The Good Catholic Life

Summary of today’s show: As The Good Catholic Life is traveling to Rome to provide you with live coverage of the election of the new pope, we bring you Cardinal Seán O’Malley’s press conference on the resignation of Pope Benedict on February 13 and his homily for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter on February 22, which highlight the cardinal’s reflections on the legacy of Benedict XVI and what he will be looking for among his brother cardinals in the conclave to elect a new pope. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry Links from today’s show: The Good Catholic Life on Twitter The Good Catholic Life on Facebook Today’s topics: Cardinal Seán on the papacy of Benedict XVI and our next pope 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show. Today we’re sharing some materials to help us get ready for the conclave in Rome. Scot and George Martell are flying to Rome today in order to begin our live coverage on Tuesday. Today, we’ll share the remarks of Cardinal Seán O’Malley and Msgr. James Moroney from the news conference that was held at the Pastoral Center on February 13 and then Cardinal Seán’s moving homily on the ministry of St. Peter and his reflections on the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI from the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22. Also tonight, Catholic Faith Essentials starts a new season of study on the topic of this transition in the papacy. Tonight, Bishop Arthur Kennedy will reflect on the teachings and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI and how it has moved the Church to a much deeper understanding of Jesus Christ. That’s 7pm at BostonCatholicLive.com. For more information, go to YearofFaithBoston.org. Scot also reminded listeners of the many ways that iCatholic Media, of which The Good Catholic Life is a part, is covering this papal transition. First, we are continuing our blog posts on The Good Catholic Life website. Greg Tracy has already been sending dispatches from Rome over the past week and we will have daily updates from Scot. You can receive the blog posts via email by signing up on our website, follow us on Twitter at @GoodCathLife, or Like us on Facebook. Now we heard the statements and press conference from February 13. The Good Catholic Life’s live video stream of Cardinal Seán’s press conference CatholicTV’s recording of the press conference Then Cardinal Seán’s homily from the Mass of the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. The Good Catholic Life’s live video stream of Cardinal Seán’s homily Be sure to join us on Tuesday’s show, LIVE from Rome! And keep up with all our updates at TheGoodCatholicLife.com

Summary of today’s show: The Catholic Appeal is to the Archdiocese as the weekly offertory is to the parish and this weekend is the launch of the annual Appeal. Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell talk with Fr. John Mulvehill and Chris Kierce of St. Anthony Parish, Cohassett, and Susan Abbott of the Office of Religiou Education about the importance of the Appeal to the more than 50 diocesan ministries that would not be able to function with it and the parish ministries that wouldn’t be effective without those diocesan ministries. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell Today’s guest(s): Fr. John Mulvehill, Chris Kierce, Susan Abbott Links from today’s show: Boston Catholic Appeal Today’s topics: Catholic Appeal 2013 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show. He said today is important because of the launch of the Catholic Appeal but also because of the events going on in Rome. Fr. Mark said he was watching the coverage on the news yesterday about how all the pageantry, but then taking a bleak outlook on the Church. Fr. Mark said we’re not hopeless, were popeless! Scot noted that the work of the College of Cardinals in setting the date for the Conclave won’t happen until Monday so today is a breather in Rome from all the busyness. Scot and Fr. Mark discussed the importance of the Appeal toward supporting all the ministries housed in the Pastoral Center, including The Good Catholic Life radio program. Scot said first we would hear the audio from the Catholic Appeal video, linked above, that will be played in parishes this weekend first. Scot said they present on 5 of the more than 50 ministries supported by the Appeal. Fr. Mark said it was moving and what moved him most was that he had a tiny part in some of that. Joining the show, Fr. John Mulvehill and Chris Kierce from St. Anthony’s in Cohasset. Fr. Mulvehill said the video indicates the vast extent of the Appeal. They have a large religious education program and their people receive a lot of training. He was once head of religious ed for the archdiocese and knows how important the appeal is. Chris said it shows the diversity of the Archdiocese. Susan Abbott said she loved the cultural diversity office part of the video as well as Deacon Nieves. Fr. Mulvehill talked about the advice and support of the Facilities office as St. Anthony’s built a new parish center. Chris said he tells other parishioners about their youth ministry and their permanent deacon and how they all receive support from archdiocesan central ministries. Chris then talked about why he gives his spare time to help coordinate and promote the Catholic Appeal in his parish and beyond. Scot said he frequently heard from people who thought the Appeal only paid for things that happen at the Pastoral Center. Susan said any successful parish ministries often receive support from central ministries. She said when she lead a parish religious education ministry, they won a diocesan award, but she knows they won only because of the help from archdiocesan religious education office. Their work is to support, advise, and offer guidelines. As a director of religious ed, she has been able to some of the people who have donated to support the work they do. Scot said the deaf apostolate ministry would never be possible in just one parish because you wouldn’t have a critical mass of people in one place. But the archdiocesan ministry can put the resources together. Fr. Mark said many dioceses don’t have a deaf ministry because they can’t afford it. He said Cardinal Seán and Cardinal Law before him put many resources into forming the deaf apostolate. The Archdiocese was able to send Fr. Shawn Carey, the director of that office who is himself deaf, to seminary in California where they had a program to educate deaf seminarians. That could only happen through the generosity of the Appeal. Scot said the goal is to sustain and grow the Appeal each year. He asked Fr. Mulvehill why it’s important to be generous to the Appeal. Fr/. Mulvehill said it’s important to have someone like Chris explain from their perspective. Chris said he changes his talk to parishioners each year based on the theme, but the most important parts don’t change. What he says comes from the heart and that’s what’s most important. He’s been able to pick out areas in the ministries that relate to their parish and at the end of each Mass, he seeks out people who might have questions, then mingles at the post-Mass coffee time. Scot said the Appeal message this is “There is a Good Samaritan in each of us.” The Appeal categorizes the ministries in four basic categories: Strengthening families, advancing Church leadership, inspiring future generations, enriching parish life. Scot asked Susan to reflect on inspiring future generations. She noted that religious education spans both inspiring future generations and strengthening families because they do adult faith formation as well. She noted her office does catechist formation and certification; they do online learning with online accredited universities; they provide regional and parish services; and more. She said they start with the adults because faith formation is a lifelong process. Chris said the parish guide provided by the development office makes a good resource and is a good step-by-step plan for a successful appeal. Fr. Mark said some priests hate to ask for money and parishioners can stand up for him and do it for him. Chris said every pastor should have a lay co-chair for the Catholic Appeal to take the pressure and legwork out of the Appeal. The lay co-chair could one of the top five or six donors to the Appeal or someone who has a sales background. Fr. Mulvehill said the Appeal is the diocese what the weekly offertory is to the parish. He said the pastor gets up a dozen times per year to announce a second collection, so the Appeal should be set apart and thus a lay co-chair can say it more forcefully than the pastor can. Scot said in parishes that can’t play the video, they will hear an audio homily from Cardinal Seán which we will hear now. He said Cardinal Seán tells us that the Appeal calls us all to be Good Samaritans through love of God and love of neighbor, helping us grow as Catholic disciples.

