’s congregation, Krakow, Poland) The agency has called on the international commu- ● Fr. Gabriel Harty O.P. (Rosary preacher/ author) nity to develop “a coherent response” to the devel- oping crisis. ● Fr. Aidan Troy C.P. (Peacemaker in Northern Ireland - (Saturday morning only) ● Fr. Cathal Price PP plus Saturday evening Eucharistic healing service with No petty crime in Vatican for three weeks Fr. John Harris O.P. NO crime was reported in the Vatican City charges and reports of theft, etc greatly EARLY BOOKING ADVISABLE State from the day John Paul II died (2 April) increases during times when huge crowds of Subscriptions: €20 Saturday; €15 Sunday; €25 Weekend until a week after the election of Pope Benedict pilgrims and tourists are here,” he said. Advance booking and enquiries: XVI on 19 April, according to a Vatican judge. He praised the Swiss Guard and the state’s Phone: (01) 8313119, 8393691 and 8315647 “This was an extraordinary fact, given that at tiny police force for their role in keeping down Or write to: Fr. Cathal Price P.P., 54, Foxfield St. John, least 6 million people flooded the Vatican dur- crime. Last year 472 criminal cases were Kilbarrack, Dublin 5. ing this period,” reported Nicola Picardi. reported in the Vatican which has some 18 mil- “Experience has taught us that the number of lion visitors per year. 4 Alive! February 2006 Executed under blasphemy law Concern growing PAKISTAN has executed at least sentence or life imprisonment on lion inhabitants are Muslims while 20 people under its blasphemy “anyone who insults the holy name of 3.9 million are Christians. law, and imprisoned another 647 the prophet [Mohammad].” ● A bookshop run by the Daughters at anti-religious for life, the country’s Catholic Pakistan’s bishops have called the of St. Paul in Karachi, the capital of law “unjust and discriminatory,” and Pakistan, was raided by police after a Justice & Peace Commission, has said that it is used to get revenge on local paper accused it of selling revealed. personal enemies, or as a means for “blasphemous” CDs. direction of EU The law, introduced in 1986, Muslim extremists to persecute The Karachi Archdiocese con- declares that offences against the Christians or anyone disagreeing with demned the raid the said the article BY abusing its power the Koran are punishable with life impris- them. was riddled with distortions designed European Parliament onment, and it imposes the death About 95% of Pakistan's 155 mil- “to put Christians in a bad light”. (EP) is endangering its own legitimacy, a spokesman for the Catholic bishops of Europe has warned. Fr Aldo Giordano told Monthly Musings Vatican Radio that a recent vote by MEPs showed “an with Fr Kevin Doran aversion for certain values of our tradition, notably religious values.” ● Fr Aldo Giordano Ireland must oppose EU’s anti-life panel moves He was referring to an EP resolution rejecting “homo- ment,” said Mario Mauro, to curb religious freedom phobia”, calling for same- vice president of the EU ‘services’ law Parliament, “has very little A LEGAL panel appointed by the EU Commission sex “unions” to be made IN THE next few weeks the to do with the real protec- recently attacked a proposed agreement between legal and condemning EU will finalise its direc- tion of people’s fundamen- Slovakia and the Vatican. “hate speech” against tive on the provision of ser- homosexuals, while not tal rights.” The treaty, it said, would allow Catholic institutions in vices across national fron- saying what this meant. Rather, it calls religious Slovakia to opt out of “sensitive medical treatment such tiers. The non-binding but influ- freedom “a source of dis- as abortions and IVF.” crimination,” and is “in This directive, if passed, ential resolution is being To describe abortion as a ‘medical treatment’ is com- open contradiction with will mean that citizens of seen as the latest EU pletely inaccurate. There are medical conditions associ- treaties and even common one EU country can offer move to crush religious ated with pregnancy. But abortion is a treatment for freedom. It was passed by sense.” services in any other EU none of these conditions. For Riccardo Cascioli, country, but will only be 468 votes to 149, with 41 It simply circumvents the medical condition by another critic, “human subject to the laws of the abstentions. destroying the life of the unborn. rights have become a pre- country in which they are ‘Hate speech’ text for an ideology that established. The EU lawyers seem to value so-called “reproductive Critics fear that attempts rights” more highly than the right to life or the right to has nothing to do with the ● José Barroso to defend the natural fami- good of the person, but is A lawyer from Lithuania freedom of conscience. could work in Ireland ly, or quoting the even a source of violence They were prepared to bully doctors and nurses into without being registered The Constitution might Scriptures to show that against individuals and performing abortions against their conscience! with the Incorporated Law offer limited protection, homosexual activity is peoples.” Society. A nurse from but in such circumstances, They must surely be aware of the EU’s November 2000 immoral, could be regard- Others have criticised the Holland could work here both Irish law and the directive concerning equal treatment in employment. ed as “hate speech”. cynical and sinister way while answerable in no Medical Council’s Guide to This recognises the right of Churches and similar Recently a French Jesuit, MEPs were not allowed to way to An Bord Altranais. Ethical Conduct would organisations “to require individuals working for them Fr Tony Anatrella, writing in see the document until the to act in good faith and with loyalty to the organisation’s L’Osservatore Romano, deadline for amendments Embryo research, assist- become largely irrelevant. ethos.” described the term “homo- had passed. ed suicide, or abortion The Government must be phobia” as nothing more Nor was it put up on the would quickly be defined urged to seek major dero- Indeed the right of conscientious objection is than “a slogan of intimida- official website in their own as “services” under the gations from this directive, enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. tion” to silence critics. languages until the eve of meaning of the Directive. or to reject it totally. The “ideological docu- the vote. Review needed of Dancehall Act — Mayor More compassionate but not less honest Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Cllr. Catherine Byrne wants “an urgent review” of the 1935 Dancehall Act after a club owned I’M glad that Bishop Casey but hopefully not less hon- have to take you in. by Peter Stringfellow was licensed under it. (right) is coming home. est in presenting the truth. “The Church has its roots “This club will be trading on the sale of sex,” she said. “I History cannot be unwrit- “Bishop Casey devoted in the carrying of the cross fail to see how it could have been granted a licence under ten, but it can be healed. much energy over the for others. This means that the provisions of an Act that was created to govern couples In the early 1990s, at the years to the work of justice no person should ever dancing in dancehalls.” time of Bishop Casey’s res- and to the social teaching again have to bear the ignation, I wrote: of the Gospel, in London, shame and the indignity of ■ A stage-hand in a theatre in Antwerp, Belgium, has finally his cross alone, however had his pay stopped, five years after he left the job. “Preaching is always a in Ireland and in the Third World. much he might ‘deserve’ it. Although he departed after a quarrel with his boss, he con- risk because it carries with tinued to collect a pay cheque, and even received Christmas it the challenge of practis- Challenge “Bishop Casey’s return to Ireland would be a scandal cards thanking him for his “good work during the past year.” ing what we preach. His scam came to an end when someone in administration “Nothing changes the Towards the end of 1992 for some. Whether he realised he was still on the books. “Our failure, at times, to truth of that vision and of there was speculation that wants to come or not is live up to what we preach its challenge to the Church. Bishop Casey would another matter, but it ■ is not a reason to stop A dangerous criminal escaped from a top security prison in I am grateful for the work return to Ireland, and the would good if it were Sydney, Australia, after losing more than 3st. Having cut his preaching, but rather a rea- he has done, often in the some newspapers asked: made clear to him that he weight from 12st to less than 9st. he was able to squeeze son to renew our efforts to face of opposition. “Will he be allowed?” would be welcomed. through a gap he had hewed out between the window bars in live by God’s grace. “Like many people, I At that time I wrote: “As a Church, we are in his cell and the wall. An essential element of regret his loss to the “What a strange question! the business of welcoming the Gospel is forgiveness. Church in Ireland, but I Surely Robert Frost was home exiles and sinners. If The present events may trust we will not lose sight right when he defined we can’t handle something Visit the Alive! help to make us more com- of what he preached and home as the place that, like this, then we really are passionate in our preaching, what he worked for.” when you go there, they in trouble.” stand at the Divine Fr Kevin Doran can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] Mercy Conference Alive! February 2006 5

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€80,000 30 Sept University president bans 2006

€70,000 31 Jul staging of play on campus 2006 AN AMERICAN priest’s decision to ban the staging of mic freedom. a controversial feminist play on his campus has “Artistic freedom on a challenged Catholic colleges everywhere to think Catholic campus cannot €60,000 30 June more deeply about their real mission. mean the complete license to 2006 The new president of of female sexuality that perform or display any Providence College in neglects its unitive and pro- work of art regardless of its Rhode Island judged that creative dimensions dimin- intellectual or moral con- tent,” he said. €50,000 31 May allowing a performance that ishes its complexity, its mys- 2006 degraded human sexuality tery, and its dignity.” Indeed, “any institution undermined the mission of a Nor could the dignity of which sanctioned works of Catholic university. women be limited to their art that undermined its In his first message on the sexuality, ignoring, as the deepest values would be €40,000 30 Apr college website Fr Brian play does, their “for intellec- inauthentic, irresponsible, 2006 Shanley, a Dominican, gave tual, artistic, moral, and and ultimately self-destruc- staff and students the rea- spiritual” abilities. tive.” sons for his decision. Nor was there any danger Demeaning Female sexuality, he to academic freedom, as all €30,000 31 Mar Fr Shanley noted that in explained, “is ordered ● Fr Brian Shanley OP members of the campus 2006 toward a loving giving of one scene “the alcohol- were free to study and dis- self to another in a union of fuelled seduction of a 16- With its depiction of cuss the play, especially in body, mind, and soul that is year-old girl by a 24-year- female sexuality “so deeply the classroom. ordered to the procreation of old woman is described as at odds with the true mean- Academic freedom, he €20,000 28 Feb new life.” resulting in ‘salvation’ and ing and morality that the noted, “is not the license to 2006 At a deeper level, both ‘a kind of heaven’.” Catholic Church’s teaching hold any view that one male and female sexuality Promoting a false sexual celebrates,” The Vagina chooses.” morality, the play here used Monologues was “not an It is, rather, “the freedom has the capacity to be, in € 31 Jan marriage, a sacrament of the religious language to appropriate play to be per- to pursue the truth in a dis- 10,000 love of God. describe behaviour that was, formed on our campus,” cipline in accord with the 2006 Arguing from these basic in fact, “abusive, demean- wrote the priest. accepted canons of inquiry Catholic principles, he ing, exploitative, and moral- He then turned to the without any impediment by stressed that “any depiction ly wrong.” issues of artistic and acade- extraneous considerations.” 6 Alive! February 2006 ‘No Vatican campaign to clear Judas’ THERE is “no foundation” for He stated: “I have not talked the early Church but was newspaper claims that the with the Times. I can’t imagine regarded as heretical. It was Vatican wants to clear the where this idea came from.” produced by the Cainites. name of Judas Iscariot, who The story, which also These were a sect in betrayed Jesus, according appeared in the Irish Independent Gnosticism, the first major to the alleged source of the may have been due, in fact, to a Christian heresy, and one which story. Rome-based journalist misun- is receiving fresh attention, par- ticularly in New Age circles. On 12th January the London derstanding comments by Fr Brandmueller in an Italian “This Gnostic sect attributed a Times claimed that Fr Walter newspaper. positive value to all the negative Brandmueller, who heads the figures of the Jewish and Vatican’s Committee for ‘Gospel’ Christian Scriptures, such as the Historical Sciences, is leading a A debate over the role of Judas serpent in Genesis, Cain—hence campaign to rehabilitate Judas. was triggered in the Italian their name—and Judas,” said Fr But the priest completely media by the news that National Brandmueller. denied the claim. It was only Geographic magazine will pub- The present document, he when he read the Times, he said, lish at Easter a translation of an pointed out, belongs to “a sort that he “discovered” that a cam- early document, the “Gospel of of religious novel” type of liter- paign exists, and that “I am the Judas”. ature, and cannot be regarded leader.” The document was known to as a source for the life of Judas. ● Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ.

