Hernan Cortez and Our Lady

Mark and Patti Armstrong


Hernándo Cortés and Our Lady..>

December 1, 2007

Hernando Cortés, Spanish conquistador, explorer and Catholic. The latter title is not one that comes readily to mind in today's politically correct atmosphere. Modern historians often portray him as a ruthless brute, annihilating the native people and plundering their treasures.

In reality, Cortés was a great soldier of the Church with a deep devotion to Mary. He landed on the shores of Mexico on Good Friday, April 22, 1519. Many schoolbook historians broad brush the past and attribute Cortés and his men with motives of greed for gold and glory. However, that view fails to reveal what this deeply religious soldier and leader viewed as his true mission upon landing on the shores of what then was truly an evil empire.

Because so much of the written history we rely on today is from an Anglo-Protestant perspective, Spain's role in bringing the Christian faith to the new world is minimized by many early historians. It is important to remember the deep essence of purpose Cortés and many of his soldiers held. Cortés and his men never entered into a march or a major battle without having their confessions heard and Mass said. Cortés carried blessed medals of both St. James the Apostle and Mary close to his heart. Many of the men also carried rosary beads with them.

Little did Cortés or his men realize, when they landed in 1519, what large a role Mary would play in birthing a New Spain.

The Landing

When Cortés and his soldiers first encountered the indigenous people of Mexico, some of the first Aztecs thought Cortés was the god, Quetzalcoatl. In ancient Mayan-Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl, ironically, was light-skinned with light-hair. Legend held that he had left their lands centuries before to the east but promised to return one day to reclaim his throne and bring back the knowledge of the "one true God" to his people. Cortés never claimed to be Quetzalcoatl but this legend held back the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II from sending warriors and immediately wiping out Cortés and his soldiers when they landed in 1519.

Upon landing, Cortés planted a cross on the eastern shores of what is now Vera Cruz (English translation: True Cross), Mexico. He had Father Olmedo say Mass for his men on the sandy shores. Then a delegation from Montezuma (who was deeply troubled that Cortés/Quetzalcoatl had come on ships described by his spies as "floating islands") welcomed him, gave him presents of silver and gold and promptly asked him to leave immediately. In the banquet prepared for Cortés and the soldiers on board his "floating islands", the Aztecs sprinkled dried human blood on the food, as a test for Cortés. For if he were indeed Quetzalcoatl, perhaps he would be pleased to taste human blood again. Cortés and his men reacted with utter disgust, spit the food from their mouths and ordered Montezuma's envoys off their ships.

The sprinkling of dried human blood was nothing compared to the horrors of what lie ahead over the next two years. The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice on a scale unimaginable to the Spanish. No one will ever know exactly how many men, women and even children were sacrificed across the lands ruled by the Aztecs and the other Mayan-tribes for centuries before that. The law of the Aztecs required a thousand to their god Huitzilopochtli, the god of death, sun and war, in every temple every year. Historians tell us there were 371 temples when Cortés arrived. There were other ritual sacrifices as well to other gods. One Mexican historian estimated that one out of five children were sacrificed. Sometimes entire tribes were exterminated by sacrifice.

Month after month, year after year, in temple after temple, sacrificial victims came down the long roads leading to the pyramids, climbed the steep steps to the top of the platforms, and were bent backwards over convex slabs of stones. An immense knife with a blade of midnight black volcanic glass rose and fell, gutting the victim open. His or her heart was torn out while still beating and held up for all to see, while the ravaged body was kicked over the edge of the temple where it bounced down the steps a hundred feet below. The Aztecs priests who performed these sacrifices then consumed the blood that was collected, especially enjoying the consumption of the victim's heart. Other body parts were saved for other rituals, the dried blood saved to garnish at special ceremonial meal times. It was a culture of blood, death and gore on a scale that was unimaginable to the Spaniards.

The Mission

Cortés and his men quickly realized the extent of the Satanic society they were up against. They knew their primary mission was to stop the evil practice of human sacrifice and bring souls into the Church. The gold and riches for the Spanish crown was secondary. Some of the soldiers were there for treasure to be sure. But throughout the next two years, it would not be gold or silver that would win the battles against the 25 million indigenous people that Montezuma ruled over. These Spanish soldiers knew that the true treasure to help them survive the battles to come would be the treasures of the Church: Jesus, Mary and the sacraments. Gold and silver was of little value in battle. When fighting for one's life, prayer was key.

Friar Diego de Landa writes in his book Yucatan, Before and After the Conquest in 1566, translated by William Gates: "(Cortés) preached to them the vanity of idols, and persuaded them to adore the cross; this he placed in their temples with an image of Our Lady..."
In fact when Cortés finally did reach Montezuma's capitol city of Tenochtitlan (today Mexico City), he boldly ordered that the top of one of the main human sacrificial pyramids be stripped of its evil idols, the human-blood stained walls be cleansed and that an image of Virgin Mary and a cross be erected in its place. Everywhere Cortés went, Mary and the cross were their companions. The soldiers wore the emblem of the cross on their steel helmets, on their breastplates and carried it on their banners. Mary was carried close to their hearts in medallions and by the recitations of rosaries. And when the Aztecs did capture Spanish soldiers throughout the campaign and drag them away, Cortés and his men knew they might become victims of the very practice they were determined to stop.

As the (Protestant) American historian William writes in his book, History of the Conquest of Mexico, originally published in 1843:

As the long file of (Aztec) priests reached the flat summit of the pyramid, the Spaniards saw the figures of several men stripped to their waists, some of whom, by the whiteness of their skin they recognized their own countrymen. They were going to be victims of sacrifice...what sensations the stupefied Spaniard must have gazing on this horrid spectacle, so near they could almost recognize the persons of their unfortunate friends, see the struggles and writhing of their bodies, their screams of agony.

Mary's Intervention

Human sacrifice as practiced by the Aztecs when Cortés landed, was on a scale we cannot imagine. Or can we? In Aztec society, in Mayan society before that and other American-indigenous societies some of the brightest, most educated, well-trained and respected leaders were standing atop those pyramids in Aztec-Mayan society carrying out the bloody deed of human sacrifice to satisfy the hunger of their evil gods. Today some of our brightest, best educated and well-trained and respected leaders have convinced people in our society that it is a basic human right to sacrifice an innocent child in a Mother's womb. And instead of throwing that baby down the steps of a pyramid for everyone to see, it is quietly taken out with the trash. Satan still desires death. Our society today has passed laws to give him want he wants; convincing many that slaughtering their most innocent citizens in their mother's wombs is a basic human right.

Cortés conquered Aztec society in a bloody conflict. He immediately sought peace afterwards, opening the doors for his Spanish missionaries to convert the millions to the Catholic faith. Language and cultural barriers threatened the peace almost immediately after the battles ended. It took Mary's sudden appearance to St. Juan Diego and her self-portrait left on Diego's tilma (cloak) to convert people en-masse to the Church. Nine million Aztecs asked to be baptized by 1540 and tens of millions more were added within twenty years.

An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Mary because of this image. Yearly, an estimated 20 million visit her Basilica, making her Mexico City home the most popular Marian shrine in the world, and the most visited Catholic Church in the world next to the Vatican. In all, twenty-five popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness, the late John Paul II, visited her sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002.

If we want the evil of abortion to end, let us be reminded of how a great devotion to our Blessed Mother has brought down evil societies, transformed peoples' hearts and led nations back to the Church. We always find in Mary the perfect mediator of God's grace to mankind. Nearly 500 years ago, she was there for Hernando Cortés, his soldiers and St. Juan Diego and his people. Surely Our Blessed Mother will help us again if we call upon her intercession.

Cortés died in Spain, 460 years ago on December 2, 1547 at the age of 62 on his way back to Mexico. The historian Bernal Diaz tells us he was still wearing medallions of St. James the Apostle and the Blessed Mother when he passed onto eternity.

URL: http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/67735

Notorious Atheist Discovers God

'Notorious' atheist discovers God

ReligionAndSpirituality.com

November 2, 2007 Philosopher Antony Flew published a new book, "There Is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind," to explain his switch from one of the world's leading exponents of materialist Darwinian philosophy to belief in the existence of a personal deity who created the universe. Flew, an Oxford educated philosopher described by some as "legendary," was a leading proponent of the pure atheistic Darwinian doctrines that categorically reject any possibility of a creative divine being. His ideas paved the way for thinkers like Richard Dawkins, the UK's most virulent opponent of religious belief, LifeSiteNews reported Friday.

"It was empirical evidence" that changed his mind, he told an inverviewer, "the evidence uncovered by the sciences. He told Dr. Benjamin Wiker two factors in particular "were decisive."

"One was my growing empathy with the insight of Einstein and other noted scientists that there had to be an Intelligence behind the integrated complexity of the physical Universe. The second was my own insight that the integrated complexity of life itself - which is far more complex than the physical Universe - can only be explained in terms of an Intelligent Source."

Flew described the deity he believes in as "the god of Aristotle," not quite the personal God of Christianity and Judaism, "a person but not the sort of person with whom you can have a talk. It is the ultimate being, the Creator of the Universe." He said he does not "accept any claim of divine revelation" but is continuing to study them, particularly those of Christianity.

URL:
http://www.religionandspirituality.com/currentEvents/view.php?StoryID=20071102-041755-2904r

The Catholic Church And All Things Spooky

By Random Jottings

The Catholic Church and all things spooky

PHEW … with Halloween—the season of ghosts, evil spirits and all things paranormal (and we are not talking politics here!)—over and done with for another year it was at least comforting to know that the Catholic Church in the Philippines has an official exorcist.