Summary of today’s show: On a day for unprecedented news happenings, Scot Landry, Susan Abbott and Fr. Roger Landry are joined by Gregory Tracy, calling in from Rome, to report his experiences so far traveling with Cardinal Sean on Benedict XVI’s last days as pope. From the last meeting with the cardinals to Benedict’s departure from the Vatican, including Cardinal Seán’s press conference with the world’s media, we got an insider’s view of all the events and what it was like to be in the Eternal City. Also, back in Boston, the first four pastors of Phase 1 pastoral collaboratives were named as part of the Disciples in Mission plan. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today’s guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today’s show: The Anchor The Pilot Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot’s and The Anchor’s websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today’s topics: Benedict’s Last Day; Cardinals’ presser; Phase 1 Pastors 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and welcomed Gregopry Tracy calling in from Rome and Fr. Roger Landry, who is traveling today. Greg related what it is like to be in Rome in these days. Scot read from Benedict’s farewell discourse to the cardinals and the final words to all of us at Castel Gandolfo. Susan Abbott reflected on her admiration for the Holy Father and her sadness that we will likely never see him again. Greg related how he went to St. Peter’s Square at 8pm and how very moving it was to see everyone there. The bells tolled and the hundreds gathered stood silently before St. Peter’s, some holding candles, others praying in groups. After a moment of silence after the bells stopped ringing and then spontaneously the people applauded. Scot noted that most of the churches across the country rang their bells from 1:52 to 2pm, eight minutes for the eight years of Benedict’s pontificate. Susan said Cardinal Dolan talked on TV this morning about how the people is our father and we are stunned that he is no longer there for us. Scot said he is know know as Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI. He will wear white cassock, but not the white cape that is a sign of office. He will also trade in the red shoes, for plain brown loafers. “Cardinals bid Pope farewell with hearts full of thanks”, CNA/EWTN News, 2/28/13 “Benedict XVI pledges respect, obedience to future Pope”, CNA/EWTN News, 2/28/13 “Pope: Farewell discourse to College of Cardinals (full text)”/en1-669045) “The Journey to Rome”, Gregory Tracy, The Good Catholic Life “Pope Benedict: I am not abandoning the church”, The Boston Pilot/CNS, 2/26/13 “Pope Benedict to be ‘pope emeritus’ or “Roman pontif emeritus’, The Boston Pilot/CNS, 2/26/13 “Changing rules, pope allows cardinals to move up conclave date”, Catholic News Service, 2/25/13 “Preliminary pope talk focuses on teaching, preaching, holiness”, Catholic News Service, 2/26/13 “Age matters: Popes elected as young as 24, as old as 81”, Catholic News Service, 2/21/13 “Between popes: Vatican business continues as usual — almost”, Catholic News Service, 2/20/13 “Faithful throw big farewell at pope’s last general audience”, Catholic News Service, 2/27/13 2nd segment: Scot said to Fr. Roger that Benedict packed in so much in the last few days that we will be unpacking for years to come. Fr. Roger said first of all in importance is that Christ is the Supreme Pastor of the Church, not the pope. Another important message from him is the importance of the Mass and the way we pray must be centered on the Lord, rather than ourselves. Fr. Roger is boarding a flight, but Scot noted that Fr. Roger will be part of EWTN’s coverage of the papal conclave starting next week. He will also be hosting a new series on EWTN on living with Alzheimer’s disease. Scot said earlier today that Cardinal Seán, Cardinal DiNardo from Houston, and Cardinal George of Chicago had a press conference held at the Pontifical North American College. Greg set the sense of what the press conference like and how many were there. He said all the major international news networks were present and the major US media as well, plus others from South America and elsewhere. Greg said you see around the city, for the media much of what’s going on in Rome isn’t very public or to fill airtime so the media is voracious for anything they can find to fill the news cycle. Greg said some of the questions were predictable, asking about the change in the Church. A few were good because the cardinals didn’t have a rote answer for them. The press conference started with each of the cardinals relating what each of them said to the Holy Father. They were asked the effect of the precedent of the pope resigning. Cardinal George said the Holy Father is a father and a father can’t resign, but now a father has resigned. Even though it’s been in canon law, it’s been so rare that practically speaking the pope was pope for life. Cardinal Sean said maybe someone who is older might be more possible now because if it became overwhelming for him he could resign. Scot said Cardinal Seán was asked what qualities Americans would like in a new pope. Cardinal Seán responded that certainly holiness given that we’ve had such holy popes for the last century. Also, someone who loves the youth. Asked how he’s preparing for the conclave, he’s been praying a lot and trying to read up on the other cardinals, spending a lot of time on the Internet. He joked with the reporter John Allen, who prior to the last conclave wrote a book called “Conclave” which described how it worked and who some of the leading candidates were, and said that Allen hadn’t written “Conclave II”. Scot said everyone watching could see Cardinal Seán’s sense of humor. Susan said Cardinal Seán is so in tune with the popular culture. She noted that every time someone lists the qualities of a potential pope, she sees Cardinal Seán. She asked Greg if he will be able to update his blog. He said his sense is that there will be a blog post this week and each week that he isn’t in the conclave. Greg said each of the moments today were very moving, with the cardinals saying goodbye for the last time, the seminarians waving goodbye as the helicopter flew away, the people in the square crying at his leaving, or being with the people applauding for him after he was long gone. Greg also noted that Benedict pledged obedience to the future pope who was present in the audience with the cardinals this morning. Scot also noted Greg’s blog posts on The Good Catholic Life and how they have brought us along with him with an insider’s view. Susan said the Holy Father’s discourse to the cardinals was also a beautiful reflection, modeling for us what we’re called to do to work together in harmony. Parish staffs and ministries could meditate on this together. Scot and Susan also talked about yesterday’s remarks at the Wednesday General audience, which was very personal. Scot said during the individual greetings of cardinals with Benedict, Cardinal Tagle of Manila whispered something to the Holy Father that caused them to laugh together. Scot wrote in the Pilot this week about the type of coverage we’ll be offering on the Pilot, the Good Catholic Life, and online. Scot said anyone who sends a prayer request to [email protected], he will bring them to the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican to bring all our listeners to a deeper appreciation and sense of discipleship. in local news, the Disciples in Mission pastoral planning initiative has significant news. The first four pastors of Phase 1 collaboratives have been named. They become effective on June 4. Father Mark Mahoney, to be the Pastor in Beverly (Saint Margaret, Saint Mary Star of the Sea, and Saint John). Father Mahoney will be leaving his current position as Pastor of Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Topsfield to take this new assignment. Monsignor William Fay, to be the Pastor of the Collaborative in Methuen (Saint Lucy and Saint Monica). Monsignor Fay will be leaving his current position as Pastor of Saint Columbkille in Brighton to take this new assignment. He was co-chair of the Pastoral Planning Commission and is a former secretary-general of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Father Shawn Allen, to be the Pastor of the Billerica Collaborative (Saint Theresa, Saint Mary, and Saint Andrew). Father Allen is currently the Pastor of Saint Theresa in Billerica. Father Carlos Flor, to be the Pastor of Saint Mary of the Angels in Roxbury and Saint Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of Lourdes in Jamaica Plain. Father Flor is currently the Pastor of those three Parishes. “Four Phase One Pastors named”, DisciplesinMission.com Scot expects that many more pastors of the new collaboratives will be named over the next four to six weeks. Susan said she was surprised by the appointments and knows that the review process was very thorough. Scot noted that this transition affects the current pastors, pastoral staff, and parishioners and asked for prayers for them as they go through this change.