If you have a problem write to Jews grateful for Rosemary c/o Alive!, St. Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. I will try to help with your problem, but cannot Pope’s concern enter into private correspondence. WARMLY welcoming a Jewish delegation to the Holy See, Pope Benedict XVI said that “we can work together to hand on the torch of the Ten Commandments and of hope to the young generations.” Ask In reply, Italy’s chief rabbi thanked the Pope for his public commitment to deepening the bonds between the Catholic Church and Judaism. Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni noted that “from the first ROSEMARY moments of the new pontificate” it was clear that Benedict would continue along the path marked out by John Paul II. What is the Parish Council for? “This conviction of ours,” he said, “is confirmed by your already numerous acts, by your statements, by the ROSEMARY, sk God to help you see the ings: setting an agenda and putting sensitivity shown in the denunciation of anti-Semitism, Dear priority areas for your parish. time limits on each topic. If a topic is Recently my parish priest asked by the condemnation of fundamentalist terrorism, and Pope John Paul II’s letter “At by the attention to the state of Israel, which for the me to join our parish council. At A not resolved within the time given, the beginning of the new millenni- move to the next issue. whole Jewish people is a central reference.” the first two meetings the main um” gives a list of very useful tasks. discussion was not about anything Try to end each item with a set of spiritual. Instead we spent hours Without trying to force your priest talking about how to manage the into a corner, let him know the issues actions to be carried out, or a list of FIRE CLUB car park. The priest just lets peo- you feel are important. the points to be reflected on before NO FEAR! TM A youth club affiliated to ple talk on and on. What can I do? Two things help rambling meet- discussing the issue again. DAZER the CYC in Blackrock, is offering an exciting day camp for girls aged 11-13. My daughter still 10th-14th of July Dog-gone! Should I go out Includes a visit to Blessington For Work or Leisure Use Lakes, Clara Lara, a fun day at believes in Santa ESSENTIAL FOR the beach and much more! Postmen/Salesmen/Public with this guy? Service Personnel/Health Contact Guadalupe del Toro on Dear ROSEMARY, Nurses/Hikers/Elderly/Joggers 087-6103106 or 01-2866323 ROSEMARY, /Handicapped/Cyclists Dear Compact-Humane-Effective My daughter, aged 8, firmly believes in Santa I have a large group of Catholic friends from a youth Claus. It never occurred to me that she would take FANAGANS FIRST prayer meeting that we all go to. Recently I have FREE BROCHURE First with a Freefone the whole thing so seriously. Eventually a school become good friends with one of the guys. I feel he will Information Service to pal will enlighten her, but I feel that she will be hurt (01) 235 0880 answer all Funeral queries. ask me out soon, but am not sure if this is the time to 1800-475-000 that we let the story go on so long. How can I tell DIRECT DELIVERY NATIONWIDE start a relationship. Any advice? Fanagans Funeral Directors her the truth without making her distrust me? Brandon Marketing Ltd., 24 hour service Cabinteely, Dublin 18. Tel: 475 4101 ou are going about this the right way, getting to know hildren are well able to distinguish between this young man as a friend without starting straight ‘real things’ and ‘story things’. This can be a Yinto an exclusive relationship. Before going further, Cuseful distinction to teach them. It makes it easy check if God might not be calling you to a single vocation, FRANCISCAN MISSIONARIES OF MARY to deal with the difference between things like angels, or to religious life. Do this while your heart is free. which are real, and monsters which are only story If you feel God is calling you to marriage, then consider things. starting a relationship. Remember, the purpose here is to THE WHOLE WORLD IS OUR MISSION Rather than telling your daughter that Santa is not explore the question “Should I marry this man or not?” so real, explain to her about Saint Nicholas, the real don’t start unless you’re both ready to progress along those Santa, who was so kind to children on earth, and who lines. IT COULD BE YOURS TOO from heaven still takes care of us. Consider how compatible you are, and you should be tak- ing a serious look at his character. Find out if he has a com- For further information contact: Let her see that some of the things people say about mitted faith in Jesus, and the maturity necessary to build a Sr Joan Fennelly, 97 St Lawrence Road, Clontarf, Santa are only story things, but that the truth about solid Christian marriage. Dublin 3. Tel: 01 8332181 Santa is more wonderful than any story. Website: http://users.churchserve.com/uk.fmm_umi Alive! February 2006 7 State backs pre-nuptial, not nuptial, contract! RECENT figures show an difference between what the make. Each person, in fact, In a mysterious but real increase in the number of State offers and what the retains the legal right to walk way it embodies and mani- Editor’sEditor’s couples getting married in a Church offers. out later, despite their vows fests the unbreakable love of registry office. A couple in a registry office to each other. Christ for his People. We may think that they are enter into a relationship that Essentially there is little If, later, the couple decide doing the same thing as cou- the State says can be ended if difference between this kind to divorce, it has no standing ples marrying in a Catholic either of them later decides to of marriage-lite and cohabita- in the eyes of God. It is sim- JottingsJottings church—that simply the loca- walk away, for whatever rea- ply a legal fiction, a fantasy. tion. Which may help explain tion is different. In thinking son. why many young people opt The union of husband and A closer look at this we would be badly mis- On their wedding day they to cohabit. wife remains. stories in the taken. promise to remain together So why are such radically But the mistake is under- “until death do us part.” The Unbreakable different arrangements given round... standable, given that we use State will hold them to a pre- Catholic marriage is an the same name, “marriage”? words like bride, groom, nuptial agreement, but not to entirely different reality. Here It may be an attempt to vows, wedding, marriage, this nuptial agreement! the union which the husband transfer to the registry office honeymoon, husband, wife That’s because their and wife bring about is arrangement the prestige and at both events. promise goes far beyond the unbreakable. It is forever. security that attach to real, In fact, there is a radical legal contract they actually Death alone ends it. life-long marriage. Pseudo-science Trinity professor has Stringfellow: used to promote We’re all being led low view of human life a merry dance atheism AN ATHEIST IS someone who does A DUBLIN court has given the go ahead for a IT LOOKED like Professor David McConnell’s RTE not believe in man, who has a mate- “club” where young women will be paid to lecture (see right) aimed to celebrate the great rialist view of human dignity. He undress for customers. achievements of science. usually diverts attention from his On closer examination it appears more like a mis- dreary view by proclaiming his dis- Media attention focused on the facts of the use of science for the promotion of a materialist or belief in God. case, but ignored the legal thinking behind the decision. Yet this is the fundamental issue. Godless agenda. It was a throw-back to the 19th But not David McConnell (right), century. Professor of Genetics at Trinity It appears that in our law system there has McConnell claimed, for example, that all scien- College, Dublin, and chairman of been a major shift, from concern for the com- tists who oppose the theory of evolution, and reject The Irish Times Trust. mon good to support for individualistic free- the view that “people are apes who talk,” are “dri- dom. And the shift took place with little pub- ven by fundamentalist religious beliefs.” In a recent RTE lecture on science, lic discussion. “the greatest success story of our It’s hard to believe that Doc McConnell doesn’t It’s another form of the “right to choose”. If time,” he was very open about his know that scientists with no religious beliefs also young women freely choose to earn big low view of human beings. oppose the theory. For them, the story of the stone money by this behaviour, and if men choose to that began to wriggle is more Harry Potter than He holds that a human person is pay to watch them, the court won’t intervene. simply a machine. And he would good science! That is, the court won’t “impose” moral have us believe that this is a special But was McConnell himself driven by funda- standards on anyone. This is part of today’s mentalist secular beliefs? Was it a slickly presented insight given to scientists: notion that we should all create our own stan- atheistic agenda fashionably dressed up as science “Those of us who know science dards. No one tells us what to do! that he offered his listeners? really do know that man is an ani- And ethics is reduced to measur- Fan mal, a kind of self-replicating elec- ing how useful people are—utilitar- Smokescreen ianism rules! The professor is a big fan of “the scientific trochemical machine,” he said. The reactions of the Rape Crisis Network method.” No harm in that. The method has led to Later he bluntly asserted, “man is When machines are no longer of and the National Women’s Council were par- many advances in science. an electrochemical machine,” and use they are dumped. Will granny, ticularly interesting. They view the female the handicapped child, the ageing But he is badly mistaken if he thinks that it’s the again, “man is a machine capable of judge’s decision as a blow against “equality” wife and the replaceable worker go only way to come to true knowledge. Even a child writing and reading Shakespeare...” for women. knows that there’s more to life than what is seen the same way? That’s a smokescreen. Equality is not the through a microscope. Implications We may dismiss this as off-the- issue. The narrow-mindedness that devalues human It is noteworthy that those hold- wall nonsense. But it is the nonsense Moreover, given that these groups back “the dignity, that loses sight of the big picture, does not ing such views rarely draw out their of highly qualified individuals right to choose” when it comes to killing come from real science itself, but from an atheism monstrous implications, at least in whose views impress politicians unborn children they’re on shaky ground that has hijacked science. public. Their failure may be due to and policy-makers. here. Why would they deny a “right to To put it differently, there’s a lot more to human cowardice, or may be a tactic in pro- It opens the way, for example, to choose” to the women dancing in the club? beings than can be measured by the scientific moting their view. Ireland’s support for lethal experi- method. And it’s unscientific arrogance to suggest In fact, the groups are quietly appealing to a Machines are there to be used,so ments on human embryos, and the higher moral standard than “choice”. But they otherwise! on this view society soon becomes a growing practice of killing society’s McConnell thinks it’s important “to find ways of apparently don’t want us to realise that, or to collection of machines using and unwanted members, young and old. say openly what the standard is. So what’s increasing public and political confidence in sci- manipulating each other. This opens There’s a high price to be paid going on? ence.” Professors using pseudo-science to promote the way to acceptance of slavery, a when we lose sight of our dignity as a secularist philosophy will certainly not help in Finally, they seem to think that “consent” radical use of human beings. children of God. this regard. makes any sexual behaviour ok, except the Stringfellow club dancing. Again, Waste: when enough is not enough why the exception? This case reveals I GOT a cardboard box 11”x8”x3” from tion? that our consumption-driven economy how “choice” has An Post yesterday. Inside was a small Suppose, for example, that people depends in large part on the creation of led to profound leaflet outlining postal services. Nothing were encouraged to keep their cars for a waste. moral confusion. It’s more. year longer than usual. Or to get more Difficulties with waste disposal, then, time to tackle the At present the authorities are worried wear out of their clothes. look to be a symptom of a much bigger problem honestly, if about the disposal of waste. But can But that could lead to a slump in busi- issue which includes the values that are we want an open nothing be done to cut waste produc- ness. So part of the problem, it seems, is shaping our lifestyles. and just society. ● Peter Stringfellow 8 Alive! February 2006