He is Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia (son of well-known charity worker Letty Syquia) who carries the not so spooky official title of director of the Archdiocese of Manila Office of Exorcism. And with excellent literary timing he has just released a new edition of an informative book he has written that answers age old questions such as: Do ghosts really exist? Are there haunted houses? Is it true that you can be possessed by demons?

These and a lot more questions about the spirits are answered in Father Syquia's book Exorcism: Encounters with the Paranormal and the Occult which is published by Shepherd's Voice Publications Inc. (available at National Book Store branches).

As the main man of the Catholic Church on such scary matters, Father Syquia has performed countless exorcism rites, showing how the power of God can drive away evil spirits.
Father Syquia asserts he wrote the book because in the Philippines, there is a growing fascination for the paranormal and a hunger for answers and resolutions to demonic harassment. He says: "There seems to be no end to the supply of paranormal accounts since we as a nation have always had a certain religiosity that opens us up to interaction with the spirit world."
He adds: "Since prevention is always much easier than the cure, I hope through this work to warn Catholics about the different ways that they may get involved with demonic forces."
Father Syquia explores the world of the paranormal and the occult, particularly the realm of extraordinary demonic activity. This is to help people know how to properly view and confront the evil spirits through the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Father Syquia quotes Pope John Paul II who said during a visit to the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel in 1987: "The battle against the devil, which is the principal task of Saint Michael the archangel, is still being fought today, because the devil is still alive and active in the world."

"When demonic activity is not so grave," Father Syquia says, "one can by himself find resolution through the different spiritual weapons that God has given the Church to destroy the works of Satan."

He adds: "One must keep in mind that the devil is afraid of the Christian who knows his identity as a precious child of the all-powerful God and knows also how to use the many spiritual weapons of the Church."

The book also gives other priests, who do not have time to do their own research, the principles and guidelines that can aid them when they come face to face with extraordinary demonic activity in their ministry.

Included in this gripping book of stories is the Exorcism Rite—the main weapon of the Catholic Church against demonic assaults, a concise ma­nual of prayers for deliverance, as well as a handbook for dealing with infested locales.

Father Syquia points out that exorcism and deliverance fall under the Ministry to the Sick. He explains: "This entails a program that encompasses not merely diagnostic procedures and the exorcism/deliverance itself, but must also include follow-ups and evaluations."
He emphasizes that the whole thrust of the ministry is for the patient to grow in holiness by bringing him to an intimate relationship with Jesus. He says this may entail exorcism prayers, guidance and counseling, evangelization of the patient and his family, introduction to a community where the patient can find support and regular evaluation of progress in both his spiritual life and liberation.

Father Syquia discusses in detail requirements for the preparation for the exorcism/ deliverance team, preparation for the victim, reminders during the exorcism/deliverance sessions, what to do when liberation is not yet attained, and what to do after liberation.
According to Bo Sanchez, chairman of SVP (popularly known as the Preacher in Blue Jeans) this book will change the way you view the world. "In the end," says Sanchez, "Father Jocis' mind-blowing stories will not make you fear the devil as much as they will make you love God more."

rjottings@yahoo.com

URL: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/nov/05/yehey/opinion/20071105opi3.html

Exorcist Fascinates Audience With Demonic Details

Exorcist fascinates audience with demonic details

By Nancy Menefee Jackson
The Catholic Review


Audience members at Church of the Annunciation, Rosedale, were so intently focused on Father Thomas J. Euteneuer's exorcism talk Oct. 21, that when someone in the crowd muffled a sneeze – they flinched.

About 130 people attended "An Evening with an Exorcist," listening carefully as Father Euteneuer talked about how demons target their victims and how an exorcism takes place.

Father Euteneuer, a priest for the Palm Beach, Fla., diocese who is living in the Archdiocese of Arlington, Va., said he's been involved in exorcisms for nearly five years and has performed three or four that expelled demons as well as several deliverances, which use prayer teams for people who aren't fully possessed.

The priest, who heads the pro-life organization Human Life International, said he is investigating three current cases of possession.

"The church does not have a magic wand they wave … exorcism and its deliverance from evil is a process," he said.

Demons tempt and persecute people, he said, but if they get inside the person, that's obsession; when the devil has complete control over the person, that's possession. "If you live in a state of grace, you have no problem with the devil getting in you," Father Euteneuer said. "I don't want people to think because the devil is so powerful there's a demon around every corner."

But people unwittingly invite a demon in, through an Ouija board, a séance or "New Age stuff," he said, adding, "if you live a life of totally unrepentant mortal sin for a length of time, that's an invitation." People who are victimized can be targeted because of their vulnerability, and demons also prey on people not in a state of grace who have contact with someone practicing the occult.

Sometimes God allows the possession, and he cited an example of an exorcism in Germany that ultimately increased faith and spirituality there.

Before an exorcism is considered, doctors must rule out physical causes or mental illness. He detailed the case of an 18-year-old who initially was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but no drug could stabilize him, and when asked to read the Bible, he read it in a language that he didn't speak.

Speaking a language the person doesn't know is a classic sign of possession; others include knowledge of things or events they couldn't possibly know, being told what to do by beings and a failure to respond to all forms of medical treatment.

If an exorcism is warranted, it must be approved by the bishop; Father Euteneuer estimated only about 5 percent of all cases investigated are strictly demonic possession. The question-and-answer period lasted as long as the lecture, with participants asking everything from has anyone ever died during an exorcism to what Father Euteneuer thought of Harry Potter to why isn't the Eucharist used on the possessed person during an exorcism.

One woman, dressed from head to toe in black, with pronounced black eyeliner and black fingernails, identified herself as a paranormal researcher and began to ask about demons growling. But Father Euteneuer cut off her questions.

"Let me encourage you to stop doing this – this kind of fascination is not normal," he told her. When she tried to continue, he said, "I reiterate my request that you get out of this completely because this can seduce you."

When the event, sponsored by Friends in Faith, concluded, the audience still had so many questions that Father Euteneuer continued to answer them while everyone enjoyed light refreshments.

"I've never seen a captive audience stay more than two hours – the installation of our new archbishop went on for two hours flat," said Annunciation pastor Father William P. Foley.

"It spooks you a little bit but it reinforces some of the notions you have," said Matthew Marshall of St. Thomas Aquinas, Hampden, who is participating in 40 Days for Life. "It's an awareness-raiser."

"I found it very interesting – it's certainly informative," said Jennifer Schmidt of St. Casimir, Canton, who came because she'd recently read a book on exorcism. "He's a very good speaker."

URL: http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/storyworldnew.aspx?action=2076

Chastity Question

QUESTION:Can God forgive you if you've had premarital sex?

ANSWER:Yes. The Bible says, "To the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! . . . Turn again to the Most High and away from sin" (Sir. 17:19-21). If we repent he will forgive any sin, including premarital sex. In the Gospel of John, a crowd wanted to kill a woman who was caught in sexual sin. Jesus sent the people away to think about their own sins. When they left, he asked, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She answered, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again" (John 8: 1-11). Over and over, the Scriptures say the exact same thing. Psalm 103:12 reads, "As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." Lamentations 3:23 states, "Every morning his mercies are new."i God holds no grudges and doesn't look down on us because of the past. On the contrary, he says, "I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. . . . I will not remember your sins" (Is. 44:22; 43:25).The history of the Church tells the same story. Many saints and heroes of the faith led immoral lives or committed grave sins before repenting and leading lives of exemplary holiness, including King David, Mary Magdalene, St. Paul, and St. Augustine. The sins these saints repented of include premarital sex, adultery, and even murder. Just as God forgave them, he can and will forgive us, if we're willing to do what they did: Repent and amend our ways. Come to him in prayer. He won't be thinking, "Oh, here comes that kid who did all of that stuff at that party." Instead, he is thinking the same thing he was thinking thousands of years ago: "I have called you by name, you are mine. . . . I have carved your name onto the palm of my hand" (Is. 43:1; 49:16 NAB). The greatest sin you have ever committed is like a grain of sand next to the mountain of his mercies.Jesus instituted the sacrament of reconciliation to bring the gift of his forgiveness to us. After he rose from the dead, he came to the apostles, greeted them; and then breathed on them. The only other place in the Bible where God breathes on anyone is at the moment of creation. So we know something big is happening here. Jesus then said, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:21-23).For two thousand years, the Church has made this healing gift from Jesus available to us, so that we can hear the consoling words of absolution: "God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Come to the great sacrament of reconciliation, and receive the gift of God's forgiveness.

URL: http://www.catholic.com/chastity/q8.asp

The Reality of the Devil

The Reality of the Devil

BY Father Andrew McNair, LC

October 28 - November 3, 2007 Issue Posted 10/23/07 at 11:18 AM

The new millennium marks for many teens and young adults a renewed interest in spirituality.
What type of spirituality? Christian? No. Islamic? No. How about an Eastern spirituality like Taoism? Wrong again.

Try Satanism.

That's right. The occult movement of Satanism ranks number one among teens and young adults as their preferred spirituality.

We could dismiss the ascendancy of Satanism in the United States as a fad of the young; something they will grow out of with time. In others words, it's nothing to worry about.
In my judgment, that's the wrong approach to the spiritual and cultural phenomenon of Satanism. People need to understand that Satanic spirituality leaves deep spiritual and psychological scars on its victims. Christians should know how to recognize and combat satanic spirituality. Where do we begin?