Summary of today’s show: In his last public appearance before a large crowd, Pope Benedict XVI shared some heartfelt, moving, and deeply personal words in his Wednesday general audience with 200,000 in attendance. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams read the Holy Father’s words and contemplate his message of trust in the Lord, discernment, and staying rooted in hope and joy. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Links from today’s show: Pope Benedict XVI’s final Wednesday general audience Remarks to English-speaking pilgrims Today’s topics: Pope Benedict XVI’s last general audience 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and said that today is the last full day of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. Today we will share the parting message of Pope Benedict to the faithful in his last Wednesday general audience. Scot said tomorrow that the Holy Father will leave Rome and at 8pm Rome time he will be at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Fr. Matt noted that the Swiss Guard, at the stroke of 8pm, will leave their posts at his side because their sole responsibility is the protection of the Supreme Pontiff. His security will be taken up by the Vatican Gendarmerie. Scot said more than 200,000 people came out in what was not great weather in Rome for this audience. He read from the text: Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate. Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text that we have heard, I feel in my heart the paramount duty to thank God, who guides the Church and makes her grow: who sows His Word and thus nourishes the faith in His people. At this moment my spirit reaches out to embrace the whole Church throughout the world, and I thank God for the “news” that in these years of Petrine ministry I have been able to receive regarding the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity that circulates in the body of the Church – charity that makes the Church to live in love – and of the hope that opens for us the way towards the fullness of life, and directs us towards the heavenly homeland. I feel I [ought to] carry everyone in prayer, in a present that is God’s, where I recall every meeting, every voyage, every pastoral visit. I gather everyone and every thing in prayerful recollection, in order to entrust them to the Lord: in order that we might have full knowledge of His will, with every wisdom and spiritual understanding, and in order that we might comport ourselves in a manner that is worthy of Him, of His, bearing fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9-10). Scot recalled the times he saw Pope Benedict, during the papal Mass at Yankee Stadium. Fr. Matt also saw the Holy Father at World Youth Days in Cologne and Madrid. He noted the humility and sincerity in how much he cares for and loves. He literally commends us to the Lord and teaches us the importance of intercessory prayer. Scot said the Pope prayed for a specific thing in that part of the text: that we might have full knowledge of the Lord’s will, and that’s precisely what he discerned last week. Fr. Matt said we should pray, “Lord, what is the plan that you have for me?” At this time, I have within myself a great trust [in God], because I know – all of us know – that the Gospel’s word of truth is the strength of the Church: it is her life. The Gospel purifies and renews: it bears fruit wherever the community of believers hears and welcomes the grace of God in truth and lives in charity. This is my faith, this is my joy. Scot said the Holy Father is saying our trust and joy should be there as well as we say goodbye and prepare for the next Holy Father. Fr. Matt said the Word the Holy Father speaks of is Christ Himself. When, almost eight years ago, on April 19th, [2005], I agreed to take on the Petrine ministry, I held steadfast in this certainty, which has always accompanied me. In that moment, as I have already stated several times, the words that resounded in my heart were: “Lord, what do you ask of me? It a great weight that You place on my shoulders, but, if You ask me, at your word I will throw out the nets, sure that you will guide me” – and the Lord really has guided me. He has been close to me: daily could I feel His presence. [These years] have been a stretch of the Church’s pilgrim way, which has seen moments joy and light, but also difficult moments. I have felt like St. Peter with the Apostles in the boat on the Sea of​Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us, as in the whole history of the Church it has ever been - and the Lord seemed to sleep. Nevertheless, I always knew that the Lord is in the barque, that the barque of the Church is not mine, not ours, but His - and He shall not let her sink. It is He, who steers her: to be sure, he does so also through men of His choosing, for He desired that it be so. This was and is a certainty that nothing can tarnish. It is for this reason, that today my heart is filled with gratitude to God, for never did He leave me or the Church without His consolation, His light, His love. Fr. Matt said Pope Benedict shares with us this beautiful reflection on what it was like to be elected pope. He had turned to the Lord to ask Him why He was asking it of him and what was being asked. It is a burden to shepherd the people of God because we are sheep that go astray, not to mention the shepherds who go astray. The Holy Father knew he wasn’t doing it all by himself. The Lord who entrusts us with much equips us with much to make us equal to the task. Scot said it would be great for any of us to say we felt the Lord’s presence every day because we asked Him each day, “What do you want me to do today?” Scot said the Holy Father was honest about having easier days than others and described it as the Lord giving him days of sunshine and gentle breeze and other days when the waters were rough and it seemed the Lord was asleep. The Lord doesn’t respond on our timetable. We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life. I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being Christian. In a beautiful prayer to be recited daily in the morning says, “I adore you, my God, I love you with all my heart. I thank You for having created me, for having made me a Christian.” Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith: it is the most precious good, that no one can take from us! Let us thank God for this every day, with prayer and with a coherent Christian life. God loves us, but He also expects that we love Him! He wanted us to trust in God like young children trust in their parents. Fr. Matt talks about young children who trust implicitly in you that you won’t drop them. Scot talked about the holy Father as having been one of the world’s leading theologians but he is very down to earth in how he addresses us and teaches in very simple, heartfelt terms. The prayer he offers is so accessible that even children can pray it. Fr. Matt said a priest-friend studied in Rome and he attended a conference with then-Cardinal Ratzinger. During the question period, he asked for all the questions first, then on-the-fly arranged them and answered them in a seamless and articulate way. He is one of the most brilliant men to be the Holy Father. But he also demonstrates that theology is something to be done on our knees. He doesn’t just speak about God, but you know he’s knows God in prayer. 2nd segment: This week’s benefactor card raffle winner is Marion LeBlanc from Lynn. He wins Family Matters by Curtis and Michaelann Martin. If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit WQOM.org. For a one-time $30 donation, you’ll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM’s weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We’ll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 3rd segment: At this time, however, it is not only God, whom I desire to thank. A Pope is not alone in guiding St. Peter’s barque, even if it is his first responsibility – and I have not ever felt myself alone in bearing either the joys or the weight of the Petrine ministry. The Lord has placed next to me many people, who, with generosity and love for God and the Church, have helped me and been close to me. First of all you, dear Brother Cardinals: your wisdom, your counsels, your friendship, were all precious to me. My collaborators, starting with my Secretary of State, who accompanied me faithfully over the years, the Secretariat of State and the whole Roman Curia, as well as all those who, in various areas, give their service to the Holy See: the many faces which never emerge, but remain in the background, in silence, in their daily commitment, with a spirit of faith and humility. They have been for me a sure and reliable support. A special thought [goes] to the Church of Rome, my diocese! I can not forget the Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood, the consecrated persons and the entire People of God: in pastoral visits, in public encounters, at Audiences, in traveling, I have always received great care and deep affection; I also loved each and every one, without exception, with that pastoral charity which is the heart of every shepherd, especially the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of the Apostle Peter. Every day I carried each of you in my prayers, with the father’s heart. I wish my greetings and my thanks to reach everyone: the heart of a Pope expands to [embrace] the whole world. I would like to express my gratitude to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, which makes present the great family of nations. Here I also think of all those who work for good communication, whom I thank for their important service. At this point I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many people throughout the whole world, who, in recent weeks have sent me moving tokens of concern, friendship and prayer. Yes, the Pope is never alone: now I experience this [truth] again in a way so great as to touch my very heart. The Pope belongs to everyone, and so many people feel very close to him. It’s true that I receive letters from the world’s greatest figures - from the Heads of State, religious leaders, representatives of the world of culture and so on. I also receive many letters from ordinary people who write to me simply from their heart and let me feel their affection, which is born of our being together in Christ Jesus, in the Church. These people do not write me as one might write, for example, to a prince or a great figure one does not know. They write as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, with the sense of very affectionate family ties. Here, one can touch what the