Volunteers are needed in every town to help distribute Alive! after Mass or door-to-door. Anti-Catholicism: last Alive! acceptable prejudice? from Senator David Norris (right).” damage the Church.” Please support the work But nothing happened! Recalling Andrew Greeley’s of evangelisation! Yet, when the Vatican document description of anti-Catholicism in the “which related only to seminaries U.S. as America’s “ugly little secret”, Call Breda @ 01-404 8187 Media and the priesthood” came out, he believed that the secret “is rapidly “Norris was given a few thousand becoming a fact in Irish life!” words in The Irish Times for a vitu- perative response to the Vatican.” Watch Fr Tierney is “beginning to sus- pect” (only now?) that much “fair FILMReview comment” here is really disguised ■ In The Irish Catholic (12/1/06) Fr anti-Catholicism. Martin Tierney reflected on anti- “If it was anti-semitism or homo- Crash Catholicism in Ireland, singling out phobia, the politically correct would • Lion’s Gate Films • Directed by Paul Haggis for particular mention Geraldine be outraged, but anti-Catholicism is Kennedy’s Irish Times and the Irish not only tolerated it is encouraged,” edition of The Sunday Times. he wrote. Fr Tierney had “a hunch” that the He considered that “much of what Irish version of anti-Catholicism has been written in recent times” was dresses itself up to look like political written “to gratuitously insult or correctness and that, following the crowd, many people accept it with- out thinking. Easy interview for ‘man “For instance,” he wrote, “where [else] would you find a banner head- line like, ‘Pope’s instruction is a per- who wants to kill God’ version of truth’ which headed an ■ When Dickie Dawkins appears, because of a few freaks on Big article by Brenda Power in the all religious believers are supposed Brother. Sunday Times recently? to tremble. He is, says the Sunday Stephen Phelan interviewed the “We were then emotionally blud- Tribune, “the man who wants to professor for the Sunday Tribune geoned into accepting Power’s kill God”. Wow! (15/1/06)but asked no tough ques- analysis of Rome’s recent document Oxford’s Professor Richard tions, even when Dickie said: on homosexuality,” he wrote. Dawkins, an atheist who is big “Moderate religion makes the Exploring racism Gay rally into evolution, recently had a two- world safe for extremists, because part series on Channel 4, attacking children are trained from the cra- He compared coverage of the ban- ifficult as it may be to fathom racism, we assume that religion. dle to think faith in itself is a good ning of a ‘gay’ rally in China with its meaning is simple. But if racism is far removed He interviewed an American thing. So when someone says it’s reaction to the Vatican document. Dfrom our own views, why are we so unwilling to dis- born-again pastor who “didn’t part of their faith to kill people, The London Times recently report- cuss it? Could it be more complicated than we admit? mind being compared to their actions need no further justi- ed that China’s first gay rally had Crash is set in present-day Los Angeles. It features about Goebbels” and a US Jew “turned fication.” been suppressed by the Chinese gov- 15 characters who form a broad social, cultural and ethnic Gaza-based hardline Muslim Now this is silly nonsense. Had ernment. Organisers quickly tried for cross section and whose stories intertwine which each [who] announces that he hates Mr Phelan noticed, he might have an alternative venue but the police other. atheists as much as Zionists and been amused rather than greatly were there in force before them. There is ambitious District Attorney (Brendan Fraser) and Christians.” impressed by Dickie’s desire to be “I considered this a big story,” his bitter, lonely wife (Sandra Bullock), subjects of a car- Condemning religion on this seen as “an ambassador for ratio- wrote Fr Tierney. “I expected at the jacking, but wary of the public finding out because they basis was like rejecting all TV nality.” Really a poor interview! might lose the black vote. very least a letter to the Irish Times There are the black car-jackers who debate with each other as to whether they are abusers or victims of society. An aggressive police officer (Matt Dillon), in an extreme sit- Kenny: Does RTE know when to draw the line? uation, comes face-to-face with a woman he recently intim- ■ Various Irish radio and over the top. On Colin the Irish Times,” wrote idated. TV presenters and their Murphy’s TV Fads on the Mr Kenny, “what can A beleaguered detective (Don Cheadle) tries to cope with “guests” now seem to BBC, by contrast, he one say of the silence at his crumbling family life while dealing with bigotry and cor- think that vulgarity and seemed disciplined,” RTE that followed ruption in the police force. crudity show how cool wrote Mr Kenny. Murphy’s show? Where And an Hispanic locksmith struggles to make a living and and “liberated” they are. He continued: “Puerile was Joe Duffy’s out- keep his family safe in a dangerous neighbourhood. Their lack of self- is what you get from rage?” Pressures restraint, however, Irish stand-up comics And he wondered if All these characters deal with pressures that they must makes our society that when they run out of RTE knows “when to not succumb to. For each of their action has conse- bit less civil, and may good material and opt draw the line.” quences, and Crash pulls no punches in showing them to lead louts to think that instead for soft targets. Meanwhile, on the us. their even more boorish Blasphemy BBC the comedian had to This is a tough, tough film. All the prejudice usually whis- behaviour is alright. awful! Absolutely hilari- have genuinely funny pered behind closed doors is thrown in your face: igno- In The Sunday “A bit of blasphemy, a ous,” he commented. material, his single vul- rance, violence, rage and hatred. Independent (15/1/06), dig at religion and a bevy In a reference to chil- garity was bleeped out, But is it gratuitous? Is it a depressing, negative movie? Colum Kenny compared of naughty words will dren of unmarried moth- “and he used only a cou- Far from it. Crash is a gripping film that develops the char- “joker” Colin Murphy’s always raise a belly ers, Mr Murphy it ple of mildly rude words acters of some of the worst stereotypes, humanising them (right) crudity on his laugh. You can find the seems, called the Crisis for emphasis.” and giving us an insight into why they are the way they are. weekly RTE show with script on toilet walls.” Pregnancy Agency “the An important point. Very pointedly, the film offers signs of hope and, more his mannerly behaviour The journalist then list- Commission for the War But a really cool sub-edi- importantly, change. Considering the brutal divide that during his BBC shows. ed and numbered the against B—s” (polite ver- tor in the Indo subverted exists between black and white, Crash explores the sea of “RTE’s Blizzard of Odd schoolboy vulgarities sion!). Mr Kenny’s case with grey in between. is at times just puerile. during one of Mr “Given all the grief the headline: “Get rid of **Strictly adult viewing On that programme after Murphy’s recent RTE that Kevin Myers got for all the b—s out at RTE” — Justin & Margaret Greene Christmas Murphy went shows. “Oh, isn’t he using the same word in (polite version!). Alive! February 2006 9 COMMENT Huge role of Catholic Church in St. Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Tel: 01-4048187 Fax: 01-4596784 E-mail: [email protected] Western civilisation recognised Out of the bunkers ne of the most stub- Controversy over the science suffered a “still- born myths of the treatment of the New World birth” because they We are living through a huge turning point in Fr modern age is that natives by the Spanish con- believed in a pantheon of Western history. The liberal project, begun some 350 O Owen gods active within created the Catholic Church was an querors were an opportuni- years ago, is in the last stages of collapse. obstacle to the progress of ty to develop “general prin- Gorman things. This “animism” It was an attempt to build a civilisation without Western civilisation. ciples that states were made science impossible in Writes ... these cultures because it God. Now its intellectual and moral foundations are In this telling of history, morally bound to observe in rapidly crumbling away. their interactions with each undermined the idea of peddled mostly by ardent constant natural laws. Despite great technological achievements, secularists, the Church other.” liberalism now has little to offer but a culture of repeatedly acted to hinder These principles found The influence of the Catholic Church is also despair and death. Nothing, ultimately, has mean- rather than promote the their best defender in the tial role played by the ing, nothing matters. advancement of humanity. Dominican priest, Fr. recognised in the develop- Catholic Church. ment of economics, so The ghost of Galileo is Francisco de Vitoria, “the The rejection of God, instead of elevating human In her teaching that the much so, according to usually resurrected as evi- father of international law.” dignity has virtually destroyed it, and produced world comes from “a Woods, that Catholics are dence of what is regarded He defended the innate dig- moral and social chaos. now being called its as the folly of the Church in nity of the Indians and their supremely reasonable founders. This is evident all round us, from the exploitative, questions of science. natural rights to liberty, life Person” the Church pre- “make your own rules” attitude in sexuality to the pared the groundwork that As early as the 1200s, Progress, it is said, only and property, establishing heavy-handed attempts to impose order on society. led directly to the scientific Scholastic thinkers like Jean became secure when key principles for today’s outlook that flourished in Buridan and Nicolas Reason was wrested from international law. Foundations Oresme were laying the the grip of Rome and In Western science, too, the West. foundations for modern In this harsh, barren scene only the Catholic faith allowed to develop freely. Woods uncovers the essen- In non-Christian cultures economics through their can provide the religious and moral foundations for a The first heroes in this new civilisation of love and life. writings on wages, prices, account were the monetary and value theory. The Church alone has the strength and unity to Protestants, whose revolt offer our fragmented society an alternative to the dis- allegedly dealt a hammer Capitalism integrating influence of liberalism. blow to the authority of Together