Let's begin by reaffirming a basic truth: Satan exists. His demonic minions exist. Scripture and Tradition depict Satan as the supreme evil leader of the fallen angels who seek to disrupt God's plan of salvation for humanity.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church points out: "Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church's Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called 'Satan' or the 'devil.'" The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: "The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing" (No. 391).

St. Peter the Apostle warns us, "Keep sober and alert, because your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

Yet despite warnings from Scripture and Tradition about the lure of Satanism, teens and young adults see involvement in Satanic occultism as an acceptable cultural and social option. Why?
Satanic occultism wears the deceptive guise of white magic.

White magic employs the use of occult powers to do good. Black magic, on the other hand, uses occult powers to do evil. The entertainment industry cleverly hammers the notion of white magic in inattentive minds.

Take for example, CBS popular TV program, "Ghost Whisperer." The show tells the story of an attractive young woman that chats with the dead. She uses her occult powers to help the dead finish pending matters with family and friends in this life before helping them cross over to the other side. Viewers can't help but think this a wonderful way to help others. But is it really?
Another very popular CBS TV program called "Moonlight" throws a positive spin on the occult. In this program, a tall imposing vampire works as a private detective to make amends for past crimes he committed as a vampire. He no longer sucks blood from the necks of the innocent. He now keeps a stock of fresh blood in his fridge to quench his thirst. How consoling.

On the literary front, we find an entire plethora of books, magazines and columns that speak highly of the occult. For the last few years, the No. 1 best-selling novel in the United States and abroad narrates a story about a young boy wizard that uses white magic to duel the most powerful and evil wizard ever known.

Millions of youth, worldwide, look up to this courageous wizard as a perfect role model. Can a sorcerer or warlock be a role model?

The overall message of the white magic argument is clear: Magic is not bad in itself. It depends, like many things, on how you use it. In view of this assertion, white magic wins approval and respectability in the minds of many. Here, we need to make an important moral clarification.
The difference often made between white magic and black magic is woefully erroneous. The goodness or badness of an act of witchcraft or magic is not determined by the purpose of its use. Its moral quality comes from its origin.

The origin of all occult powers is the demonic realm. Consequently, all magic involving the use of occult powers is intrinsically evil. The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes this point abundantly clear:

"All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others — even if this were for the sake of restoring their health — are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons" (No. 2116).

The best defense against the lure of Satanic influence is an intense life of grace. In the words of St. Paul, the Church invites us to "Put on the full armor of God so as to be able to resist the devil's tactics."

This will permit us to utter effectively the powerful words of Christ in the hour of temptation, "Get thee behind me, Satan!"

Legionary Father Andrew McNair is a theology professor
at Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, Rhode Island.

URL: http://ncregister.com/site/article/6408/

The Holy Rosary A Weapon?

The Rosary and the Republic

The Holy Rosary a weapon? Yes, a weapon! We are fighting a battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Brother Andre Marie


You may not have noticed it, but next year is an election year.

For a moment, though, we would do well to look beyond electioneering to the true hope of the Republic. This is not to dismiss politics — the way society is governed — as something of no account or something too worldly for the faithful to concern ourselves with, for neither is the case. It is, rather, to explore how the supernatural can leaven politics in order to make it Christian.

In the "Act of Dedication of the Human Race," we pray for the "ordered tranquility" of all nations. This is a prayer for nothing less than peace brought about by a Christian polity, something that seems at least unlikely in our present circumstances. No matter how unlikely it may seem, I would like to propose that a powerful means of securing this great good for our country is the spiritual weapon of the Holy Rosary.

The Holy Rosary a weapon? Yes, a weapon! We are fighting a battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. "Our wrestling," St. Paul reminds us, is "against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places" (Eph. 6:12). In short, we need the big guns — and the Rosary is one of the biggest, as history testifies.

Our Lady of Victories

The military victories at Lepanto (1571), La Rochelle (1627), and Vienna (1683) come to mind as great campaigns won through the intercessory power of Our Lady's Rosary. More recently, Our Lady saved Austria from Soviet enslavement after World War II. A priest named Father Petrus Vavlochek organized a Rosary procession led by Federal Chancellor Figl, who carried a Rosary in one hand and a candle in the other. In addition, more than 700,000 Austrians pledged to pray the daily Rosary as requested by Our Lady of Fatima. The result? On May 13, 1955, the anniversary of Our Lady's first Fatima apparition, the Soviets agreed to Austria's independence. They withdrew from the country altogether the following October, the month of the Holy Rosary and the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun.

In Brazil, the Communist regime of President Goulart came to an end when the Catholic women of that nation saw to it that 600,000 people marched through São Paolo praying the Rosary and singing hymns. Realizing that a Communist revolution was impossible in Brazil, Goulart fled the country.

Accounts like this are manifold. Mary's loving response to her children's prayers through the Holy Rosary is not merely a thing of history, though. A dear and learned teacher of mine often says of God's Providence, "it is not something to be studied in a book; we study it in our own lives!" The same is true of the Blessed Virgin's power of intercession, which is coterminus with God's Providence.

The Hungarian confessor of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty, had this to say of what we can expect from the Rosary: "Give me a million families with Rosaries in their hands, uplifted to Mary. They will be a military power, not against other people, but for all mankind.... Let us, therefore, take the Rosary from family to family. With it in our hands, we shall conquer ourselves, convert sinners, do penance for our country, and will certainly move the merciful, mild, and benevolent Heart of Mary."

And can we not move her maternal Heart to the conversion of our own Republic?

Fatima

The Fatima message urges us to pray the Rosary daily for peace. We should point out that "peace" is not simply an absence of war, but "the tranquility of order," something far higher. (It is the very thing we pray for in the above mentioned Act of Dedication.") Only the Faith and the virtues that accompany it (especially infused justice and charity) can give a nation order. It is, therefore, fitting that the Fatima message speaks of both peace and the conversion of Russia. As unconverted Russia was the fomenter of war, so her conversion will be a harbinger of peace. The revival of the Cold War and Russia's growing militarism should catch our attention. In 1957, Sister Lucy said, "Russia will be the instrument of chastisement chosen by Heaven to punish the whole world if we do not beforehand obtain the conversion of that poor nation."

Russia is not yet converted.

Padre Pio

Our Lady promised that Russia would convert, but what of our America? Without any apology, I will use Saint Pio of Pietrelcina as an authentic commentator on the Fatima message. The prophetical friar was doubtless possessed of more than an earthly sagacity when he uttered this: "The Russian people will be converted. Their total conversion will happen very fast. The conversion of the United States will be slow, but sure" (Padre Pio: The True Story, by C. Bernard Ruffin, p. 264). On another occasion, the stigmatist said, "Russia will be converted, as the Blessed Virgin said she would. However, Russia will teach the United States a lesson in conversion" (ibid., p. 266, emphasis mine in both passages). If I read these passages correctly, it seems evident that Russia's Fatima-promised, prodigious conversion will herald that of the U.S.

Recall that Our Lady called herself by one title only at Fatima: "I am Our Lady of the Rosary." In light of the above, that should tell us something of the role of the Rosary in the conversion of both Russia and the U.S. to Christ the King.

Let the Campaign Begin

This past October 13, the TFP organized over 2,000 Rosary Rallies to honor Our Lady on the ninetieth anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun. An impressive showing for a special occasion. But why stop at that? We can take advantage of the forward momentum. As the month of the Holy Rosary draws to a close, we should not sheath this spiritual weapon Heaven has placed in our hands. As confirmed soldiers of Christ, we should brandish it about a bit more — unto a complete victory — a Catholic America. Regular Rosary rallies or Rosary processions are simple to organize (click the links to see how simple). They are also a powerful witness to our Faith, our love of the Blessed Virgin, and our desire to save our Republic. Priests, religious, and laity; children, teens, and the elderly — all can participate in a prayerful enthusiasm for a cause both Catholic and patriotic.

How different the world would be if the American superpower were under the sweet yoke of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King!

URL: http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=11658

The Great Mystery of Marriage

Kenneth Henderson

The Great Mystery of Marriage

October 12, 2007

Possibly one of the most beautiful gifts that God has given to humanity is the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Sadly, it is also the most attacked and profaned by Satan. Many people have very little understanding of just how important and holy the gift of marriage is. This can explain why many do not see the importance of saving the gift of sexuality for after they are married, why so many marriages end in divorce and why there is an increased push for homosexual unions. At the root of this problem is a lack of understanding of just what a sacrament is.

A sacrament is a sign instituted by Christ to convey grace. The Church teaches us that the sacraments are the most profound way that God administers His grace to us, His children. The sacraments are His most direct and significant means of healing our brokenness. It is through the sacraments that we, His children can come in direct contact with the living God. Ultimately it is the way that God makes Himself visible, physically present to us.

Through Baptism we receive the "initial cleansing" that washes away the stain of Original Sin, making us a new creation in Christ. Confirmation further equips and strengthens us with grace to be His disciples, to be warriors on the battlefield. The Eucharist, the most important of all the sacraments, is for us our "daily bread" — food for our daily needs — by which we receive Jesus in the most profound and real way we can, in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. The Eucharist is the very flesh He gave for the salvation of the World, our salvation. Confession allows us to receive the continued cleansing of our souls and the need we have for further healing.