Church is – not an organization, not an association for religious or humanitarian purposes, but a living body, a community of brothers and sisters in the Body of Jesus Christ, who unites us all. To experience the Church in this way and almost be able to touch with one’s hands the power of His truth and His love, is a source of joy, in a time in which many speak of its decline. In recent months, I felt that my strength had decreased, and I asked God with insistence in prayer to enlighten me with His light to make me take the right decision – not for my sake, but for the good of the Church. I have taken this step in full awareness of its severity and also its novelty, but with a deep peace of mind. Loving the Church also means having the courage to make difficult, trying choices, having ever before oneself the good of the Church and not one’s own. Fr. Matt emphasized the point that the Church is a community of brothers and sisters united in Christ. In the Mass, we pray that we confess to our brothers and sisters that we have sinned and ask their prayers before God for us. While we may not know each other that well, our prayer for one another is real and we can see each other in a new light. Scot said that paragraph was profound. The Holy Father said he was persistent in prayer. Benedict got a different answer from God than John Paul. For John Paul, he received the answer that he was to stay until the end. Benedict heard from God that he would step down for the good of the Church. Here allow me to return once again to April 19, 2005. The gravity of the decision was precisely in the fact that from that moment on I was committed always and forever by the Lord. Always – he, who assumes the Petrine ministry no longer has any privacy. He belongs always and totally to everyone, to the whole Church. His life is, so to speak, totally deprived of the private sphere. I have felt, and I feel even in this very moment, that one receives one’s life precisely when he offers it as a gift. I said before that many people who love the Lord also love the Successor of Saint Peter and are fond of him, that the Pope has truly brothers and sisters, sons and daughters all over the world, and that he feels safe in the embrace of their communion, because he no longer belongs to himself, but he belongs to all and all are truly his own. The “always” is also a “forever” - there is no returning to private life. My decision to forgo the exercise of active ministry, does not revoke this. I do not return to private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences and so on. I do not abandon the cross, but remain in a new way near to the Crucified Lord. I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the Church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter’s bounds. St. Benedict, whose name I bear as Pope, shall be a great example in this for me. He showed us the way to a life which, active or passive, belongs wholly to the work of God. Scot said the Pope was an introvert who cherished his privacy who from April 19 has had no privacy. He belongs totally to everyone and even after tomorrow, he doesn’t expect to have a return to the privacy he used to have. It’s very open and heartfelt. Fr. Matt said it’s the idea that when you give your life to the Lord as a priest, your life is not your own and as you rise in responsibilities within the Church, there is further stripping of the self. But we never have to do this alone. God never asks us to do what he himself won’t do with us. Scot said St. Benedict was the founder of Western monasticism. Scot said Benedict will be working hard at the work of prayer. Fr. Matt said he is teaching us to pray. I thank each and every one of you for the respect and understanding with which you have welcomed this important decision. I continue to accompany the Church on her way through prayer and reflection, with the dedication to the Lord and to His Bride, which I have hitherto tried to live daily and that I would live forever. I ask you to remember me before God, and above all to pray for the Cardinals, who are called to so important a task, and for the new Successor of Peter, that the Lord might accompany him with the light and the power of His Spirit. Let us invoke the maternal intercession of Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, that she might accompany each of us and the whole ecclesial community: to her we entrust ourselves, with deep trust. Dear friends! God guides His Church, maintains her always, and especially in difficult times. Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the only true vision of the way of the Church and the world. In our heart, in the heart of each of you, let there be always the joyous certainty that the Lord is near, that He does not abandon us, that He is near to us and that He surrounds us with His love. Thank you!” Scot said he asked specifically for prayers for the cardinals and his successor. Scot thinks that one of his biggest prayers after tomorrow is for that intention. He understands what his successor will feel that moment that in the Sistine Chapel that he is elected. Fr. Matt said the Holy Father shows us how God is the Supreme Pastor of the Church and that our prayers do matter. To the English-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father added: The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God’s will and a deep love of Christ’s Church. I will continue to accompany the Church with my prayers, and I ask each of you to pray for me and for the new Pope. In union with Mary and all the saints, let us entrust ourselves in faith and hope to God, who continues to watch over our lives and to guide the journey of the Church and our world along the paths of history. I commend all of you, with great affection, to his loving care, asking him to strengthen you in the hope which opens our hearts to the fullness of life that he alone can give. To you and your families, I impart my blessing. Thank you! Scot noted that the words “joy” and “hope” were repeated throughout this address and despite the cross he bore over these eight years, he had hope and joy throughout. Fr. Matt said joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and the reality is that he freely said yes and united himself to the Word of God. The Holy Father ended the audience by leading the crowd in a sung version of the Holy Father in Latin. We listened along. Scot said the Holy Father imparted his last apostolic blessing. He said he was very moved hearing this. Scot asked everyone to pray for the cardinals whose task it is now to choose Pope Benedict’s successor. Tomorrow night, Bishop Robert Deeley will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for the ministry of Pope Benedict at 7:30pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and all are invited.

Summary of today’s show: Vocations are everyone’s business and Fr. Dan Hennessey joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor to talk about vocations to the priesthood, including the many opportunities coming up for men to discern their call and for the people of God to pray for more vocations. Plus three steps every parish can take to increase the number of vocations from their community. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor Today’s guest(s): Fr. Dan Hennessey, Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Boston Links from today’s show: Office for Vocations Today’s topics: Vocations to the Priesthood 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and noted that there are less than two full days left of Pope Benedict’s papacy. Fr. Chris O’Connor said it’s an amazing time and he’s waiting to see what’s going to happen, like the rest of the world. Whoever is chosen tells us what the cardinals think the Church needs in the days and weeks ahead. Both Scot and Fr. Chris will be in Rome during this time. Fr. Chris is going with a pilgrimage from St. John Seminary and the Theological Institute to go to Krakow, Poland, and Rome. He noted that during the conclave, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums will be closed, but being in Rome for a conclave is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They also discussed how Pope Benedict changed the rules for how the conclave will work, including letting the cardinals choose to begin earlier. Scot said he thinks that the conclave will start on March 8 or 9, but it could be as early as March 6 and as late as March 11. Fr. Chris said he was intrigued by the pope’s choice of 8pm to end his papacy and it turns out that it’s when the Holy Father goes to supper at the end of the day. He’s very humble. We also found out that the Holy Father will retain the title of pope, as pope emeritus and he will continue to wear the white cassock. Scot said The Good Catholic Life will provide coverage. Beginning on Thursday, Greg Tracy will be posting blogs on our website with video and audio interviews of pilgrims. It will be different from what you might get from TV networks giving the bigger picture, while TGCL will give a faith-based perspective from a Bostonian point of view. Fr. Chris reminded everyone to pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten the hearts and minds of the cardinals and to pray for whoever the next pope will be because his life will change forever. He said right off from the Sistine Chapel is the Room of Tears, where the new pope vests, referring to the weight of the world that will descend on him. Scot asked today’s guest, Fr. Dan Hennessey, to reflect on this transition and on the effects of Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul as the supreme vocations directors in the Church. He said that he remembered hearing about the pope resigning and how long it took to sink in. It’s an exciting time and a grace-filled time, but also a sad time in losing the Holy Father. Scot asked the impact of the massive focus of the world on Rome during the papal transition. Fr. Dan said it does lead to more men entering the process of entering seminary because it brings the events to the forefront of the mind. In 2005, many men were caused to reflect on his love, his witness to the priesthood, and his love for the youth. Many priests and seminarians called themselves of the John Paul II Generation. Fr. Chris said in Pastores Dabo Vobis, Pope John Paul II set out the vision of how the Church identifies seminarians and the identity of the priest. He added that World youth Days have had a profound effect on men when they’re in their teens. Scot compared the long papacy of John Paul II and how he was pope for the entire life of some seminarians to the eight-year papacy of Pope Benedict. Fr. Dan said Pope Benedict has had many beautiful nuggets of reflection directed right at seminarians and priests about the priesthood. Fr. Chris spoke of the apostolic visitation of all American seminaries under the pontificate of Benedict XVI, which was a big reform. Scot said another contribution will be his emphasis on the reform of the liturgy. Also, his nonstop reminder of how secular our culture has become in the dictatorship of relativism, and the need for our priests to be formed in good thinking with good philosophy. Fr. Chris said in John Paul’s papacy there was a lot of talk of what is right and what is wrong, especially with the culture of life. We needed to hear that. With Pope Benedict, the emphasis has been on the beauty of the Church and the personal encounter with Christ. 