with the monas- Only the hope of eternal life in Christ opens our Rome; then came the forces tic orders, they were the eyes to the real dignity of man and makes life in this of the French Revolution early architects of capital- world truly worthwhile. and the radical thinkers of ism, but in the telling of the the Enlightenment. history of economics their Already among the rubble and decay the first foun- Many modern European influence has been ignored. dations of a new civilisation are being put in place. politicians see themselves It is now time for the whole Church to abandon Instead, the birth of capi- as the heirs to these forces. talism is associated with the the bunkers and the battlements; to go forth, joy- In an important new book emergence of the so-called fully and fearlessly proclaiming Jesus Christ, Son however, “How the Protestant work ethic. of God, to the whole world. Catholic Church Built Another writer in the Only the liberating power of the Good News can Western Civilisation,” this field, Rodney Stark, the restore to people a sense of their true human dignity, lasting prejudice receives a renowned American sociol- an awareness of their calling to build a civilisation of long overdue rebuttal. ogist, remarks that this love, and the solid hope of eternal life. Achievements reading of history comes from an “academic anti- Alive! The well-known Catholicism” that is only American professor and now being slowly over- author, Thomas Woods, turned. demonstrates how the greatest achievements of In his new book “The the West—modern science, Victory of Reason”, Stark, the university system, free- no Catholic apologist, cor- market economics, the rule rectly credits the Catholic of law—developed, in large Church as the major player measure, from the specific in the emergence of capital- outlook of the Catholic ism in the West. Church. It was through her com- It was Catholic theolo- mitment to reason and gians in the 1500s, says progress, he points out, that Woods, who laid the foun- the great historical develop- dations for international ● How the Catholic Church built Western Civilisation, by ments in the West were law. Thomas E Woods is published by Regnery Publishing. enabled to unfold. Adoration makes God, not self, the measure ‘Marriage’ eliminated for sake of equality RECALLING the events of World Youth Day 2005, Pope THE UK Government’s equality Catholic bishops’ Committee for the Women & Equality Unit “run by Benedict XVI said that the event taught the Church once again Angela Mason who, as the former the importance of Eucharistic adoration. agency has advised local councils to Marriage & Family Life, noted that chief executive of the gay pressure “It is essential to emphasise adoration, given the threat of remove any mention of ‘marriage’ or the latest move puts an end to group Stonewall, has been a leading each person making himself the measure of everything,” he ‘wedding’ on registry office signs, claims that there would be “no said. lest homosexuals are offended. adverse implications” for marriage. proponent of the wildly successful The Pope noted that everywhere in the Church the joy of agenda of destroying Britain’s fun- “Equality” is being used once Daily Mail columnist Melanie damental moral values.” Eucharistic adoration is awakening, and that its fruits are again to damage natural marriage in Phillips was more forthright. She becoming evident. Ms Phillips added, “the marginali- Britain following the legal recogni- saw it as further evidence that the He rejected attempts by some theologians to present the sation and progressive undermining Second Vatican Council as causing a rupture with the past. tion of homosexual contracts, new Act “is part of an agenda to of marriage has destroyed civil order “The Church, both before and after the Council, is the same according to family activists. destroy marriage altogether.” in Britain and in due course will bring one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, journeying through Bishop John Hine, who heads the The move, she said, came from the country to its knees.” time,” he said. 10 Alive! February 2006

I remember my own baptism Part Forward in ecently we celebrated Faith 22 the baptism of our Rnewborn son, Handing On The Faith Christopher. Baptism is one of the Jaclyn Ascough Commitment today seven sacraments instituted by Christ—an outward sign fallen human nature and tism and rise in Christ to of an inward grace. tainted by original sin,” so new life. they “need the new birth in Along with Confirmation ● The anointing with oil is counter-cultural Baptism.” and the Eucharist, it is one marks the child, in Christ, he committed union of a man and a of the Sacraments of It adds that “the sheer as the ‘Anointed One’. woman in mutual support and compan- Initiation, making us full gratuitousness of the grace ● The sign of the cross on Tionship is a fundamental human rela- members of Christ and the of salvation is particularly the forehead represents tionship. Church. manifest in infant baptism.” belonging to the Family of Of all the creatures God made, none could I have vivid memories of The Church and parents God. complement man except woman, who is my own baptism. I was 14 give the child the priceless ● The white garment sym- made of the same stuff, says Genesis. “This years of age and dressed in grace of becoming a child of bolises new life. is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife and they a white robe. I descended God by conferring baptism ● The baptism candle become one body.” into a baptistry (a tank of shortly after birth (no. shows the Light of Christ In God Made Sunday, novelist Walter water in the church) and 1250). that the child will be in the Macken captures this deep yearning for com- was fully immersed in the world. water. Free gift panionship and love. One character says: In other words infant bap- Every liturgical celebra- “I didn't want to end up a bachelor. Why Later, when I entered the tion is an action of Christ, tism highlights that grace is would I? I wanted a woman so that we could Catholic Church as a con- the Priest and his Body, the a totally free gift from God reveal ourselves to one another, bit by bit vert, I was not “re-bap- Church. Sacraments are available to all, no matter over the years. I wanted to belong to some- tised” because “we believe meant to be celebrated by how young. body, who would worry about me, and be in one baptism for the for- the whole the Church. heart-broken if I died. giveness of sins,” as the But it puts an enormous When parents see how “I wanted to have a son, because this is Creed says. task on parents and godpar- awesome baptism is, what the nearest that man ever approaches God Even though I have fond ents. Particularly today it does for their baby, the in the act of creation. And also, my son memories of my own bap- much follow-up is needed symbolism, the grace, the would be a fisherman. That was certain. tism, I’m glad that my chil- in passing on the Faith. gift of Faith that it unleash- Since I had nobody else to become a fisher- dren have had the advan- Consider some of the es, we realise how impor- man, I would have to make him.” ished by the relationships he forms in the tage of infant baptism. symbols. The water cleans- tant it is to celebrate it as Humanity community where he ministers. Good parish- es the soul of sin. We are soon as possible, and with The Catechism notes that Most people are not called to celibacy. ioners help priests to live their celibacy more the whole community. all children are “born with a buried in the water of bap- Those who are, bring their whole humanity creatively just as good priests support their with them. Media comment presumes that parishioners in living family life. celibacy involves a total denial of emotional picking my words carefully, warmth and sexual drive. Life choice but I soon twigged that But celibacy is not the absence of relation- Today, I simply want to suggest that celiba- she was worried herself ship. Like other unmarried people, priests cy is a perfectly valid life choice. But like about her drinking and have their family of origin and their friends. marriage, it can go wrong. Kathy’s “manising”. Beyond that, there is a fundamental differ- Sometimes people make the wrong deci- One of her big fears, as ence between committed celibacy and being sion. Sometimes they lose their focus, or for- far as I could tell, is that a bachelor. get to nourish the relationships which sus- she’ll have nothing if she The energy and affection that a married tain them. That’s where compassion comes changes—nowhere to go, man devotes to his wife and children are in. DDIARYIARY no one for company, no offered by a priest to the people he serves. Celibacy is counter-cultural these days, but fun or excitement. It works both ways. A priest is also nour- marriage is fast becoming counter-cultural The more I Am meeting I half-think that the too. Sept think about it, Oct Barbara thought of sobriety fright- The Pope speaks of Only a person who values sexuality in him- the more con- tomorrow. ens her more than the self and in others can make a mature com- 30th 1st mitment to celibacy. Like the decision to vinced I am Not looking danger of alcoholism. But at least she is worried Love and Marriage marry, it requires both inner freedom, and that the big forward to it. about her situation. ● The idea is certainly present (in the Book freedom from external pressure. issue today is despair. I’ve decided it’s time we had a serious talk about More about this tomor- of Genesis) that man is somehow incom- ‘User failure’ is not an argument against The lack of hope, the her boozing and her self- row, at the moment I need plete, driven by nature to seek in another the commitments, but it does challenge us to sense that the future destructive life-style. sleep... part that can make him whole, the idea that offer better preparation and better support. doesn’t really matter, is She’s one of the best only in communion with the opposite sex Seminary formation today places great everywhere. But it’s only examples I know of Still going to can he become ‘complete’. emphasis on human and personal growth. now I’m seeing it. emptiness. Babs is no Oct Mass each ● The booze, drug-taking, fool, but with all her edu- 3rd day. Was Eros is somehow rooted in man’s very tempted this nature; Adam is a seeker, who “abandons Prayer for Discernment mad shopping, the disre- cation and her quick wit, morning to lie on in bed, his mother and father” in order to find gard for marriage, by sin- she can’t get herself sorted. but forced myself out of it. woman; only together do the two represent God our Father, gles and the married, the She shows this hard Glad I did. It’s like any complete humanity and become “one flesh”. You have a plan for each one of us, frantic partying, the crav- surface to the world, self-indulgence, you only Secondly, from the standpoint of creation, You hold out to us a future full of hope. ing for ‘a good time’, junk smart, detached and cyn- feel disappointed with eros directs man towards marriage, to a Give us the wisdom of your Spirit on TV, thuggery and vio- ical. But under it all she yourself afterwards. bond which is unique and definitive; thus, so that we can see the shape of your lence—they’re all symp- has a real good, kind Babs says she’s going and only thus, does it fulfil its deepest pur- plan in the gifts you have given us, toms of hopelessness. heart. If only she didn’t to cut back seriously on pose. and in the circumstances of our daily her drinking. We’ll see! I read the other day think that that was a Corresponding to the image of a monothe- lives. But I’ve told her I’m stay- Give us the freedom of your Spirit, that depression is one of weakness! istic God is monogamous marriage. ing on her case. Marriage based on exclusive