Because of the effect of Original Sin on our lives, we have a tendency to fall into sin. This tendency, called concupiscence, is what pulls us toward sin. By humbling ourselves in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we allow God to reach into our souls and heal us as individuals. The more humble and truthful we are with God, the more He can mend the brokenness of our souls.

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, also known as Extreme Unction, strengthens us during times of illness and, if called, prepares us for the journey at the time of our deaths to be received by God into His heavenly kingdom.

The Church teaches us that marriage is more than just two people living together who share common likes or because of convenience. It is a sacramental covenant that bonds two people together in an indissoluble union by which the couple makes God present in their marriage. It is the only sacrament that is not administered by a priest. The priest is present at the wedding to witness the validity of the marriage. But the sacrament itself is administered by the husband and wife to each other. The sacrament begins at the moment they commit themselves in marriage with the exchange of vows to freely, faithfully and fruitfully love each other. But the sacrament is perfected when they consummate the marriage in the marital embrace. It is in the sexual union that the couple makes manifest the sacrament and shares in the divine grace that God wishes to give them as man and wife. The vows said with their mouths at the altar are perfected and renewed through their bodies each and every time in the conjugal act.

It is important to understand that the union must be open to life, open to the gift of children, for the marriage to be valid. This is why contraception is a direct contradiction to the very openness to life that must be present in a valid marriage. Without this openness, we block the grace that God wishes to give to marriage. This is also why two men or two women can never be married, because for a marriage to be valid in the eyes of God, the sexual union must potentially be fruitful — something that can never happen in homosexual unions.

In scripture, God gives us His intended plan for marriage and the beauty of sexuality. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells us of God's intention for marriage:

'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the church (Eph 5:21-32).

In the original Greek the word for "mystery" here means sacrament. The great mystery or sacrament of marriage is meant to reflect the love that Christ has for His people, the Church. Christ loves His people completely without holding anything back. His love is freely given, fruitful, and faithful. A marriage is to reflect Christ's love for the Church. This is why divorce is impossible for a valid marriage because the bond between man and wife has made them one flesh. To divorce is to profane and destroy what God has joined together.

Because of the great significance this sacrament has on the family itself, it has probably received the greatest attacks from Satan. As it is Satan's desire to destroy all of humanity, he knows that to attack the Sacrament of Marriage is to destroy families at their very core. Possibly the most significant attack that he has made is profaning and devaluing the gift of sexuality. Premarital sex is a significant problem and this is promoted by the mainstreaming of the mindset of the pornographic subculture. "Hooking up," a term used on college campuses to describe uncommitted sexual relationships, is common among young adults. To many, using another's body for their own selfish pleasure is just something to do for recreation.

Pride and selfishness are the key factors that Satan has used to lure man and woman away from God's intended purpose for life:

The Serpent said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden? ...You shall not die, For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil' (Gen 3:1-5).

The result was the Original Sin and with it came the corruption of love and marriage, distorting the original intent of marital love into lust. Lust is the desire to use another for ones own selfish pleasure, while love is to will the greater good of another. Love and lust are directly opposed to one another.

Satan's attack on the Sacrament of Marriage through the corruption of the sexual union is intended to prevent us from gaining the very grace that is given by God to help us throughout our married lives as man and wife. Indeed it is the very grace we need to help us succeed in marriage.

When men seek out selfish pleasures — "It's all about me and my pleasure. If you love me you will fulfill my sexual needs" — they will often turn to pornography, masturbation or even adultery. Their corrupted intellects see women primarily as objects to be used for sexual pleasure, a mindset that is all too often carried into marriage. With the Internet, pornography is much more accessible and is often used as an easy escape for many men. Yet, Jesus tells us in the gospel of Matthew, "You have heard it said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:27-28). When men view pornography, they are committing adultery in their hearts.

Satan convinces women that men only want to use them for sex. If they are not getting their emotional needs met, if they are not feeling loved or understood by their husbands, they withdraw because they do not wish to be used. They may withhold sex as a bargaining chip or give into having sex with a man, even if they are being used in order to "feel" loved. Men will use love to get sex, while women will use sex to get love. Lust is the root cause of many of the problems we see in marriages today. Lust destroys marriages by destroying trust between the husband and wife. We must have trust to be vulnerable. We need to be vulnerable in marriage for marriage to succeed. Ultimately we need to trust God's intended plan for marriage for marriage:

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Eph 5:21, 24-25).

Couples must be subject to one another "out of reverence for Christ." Without this kind of trust, we cannot experience the kind of joy that God intended for marriage. Without wives giving themselves completely to their husbands, and without husbands loving their wives with the giving of their very lives, marriage will not work. Men must be trustworthy in order for their wives to be open and vulnerable. This level of trust in marriage can only be accomplished by allowing the grace of God to transform us and transform our marriages, to open our hearts completely to God and Trust Him with everything. In order to love as God loves us, we need to have the love of God in our hearts. We cannot give what we do not have.

Jesus performed his first public miracle at a wedding. This shows us the great significance that God places on marriage. The Catechism tells us that "Without [Christ's] help man and woman cannot achieve the union of their lives for which God created them 'in the beginning'" (CCC, n. 1608). This is the very reason that God gave us the sacraments, to help restore that which was lost in Original Sin. Christ came to restore the superabundance of grace that He intended for every holy sacramental marriage. We are to see each other as a gift to one another — to be given freely and not taken. We are to see in our spouses the image of God, as we are all created in the image of God. We need to give ourselves completely to God, entrust Him with our marriage, our family, indeed our very lives, to experience the great gift that He wants to give all of us.

URL: http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/66511

The Mass Series Part 5

The Mass series - Part V: The miracle of the Eucharist: 'My flesh is true food'
By Father Tom Margevicius

The following is the fifth part in a seven-part series.

Now that the bread and wine - the fruit of our lives - are at a dignified place on the altar, the assembly stands and begins a dialogue with the priest that's difficult to translate:

"The Lord be with you."

"And also with you" (literally, "and with your spirit").

So far, so good. "Sursum corda," the Latin says next. This has no verb and means literally, "up­ward hearts." Is the priest telling the people to "lift up your hearts," as our missal has it, or is he saying hearts are already there? Or both? The Latin is ambiguous, and has always been way back to at least A.D. 200.

Language of prayer

I mention the ambiguity for two reasons.

First, you may have heard that a new translation of the Mass is in the works, which might be finished by the end of 2009. It will be closer to the original Latin than the current missal.

You may wonder, "What's taking so long? How hard is it for experts to do a translation?" Well, harder than it seems. Our present text has been criticized because the translation was done too hastily in the 1960s and the changes happened too rapidly. The U.S. bishops don't want to repeat that haste.

Secondly, a theological point: Liturgy is multivalent, meaning it can be understood in many ways. Prayer is ultimately the language of lovers - us and God - and how does one pin down love?

I ask my students, "What's the meaning of a kiss?" It depends on who does it, to whom, when, how, etc. The symbolic language of liturgy also cannot be confined. Though theology tries to articulate it (remember "lex orandi, lex credendi" - "the law of believing, is the law of praying"), we can never fully understand it.

The language of prayer is more poetic than scientific; it moves the heart even more than the mind, which bows in awe before the miracle of the Eucharist.

Theologians use the word "transubstantiation" for this miracle. This means a change of substance: bread and wine become Jesus' true body and blood.

This word relies on ancient Greek philosophical categories of "substance" and "accidents." Substance means the "what" a thing is - a chair, a song, a loaf of bread - and accidents means how the "what" appears: hard or soft, heavy, light, chewy, etc.

After eucharistic transubstantiation the accidents remain: bread and wine appear the same as before. But they are not bread and wine anymore: their substance is now the body and blood of Jesus Christ himself. As he told his followers, "My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink."

Seven parts

Though our minds can't fully grasp the change, we can trace the outline of the prayer. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal lists seven basic parts of all eucharistic prayers.

Thanksgiving, including the dialogue and the preface in which the church thanks God the Father for the salvation wrought in Christ.

Acclamation, when the church joins the angelic and heavenly hosts in crying out, "Holy! Holy! Holy!'

Epiclesis, a Greek word meaning "calling down." The priest asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the gifts to change them; and later he calls the Spirit down on the assembly, to change us so we also become the body of Christ.

"You are what you eat" is St. Augustine's phrase that originally means not "eat healthy and you'll be healthy;" it connects the church and the Eucharist, both as the body of Christ.

Words of institution. The priest repeats Jesus' own words at the Last Supper. Note that the priest is not "play-acting." He does not pretend to be Jesus and treat the assembly as apostles, telling them, "Take this, all of you. . ." Instead, these words are still part of a prayer addressed to the Father.

Anamnesis, another Greek word, means "making memory." In week one, I mentioned "remembering in the strong liturgical sense," not merely reminiscing about what Jesus did 2,000 years ago in the Upper Room. Rather, by making memory, salvation is actualized, really present among us here and now.

Intercessions occur in various places and usually mention the pope and local bishop by name, as well as saints, our beloved dead, and "any others for whom we now pray."

Doxology is the closing part when we give the Father all glory and honor through the Son in the Spirit. The assembly responds with the Great Amen: Let it be so! Let our lives be all for the glory of God. Such is a fitting way to end all prayers, and the great eucharistic prayer is the most excellent prayer of all.

But wait: there's more. For what happens next, you'll have to tune in next week.

Father Tom Margevicius is instructor of liturgical theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul.