2nd segment: Scot noted that in the middle of the events going on in Rome, Fr. Dan is going to have a big vocations retreat, which had already been postponed from the recent blizzard. Fr. Dan said he trusted in God’s providence when he had to re-schedule and now it might occur in the midst of the conclave or right after. It will be on March 15, 16, 17. They had to request all priests to send in the names of men who had been invited to the old date so they can be re-invited. They had 65 men signed up for the last retreat, but now they had over 80 invited to this new one. The retreats follow two tracks based on age of the men. Men 18-40 are going to be on the retreat at the Betania II Retreat House in Medway. Transportation from St. John Seminary will be provided. It goes from Friday evening to Sunday morning when they drive back to St. John’s for the Sunday morning Mass. For men 40 and older they go on retreat at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon where they enter into the life of the seminarians. The talks in Medway will be done by Msgr. Jim Moroney, rector of St. John’s. On Saturday afternoon, they will have a seminarian panel of 4 to 8 men to talk about their lives. They will also learn about how to apply to the seminary, how to discern a vocation, and the four pillars of formation. There will also be a time for recreation. They also will have more time this year for individual time with the vocation directors. Fr. Dan said the cardinal is planning, if he isn’t in conclave, to Skype/FaceTime in to the retreat. Scot related how Cardinal Sean was the first person to FaceTime him on his new iPhone and how he told him that it was way better than Skype. He said it will be very exciting to hear from Cardinal Seán when there’s a new pope. Fr. Chris said the best advertising for St. John’s Seminary are the seminarians they already have. Scot said on March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, will be another St. Andrew’s Dinner, which is for high school boys who come with their priests or campus ministers to St. John’s Seminary to join the seminarians for Vespers and then dinner in which they mingle with seminarians. They then pack them into classrooms for vocations witness talks. They are focusing this time on Catholic schools. He said also in March the Pope John Paul II Vocations Monstrance will be in Boston and over 9 days there will be Eucharistic Adoration with it in 9 different schools, religious communities and parishes, each of those each day. Fr. Chris said prayer works and these parishes will produce vocations. He said the most productive parishes for vocations have Eucharistic adoration. Fr. Chris also talked about a program at St. Andrew’s in Billerica in which they have a vocations cross that passes from family to family, which they then pray with. The parish even has a vocations committee. Fr. Dan talks about how just the existence of the committee raises awareness and elicits a response from young men. Fr. Dan said there are a number of different ways a parish can focus on vocations: Praying for vocations from that parish at the Sunday Mass in the Prayers of the Faithful; Eucharistic adoration; Holy Hours for vocations; praying Cardinal Seán’s prayer for vocations at the end of each daily Mass. He said the reason why we pray so much about it, is because the prayer changes us and our attitude toward vocations. Scot asked Fr. Dan how people should invite young men to consider the priesthood. He said the priests above all should be first to invite young men to consider the life he is already living. But everybody has a role in inviting. Scot said he was in the seminary for two years. The reason he was there was that after having just moved to Norwalk, Connecticut, a local DRE saw him in church and asked him to teach religious education. Over the next couple of months, five people he didn’t know asked him if he’d thought about the priesthood. It was after the fifth invitation that he began the discernment process. Fr. Chris talked about a similar experience. Fr. Chris said about 75% of men who enter the seminary today make it to ordination. They tend to be a little older and are leaving lucrative careers so they’ve done the gut check already. Discernment is done by the person, the Church, and God. The Church isn’t just the seminary or the bishop but all the people of God who they’ve encountered in their formation who assent to their ordination. Fr. Dan said anyone interested in being part of a vocation team should ask their pastor first if there is one or to contact Fr. Dan to help them establish one. He noted that there has been an increase in interest among younger men for the priesthood. So on Sat. March 23, at the cathedral, they will gather together with interested high school boys and continue to meet after.

Summary of today’s show: Fasting is one of the three pillars of Lent and of the whole Christian life, including prayer and almsgiving. Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell talk with Andy LaVallee of LiveTheFast.com and Msgr. Charles Murphy, author of the book “The Spirituality of Fasting”, to talk about rediscovering the practice, the spiritual fruits it provides, the practical aspects of fasting, and a one-day retreat this weekend open to all. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell Today’s guest(s): Msgr. Charles Murphy, Andy LaVallee Links from today’s show: Live the Fast LaVallee’s Bakery Equip for the Wilderness Retreat Today’s topics: Rediscovering spirituality of fasting 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Fr. Mark O’Connell to the show. He said it was a big day at the Pastoral Center where Cardinal Seán celebrated the Mass for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter to reflect on the ministry of Pope Benedict and of all popes and to reflect on his own ministry. The homily from the Mass will be posted on Cardinal Seán’s Blog tonight after 9pm. Cardinal Seán said we’ll be learning from Pope Benedict’s speeches and writings for lifetimes to come. Fr. Mark said he knows that the attention placed on Cardinal Seán weighs on him and embarrasses him. Scot noted that every Boston media outlet was present for the Mass today. Scot said there will be 116 cardinal-electors in the conclave, where one Indonesian cardinal is too ill to travel to Rome to participate. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Andy LaVallee and Msgr. Charles Murphy, from the Diocese of Portland, Maine, to the show. Msgr. Murphy had formerly been rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. They talked about how Pope John Paul II visited the college on this date many years ago after he was first elected pope. Msgr. Murphy talked about how the pope stayed for dinner and he was instructed to serve on bread and soup for Lent. He talked about their conversation over dinner. Among other things they discussed why fasting and abstinence has gone away. Since that time, Msgr. Murphy has written a book on the topic The Spirituality of Fasting: Rediscovering a Christian Practice. The short answer to the change was that before Vatican II, fasting came under canon law and moral law and was connected to the idea missing the fast as a sin. Pope Paul VI tried to make it more positive and connected it to charity, but that ended up losing the sense of its importance. On the types of fast, Msgr. Murphy said there is total fast and partial fast. We used to fast from all food and drink from midnight before Sunday Mass to totally empty ourselves to prepare to receive the Lord. Jews fast like this for Yom Kippur. Partial fasting is abstaining from some food and drinks for a more extended period. This has to do with having our sins forgiven in confession, but having the effects remaining in us. Fasting counteracts the selfishness and other effects of sin in us. Andy didn’t appreciate the power of spiritual fasting until a few years ago and since then he founded LiveTheFast.com to promote fasting. He said fasting is the remedy we want for our society, whether it be addictions or abortion or what’s happening to our family. The website promotes the prayer of fasting together through nutritional breads and a spirit of community. Fasting is something that happens in all faiths, but in the Catholic Church fasting has become a lost art. On the website they promote books about fasting and send out emails every Wednesday and Friday to help people. They now send books and bread to 28 different states. Scot talked about the decline in Catholic identity and culture which correlates with the decline in fasting. Msgr. Murphy has been asking how do we bring this back in the Church. Pope Benedict has been strong on fasting and integrating body, mind, and experience as all parts of our existence. Families need to make a decision to do this together or a parish or even a whole diocese can call people to practice fasting. He doesn’t think it will happen in the whole Church through canon law. Andy said people are telling him that for the first time ever they can fast without feeling ill because of the nutritional fasting bread. They even had one man who ran the Boston Marathon while fasting on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. Scot said he’s heard fasting described as praying intensely with your whole body. Andy said you should always start in prayer and then always have an intention you’re praying for. He also said one should drink plenty of water while on a fast. He said you can’t drink enough water. And it’s always easier to do this when being done with others. Msgr. Murphy said in his book’s sixth chapter he uses the Eastern Church’s model of fasting. Two Sundays before Lent, they give up meat for all of Lent and the Sunday before they add dairy. Wednesday is a fasting day because it’s the day that Judas betrayed the Lord and Friday because it’s the day of the crucifixion. Andy said there aren’t enough modern