and definitive to seek you with all our hearts, the biggest diseases in Met Babs this I sensed she was a bit love becomes the icon of the relationship and to choose your will above all else. the world today, and it’s Oct evening. She pleased. It’s like she’s let- between God and his people and vice versa. We make this prayer through Christ our getting worse. No won- wasn’t near ting go of a friend who God's way of loving becomes the measure of Lord. der, if so many things in 2nd as explosive was always close at hand, human love. (Deus Caritas Est no.11) life are just a cover on as I dreaded. I a kind of bereavement. It inner bleakness. had to go very gingerly, can’t be easy. Send your comments or questions to [email protected] Alive! February 2006 11 ‘UK poaching Third Children with mobile phones need clear rules IT WAS only a matter of time before bullies caught on know what is going on in World nurses’ to using the latest technology to intimidate their vic- their child’s life. tims. Text bullying in schools hit the newspapers Before giving your child a UK agencies are poaching thousands of nurses from recently and revealed what is a bully’s heaven. mobile phone you need to poor nations to work in Britain, crippling health care in make some clear ground Bullies are cowards. The of parents think they are the world’s poorest countries, according to a Guardian rules. report. principle of bullying is to God’s gift for children. In Swaziland, for example, of the 200 nurses trained in the pick on people who are Parents can always be in Password last 2 years 150 are now in the UK. AIDS is adding to the unable to defend them- contact with their child and Depending on the child’s African country’s turmoil, with 300 nurses dying from the selves. The bully gets a feel- the child can contact them. age you may even agree to disease in 2003-04. ing of power and superior- However, we need to have a password that’s “The efforts of developing nations to maintain health ser- ity because he or she can instil into our children that known to both of you, and vices are being seriously undermined by the skills drain,” crush others. mobile phones are not toys. that you will have a right to said a UK MP, calling for an end to a legal loophole that Text bullying brings it to Even if they are being treat- FAMILY look at their messages from allows the poaching. a new level, as the bully ed as such. time to time, with them In the past two years 3,300 Third World nurses and mid- doesn’t even have to see Isolated MATTERS present of course. wives have registered in Britain, including 466 from Nigeria, their victim face to face. They need to understand More and more we are with Caitriona Lynch 272 from Ghana, 205 from Pakistan and 933 from South It is inappropriate and that you are not doing this allowing our children to Africa. sometimes dangerous to to snoop, pry or cut down live an insular and isolated put children into adult situ- regularly, unknown to the on their privacy, but to pro- life. And while everyone, ations and expect them to child. It’s a bit like sneaking tect them from inappropri- including a child, is enti- Goats make comeback cope before they are able to a peak at your child’s diary ate texts. tled to privacy, there is a UK farmers selling goats’ do so. And mobile phone in another era. And that it will reduce availability and use can fall huge difference between milk get almost twice what While I’m not saying this what used to be called in into this category. privacy and secrecy. they would for cows’ milk, is right, I can understand the old catechism “occa- Some parents have con- with no extra cost to them- Children are receiving the fear and the sense of sions of sin”, in layman’s fided in me that they check selves. phones as gifts at younger helplessness many parents language “opportunities to their child’s text messages This has helped to boost and younger ages. And lots have when they don’t get into trouble.” the goat population of Britain from 74,000 to more than 91,000 in four years. And as the fashion for goats’ milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter continues to grow, farmers are struggling to meet the Benedict’s informal style demand. “The goat has become the trendiest animal in the farm- yard,” said a Tesco manager who believed that celebrity chefs using goats’ cheese had helped create the renewed causes dismay in Vatican interest in the animal. AS Benedict XVI devel- left aside his notes to speak human being, considered impromptu homily ops his own style of about the value of the full and complete at its enriched by his immense being Pope, he frequent- human embryo, known and beginning.” scholarship. The ly sets aside the talks loved by God from all eter- He added, “the idea in this One observer remarked, prepared for him and nity. psalm is extremely power- “Even in his spontaneous speaks without notes to Quoting from psalm 138, ful, that in this ‘unformed’ talks, the flow of argument Healthy his audience. “You formed my inmost embryo God already sees and the citing of sources is Not used to this more per- being; you knit me in my the whole future.” impressive. It’s as if he can sonal, informal approach, mother's womb…” the Holy Audiences are delighted reference 2,000 years of Way Vatican officials have diffi- Father said that “the loving and very impressed by Christian thought in his culty trying to prepare eyes of God look on the Benedict’s ease in giving an head.” A simple guide to family health press releases on what the Holy Father will say. By Annmarie McDermot RGN, RM, PHN Visiting a parish in Rome, ❑ Osteoporosis for example, he spoke from the heart about the ININ THETHE KITCHENKITCHEN Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder which shows up Annunciation, and the as a weakening of the bones (often called brittle or angel’s greeting to Mary, crumbling bones). It leads to an increased risk of frac- “Rejoice”, usually translat- INGREDIENTS tures. ed as “Hail”. Apple The most common areas for fracture are the hip, He compared Our Lady’s • 3 cooking apples or 6 Topping: the arm and the vertebrae. joy in responding to God (Rhubarb) stalks of rhubarb • 6oz/180g flour with the fear that people • 2oz/50g sugar • 2oz/50g caster sugar It can be found in a wide variety of people but is • 3 dessertspoons • 2oz/50g margarine most often found in post-menopausal women. today sometimes feel Crumble towards God. The most common sources of risk include early 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. menopause, long-term use of steroids, genetic fac- Fear tors and low body weight, that is, eating disorders. 2. Put sliced apples (rhubarb), sugar and water in a “If we look around the saucepan and cook gently until they are soft. Place Lifestyle factors include a poor intake of vitamin D modern world, where God cooked fruit mixture in a pie dish. and of calcium, and too much caffeine. is absent, we see that it is 3. Sieve flour into a bowl. Rub in margarine. Add sugar This is a preventable condition. The best time to dominated by fear and take measures to prevent it is when a person is uncertainty: People won- and mix thoroughly. 4. Sprinkle crumble mixture over fruit mixture. young, as bone mass reaches its peak during young der, is it good to be a human ✄ adulthood. being or not? Is it good to be 5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. It’s important at this time to have a good intake of alive?,” he said. foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D. At a baptism in the Sistine No. of Servings Preparation Cooking Utensils Needed If a person is developing the condition it’s important Chapel he looked at the Time Time parents of the 10 infants that it is diagnosed as early as possible. This is done Pie Dish by measuring the bone mineral density, using special and began, “Just what hap- 30 x-ray equipment. pens in baptism?” He then 15 Bowl spoke to them for 15 min- Minutes Minutes If osteoporosis is detected the person will be utes, nearly twice as long as advised on the most appropriate steps for them to he was supposed to. HANDY HINTS: Rhubarb can be used. Ground or chopped almonds can be added to take, in order to manage it. the crumble mixture for added flavour. — From 101 Square Meals On another occasion he 12 Alive! February 2006 Common Sense ‘Despite what people thought...’ FRIENDS of a young U.S. Sgt. Maravillosa was think- about soldier killed in Iraq on ing of joining her order. Christmas Eve have said “She met the sisters at that she did not intend to Mass in the cathedral and make the military her she felt right away the 74 Prayer career. Rather, she was attraction for religious life. seriously thinking of becom- She would visit us in our ing a nun when she left the book & media centre, and Union with Mary army. volunteer a couple of times In its public prayer the Church says to Our Lady, “You are In an email that she wrote a week,” she said. the highest honour of our race.” Is this a kind of pious flat- before leaving America, But, she added, “despite tery, an exaggerated sentimentality? Myla Maravillosa admitted what people thought, God It certainly is not. It is a solidly grounded fact, a religious that she was “a little bit was not preparing her to be truth that deserves careful consideration. sacred” but added: “God a sister, or a soldier, or any- It means that Mary, after her Son, Jesus, is the supreme has been inviting me to thing more than the person human being. She shows us what it is to be fully human. The remain in him. If I remain in everyone already knew. He more like Mary we are, the more human we are. him, he will see me through was preparing her to enter Indeed, the more united with Mary we are, the more and carry me home.” heaven.” human we are. And this applies to men every bit as much as The 24-year-old soldier ● Sgt. Myla Maravillosa to women. All have to become Mary-like, and one with her. was born in the Philippines, One way to approach this is by considering the view of Christians suffering in Iraq poses with an Iraqi shep- and moved with her family herd boy while she was on people who have least sense of their human dignity. They ■ to Hawaii in 1997. “It was Two Iraqi priests have claimed that terrorist groups in patrol with her unit in cen- see human beings simply as evolved apes, or even complex not easy for Myla during the Iraqi city of Mosul are extorting large sums of money tral Iraq. machines. military training,” said a from Christians, threatening to kidnap or kill members Freedom, love, hope, self-sacrifice, and so on have no friend. “She was a petite of their families. Ass-isted in robbery place in this scenario. They make no sense. (Of course they Filipino woman. We all Fr Mekhail Nageeb, a Dominican, described the prob- keep emerging in our society because few people really wanted her to succeed.” lem as “catastrophic”, saying he knew 10 to 15 people Three young Greek want to live as apes or machines!) But just one month after in Mosul who were forced to hand over almost teenagers who stole a safe Excluded her arrival in Iraq she was €150,000 “protection money”. from a hospital and made “People have been forced to sell their homes, furnish- their getaway on a cart Lying behind the ape-theory of man is a loss of belief in killed when the Humvee in ings, properties or to beg relatives or neighbours for pulled by a donkey gave God. God has been excluded from life; even his very exis- which she was riding was cash,” he said. four police cars the slip for tence is denied. struck from behind by a A 43-year-old Christian man, married with three chil- more than an hour. But as we open up to God, and especially to Christ, we rocket-propelled grenade. dren, “was killed last week because he didn’t pay,” he They used the old town’s begin to glimpse our true dignity. We come to understand She was in the