URL: http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?Secti..15&subsecti..132&articleID=881

The Mass Series Part 4

The Mass Series - Part IV: Presentation of the gifts: Bread, wine and ourselves

By Father Tom Margevicius

The following is the fourth part in a seven-part series on the Mass.

Before moving forward let's review. One week ago, we saw that the church considers the Liturgy of the Word power-packed. What the liturgy's actions say, the word of God enacts. Or as the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" says: "The liturgical word and action are inseparable both insofar as they are signs and instruction and insofar as they accomplish what they signify."

Two weeks ago, we observed how the entrance rites developed in the church's history. At the time of St. Justin Martyr in A.D. 155, they were very rudimentary (see CCC, 1345), but other parts of Mass, including the procession of gifts, were already being done.

Three weeks ago, we examined some liturgical concepts that are helpful in understanding the Mass, especially how the liturgy makes use of signs and symbols to communicate God's grace to us.

All three of these - symbols, gifts, and word plus action - are important for the part of the Mass we look at today: preparation of the gifts.

Sometimes this is also called this the "offertory," but since the bread and wine will be supremely "offered" in the eucharistic prayer, we'll use the term preferred by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

Presentation of the gifts assumed great importance in the early church.

St. Cyprian, martyred in Africa in 258, chided those who came to Mass and received the Eucharist but made no offering of their own: "You are wealthy and rich, and do you think that you celebrate the Lord's Supper, not at all considering the offering? Who comes to the Lord's Supper without a sacrifice, and yet takes part of the sacrifice which the poor man has offered? Consider in the Gospel the widow. . ."

St. Augustine was impressed by a fifth-century procession of gifts in Rome in which the faithful brought from their own homes things from their kitchen tables. (After handling all the gifts, no wonder the priest had to wash his hands!)

Augustine called this an "admirable exchange" - for their gifts, God gave back Jesus. Our present prayer over the gifts from the sixth day in the octave of Christmas uses Augustine's language: "Lord, receive our gifts in this wonderful exchange: from all you have given us, we bring you these gifts, and in return, you give us yourself."

Valid matter. The church uses unleavened bread made only of pure wheat flour and water, and wine only from grapes. Why?

Because that's what Jesus used. He told us to "do this" in his memory, and if "this" changes too much, we're no longer following his command.

Even in places of the world where wheat or grapes are scarce, the church still insists that these foodstuffs be imported instead of substituted with local products such as corn flour or rice wine. For persons with celiac disease or alcohol intolerance, the church permits virtually gluten-free hosts and mustum, wine, whose fermentation has been arrested.

Collection of money. Yep, it's in the Bible. "From the very beginning, Christians have brought, along with the bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need" (CCC, 1351). Tithing and almsgiving are acts of worship (2 Corinthians 9:10-15) and express not only our desire to help those in need but also our generosity to God.

A $20 bill and a $1 bill are next to each other in a man's wallet. The $20 bill says, "Isn't life great! I get to go to the best places: to movies and nice restaurants and the mall." The $1 bill replies, "Well, I go to church." (Right about now lots of people are upset with me, while pastors are secretly sighing, "Thank you Father Tom!")

Made by hand. The ordinary form of Mass uses adapted Jewish "berakah" (blessing) prayers whose words are packed with meaning, even if they're done silently during the music.

Bread and wine symbolize a wonderful cooperation between God and humans. We lay upon the altar not only creation's goods but ours, too. The gifts are not mere wheat and grapes, but "the work of human hands."

Symbolically, that's us on the altar, offering ourselves to God. In the eucharistic prayer, we will ask God to send the Spirit to change the gifts and change us as well - but, again, I'm getting ahead of myself.

The gift of ourselves is never easy, and the church, knowing that, treats our offerings with great care. The priest places them in a dignified place on the altar, incenses them reverently, and asks God to receive them to himself.

"Pray, sisters and brothers, that our sacrifice" - not only bread and wine, but what they symbolize: our work, struggles, joys, money, our very lives - "may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father."

In the next part of Mass, the great eucharistic prayer, it happens: the Holy Spirit comes down, and as the words of Christ are repeated over the bread and wine . . . Stay tuned!

Father Tom Margevicius is instructor of liturgical theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul.

URL: http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?Secti..15&subsecti..132&articleID=844

The Mass Series Part 3

The Mass Series - Part III: Christ is present in the word proclaimed

The following is the third part in a seven-part series on the Mass.

Of the articles I am writing for this series on the Mass, I am really excited about this one: the Liturgy of the Word.

For too long, we have assumed, "Protestants get the Bible, Catholics get the sacraments."

Wrong.

One is not more Catholic than the other; both are essential for the celebration of the Eucharist.

The General In­struction of the Roman Missal says the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist "are so closely interconnected that they form but one single act of worship."

The word proclaims what the sacrament enacts: it's the same Christ, really present. The Second Vatican Council's "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" taught that Christ is present in multiple ways in the liturgy: in the people assembled, in the word proclaimed, in the ordained minister, in the other sacraments and especially in the Sacred Species.

Three years ago, the world's Catholic bishops held a synod discussing the Eucharist. Pope John Paul II followed up with the wonderful document "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," resulting in resurging interest in the importance of the Eucharist in the life of the church.

That's great, but we need to go further. Pope Benedict XVI has instructed the bishops that when their next synod meets in October 2008 the topic will be the word of God.

I predict the Holy Father will follow up with his own document on the word of God. (You heard it here first.) The bishops already have their "homework" assignment: you can read it on the Vatican Web page (www.vatican.va) if you search for "synod," "word" and "lineamenta," which is Latin for "outline."

No better food

Maybe you know someone who left the Catholic Church because they found another church where they "get fed," meaning they hear the word preached better.

Of course, the irony is they can't get fed any better than in our Eucharist. But we should take their departure seriously: a fuller celebration of the word of God will only enhance participation in the Eucharist.

The "Catechism of the Catholic Church" directs: "The Liturgy of the Word is an integral part of sacramental celebrations. To nourish the faith of believers, the signs which accompany the Word of God should be emphasized: the book of the word (a Lectionary or a Book of the Gospels), its veneration (procession, incense, candles), the place of its proclamation (lectern or ambo), its audible and intelligible reading, the minister's homily which extends its proclamation, and the responses of the assembly (acclamations, meditation psalms, litanies and profession of faith)."

Notice how we offer the word what we usually associate with the sacred Species: incense, gilded books, even processions.

The General Introduction to the Lectionary goes so far as to say, "The church has honored the word of God and the eucharistic mystery with the same reverence, although not with the same worship, and has always and everywhere insisted upon and sanctioned such honor."

Proper preparation

To honor the word of God, let the ambo be a fixed, dignified place that parallels the altar itself, since there is "one table of the word and the Eucharist." Don't proclaim the word from disposable booklets - for the same reason wine should not be consecrated in a throwaway cup. Let there be adequate lighting and amplification.

Regarding preparation, Pope Benedict writes, "I ask that the Liturgy of the Word always be carefully prepared and celebrated. Consequently I urge that every effort be made to ensure that the liturgical proclamation of the word of God is entrusted to well-prepared readers."

Just as we appreciate silence after receiving Communion, include periods of silence after the word so it can resonate in our hearts.

Finally, encourage priests and deacons when they preach homilies. Not a single preacher I know thinks it's easy.

Pope Benedict is straightforward on this issue: "The quality of homilies needs to be improved. The homily is 'part of the liturgical action' and is meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of God, so that it can bear fruit in the lives of the faithful. Hence ordained ministers must 'prepare the homily carefully, based on an adequate knowledge of Sacred Scripture.' Generic and abstract homilies should be avoided.

"In particular,"?he said, "I ask these ministers to preach in such a way that the homily closely relates the proclamation of the word of God to the sacramental celebration and the life of the community, so that the word of God truly becomes the church's vital nourishment and support."

That intersection of three terms - word, sacrament and community - all come together in a beautiful way in the part of the liturgy we'll examine next week: the preparation of the gifts.

Father Tom Margevicius is instructor of liturgical theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul.

URL: http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?Secti..15&subsecti..15&articleID=812

The Mass Series Part 2

The Mass Series - Part II: Entrance rites - Getting ready to meet God
The Mass: Special Section

By Father Tom Margevicius

The following is the second part in a seven-part series on the Mass.

Last week I mentioned a few concepts that help us appreciate the Mass, such as symbolic objects, words and actions, timelessness, active participation and changed lives. Now let's look more closely at the beginning of Mass.

Of course, we don't think that in the Upper Room one of the apostles fired up an organ, Jesus put on a stole and chasuble, got in line be­hind the altar servers carrying in­cense and candles, and they sang "Gath­er Us In" before be­ginning the Last Supper.

Around the year A.D. 155, St. Justin explained to a pagan emperor how Christians did it: "On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place. The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read . . ." (See "Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1345).

The rest of St. Justin's liturgy looks remarkably familiar, and it is reassuring that the early church celebrated Mass pretty much the same way we still do.

But notice that St. Justin says nothing about the entrance rites. These developed gradually over several hundred years.

Altar. One of the earliest things to develop is the symbolism of the altar itself. At the start of Mass, when everyone reaches the sanctuary, we bow to the altar, even if the tabernacle is in a different chapel. And bishops, priests and deacons kiss the altar. Why?