teachings on fasting and the Church’s need for it. He often hears questions from people who are looking for recipes or who have questions related to health issues, like diabetes. He recommends people talk to their doctor and spiritual director. Msgr. Murphy said the biggest obstacle is that people’s lives are in disorder. People aren’t sharing meals together like they used to, so he asks people to eat a family meal together at least one night per week. Eating has to become a thoughtful exercise. Andy said when one eats fasting bread it’s important to chew for 60 seconds or more to get the fullest effect of the nutrition in the bread. Andy said a fast day starts with prayer, a roll in the morning, plenty of water, go to Mass. He has two or three more rolls or 6 to 8 ounces of bread total in a 24 hour fast. Msgr. Murphy said families can fast together by designating Wednesday and Friday as days to fast together. They can do it together as a mutual commitment. He thinks fasting has to be a whole regime of putting order in life. Fr. Mark asked what age should one start fasting. Andy said one can fast from other things like giving up TV or something else until they’re old enough to fast from food. They talked about kids fasting from things they really enjoy and offer it up to God. Andy said fasting is all about sacrifice and controlling our desires. Msgr. Murphy said prayer, fasting, and charity are three pillars of our faith that comes to us from Judaism and talked about by Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount. He thinks it leads to a mystical experience of God. Andy said through his fasting he became a daily Mass communicant, started praying the rosary and was able to have what he calls a maximum re-conversion. Tomorrow, they are having a retreat called Equip for the Wilderness at St. Mary Parish in Waltham. Andy said they ran a similar retreat in Advent. It’s about bringing back awareness of prayer and fasting through four speakers. The speakers are Msgr. Murphy, Fr. Michael Sevigny, and Mother Olga Yaqob. Find a link to the retreat at the top of this page. Andy said you won’t be forced to fast. LaVallee’s Bakery is providing cookies and special croissants among other things. He talked about how the first retreat had only a few people had fasted before, but at the end of the retreat they signed up 60 people with fasting kits. Msgr. Murphy related how he met some Buddhist monks who were trying to encourage the Japanese people to bring their faith into their homes. They started a skip-a-meal program in which they pick a day to skip a meal, to spend the time praying, and to give the money saved to charity. Andy said you get so much joy from fasting that you start to look forward to the next fast day. Scot asked Msgr. Murphy about his many encounters with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in his work on the Catechism of the Catholic Church before he was elected pope and asked him about his thoughts on the recent news. He recalled seeing the Holy Father a few years ago and told him how proud he was to have worked with the Holy Father on the project. the Holy Father became very animated and said he was proud of that work too. Scot asked what he will be remembered most for. Msgr. Murphy said it will be his first encyclical, God is Love (Deus Caritas Est). Its message was that our faith is a positive message, not condemnatory. Andy said the Pope’s 2009 Lenten message is an incredible message on fasting in which he said fasting is a great aid in avoiding sin. Andy said the second encyclical “Charity in Truth” is also great for Catholic businessman especially. Deus caritas est Caritas in veritate Pope Benedict’s Message for Lent 2009 3rd segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. First Reading for the Second Sunday of Lent (Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18) The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him. When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.” Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent (Luke 9:28b-36) Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen. Scot said the moment of the transfiguration was important for the Apostles to experience even if they didn’t understand it at the time so they would know who Jesus was. Msgr. Murphy talked about being at Mount Tabor on a pilgrimage, sleeping on the mountaintop and experiencing a cloud that covered the mountain like in the Gospel. The goal of the Christian life is to be transformed. In eastern spirituality, it’s divinization in which we take on God’s divinity. That’s the goal of prayer, fasting, and charity. That transformation of Christ is something that should happen in our lives as well. While Jesus predicts the Passion, he also reassures them by showing them what will happen on the other side of the Passion. Scot said you can sum up Christian discipleship by repeating, “Listen to Him.” Andy said we need to put down the phones, get in silence, and listen to Him. He recalled the Wedding Feast at Cana where our Lady says, Do as He tells you. Fr. Mark said the readings have journeys that aren’t easy that lead to a powerful experience of God, which goes well with the discussion on fasting.

Summary of today’s show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry looked at the news headlines of the week, which were again dominated by Pope Benedict’s resignation, including the schedule of the pope’s final week; his biographer’s assessment of the pope’s health and state of mind; appraisal of his legacy; and the buzz surrounding Cardinal Seán. Also the Rite of Election at the cathedral and making a retreat for Lent. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today’s guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today’s show: Latest news on Pope Benedict’s resignation and the upcoming conclave The Anchor The Pilot Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot’s and The Anchor’s websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today’s topics: 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Susan Abbott and Fr. Roger Landry to the show. They discussed how much they would love to go to Rome for the conclave. They also discussed how we still do not know when the conclave will begin. Susan said the excitement and emotions have been high over the past week as we prepare to say goodbye to Pope Benedict and consider the possibilities for the next pope. Scot said that on Friday at noon on WQOM and at BostonCatholicLive.com, Cardinal Sean will celebrate a Mass for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, commemorating the prayers for Pope Benedict and recalling that as the anniversary of the date in 2006 when Pope Benedict named Cardinal Seán as a cardinal. Fr. Roger recalled being in the papal audience on that day with a group from Fall River and hearing Cardinal Seán’s name called. “Pope considering last-minute changes to conclave rules, Vatican says”, CNS, 2/21/13 “Biographer: In past six months, pope was ‘exhausted and disheartened’”, CNS, 2/18/13 “Buzz grows in Rome for Boston’s O’Malley”, John Allen, National Catholic Reporter, 2/19/13 “Knights of Columbus launch Twitter prayer campaign for Pope”, Catholic News Agency, 2/19/13 Pope Benedict XVI’s Twitter account “History may hold clues in divining impact of resignation, expert says”, CNS, 2/18/13 “Precedent and sacrifice: Papal decision offers options for future”, CNS, 2/14/13 Scot gave the latest news on the final activities planned for Pope Benedict from Vatican press office. The pope’s Lenten retreat ends this week. On Sunday will be his last Angelus in St. Peter’s Square. On Wednesday will be his final general audience in St. Peter’s Square. They expect a very large crowd to be present. On Feb. 28, he will greet all the cardinals present in Rome, including those coming to Rome from outside. At 5pm, he will greet the Cardinal Secretary of State, go to the Vatican heliport, bid farewell to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, and fly to Castel Gandolfo where he will be greeted by dignitaries. He will appear on the balcony of the apostolic palace to greet faithful there. They added that the College of Cardinals will set the date of the conclave, independent of any further law promulgated by the Pope before then. Fr. Roger talked about his surprise that a date for the conclave hasn’t been set because he will be providing commentary for EWTN in Rome and can’t make his plans yet. He said the according to the current rules, the date of the conclave would occur between March 15 and March 20 as determined by the College of Cardinals. But the pope could by a motu proprio give the cardinals a chance to change the starting date. Scot said originally the 15 day period was to give time for all cardinals to travel to Rome after the death of the pope, but if they’re all there already when he steps down, then perhaps he will allow them to set the time to begin earlier. Susan said the Church moves slowly, isn’t rushed and is deliberate. But there’s an efficiency here as well for cardinals to return to their dioceses well before Holy Week. In other news this week, the pope’s biographer Peter Seewald said when he met with the Holy Father last summer and among other things he said the Holy Father seemed drained of energy and seemed greatly disheartened at the time. He said at the time that he’s an old man and he’s done enough. He’d said that his most recently published book would be his last. He also said the pope is blind in one eye and his hearing is greatly diminished. Greg added that Seewald also puts to rest ideas that there’s some hidden secret scandal. Fr. Roger said Seewald has an excellent reputation as a journalist and has done three book-length interviews with the pope from when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. He’s known as a tough interviewer. Scot noted George Weigel’s syndicated column this week on the “Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI” in which he noted his accomplishments in his papacy: Secured the authoritative interpretation of Vatican II Helped close the door on the Counter-Reformation Church Accelerated the reform of the liturgical reform Provided an astute analysis of contemporary democracy’s discontents and the 21st century issues between Islam and the rest Was a master catechist and teacher He also noted that the Pope wanted to rid the church of the filth of sexual abuse, but the work of reconstruction remains to be completed. He said the next pope must be more severe than his predecessor in dealing with bishops complicit in abuse cover-up. He said he also had not completed the wholesale reform of the Roman Curia that is necessary. And in