back seat of said. narrow streets and alley- that in Christ we are children of God. her vehicle, the last one in a convoy of five on a routine Fr Sabah Patto, on a visit to Rome, said that some ways to escape their pur- In welcoming Christ and responding to him we act ever Muslim religious leaders were telling people to not buy more fully as God’s children, we move towards our com- patrol. suers, and were only Sister Susan Kraus, a homes from Christians “because they will be free for our caught when the donkey plete human glory. people” after the owners have fled. Mary, of course, is the one person who was fully open to Daughter of St. Paul, said turned into a cul-de-sac. Christ from the moment of her conception. She was com- pletely receptive to the whole mystery of Jesus. No trace of sin obstructed her openness. It is precisely this receptivity, or fulness of grace, that Approaching Holy God in worship makes her “the highest honour of our race.” Since she received Christ for us, we have to be like her and God’s holiness people the possibility of the holiness of God who united with her in her openness. And it is this that makes us God is the All-Holy One, so union with God. If he him- dwelt there and also to completely human. — Sagart how can we approach him, self was not acceptable to reduce the possibility of idol we ourselves not being holy? God, then he was useless. worship creeping in. To ● Common Sense about Prayer: an audio tape with 16 The Letter to the Hebrews For instance, the sins of the ensure purity of worship short meditations. Available from Alive, St. Mary’s Priory, answers this great Old priests Hophni and Phinehas God would be worshipped Tallaght, Dublin 24. Cost: €4.50 (plus 50c p&p). Testament question. brought destruction upon in one sanctuary, Jerusalem. God approached us, in themselves and the people. The Temple was the place Jesus his Son, it says. He God withdrew his presence of God’s presence. Jewish rit- became High Priest, the link from them (1 Sam. 2:12-4:22). ual approached this presence between God and man. He Later the sons of Levi were with great care. Monthly Meditation has entered God’s presence the main priestly family. This attitude continues in I’ll watch you go in a human body, opening Fr Joseph Briody The author of Hebrews the New Covenant. The for us the way to God. insists that Christ is the per- author of Hebrews says “our remember once attending a man in a hospital. Jewish worship revolved moment of insight into fect and fully acceptable God is a consuming fire” When I asked him to make his peace with God he around the holiness of God, Christ, says: “Depart from priest, since he is God and (12:29). I said, “I suppose you’re going to tell me that I’m stressing that it is necessary me, for I am a sinful man.” man. In the Jerusalem Temple going to hell.” to be holy to approach God. To approach God, we have Sacrifice the presence and mystery of “No,” I said, “I’m not.” Holiness is God’s life, his to be transformed. In some God was indicated by the In Old Testament sacrifice “Well,” he said, “I want to go to hell.” being. He is “Holy, Holy, way we have to be “made presence of a cloud in the the offering of a victim to I replied, “I have never in my life met a man who Holy” (Is 6:3). holy”. most sacred part of the tem- wanted to go to hell, so I think I will just sit here and God established contact with God arouses wonder and Priest’s role ple, the “Holy of Holies.” watch you go.” awe, intimacy and a sense of him. If the relationship with Of course, I did not intend to let time pass without unworthiness. So Peter, in a In the Old Testament the God was broken, then sacri- doing something, but I was sure that if he had a few priest’s role was to open to fice was used to re-establish Questions minutes to himself, he might change his point of view. communion. So I sat alone with him for twenty minutes. I could Sacrifice was offered in If you have read the above, see him going through a kind of soul struggle. various holy places (e.g. you should now be able to answer these questions. Then he said to me, “You really believe there is a Shiloh). But these shrines hell?” were eventually closed 1. What aspect of God I asked him, “Do you feel unhappy on the inside? Are down and worship was cen- did Jewish worhip you fearful? Is there dread, anxiety? Are all the evil tralised in Jerusalem. The stress? things of your life coming up before you as a spectre, a 2. What is the role of a temple in Jerusalem became priest in the Bible? ghost?” the holy place. 3. Why was Old Well, it was not long until he made his peace with Jerusalem temple Testament worship God. — Fulton Sheehan ● Model of temple built by King Herod. This was out of respect for centralised in Jerusalem? Alive! February 2006 13

Parents need to be vigilant Letters to the Editor Letters should be brief, and may be edited ‘Intelligent design’ is Dear Editor, Recent publicity highlighted Send your letters to Alive!, St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. underage school children texting obscene messages to their peers and teachers Parents who have these Thanks not science - professor alike. I wish to add to the channels and think they’re Dear Editor, “INTELLIGENT design” is not science, it picture of the depressing smart in ‘coding’ them have ence. immoral environment we are been sussed by the younger I would like to thank the does not belong to science, and it What the Church does teach is that God living in today. viewers. readers of Alive! for their should not be taught as a scientific the- created all things from nothing, but it does- My 9-year-old son came Perhaps it’s time for a great response to my appeal ory in schools, according to a 17 n’t say how. “That leaves open the possibili- home from school recently wake-up call for all par- for rosary beads, scapulars, January article in L’Osservatore ty of evolutionary mechanisms like random to tell me that a condom ents—I certainly did not medals etc for missions in Romano, the Vatican newspaper. mutation and natural selection,” he said. had been found in the expect to cover these issues India. I got replies from all “If the model proposed by Darwin is held school lane. An 11-year-old so soon with my 9-year-old! over Ireland, North and Act of God Parents need to be vigilant to be inadequate, one should look for anoth- boy told him what it was for South, for which I am very But the Church insists that each human and how it was used. also to what their children er model. But it is bad methodology to stray being comes to be by a deliberate act of God, are watching on daytime TV. grateful. It goes to show how My sonwent on to tell me from the field of science pretending to do that man is not just the product of evolution. There is no ‘watershed’ any widely your good paper is that a peer of his has science,” wrote Dr Fiorenzo Facchini. more! read! “The spiritual element of man is not some- access to daytime TV while Yours etc. Yours etc. At the same time, he argued, scientists thing that could have developed from nat- his parents are at work, and Susan McEvoy, Paddy Bambrick. should recognise that evolution does not ural selection but required an ‘ontological can decode the ‘sex chan- Terenure, Dublin. Gaol Rd, Kilkenny City. exclude an overall purpose in creation—a leap’,” wrote the professor. nel’. He assured me he has “higher design” that may include evolution. never been in this boy’s He accused Darwinian scientists who house, let alone seen the Animated film about John Paul Facchini is a professor of evolutionary think everything—including first causes— biology at the University of Bologna in can be put down to chance, of having helped channel, but some of his A 30-minute animated film on the life of Pope northern Italy. to fuel the debate about I.D. friends have been exposed John Paul II will be released worldwide on to it. April 2, the first anniversary of his death. He claimed that some groups promoting “Science as such, with its methods, can I’m writing to Alive! as I “John Paul II: The Friend of All Humanity”, I.D. are seeking miraculous explanations, neither demonstrate nor deny that a higher know many people read it as produced by Cavin Cooper Productions, will creating confusion between religion and sci- design has been carried out,” he wrote. a source of family faith and be available in seven languages, including formation, and I’m just English. According to the producer the film putting the word out to be aware of what our children “represents the human charism of John are talking about these days Paul’s personality,” which attracts the The others will be glad later and what they are watching. interest “of people of very different creeds.” ged 28, and given neys new branches of the about a year to live Legion (called praesidia) because of her TB, AWindow were started in remote areas. choose an à la carte faith, but the Truth is A Edel Quinn was chosen as The new converts were WHAT always there. Living by it and fighting for the first Legion Envoy to East on History learning that they also were it makes us as happy as we can be. Africa. called to evangelise. We all suffer from our own complexities Her task was to found the BY FR JOSEPH BRIODY Uganda and sometimes they get out of control and Legion in a vast area, and to In 1938 she left for Uganda we make a mountain out of a molehill. I train the new members in the where she founded many am excellent at this but I hope to let God GOD prayerful and missionary praesidia, including one in a take care of things for a change! spirit of the Legion. leper colony. MEANS TO Last August’s World Youth Day con- Edel set sail from Ireland When World War II broke firmed to me the joy of living our faith, on 24th October 1936. To a out she was recovering from and how wonderful it is to stand with peo- friend who remarked, “You’ll an attack of malaria, but pro- ple from all over the world as one big fam- be back shortly,” she replied, ceeded to the island of ily. “Muriel, I’m not coming Mauritius. Soon she had Pope Benedict XVI told us that true back. Missionaries don’t established 19 branches ME! Christians demonstrate their faith in their come back”. there. daily lives. The founder of Opus Dei also During the 3-week voyage During the war she contin- s a child I found it difficult to get believed this is the key. It makes not just she wrote to Legion founder, ued to travel, though her my head around my Dad’s spiritu- spiritual sense but common sense too. Frank Duff: “I would like health and strength were fail- al outlook on life. When bad things you to remember always, A Doing things well, looking out for others ing. A false rumour of her happened he would say, “Omnia in whatever happens, that I am whilst hopefully progressing in our pro- death caused great sadness bonum” (“All things for the best”). glad you gave me the oppor- ● Edel Quinn fessional life too is the purpose of our in Ireland and many Masses Sometimes when I asked his advice on tunity of going. I realise it is a were offered for her. being. Faith is not opposed to reason. privilege, and also that only an everyday matter, he would reply, “Love strict segregation between Reduced to skin and bone, I have a guardian angel whom I have you persisted I personally God and everything else will fall into the races. Edel fought this by she was compelled to go to a named and I pray to him throughout the would never have been place.” But it was some time before this uniting Europeans and sanatorium in Johannesburg day to be with me and guide me. sent... outlook made sense to me. Asians in the first branch of for six months. I learnt recently that you can pray to “Have no regrets. I am not the Legion. Finally she returned to Given the framework that home and other people’s angels too. So sometimes, going to refer to this again. I She then concentrated