That's because according to St. Am­brose (late 300s) the altar is a symbol of Christ. The liturgy calls Jesus Christ priest, victim and altar: As High Priest, he makes the offering (Hebrews 5:1-10). As Victim, he is the one being sacrificed, the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 13:8).

But why altar? St. Paul says we "offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, our spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1). Since we know the Father accepts Christ's sacrifice, we place our lives on Christ himself; he is the one through whom we sacrifice our lives. Reverencing the altar is reverencing Christ himself.

Greeting. The celebrant greets the assembly with the Sign of the Cross and a scriptural text such as, "The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (Titus 1:4).

This is much richer than merely saying, "Good morning." No matter how much the priest and people like one another, something more is happening: The priest is wishing God upon the people, and the people respond not just to the man, but to Jesus Christ himself. That's why the literal translation of the people's response is, "And with your spirit." Christ greets his bride (the church), and the bride greets the spirit of Christ present in the priest.

Penitential rite. Are you ready to meet Jesus, who really comes to us in the Eucharist? Sometimes, neither am I. That's why we usually ask for mercy next. This can take several forms: The most ancient predates even the use of Latin in Mass: We cry out "Kyrie eleison," Greek for "Lord have mercy."

The Confiteor ("I confess . . .") first shows up around the eighth century. And sometimes, such as at Easter and Masses with baptism, we renew our baptismal promises and replace the penitential rite with a sprinkling with water.

The Gloria comes from the song the angels sang at Jesus' birth (Luke 2:4) and originally was used only during the Christmas season. It found its way into Mass during the sixth century. Christ is born anew in each Mass we celebrate, and we sing his praises with the angels and saints who are continually praising him. Each time we pray Mass, we join with the liturgy already going on in heaven (CCC, 1090).

Opening prayer. The opening prayer is also called the "collect." The priest intones, "Let us pray," and then a brief silence follows. The silence is not just waiting for the server to bring the book; each of us is supposed to be praying silently during that time, and after a short while the priest "collects" all those silent prayers into the opening prayer.

When the priest ends, we all acclaim "Amen!" signaling our agreement with the prayer, and we are ready for God to speak to us.

Father Tom Margevicius is instructor of liturgical theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul.

URL: http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?Secti..15&subsecti..15&articleID=790

The Mass Series Part 1

The Mass Series - Part I: What we believe is what we pray and live

By Father Tom Margevicius
For The Catholic Spirit

"Ite, Missa est." This is the Latin ending of the Mass, rendered in English as: "The Mass is ended, go in peace."
"OK," you're thinking, "here's another article - or worse, a series of articles - on the pre-Vatican II Mass."

Wrong.

I know the old Latin Mass is a hot topic, but I start this column with the Latin words for two other reasons.

The first is to say that "missa" is where we get the English word "Mass."

Second, "Ite, Missa est" means we are "missioned" by Jesus Christ himself to bring the Good News to the world (Matthew 28:19-20). The dismissal more than just signals that we can go home - it tells us what to do after Mass.

The church uses the Latin phrase, "lex credendi, lex orandi" - "the law of believing is the law of praying" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church," 1124). This means that if you want to know what we Catholics believe, look at how we pray, and vice versa.

Pope Benedict XVI's exhortation, "The Sacrament of Charity," follows that basic pattern: Part 1 is titled "A Mystery to Be Believed" ("lex credendi"). Part 2 is "A Mystery to Be Celebrated" ("lex orandi").

But the pope adds a Part 3: "A Mystery to Be Lived." One might say Pope Benedict?XVI expands the phrase to "lex credendi, lex orandi, lex vivendi" - the law of belief is the law of praying is the law of living.

Mass is about more than fancy words and strange vestments and vessels. It's about changed lives: ours, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the lives of those we encounter.

For that reason, the popular "Gather" hymnal we use in church could also have been titled "Dismiss!" because we are charged to go out and bring Christ to a world that needs him.

These articles on what happens at Mass mean nothing unless we are converted.

But I'm ahead of myself. We'll discuss the dismissal in a few weeks. For now, let's start with a few other basic concepts for understanding Mass.

Time and space. The incarnation, Passion and resurrection of Jesus are timeless. Though they happened historically and geographically in Palestine 2,000 years ago, their reality becomes present here and now in our celebration. "Remem­bering," in the strong liturgical sense, is how we become present to that always-and-everywhere reality (CCC, 1362-1363).

Signs and symbols. Question: Is the Eucharist the real presence of Christ, or is it a symbol? Answer: Yes.

The Eucharist is both the real presence and a symbol, or better, a collection of symbols.

We hesitate because "symbol" to us connotes something unreal, but that is not the traditional Catholic understanding. Every sacrament is a sign (CCC, 1123); the sign is the reality, present in a particular way. To say the eucharistic presence is symbolic means Jesus Christ comes to us through bread and wine, which the Spirit changes into Christ's Body and Blood, and also through the Word, people, actions and even objects of the Mass (CCC, 1131).

Distinctive roles, words, actions and objects. A few years ago, a college sports team met with President Bush, and people gasped because some women on the team wore flip-flop sandals. The reaction was reasonable because for really special events we dress up.

The Eucharist commemorates the most important event ever, and our words, actions and objects should dress it up. That's why the church protects worship from becoming too pedestrian. Not just anybody leads the Eucharist. We choose particular men and ordain them to do so. We don't use paper cups and plates, nor do we talk to God using words like, "Hey, Dude!" Something special is going on.

Full and active participation. St. Pius X didn't want people to pray at Mass, he wanted them to pray the Mass. Pius XII encouraged full and active participation, a phrase re-emphasized at Vatican II. The better we understand our special roles, words and actions, the better our worship.

During the next six weeks, we will look at each part of the Mass in succession so we can understand, celebrate and live it even better.

Father Tom Margevicius is instructor of liturgical theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul

URL: http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?Secti..15&subsecti..132&articleID=762

Seven Sanctifications for Spouses

Seven Sanctifications For Spouses

catholics and divorce, part 3

BY Melinda Selmys

October 14-20, 2007 Issue Posted 10/9/07 at 11:48 AM

For the last two weeks, we’ve been examining the problem of divorce, its nature and it’s causes. Last week, we looked at “7 Worldly Wisdoms.”
Today we will seek out the cure.

1. “He who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

A heavy weight of grudge, complaint, injustice and remembered wrongs can sink any marriage. Wrongs remembered in times of anger are fuel thrown on the fire. Take time in prayer to recall old wounds that you haven’t healed and set them before the cross. Everything in marriage should be brought to God — whether it is something as trivial as laundry left undone, or something as serious as adultery.

Real forgiveness, like real contrition, expects no recompense: If you have forgiven, you will not be bitter about being the one who had to forgive. Rejoice. Marriage gives us many opportunities to cash in on God’s promise that we will be forgiven as we forgive.

2. “Love issues from a pure heart” (1 Timothy 1-5).

Be chaste in thought and in deed. If you rehearse adultery in the theater of your mind, you will find it difficult to resist temptation when it comes. Pornography, prurient entertainment and steamy romance novels all replace your real spouse with a figment, a sexual automaton who possesses no personality or needs beyond your own.

If your spouse is involved in these behaviors, be gentle and patient: They may be compulsive, and quite humiliating.

3. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Work together, play together, relax together, fight together — and make sure that you make separate time for each of these activities. We are often inclined to try to do the wrong things at the wrong time. If you want to rip your husband’s head off and eat it with ketchup, it isn’t the time to fight. Go calm down, then go for a walk in the park, or take the kids to the zoo.

When you’re getting along again, then it’s the time to talk about the problems in your relationship and get them resolved. I suspect that most divorces are the result of couples littering the floor with each other’s emotional entrails when angry, and then trying to keep a tight-lipped peace when they’re not.

4. “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs16:18).

No divorcee is ever responsible for the divorce. If they committed adultery, it was because their husband was distant and emotionally abusive. If they asked for the divorce, it was only after years of putting up with their wife’s frigidity. Marriage requires the humility to admit that you are wrong. Say, “I’m sorry,” and don’t add a “but …”

Remember that pride is the invisible vice; you can see it easily in others, only with difficulty in yourself. Frequent the sacrament of confession and get into the habit of knowing your own faults.

5. “The measure you give will be the measure you get” (Mark 4:24).

Money is always a means to an end; people are ends in themselves. It is therefore a severe perversion of the moral order to allow money to undermine a relationship. Put first things first.
If you tithe, give alms, lend to those who cannot repay you, and invest your treasure in your faith and your marriage instead of your property, then God will provide you with everything that you really need (and often with much more). Have faith in divine Providence, and there will be no need to fight or worry over money.

If your spouse cannot do this, don’t fight, and don’t worry. Discuss it reasonably and charitably and let them have their way. Better to lose your house and gain your marriage than to surround yourself with baubles and lose your spouse.

6. “Whoever would save his life will lose it” (Matthew 16:25).
If you cling to your spouse, and try to hold him captive with threats of private detectives, or with the latest tricks from the magazines at the grocery counter, you will suffocate your marriage.

Be faithful, and trust your spouse to be faithful. It is much more difficult to disappoint someone who loves and trusts you than to defy someone who holds you on a leash.

7. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28).

Be open to filling your house with children. A child is an incarnation of your love for each other. They confirm that love, and each one is an incarnation of a different aspect of your union.
If this has not proved true in your marriage, spend more time really interacting with your children (i.e. not watching television or playing video games with them, or watching them inertly over a frazzled cup of coffee). You will find in them a reflection of the spouse you fell in love with, and they will find in you an image of God’s unconditional love.