Europe, the task of its re-evangelization remains an urgent task. Susan and Scot talked about these priorities. Fr. Roger said on the curial reform that he thinks Weigel was referring to the corruption that involves problems not getting fixed and that this affects almost all institutions in Italy. As opposed to seeking efficiency, the classic Italian bureaucracy values loyalty and “family”. He gave several examples of nepotism and favoritism. Scot said this week there was growing buzz internationally speculating that Cardinal Seán could become the next pope. He asked Greg what he makes of this. Nearly every media outlet in Boston has had multiple stories on this topic and so Greg included a story in the Pilot on this. He said John Allen’s piece was a good summation of what people are talking about. Greg himself has said that Cardinal Seán would make a great pope. He is a little surprised at the furor of the media coverage. They discussed the qualities that had been bandied about regarding Cardinal Seán. Greg wondered if all this speculation would sway any cardinal in the conclave. Susan said she had thought Cardinal Seán had the qualities to be a great pope, but was hidden in plain sight and hidden no longer. Scot asked Fr. Roger where the assumption that an American could never be elected pope comes from. Fr. Roger said the first American cardinal was in the late 1800s for one thing. But some of the assumptions include the fact that most Americans couldn’t speak the minimum of four languages necessary: Italian, English, Spanish, French, while Latin is assumed. He talked about how he and Cardinal Seán wrote letters to each in Latin when the cardinal was bishop of Fall River. The second assumption was the most American cardinals until recently had the reputation of being businessmen running massive corporations of hospitals, schools, and parishes, but not having the theological gravitas. However, Cardinal Seán has that gravitas. Scot said he asks all listeners to pray specifically for Cardinal Seán in the media spotlight, especially since he doesn’t love that part of being a leader in the Church. Scot said he knows that Cardinal only wants to do the Lord’s will, and he speculates that Pope Benedict on his election prayed that this burden not be placed on him, but the Lord’s will be done. Scot said another story in the Pilot this week covered the Rite of Election at the cathedral last weekend, in which 540 people braved the snowstorm for this event. Greg said the Rite of Election and the Call for Continuing Conversion is for those who are not Christian, but preparing for baptism at Easter, as well as those who are baptized and not catechized. Each of the catechumens sign their name in the Book of the Elect. They literally sign their name to the proposition that they are willing to follow Christ. They talked about what it is like for the people to come to the cathedral, to meet the bishop, to see the diversity of people coming into the Church. Also in the news, was the death of Fr. James Degnan at 83 years old. And the story in the Pilot on the launch of the 2013 Catholic Appeal. Scot ran down more of the stories in the Pilot and in the Anchor. Boston Catholic Appeal Fr. Roger wrote in his column about how Lent is a great time to go on retreat. You can go away to a retreat center, participate in a parish mission, or even some new virtual online retreats.

Summary of today’s show: When Fr. Michael White was assigned to Church of the Nativity parish in Maryland, he nearly burned out trying to serve all the demands on him, until he realized that they were doing it all wrong. Scot Landry, Fr. Matt Williams, and Dom Bettinelli discuss the new book “Rebuilt” written by Fr. White and his associate, including the ten assumptions about parish life that everyone believes and is almost universally wrong. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today’s guest(s): Domenico Bettinelli Links from today’s show: Church of the Nativity Rebuilt: Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost, and Making Church Matter Today’s topics: “Rebuilt”: A new book about transforming a parish 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Fr. Matt Williams to the show. They discussed the new Jesus in Harvard Square program they’ll be doing at St. Paul’s in Cambridge, which is just like the Jesus in the North End program they’ve been doing for the past several years. Young adults and college students will come for Mass, adoration, and fellowship, including evangelistic outreach in the streets of Harvard Square. Scot added that on Friday at noon, Cardinal Seán will celebrate a Mass for the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter for Pope Benedict and his eventual successor. It will be broadcast on WQOM and at http://www.bostoncatholiclive.com. He noted that this Friday will also be the 7th anniversary of Cardinal Seán being named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. He also noted that tonight starts The Light Is On For You initiative from 6:30 to 8pm in every parish and chapel in the archdiocese. To find churches in the archdiocese, see http://www.pilotparishfinder.com. More confession resources are at http://www.thelightisonforyou.org Today’s topic is a new book called “Rebuilt”, the story of the Church of the Nativity, a parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore that excels at the use of new media and also is very strong in evangelization. Scot said he’s learned a lot more about this parish in recent weeks and is fascinated about how strategic they have been about addressing the problems that many priests in our archdiocese have said they face in their parishes. Scot said he’s watched the webcast of their Mass the past two Sundays. He said over the past couple of weeks, the pastor Fr. White has given a background on this book. We’re going to hear some of that to give a flavor of the background that led to the transformation of this parish. It gives an idea of what parishes may do wrong, thinking they’re doing what is right for their parish. The first clip addresses a key problem in the Church today where parishioners think of themselves as consumers. 2nd segment: Scot said the pastor talks of how he arrived at the parish and had one staff member and tried to better and more service to the parishioners who were coming. And the more they provided, the more demanding they became. They were so preoccupied with those who were coming, they forgot they were supposed to be reaching out to those who weren’t coming to church. They concluded it was a waste of time in terms of people growing in holiness. Fr. Matt said he was interested how the parishioners went from being consumers to becoming superconsumers. Rather than becoming intentional disciples, they just wanted to receive more and more. Scot said historically immigrants needed help in many ways and the Church served them. As they became settled, they became quiet consumers. After Vatican II, they became demanding consumers or cafeteria Catholics. Dom talked about the societal context of the consumer mentality and passive entertainment. Scot reflected on his own consumer mentality when it came to Catholic schools. He used to think about Catholic schools as the responsibility of just those sending their children to Catholics schools. Scot said he was moved by Cardinal Dolan’s message that Catholic education is at the core of the mission of the Church to evangelize. Now another clip where the pastor, Fr. White, talks of his experience as a one pastor who gives his all. It ends with him saying that understanding Why we are doing something matters. Dom talked about the fact that it sounds like a codependent girlfriend or boyfriend. Scot recalled former Celtic coach Rick Pitino saying that the carping of fans was just incessant complaining and whining. Many people don’t step back and consider how hard people are working parishes and how difficult it is. Fr. Matt said if we only inhaled or only exhaled we’d die. We need both. But in the consumer mentality, it’s only inhale with no invitation to exhale. What makes for a vibrant faith community is people breathing fully, not only coming to be blessed but also to give. he recalled this parochial mentality, where God forbid someone sits in our pew or the Mass goes on more than 45 minutes. Scot said at parishes like that, nobody is thoroughly satisfied from the pastor on down, but we accept it because the path to change it isn’t always clear. Chapter one of the book “Rebuilt” is entitled “Church is not easy”. They analyzed some of their assumptions and why they didn’t work. They assumed if they did more and did it better, people would grow in their maturity and commitment. They thought they did more and did it better, people would give more financially. If they did more and did it better, they took it for granted people would automatically get involved and help out. They looked to their stalwart church-goers (mostly senior citizens) as their natural allies going forward and they were wrong. They were surprised at their anger at younger generations. They didn’t appreciate how detached the second- and third-generation of demanding consumers had grown. Even for those who were coming, they didn’t understand how marginalized the whole enterprise of faith and religion had become in the lives of parishioners. They weren’t reaching student populations They didn’t understand how profoundly uninterested the non-church-going population had grown, how distrustful of any outreach efforts they made, and how cynical they could be about all organized religion They were not turned toward God. They were not relying on his leadership. And they were not looking to go where he was blessing. They thought it would be easy. So they spent a lot of time asking why this parish exists. What is the parish’s why? Another clip from Fr. Michael White’s homily. He defines disciples of Christ as students. They’ve defined their mission as “Love God. Love others. Make disciples.” The Church exists to make disciples. He challenges the experience of his own parish, which is to make disciples not to provide comfort and care for themselves. Where to start: Define your mission field Describe the “lost” in your mission field Design a simple, specific invitation strategy 3rd segment: This week’s benefactor card raffle winner is Colleen Sears from Sudbury She wins Be Beautiful, Be You by Lizzie Velazquez If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit WQOM.org. For a one-time $30 donation, you’ll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM’s weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We’ll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program.

