The Catholic Servant”: Taught It
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The Catholic Vol. XVII, No. IIII, May 2011 A Tool for Evangelization, Catechesis and Apologetics I did not come to be served, but to serve. Matthew 20:28 Bringing the Faith into the home The craziness of motherhood, both earthly and Heavenly motherhood 2011 By Dia Boyle want to know—sometimes desperately—what Fund-Raising is going on in their lives. Not just how the job I’ll let you in on a little is going (as our husbands might inquire) or goal: $50,000 secret. We mothers are how they like their new home. We want to crazy about our kids. This know what they’re eating for breakfast. Which isn’t always obvious, even grocery store they’re frequenting. What they to the mothers in question, think of their next door neighbor or their of- when our kids are little and ficemate. Are they going to Mass? Where? To underfoot. Oh, sure, we Confession? Are they flossing? And even love them, we think they’re more importantly, what is going on in their cute as anything, we hurt heads, in their hearts? If we are smart (and when they hurt, and we are most of us are) we will keep a lot of these Boyle delighted when they are de- questions to ourselves. But the fact remains: lighted. But when they’re we want to know, because we’re crazy about underfoot, we are too busy being driven crazy them. by them to realize just how crazy about them Mary is the Mother of God, and Mary is we are. Let them grow up and move away, our Mother. This isn’t just a nice sentiment; it however, and all this is revealed. is a fact, spiritual and doctrinal, and it has con- We try to hide it. They go off to a week- sequences. Mary is our Mother, and she is long “sleep away” camp and we smile and tell crazy about us. More to the point, Mary is my ourselves how good it will be for them … but Mother, and she is crazy about me; your Moth- inside we are screaming, “What have I done?” er, crazy about you. She wants to know every- They go off to college and we’re proud of how thing about us. It matters to her what we’re independent they’ve become, but when we are fixing for supper, which route we took to work alone, we dissolve in tears wondering how this morning, whether we decided to wear the they’re doing, whether they’re curled up in a black shoes or the taupe ones. It matters to her fetal position under their dorm room desks. Photo Dr. Bonnabeau Raymond that we’re feeling a little sad today, or that And then they go away for good. A job two we’re worried sick about one of the kids, or thousand miles away. Marriage. Ordination. During the month of May, Catholics that we just won a little victory at work. And, Adulthood. And we realize … they are never honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who just like we are towards our adult children, she coming home again, except as, gulp, house is the mother of Jesus and the is dying to help us with our difficulties. Dying NON-PROFIT guests. mother of the Church. to give us good advice. She knows (because ORGANIZATION PERMIT NO. 3452 U.S. POSTAGE PAID U.S. POSTAGE This is when the crazy really kicks in. We TWIN CITIES, MN Motherhood continued page 9 Part I Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse Fr. John Anthony Hardon, S.J.: defends institution of marriage will he become a canonized saint? between a man and a woman By David Hottinger By David Hottinger [Editor’s Note: This article [Editor’s Note: The follow- is the first in a series promot- ing is an interview with Dr. Jen- ing the Cause of the Canoniza- nifer Roback Morse, president tion of Father John A. Hardon, and founder of the Ruth Insti- S.J. (1914-2000), who was an tute, an organization that pro- American priest, theologian, motes among college students and catechist.] the idea of lifelong married love. Dr. Morse was in the Twin They say the best way to Cities earlier this month to learn about something is to speak to the Minnesota Legisla- teach it. For the first thirty- ture in support of the constitu- three years of his life, John tional amendment defending Anthony Hardon learned the natural marriage.] Catholic Faith; the last fifty- three years of his life, he “The Catholic Servant”: taught it. For him, that old say- Since so many seem to have ing about teaching proved forgotten: what is marriage true. During his half-century and what does it do for soci- teaching career, Fr. Hardon ety? Photo provided by the Fr. by Photo provided John A. and Guild Archive Hardon, S.J., Possible saint Marriage Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. continued page 8 Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse continued page 10 The Catholic Servant Fund-Raising Goal for 2011: $50,000 The Catholic Servant Box 24142 P.O. Minneapolis, MN 55424 Please help support “The Catholic Servant” through gifts and fundraisers Page 2 The Catholic Servant May, 2011 Question and Answer Missing Mass on Sunday—is this really seriously sinful or not? By Bishop John M. LeVoir should I do to be completely rose again in fulfillment of the states how important the Sun- charist is a testimony of be- faithful to Christ and to His Scriptures.” day Eucharist is for the one longing and of being faithful to Church?” In other words, our Together with the priest and the who professes faith in Jesus: Christ and to His Church. The Ques- Mass attendance and participa- entire Christian community, we “We should not stay away from faithful give witness by this to tion: I just tion in the Mass should be unite ourselves to the sacrifice our assembly, as is the custom their communion in faith and don’t see based on our faith in Jesus of Christ on the Cross, and of some, but encourage one an- charity. Together they testify to how missing Christ and our love for Him. with Him, we offer everything other…” (Hebrews 10:25) “St. God’s holiness and their hope Mass on a If we believe in Christ, we are to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Justin wrote to the pagan em- of salvation. They strengthen Sunday can going to want to do everything Giving of ourselves in this way peror Antoninus Pius (138- one another under the guidance be a mortal possible to express our faith in is an act of supernatural love. 161) around the year 155, ex- of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC, n. sin. That Him and our love for Him. The This love is expressed for plaining what Christians did: 2182) means I Sunday Eucharist does both of Christ crucified and risen, ‘On the day we call the day of Bishop could go to these things in a preeminent Whose sacrifice of love is the sun, all who dwell in the The Most Reverend John Hell if I de- LeVoir and mysterious manner. As we made present under the appear- city or country gather in the M. LeVoir is Bishop of the Dio- liberately come together as a Christian ances of bread and wine. When same place…’” (Catechism of cese of New Ulm, Minnesota. missed Mass without a good community on Sunday to wor- we receive our Lord in Holy the Catholic Church, n. 1345) reason. How could a loving ship the Father through the Son Communion, we express our As Christians, we should This article was funded by the God do that? and in the Holy Spirit, we ex- desire to live in union with not look at Mass attendance as St. Teresa of Avila Chair of Writ- Answer: If we desire to press our faith in the most pro- Christ forever. “Whoever eats a negative exercise, as the orig- ing sponsored by an anonymous gain the proper information on found way possible. We wor- My flesh and drinks My blood inal question implies. Rather, patron. which to base our decisions, ship on the same day that Jesus has eternal life…” (John 6:54) “Participation in the communal we have to ask the right ques- rose from the dead and we ful- The Letter to the Hebrews celebration of the Sunday Eu- tions. So, the question about fill the words of the Creed Mass attendance should not be: which state: “For our sake He “Will I go to Hell if I miss one was crucified under Pontius Pi- Sunday Mass obligation Mass through my own fault?” late; He suffered, died, and was according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church Rather, it should be: “What buried. On the third day He 2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation 2182 Participation in the communal celebra- and confirmation of all Christian practice. For tion of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of this reason the faithful are obliged to participate belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless his Church. The faithful give witness by this to excused for a serious reason (for example, ill- their communion in faith and charity. Together ness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this salvation. They strengthen one another under obligation commit a grave sin. the guidance of the Holy Spirit.