on Nairobi, exhausted and sick. school naturally provided, I practised as a before going into meetings, I pray to the am glad you let me go—the founding the Legion among Again she pushed herself to Catholic up to my teens, but college life angels of those I am about to meet! others will be glad later.” the Africans, and had the work and make long jour- proved somewhat different. It has worked wonders, but even when it Nairobi prayers translated into neys. Her cough got even At that point God only featured when I does not seem to, I know that is for the Edel began her work in Swahili. Her first Christmas worse. She rested in a con- really needed him, particularly coming up best too. God has a different perspective. Kenya, making her base in she attended Midnight Mass vent in Nairobi. to exams. at the African church where One evening as she was Hopefully, weak as I am, God will give Nairobi. She discovered that she and the priest were the relaxing she lost conscious- After a while I felt a void in my life, so I me courage to do what he wants of me. part of her task was to make only Europeans. ness. Having received the went on an Opus Dei retreat. It felt great. Learning how Jesus acted in everyday sit- the missionaries more aware When the Legion had been Last Sacraments, she died on There I began to grapple with my Dad’s uations will help me realise the best thing of the vocation of lay-people established in Nairobi she 12th May 1944. She was wisdom. to do when challenges come my way. in the Church. She was utterly convinced headed to the outlying buried in the cemetery in It dawned on me that if God is all good Perhaps keeping it simple is best and, in of the value of the Legion, regions where she was Nairobi reserved for mission- and we keep the lifelines of faith open, the words of Pope John Paul II, “stake and she would need that exposed to many dangers. aries. then it is logical that all things will happen everything on love because that is what is conviction to strengthen her More than once she spent the ● The First Edel, a 60-minute for the best. really going to change the world.” in the difficulties that lay night in a lorry stuck in thick audiotape on the life of Edel This is not to say that I never find it dif- — Sara Cosgrove, 26, is a sales ahead. mud. Quinn is available from ficult. Sometimes I really want to give in or executive In Nairobi there was still As a result of these jour- Alive!. Cost is €4.50 (£3). 14 Alive! February 2006

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Box Contact Joan Bourke 061 with this new book of spiritual € MEDJUGORJE, pilgrimage with Joe roofs, new roofs, dampness, all Broderick, scripts 10 (post free) 2004 353283 or Lauri Duffy Travel. reflection by various authors €5 from Séamus Broderick, Bride St, Dalton, June 12-19. Sp director, jobs welcome. References avail, CARER. Kind, caring, considerate incl. p&p. Divine Master Centre, Loughrea, Co. Galway. POLAND, Divine Mercy, visiting Fr Oliver Brennan. Day flights quality work guaranteed, free Whites Cross, Blackrock, Dublin. and warm-hearted carer required Warsaw, Cracow, Auschwitz, 10 from Dublin. Price €569. Booking quotes, keenest rates, registered SLIMMING patches work immedi- Tel: 01 2114949. to mind elderly Catholic couple in days. 12th Oct, ex Shannon, also with Phyllis Mulligan. Tel: 042 contractor. (OAP 10% off). Dublin ately. Natural, proven, medically their own home, Dublin north- 9336705, mobile 087 2028492. & surrounding areas. Tel: 01 A CELIBATE Way of Loving, Letters Rome, San Giovanni, Anzio, 1 validated. Skindulgence 30- side, live-in position, full week, 12th Sept, ex Shannon. JWT licence no. TO 052. 2942611 anytime. to the Beloved: for priests, reli- minute, non-surgical. Facelift time/part time. Tel: 01 Contact Joan Bourke or FATIMA/Garabandal. Depart 2 BUILDER avail. Registered, plas- gious and all who wish to live the System removes wrinkles, totally 2868006/086 3639361. Pilgrimages Abroad 061 353283. May. Sp Director Fr Eugene Kiely. tering, roof repairs, damp single life in accordance with the safe, astonishing results seen REFINED single gent recently € stopped, dry lining, bathrooms fit- gift of celibacy. Columba Press or instantly. Montpelier Products MEDJUGORJE. 25th Anniv.10 days 689 + extras. For details con- retired. TTNS, likes travel, walk- tact Lauri Duffy Travel 01- ted, pipes & drains repaired, direct from the author, Fr Gabriel 0502 26896. departing 16th June. Marian Harty, Dominican Priory, Tallaght ing, eating out. Beautiful house Pilgrimages €614 fully incl. 8745950. kitchens, floors, walls, ceilings, CHRISTIAN Community and well financed seeks lady sin- attics, gutters, fascia, driveways, Village, Dublin 24. €10. Contact Carmel Kelly 01 Experience, Cairde Muintir Mhuire gle or widowed. Box 2005 8555041/087 2533718. RELIGIOUS Dublin & surroundings. Free esti- invite you to join us for a week in MISCELLANEOUS WIDOW 61, Co Kildare, likes Irish EWTN Satellite channel (featuring mates tel: Colm 01 8330740 Medjugorje. Limited places avail- MEDJUGORJE pilgrimage 18-25 music, gardening. Box 2006 Mother Angelica) supplied and/or anytime. ALOE vera. Forever living products. able at low cost. For further info. May 2006. Flight and accom. near € installed. Keenest rates, fully OLD photos restored, repaired, Distributor: Phil Colgan 01- contact Muintir Mhuire, Tel: 021- SINGLE professional, attractive church 400. Tel: 01 8333715. Medjugorje accomm. near church guar. Contact: ph/fax 059 enlarged digitally, like new. 6281436; 086-2437653. 4623911 or 087 6333456 or see lady in her 30s, wltm single gent. Box 2007 €140 p.w. sharing. Tel: 01 9144993 or 087 2352377. Colour, sepia, BL/white. 35 FEND off dogs with a dazer. Work www.gospaireland.com Woodfarm Ave, Dublin 20. Tel: 01 8333715. OUR Lady’s Miraculous sign. or leisure use. Ideal gift. For free JAMES Kilbane concert, Sunday 5 SINGLE male 52, educated, NSTT, 6265243, 087 2915672 any HOLY Land ex-Knock 11-20th Sept Details Ann, “Villa Maria”, Ower, brochure Tel: 01 2350880. March, Franciscan Friary, Athlone, wltm single lady for friendship. time. Southwest preferred. Box 2008 2006. Also Cork, Dublin. Contact Co. Galway. Brandon Marketing Ltd. at 8pm in aid of Franciscan FURNITURE repairs, and carpen- Anne 094 9365018/087 LADY interested in joining reli- WIDOWER retired wltm Catholic try work. Tel: Eamon 01 4967663 2694191. gious order. Box 2016 lady with view to friendship/rela- after 9 pm. tionship. South west area. MEDJUGORJE ’06. Depart 23 Apr ADORATION every 1st Fri-Sat: Our J.W.C. painters, decorators. Clean Genuine replies please. Box for 1 week. Fare, incl. insur Lady Mother of Divine Grace quality work carried out, honest 2009 €514. Call Pat or Phil Colgan 01 Church, Raheny, D5. 7pm: Pure in rates. Refs if required. Tel: Jim € 6281436/087 2238911. Heart; 8-10pm for 1 per word DUBLIN widow seeks gentleman. 087 7523487 8am-8pm. Mon-Fri. Companion. NS, 70s. Box 2010 WALSINGHAM (English national vocations;10pm: Silence; 11pm Holy Mass starts night vigil: guid- PAINTING decorating. All aspects. MILD handicap man 42, looking shrine of Our Lady): group forming € ed hours with silences. Ends Customer references. Tel: Box No. 3.00 extra for a girl West, mild handicap like for pilgrimage from Dublin Fri 28th Apr to Tues 2 May 2006. (4 6am. Call 086 2350538. Frances for estimates 051 me, in early 40s, in Cork or 1638582. You may use the grid below, placing one word in each box. Dublin. Box 2011 nights). Number limited. Details GUIDED holy hour for protection of Include your own name, etc. when sending this advert. from 01 8731444. life and the family, every PAINTER avail. Residential and SINGLE professional male, 37, Co commercial. Tel: 085 7299224 Antrim, wltm single Catholic GARABANDAL, Santiago de Wednesday, 7-8pm, St John of female, 30-40. Box 2012 Compostela & Fatima. (Direct the Cross oratory, St Teresa’s BOOK-binding: bibles, missals, flights from Dublin) 3 nights in Church, Clarendon St, Dublin 2. books, theses; collection & deliv- ARMAGH lady wishes to hear from Garabandal, 3 nights in Fatima 1 All welcome. For info. Tel: 086 ery avail, call Belfast 323334 other lady willing to share a conti- night in Santiago, 2nd to 9th May 1605755 or 086 2350538. (prefix from RoI 04890). nental holiday this summer. Box 2006. €689 pps. St. Michael’s GARDENER avail. Experienced. 2013 CHRISTIAN counselling avail for Garabandal Centre, Middletown, people seriously seeking help in a Own tools. Reasonable. Tel: Jerry SINGLE lady 32, respectable, pro- Co. Armagh BT60 4JF. Tel/Fax: spiritual way. Tel: Nora 087 01 4933348. fessional, NS, wltm single gent 4156349 Munster area only. PERSONALISED greeting cards for 35 age bracket, professional. Box all occasions. With any design 2014 WEBSITE for you! See examples Lifeline for of the Trinity in nature! Adam & and any occasion catered for. WIDOW 57, warm hearted, posi- Eve and the Rosary! The big Birth announcements, birthday tive attitude, loves dancing, walks secret! The Nature of the Trinity invitations, moving house or/and by seaside, travel, eating out. troubled and more! Visit www.threeinone- even Christmas cards. Minimum Wltm respectable, caring, loving, god.com of 50 cards printed. Tel: 01 professional gent, 60-65, for marriages 8709082 or email: LOURDES Novena, Oblate Church, friendship, possible relationship. Is your marriage stressed, [email protected] Inchicore, Dublin, 2nd-11th Feb ALA. Box 2015 unloving, cold? Have you (Thurs to Sat) nightly at 8pm. Led CARPENTER seeks small jobs. separated, divorced, or are by Bro. Frank Wainwright OMI Floors, doors, shelves, partitions, PILGRIMAGE you thinking of doing so, Send, with payment, to Alive!, (Leeds). Guest speaker, Wed 8th, sash cords, locks, repairs. but want to try again? SHRINES of France depart Dublin Sr Consilio; Anointing of Sick, Sat Sthside. Tel: John 01 2691277 St. Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. 17-24 Apr. Cost €860 incl. The Retrouvaille ✁ 11th at 12 noon. Torchlight pro- WANTED Accomp. by Sp. Director. For programme can help you. cession Sat 11th at 8pm. Next weekend: Your name details contact Valerie Leahy 087 WANTED for mission in India, 2861606; 051-376660. 3rd-5th March THANKSGIVING rosary beads, scapulars, medals Address 17-NIGHT pilgrimage, Italy and in Dublin THANKS to St. Martha for favours etc. Send to Paddy Bambrick, No. Medjugorje. Depart Fri June 23rd Info from: Tel: 01-4953536, received and to be received. BS 6 Gaol Rd, Kilkenny City. from Dublin. Visiting Rome, San 01-4500922 THANKS to St. Clare for her Giovanni, Cascia, Loreto and or www.retrouvaille.ie ● NOTE: As we are unable to € favours. TJ Medjugorje. Cost 1,353 incl. Text Your Name and check all ads, please exercise Accomp. by Sp. Director. For GRATEFUL thanks to the Sacred Tel: Address to 087-7920101 normal prudence when reply- details contact Valerie Leahy 087 Heart for favours received COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL ing to an ad. 2861606; 051-376660. through the intercession of the Alive! February 2006 15 KIDS’ CORNER Prize Crossword...No.93 KIDS’ CORNER ...for the first correct entry out of the bag. Hey kids, Entries before 20th Feb. One entry per € family. Winner and answers next month. February is 46 COLOURING PICTURE - WIN €6 25 here again and there are lots of saints days this month. I enjoy reading about saints. They had great adventures, and weren’t afraid, because they trusted in God. Read about a few saints this month. Pick a favourite one so that you can pray to him or her. Remember, God wants us to be saints too, with adventures in store for us! But one tip, he never ever shows you a map for your adventure-you just take it one day at a time. Chow Janet The Saints Unscramble these February saints: ACROSS DOWN GIRDIB 1. Pot calls this black! (6) 1. Abduct (6) 4. Pay Rod for this 2. Change the trainer to SLIABE satire (6) discover the ground RAGLEIB 9. A hat for a classic features (7) race (5) ✄ 3. Relay in a different RYCLI 10. He steals the game (7) 11. Word made from way to get this strip (5) LAPU KIIM letters of another word (7) 5. Port of Corsica (7) ROLYPPAC 12. Crave to slice the 6. Alternative (5) joint (5) 7. Type of bowling in 13. How men go to get cricket (6) this goblin (5) 8. Froth or foam (5) Boggle Game! 15. Behold there is anger 14. Sea gems formed in the French river at How many words of 4 or more letters Pic by Joe Saunders into a communication (7) can you make using the centre letter last (5) 16. A fat building to start 20. Golf clubs (5) in all and each letter only once. with (7) Name...... 22. Put out of house and 17. Closing part of an Jan. X-word Winner home (7) ...... opera (6) Margaret Chambers, Barton Rd. 24. After the earliest man I G U Address...... West, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. the insect is unyeilding (7) 18. Prongs (5) ...... HENCOOP JUDGE 25. Meaning (5) 19. Dare he stick to it (6) AI RAUEL 26. Rubber (6) 21. American city (5) O D L ...... REGU LAR PASTE 27. A set of ten (6) 23. Publish (5) SEOELIPM ...... Age...... HARD PAN TR I TE OTESNName...... E N T Last Month’s Colouring Picture Winner was: PORT LY PR I EST EO EB O Address...... ✄ Matthew Kenny, Rosewood Lodge, ROMA N ROTUNDA