Melinda Selmys is a staff writer
at VulgataMagazine.org.

Quote

"As soon as worldly people see that you wish to follow a devout life they aim a thousand darts of mockery and even detraction at you. The most malicious of them will slander your conversion as hypocrisy, bigotry, and trickery. They will say that the world has turned against you and being rebuffed by it you have turned to God. Your friends will raise a host of objections which they consider very prudent and charitable. They will tell you that you will become depressed, lose your reputation in the world, be unbearable, and grow old before your time, and that your affairs at home will suffer. You must live in the world like one in the world. They will say that you can save your soul without going to such extremes, and a thousand similar trivialities. ... All this is mere foolish, empty babbling. These people aren't interested in your health or welfare."

-St. Francis de Sales

Christian or New Age? Part 7

This article is from The Catholic Herald online.

Ouija Boards and Tarot Cards
Oct 8, 2007 3:00 PM

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the seventh part of a series that examines how Catholics are being challenged by followers of New Age philosophies.]

Fortune-telling has real staying power.

It’s been attracting crowds since prehistoric time. And in the recorded history of Greece for the period spanning 700-800 B.C., the ancients believed the home of the oracle of Delphi was the center of the universe.

In modern times, divining the future can be cheap and convenient. For the do-it-yourself crowd, toy stores stock plenty of ouija boards and tarot cards, and any New Age bookstore will sell a variety of crystals and how-to manuals on palm-reading.

But don’t let the price tags mislead you. Those items might not seem to cost very much, but the spiritual price we pay for using them is often much steeper than we realize.

Some people are not aware that fortune telling and other forms of divination are linked to the occult. Consider the background of two of the most popular forms of modern fortune-telling: ouija boards and Tarot cards, both of which are currently being sold as children’s games.
Ouija Boards

The ouija board set consists of an alphabet board and heart-shaped pointer, known as a planchette, which are used for divination through spirit contact.

The use of alphabet boards for divination dates back to 1200 B.C. in China, when similar instruments were used to communicate with the dead, according to information from the Museum of Talking Boards. Ancient Greeks used a table that moved on wheels to point to signs that were then interpreted as revelations from the "unseen world."

Modern use of the ouija board entered the United States as part of the Spiritualism movement of the mid-19th century. In some forms, followers use a pendelum that swings over a plate or a table with letters painted around the edge to spell out messages.

In 1890, two businessmen named Elijah Bond and Charles Kennard patented the idea of using a planchette and alphabet board as a "talking board." An employee of theirs name William Fuld took over production of the product in 1901 and started selling the board under the name "ouija," which was derived from the French, German and Dutch words meaning "yes" — oui and ja.

In 1966, Fuld sold the patent to the Parker Brothers (now Hasbro) game corporation, which began marketing the board as a game. Although the company does not release sales figures on its ouija board, anywhere from 20-25 million boards have been sold, according to an estimate by Mitch Horowitz, the editor-in-chief of Tarcher-Penguin books and author of "Ouija: How This American Anomaly Became More Than Just Fun and Games."

The world saw how well a ouija board could work in the blockbuster Hollywood horror film, "The Exorcist," a fictional account based on the true story of an exorcism performed in 1949 for a 13-year-old boy from Mount Ranier, Wash. Introduced to the board by an aunt, the boy used it to contact her spirit after she died. However, instead of contacting his aunt, he unwittingly contacted demons who disguised themselves as friendly spirits and eventually possessed him.
The board is one dangerous toy, writes Joel S. Peters, an apologist for Catholic Answers in San Diego, Calif.

"The ouija board is far from harmless, as it is a form of divination (seeking information from supernatural sources)," Peters writes. "The fact of the matter is, the ouija board really does work, and the only ‘spirits’ that will be contacted through it are evil ones. . . ."

"Just because someone regards the board as harmless doesn’t mean it is," Peters said. "A disbelief in something does not necessarily mean that something isn’t real. The ouija board has an objective reality that exists apart from a person’s perception of it. In other words, it’s real even if you don’t believe it is."

Tarot Cards

Although there are many different theories about the origin of tarot cards (pronounced "tar-o"), there is some evidence that they originated in Italy in the 14th century, with the earliest recorded mention of their use dating to 1391, according to Father William Saunders, dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College, who wrote an article titled, "The History of Tarot Cards" for the Arlington (Va.) Catholic Herald.

Based in the occult, tarot cards are used predominantly for cartomancy, divination or fortune telling.

The modern history of the tarot, according to the New Age Alamanac, can be traced to a French Huguenot pastor named Antoine Court de Gebelin (1719-1784). De Gebelin became active in Parisian freemasonry circles, and joined the Philalethes, a French Masonic occult order. He became an accomplished occult scholar and, through his various social connections, discovered the tarot.

De Gebelin believed the occult symbolism of the cards tied them to ancient Egypt, although that has never been substantiated.

In 1783, a fortune teller known only as Etteilla published a book detailing a methodology for tarot cartomancy, and the use of the cards for fortune telling continues to this day.
Father Saunders describes the composition of the 78 cards in the tarot deck this way: "The pack of cards — known as the "Tarocco" — is made up of 22 major "enigmas," whose figures represent a synthesis of the mysteries of life, and 56 minor images incoporating 14 figures in four series (gold, clubs, swords and goblets)."

The gold series symbolizes intellectual activity; the club series symbolizes government; the sword series symbolizes the military; and the goblet series symbolizes the priesthood.
"Practitioners of Tarot believe that these enigmas, images and series represent the sum of the knowledge of all sciences, particularly astrology, and that the permutations in "dealing with the cards" is capable of revealing the future and solving all problems," Father Saunders writes.
The occult links of ouija boards and tarot cards may not be immediately obvious to some individuals, especially when they are sold as children’s games. Some people fall unwittingly into the habit of using the divining devices without realizing they have exposed themselves to the influence of demonic spirits.

Because of such hidden dangers, strong warnings against all forms of divination are found throughout Scripture and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

One such admonition is found in the book of Deuteronomy: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist [spiritualist] or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is destestable to the Lord." (18:10-12)
The Cathecism also notes that, along with breaking the first commandment, the use of divination devices is wrong because they "conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to concilate hidden powers." (No. 2116)
"To invoke Satan or any other power, to enter the darkness [the occult] for any assistance, or to attempt to usurp powers which belong to God alone is a defiance of the authority of almighty God," warns Father Saunders. "To commit such acts is to turn away from God and place our own souls in jeopardy."

NEXT ISSUE: Energy Medicine, Part One.

(This article originally appeared in The Catholic Standard and Times, the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper.)

OTHER PARTS OF THE SERIES
PART SIX: Bewitched by Wicca

PART FIVE: Is acupuncture acceptable for Catholics?

PART FOUR: The enneagram: What's your number?
PART THREE: Reiki and healing touch
PART TWO: Ten Questions to Help You Determine: "Christian or New Age?"
PART ONE: Popular Movement Is One of the Most Pressing Challenges to Christian Faith

http://www.coloradocatholicherald.com/display.php?xrc=646

Christian or New Age? Part 6

This article is from the Catholic Herald online


Bewitched by Wicca

Susan Brinkmann, Special to the HeraldOct 8, 2007 3:00 PM

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the sixth part of a series that examines how Catholics are being challenged by followers of New Age philosophies.]

Sometimes called the Goddess movement, Goddess spirituality or the Craft, Wicca is one of the fastest growing religions in America today.

It was recognized as an official religion by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1986, and today there are more than 200,000 adherents of Wicca and related, "neopagan" faiths practicing in the United States.

"Wicca" is derived from the old English word, wic-a — meaning "witch" — in its use as the umbrella name for modern religious witchcraft.

Wicca was invented by Gerald B. Gardner (1884-1964) in England, and was meant to be a goddess-centered, nature religion.

However, in the decades since it came to the United States, Wicca has mushroomed into a vast array of beliefs encompassing ancient Celtic, Greek, Roman and Egyptian religions, as well as many forgotten traditions, including shamanic healing circles and Toltec wisdom.

Brooks Alexander of the Spiritual Counterfeit Project in Berkeley, Calif., writes that contemporary "witchcraft is individualistic to the point of being anarchic, with no centralized authority or even any agreed-upon definition of what a ‘witch’ is."

Alexander adds: "In effect, a witch is whoever says they are a witch, and witch beliefs and practices amount to whatever individual witches actually believe and do."

Wiccans pride themselves on making things up as they go along, but there are four commonly held beliefs.

First there is the belief that divinity is immanent in all of nature (harking back to animism, polytheism and pantheism). Second, Wicca is either female-centered and goddess-oriented or it is centered on a paired god and goddess. Third, it does not believe in the concept of sin and the uniqueness of Christ. Fourth, it espouses spiritual reciprocity — "what goes around comes around."

Wiccans also generally follow a basic ethic known as the "Wiccan Rede." The Rede is usually written as, "An it harm none, do as ye will." — not because the motto is as ancient as it sounds, but because Wiccans like to couch things in obsolete terms to give them the appearance of antiquity, according to Alexander.

In modern English, their Rede translates, "As long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, do whatever you want."

There is no central authority or established organization in the Wiccan religion. In fact, it’s unofficial "church" is the Internet — where there are a variety of Wiccan sites for people of all ages, including chat rooms, coven-finders and bulletin boards.