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EL I TE EARWI GS Saints: Brigid, Blaise, Gabriel, Cyril, Paul Miki, Paul Cyril, Gabriel, Blaise, Brigid, Saints: Age 7 NN NC I L A Solution to Alive!, St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. TIGHT HONESTY

n 1945 the short, brutal night of dearly for his courage had there however. During the final year of On the morning of 1 November the Nazi occupation was swiftly been time. But the enemy was the war, and anticipating victory 1946, he was ordained a priest Ifollowed by the much longer, already at the gates, and on the over the Nazis, the Russians were by Archbishop Sapieha who had less brutal but no less poisonous night of January 17, 1945, the cultivating their puppets to take been made a cardinal by Pope night of the Communist regime. Germans were blowing up the over in Poland. Pius XII earlier that year. In the dying months of the Nazi Debniki Bridge and leaving The old Polish government-in- Shortly after his ordination he occupation Karol Wojtyla worked Krakow as quickly as their trucks exile, based in London, had no was invited to an anniversary cel- away secretly at his theological and tanks would carry them. hope of asserting its authority in ebration for his old theatrical studies under the fatherly eyes of the face of the ironically named group, but had to decline. He his great mentor, Archbishop Seminary Polish Committee of National wrote to his friend, explaining how Sapieha. As soon as they left, the Liberation supported by the Red he saw things now: This was the brave man who Archbishop re-possessed the Army. “Maybe it’s God’s design that I had invited Hitler’s hatchet-man seminary which had been used as The fate of Poland was finally cannot come. That’s how I under- in Poland, Hans Frank, to dinner an SS headquarters and prison in decided when the great powers, stand it.” Suggesting that he in his home. He been let know the city. It was in an appalling con- meeting in Yalta, allowed the Iron would be there in spirit, he went that the invitation was expected. dition. Curtain to cut through the heart on: The German butcher was treat- Karol and his fellow-students of Europe. “I should be present in your ed to a menu of black bread, immediately set about restoring it Like the Nazis, the new regime activity, just as a priest should be Karol Wojtyla beetroot jam and bad coffee. It to working order. In a matter of set out to kill the Christian soul of present in life in general, should was a reminder to him of some of months they were back at their Poland. Its methods were more be a hidden and driving force. the miseries he was inflicting on studies, preparing for the great insidious. The Catholic Church Yes, despite all appearances that Part 8 the Polish people. He did not mission they had accepted in knew what it was up against, and is the main duty of the priest- seek a second invitation. their lives. young Karol was being prepared hood. Hidden forces usually pro- Becoming a priest The Archbishop might have paid Their country’s fate was sealed, for the front line. duce the strongest actions.” 16 Alive! February 2006 Christians won’t Scholars demolish attack use brain power Dear Nettles, on Pius XII’s reputation lways remem- Dumbag ber, if you Awant human U.S. SCHOLARS have been examin- reputation.” creatures to accept a writes..! ing why, and by whom, the reputa- They also show why Pius was greatly silly idea you have to tion of Pope Pius XII has been black- admired, and why novelist Graham make it fashionable. ened. And most of the responsibility Greene, for example, believed that as a Letters For example, when from a lies, it now seems, with liberal pope “he will rank among the we started destroy- Catholics. greatest.” ing the whole Master In 2000 Professor Ronald Rychlak of At his death in 1958 Jews everywhere Christian teaching to a Mississippi University exposed how paid immense tribute to him, particu- on sexuality we never trainee John Cornwell’s book, Hitler’s Pope, larly for his role in saving more than dreamt that they Tempter seriously distorted the truth on point 500,000 Jews from the Nazis. would eventually after point. Rabbi Dalin noted that neither accept the notion of He concluded: “Cornwell decided Cornwell nor Zuccotti mentions that same-sex “marriage”. that the easiest way to attack the Pope 3,000 Jews were sheltered at the Pope’s We thought it was of today was to denigrate Pius XII.” summer residence. so daft that only uni- Robert P George, a law professor at “Yet at no other site in Nazi-occupied versity professors and journalists would swallow it. Princeton University agrees. He wrote: Europe were as many Jews saved and But today it’s à la mode, and no one dares to say pub- “Anti-Catholic bigots and anti-papal sheltered for as long as at Castel licly, “two guys marrying each other is absurd.” Catholics have a large stake in preserv- Gandolfo,” he said. Jewish children Now when you were in first class you learnt that the ing the myth that Pius XII was ‘Hitler’s were even born in the Pope’s apart- Catholic Church is the one, holy, apostolic Church Pope’.” Pope Pius XII. ments. founded by Jesus Christ. Books attacking Pius have been writ- INSET: Rabbi In 1944 Rome’s Jews came to thank And that all salvation, all salvation, comes from ten by James Carroll (ex-priest), John David Dalin’s the Pope for the protection he had Christ and through the Church. Cornwell and Gary Wills (ex-student book. given them. priests), Daniel Goldhagen, Michael Pius replied: “For centuries, Jews Uncool Phayer, and Susan Zucotti, all Catholics Catholics to use have been unjustly treated and id you ever hear that that teaching had bar Goldhagen. against tradi- despised. It is time they were treated changed? No, you didn’t. And neither did I. Last year an American rabbi, David tional Catholics with justice and humanity. God wills it DBecause it hasn’t changed. But you’ll hear few Dalin, in The Myth of Hitler’s Pope, in their attempt to bash the papacy and and the Church wills it.” Catholics proclaiming that teaching today, because claimed that the media were using the to smash traditional Catholic teach- Professor Ronald Rychlak is author of we’ve made it uncool. defamation of Pius in an attempt to dis- ing.” Righteous Gentiles: How Pius XII and the And how did we do that? By making a few silly ideas credit Catholicism, as part of today’s Two new scholarly books have now Catholic Church Saved Half a Million Jews fashionable. Take, for example, the popular notion culture wars. completely demolished claims that From the Nazis. that “one religion is as good as another.” “Few of the many recent books about Pius XII was in any way a friend of the He agrees with Dalin that Pius If one religion says “G-d wants human sacrifice” and Pius XII and the Holocaust are actually Nazis. should be honoured as a “Righteous another says “He does not want human sacrifice”, are about Pius XII and the Holocaust,” According to one reviewer, “they Gentile”. both right? One is obviously false, so how is it “as good wrote the rabbi. meticulously re-examine the charges” Pius XII, the Holocaust and the as” the one one teaching the truth? Gimme a break. He added: “The Holocaust is simply against Pius and, “taken together, Revisionists, is a collection of essays Now, if that slogan doesn’t work we jeer, “It’s exclu- the biggest club available for liberal absolutely decimate the attacks on his edited by Patrick Gallo. sive, arrogant and intolerant to claim that your reli- gion is superior to other religions.” That keeps them quiet. Anything to avoid such accusations. Of course, they only need reply: “It’s not arrogant to make that claim if it’s true. Indeed, witnessing to the Unique Adjustable Beds truth is a service to those who are searching for it.” And using N.A.S.A. Technology We Present But do they know that? No way. They could also explain that elements in other reli- The Amazing N.A.S.A. gions are true and good, and that these are a prepara- tion for the Gospel. But they know nothing about that “Wonder Mattress” either. Also available Cracked From America - Holistic, Pain-eze The N.A.S.A. sleepwell ● Children of Fatima with nd what about the silly notion that “it doesn’t and Pressure Relief With Built-in “Wonder Pillow” Lucia on right. matter what you believe as long as you’re sin- Therapeutic Super Toning Massage System Acere”? Would the wretches make such a cracked Body of Lucia statement in any other area of life apart from religion? Suffer No Longer, Would they say, “it doesn’t matter what you believe Use common Sense! Get Relief Now! being moved about the departure time of your plane as long as to Fatima you’re sincere”? No way. Sincerity is no substitute for FROM ARTHRITIS, BACK PAIN, HIATUS HERNIA, SWOLLEN ANKLES, MULTIPLE knowing the time, for the truth. SCLEROSIS, DAILY FATIGUE, TIREDNESS, EXHAUSTION, STRESS & INSOMNIA Huge crowds are expected in Fatima on the 19th of Finally, there are the self-styled agnostics, or “know- this month when the body nothings,” if you prefer. They have “an open mind” Any Size N.A.S.A. “Wonder Mattress” Available of Sister Lucia is trans- about religion or Christianity.A bone idle mind I’d say. They certainly can’t be agnostic in the real world. for Disabled & ferred to the shrine. 1/3 One of the visionaries They either love the Son of G-d or they don’t. They go 33 % Off Senior Citizens who saw Our Lady in to Sunday Mass or they miss it. They have to come down on one side or the other, full stop. Large Colour Brochure Available Tel: 044 48420 1917, Lucia spent most of her life as a Carmelite nun So, the claim to be an agnostic is just a fashionable in the city of Coimbra in self-deception for feather-heads. “NASA-Sleep-Well” northern Portugal. The truth is that Christians could liberate their fel- She died on 13 February low citizens from these silly ideas if they forgot their MARTINS LANE, MULLINGAR, CO WESTMEATH 2005, aged 97, and will be timidity and used their brain-power. But fortunately WORLD LEADERS IN PAIN-EZE HOLISTIC PRESSURE RELIEF MATTRESS laid to rest in the basilica that’s not likely at present. beside the other visionar- Yours deceptively, ies, Blessed Francisco and Dumbag Tel: 044 48420 Jacinta Marto.

Published by Alive Group, St. Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24. Tel: 01-4048187 Fax: 01-4596784 E-mail: [email protected] • Editor: Fr Brian McKevitt OP • Design/Sub-editing by Tom English • Printed by Datascope, Enniscorthy