Many Wiccans belong to covens or circles, which usually consist of 13 people.
"The covens are governed by a high priestess and a high priest, with the high priestess being the leading figure in the coven," according to Donald H. Thompson, a retired police officer and cult expert for the Baltimore police department. Thompson’s writing includes a chapter in the book, "Today’s Destructive Cults and Movements," which has been compiled by Father Lawrence J. Gesy, cult consultant to the Baltimore Archdiocese.

"Their purpose is to guide members to achieve a nature-based attitude and to instruct them in the ways of the Craft, with its rituals and initiations," Thompson writes.

"There are rituals for initiation, rituals for healing and protection, rituals for the sun and the sea, and it goes on and on," he says. "You can look at witchcraft as a religion expressed in rituals."
Wicca rituals are commonly held in homes or out in the open, and some are conducted "skyclad," meaning without clothes.

"Most Wiccan witches believe in reincarnation, that at the time of death the soul is reborn," Thompson goes on. "They believe this is possible over and over again to increase their mental powers. Most witches practice clairvoyance and divination, usually starting with tarot cards; however, crystal balls (the larger the better) flasks and black mirrors all become part of the rituals to develop clairvoyance and divination."

One of the most startling of all Wiccan practices is astral projection. Wiccans believe that when the body is relaxed, through the powers of concentration, a person can transfer his conscious mind into the air around him.

"While this may seem absurd to many of us, let me assure you that these powers are possible to achieve," Thompson writes, "and many have succeeded in obtaining these powers and having out-of-body experiences."

Where the powers come from is of grave concern. Although Wiccans do not worship or believe in Satan, some of their practices are rooted in occult traditions.

Father Gesy said he believes the reason why many people are falling into the snares of New Age movements, including Wicca, is because they’re searching.

"The rapid growth of Wicca is the perfect example of how these false religions attract people who are searching," he said. "They’re vulnerable, lonely, hurting and perhaps 50 percent of them are either not practicing their faith or don’t have a faith. When something happens, and they have a ‘religious revival,’ I hate to say it, but the first group that gets there gets them."
That may be where Wicca’s extensive use of the Internet comes in. And then there are some youth subcultures that seem to attuned to Wicca, such as the self-described "Goths" — teenagers whose personal style, attitude and musical choices are dark, gothic and disaffected.
"You take someone who isn’t popular at school but who gets in with the wrong group — and all of a sudden, people are paying attention to them, to the way they dress and behave," Father Gesy said. "It’s not positive attention, but it’s still attention."

Unfortunately, many of these young people are then introduced to Wicca, which leads them into the worship of false gods.

Wiccans believe in the ancient gods of the British Isles — the Horned God of hunting, death and magic, and the Great Mother, a goddess who supposedly gives regeneration and rebirth to souls.
"The practice of Wicca is incompatible with Christianity because it is based on the worship of pagan deities, and is therefore a sin against the First Commandment," Father Gesy said. "Wicca is basically a pantheistic religion, which means it is a worship of nature. It’s pagan, which means it is also polytheistic, in that it worships multiple gods and goddesses."

"On the other hand, we are monotheistic, meaning we worship the one true God," he added.
When it comes to Wicca and other New Age spiritualities, Father Gesy said, the best way to assess whether a religion is compatible with Christianity is to ask a simple question: "Is it leading you to put your faith in creatures or in the Creator?"

NEXT ISSUE: Divining the Future — Ouija Boards and Tarot Cards.

(This article originally appeared in The Catholic Standard and Times, the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper.)

The Catholic Standard and Times, the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper.)

Christian or New Age? Part 5

This article is from the Catholic Herald online

Susan Brinkmann, Special to the HeraldSep 7, 2007 4:45 PM
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth part of a series that examines how Catholics are being challenged by followers of New Age philosophies.]

In July 1971, while accompanying Henry Kissinger to China, The New York Times columnist James Reston had an emergency appendectomy. Afterward at the Anti-Imperialist Hospital in Peking, doctors treated his pain with a traditional form of Chinese medicine known as acupuncture.

"I was in considerable discomfort if not pain during the second night after the operation," Reston wrote shortly after his return to the United States. "Li Chang-yuan, doctor of acupuncture at the hospital, with my approval, inserted three long, thin needles into the outer part of my right elbow and below my knees, and manipulated them in order to stimulate the intestine and relieve the pressure and distension of the stomach.

"Meanwhile, Doctor Li lit two pieces of an herb called ai, which looked like the burning stumps of a broken, cheap cigar, and held them close to my abdomen while occasionally twirling the needles into action. All this took about 20 minutes, during which I remember thinking that it was a rather complicated way to get rid of gas in the stomach. But there was noticeable relaxation of the pressure and distension within an hour and no recurrence of the problem thereafter."

Many people in the medical field, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), believe that event is what precipitated what is now a 20-year surge of interest in acupuncture in the United States.
A report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the NIH in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being widely practiced by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists and other practitioners in the U.S.

According to the largest and most comprehensive survey of complementary and alternative medicine in use by American adults, the 2002 National Health Institute Survey, "an estimated 8.2 million U.S. adults had . . . used acupuncture [at some time] and an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture in the previous year."

How Does Acupuncture Work?

The Chinese theory behind acupuncture as a medical treatment is very different from the kind of acupuncture used in Western medicine.

"Traditional Chinese acupuncture is based on the theory that the body is a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang," says the NIH Web site for Complementary and Alternative Medicines. "Yin represents the cold, slow or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited or active principle."

It goes on to explain that the Chinese believe health is achieved by maintaining the body in a balanced state, and that the disease is caused by an internal imbalance of yin and yang.
"This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi (energy) along pathways know as meridians," according to the NIH site. "It is believed that there are 12 main meridians and eight secondary meridians, and that there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that connect with them."

Chinese practitioners believe that by inserting extremely fine needles into those points in various combinations, a person’s energy flow may be re-balanced, thus allowing the body’s natural healing mechanisms to take over.

Because there is no anatomical or other physically verifiable basis for the existence of acupuncture points, qi or meridians, the Western version of acupuncture is not based on the concept of yin and yang, but on neuroscience. Today, science believes acupuncture may work in three ways: by releasing endorphins, which are part of the body’s natural pain-control system; by stimulating nerves in the spinal cord that release pain-suppressing neurotransmitters; or by the naturally occurring increase in blood flow in the needle-puncture area, which removes toxic substances.

Origin of Acupuncture

The word "acupuncture" is derived from the latin acus meaning "needle" and pungere meaning "prick." The origins of Chinese acupuncture are uncertain. There is some archeological evidence of its practice during the Han dynasty (202 B.C. to 220 A.D.) with the first mention of it a century earlier in the Yellow Emperor’s "Classic of Internal Medicine," a history of acupuncture that was completed around 305 B.C.

However, hieroglyphics dating back to 1000 B.C. have been found what may be an indication that acupuncture was in use much earlier. There is also some speculation surrounding the discovery of Otzi, a 5,000-year-old mummy with over 50 tattoos on his body, some indicated on established acupuncture points.

Other scientists believe there is evidence to support the practice of acupuncture in Eurasia during the early Bronze Age. In an article that appeared in the British medical journal, The Lancet, researches said, "We hypothesized that there might have been a medical system similar to acupuncture (Chinese Zhensiu: needling and burning) that was practices in Central Europe 5,200 years ago. . . . This raises the possibility of acupuncture having originated in the Eurasian continent at least 2,000 years earlier than previously recognized."

Can Catholics Use It?

The Western form of acupuncture, which is based on science and not Taoism, is acceptable for use by Christians. However, the traditional Chinese acupuncture belief system is not compatible with Christianity.

"The philosophical thinking behind acupuncture comes from Taoism and the concept of the yin and yang, and of being at one with the forces in the universe through meditation," the Irish Theological Commission wrote in 1994 in its document, "A Catholic Response to the New Age Phenomenon."

Christians believe man is a union of body and soul, and that the soul is an essential form — not an energy force. The belief that one can meditate and be at one with the forces of the universe is based in pantheism, the belief that the universe, God and nature are all equivalent.
At present, there are many unlicensed practitioners who may be practicing a blended version of Western and Chinese acupuncture.

"The New Age movement has no difficulty with acupuncture because it accepts the Eastern philosophy behind it," the theological commission said. "But what about Christians? Can they accept the help and not be affected by its religious content? Many believe they can.
"The general principle in this matter is that these practices are not bad in themselves, and dissociated from their original context, can be practiced by Catholics with due discretion."
Father Lawrence J. Gesy, the cult consultant for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the lead author of "Today’s Destructive Cults and Movements," says those seeking an acupuncturist should "make sure the person who is doing the acupuncture is medically licensed."
According to the Mayo Clinic Web site, there are about 3,000 medical doctors in the U.S. who use acupuncture as part of their clinical practice. No individual needs to resort to a New Age practitioner in order to enjoy the benefits of acupuncture.

"Those who are into the Chinese-god concept of acupuncture usually have charts up, or will talk about gods and energy levels," Father Gesy said. "These people are ‘channeling.’ The needle becomes their channel from the source of the energy of the gods into that person."
Acupuncture works without the religious component, and is a much better bargain for Christians because it comes all the benefits, but none of the spiritual risks.

NEXT ISSUE: Bewitched By Wicca.

(This article originally appeared in The Catholic Standard and Times, the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper.)

The Catholic Standard and Times, the Philadelphia archdiocesan newspaper.)