Summary of today’s show: The media rumors are swirling about who’s in the running for the papacy and the speculation this past weekend swirled around Cardinal Seán in journalistic chatter around Rome. Scot Landry and Fr. Michael Harrington discuss the talk and the qualities that might make Cardinal Seán a consideration in the conclave. Then on the day before The Light Is On For You begins again for Lent, they discuss the Sacrament of Reconciliation and God’s mercy and love extended for the forgiveness of those who seek Him. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com Today’s host(s): Scot Landry Today’s guest(s): Fr. Michael Harrington Links from today’s show: “Buzz grows in Rome for Boston’s O’Malley”, John Allen, National Catholic Reporter The Light Is On For You Today’s topics: Buzz about Cardinal Seán as papabile and the Sacrament of Confession 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show. He talked about a story over the weekend from John Allen, who covers the Vatican for the National Catholic Reporter newspaper and is considered one of the leading Vaticanists in the US. Allen wrote that the “buzz grows in Rome” for Cardinal Seán. First, Scot played a clip from Cardinal Seán at a press conference last week on what he’s looking for in the next pope as he looks at the other cardinals to choose from in the upcoming conclave. He listed the things the new pope should have, which ends up being essentially a list that would make a superpastor: A leader with deep faith energy Passion organizational skills cultural experience who inspires the young facility with languages Scot and Fr. Michael Harrington both agreed that Cardinal Seán himself has many of these same qualities. Fr. Mike said he is also not afraid to introduce new programs and to be an evangelizer in new ways to introduce the faith. Scot said he’s happy and willing to try new things. Some have worked out well, others less so. Fr. Mike said he’s often the first to try new initiatives, like setting up the first blog by a cardinal, the first to set up a catholic media secretariat in his diocese, the first to take on a pastoral plan the size of Disciples in Mission, focused on evangelization. Scot said he received many emails from friends today telling him about Allen’s story. Here’s what Allen wrote: For a long time, conventional wisdom held that an American could not be elected to the Throne of Peter because you can’t have a “superpower pope.” Not only do the Americans already have too much power, or so the theory went, but a shadow would hang over the papacy as part of the world would suspect its decisions were being secretly crafted by the CIA. In the early 21st century, however, some of the air has gone out of that bias, because the United States is no longer the world’s lone superpower. As a result, for the first time an American seems thinkable. While the U.S. media has focused on Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as the most plausible, if still remote, American prospect, another name has generated a surprising degree of buzz in the Italian press: Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, partly on the strength of his profile as a reformer on the church’s sexual abuse scandals, and partly because of his Capuchin simplicity as a perceived antidote to the Vatican’s reputation for intrigue and power games. Here’s a sampling of what’s been in the Italian papers over the last few days vis-à-vis the 68-year-old Capuchin cardinal of Boston. Marco Politi One of Italy’s most-cited Vatican writers, Marco Politi gave an interview on Feb. 14 to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, the main daily in Munich, in which he was asked who the favorites are heading into the conclave. He replied: “There are no favorites. It’s not like 2005, when there was a clear candidate in Ratzinger and a strong contrast in Martini. The situation is very fragmented, and there are many papabili. There’s Cardinal Scola of Milan, and Cardinal Ouellet who heads the Congregation for Bishops. There are candidates from South America, as well as outsiders such as Cardinal O’Malley of Boston and Cardinal Erdo of Budapest. There’s not yet any aggregation of votes.” AGI The “Italian Journalistic Agency,” or AGI, ran a piece three days ago on the church’s “champions” in the fight against clerical abuse, lauding O’Malley for “restoring credibility to the church after the ‘escape’ to Rome of his predecessor, Bernard Law, pursued by legal causes seeking compensation (to compensate the victims, O’Malley sold the archbishop’s residence and moved to live in a small room at the seminary).” Arena Published in Verona, Arena had a run-down today of probable candidates for the papacy from outside Italy. “In the United States, the most likely figures are Timothy Dolan, the exuberant archbishop of New York, and Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston,” it said. Il Giornale Last Tuesday, the day after Benedict’s surprise announcement, Il Giornale published a run-down of possible popes. “There are diverse names of non-Europeans,” it said. “Among them, the name of the Capuchin archbishop of Boston, Sean O’Malley, is prominent, who resolved a situation rendered fairly dramatic not only by sexual abuses committed by priests but also by the cover-ups by his predecessor, Bernard Law. In recent weeks, among other things, Benedict XVI called to Rome as Promoter of Justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with responsibility for these cases, the ‘right hand’ of O’Malley, Father Robert Oliver.” La Stampa Writing yesterday, Vatican-watcher Giacomo Galeazzi said that the candidate “indicated from the American bishops seems to be the courageous Capuchin friar O’Malley, the only cardinal, with the Archbishop of Vienna Christoph Schönborn, to publicly defend the victims of pedophilia (like Pope Benedict, who gave priority to efforts to render justice to those injured both in the soul and the body, and to relieve their suffering as much as possible) when the dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, defined the scandal as “petty gossip” in an embarrassing salute to the pope in 2010.” Paolo Rodari The well-regarded Vatican writer Paolo Rodari treated O’Malley at greatest length in a blog post last Saturday. “There are many who ask themselves if the next pope will be a Capuchin,” Rodari wrote. “On paper, the Capuchins have the numbers for giving the papacy a turning point. They’re close to the people, they don’t have a ‘clerical’ mentality, they emphasize collaboration with the laity, and they have an attractively simple model of life. Those are three characteristics cut out for a church that’s paid a high price for its scandals. … O’Malley is a humble prelate, which is no bad thing in a Roman Curia that’s suffering not just a few financial difficulties. It’s no accident that he’s a Prince of the Church who prefers his simple brown Capuchin habit to the sartorial splendor to which his office entitles him. He’s a cardinal who loves to dialogue with his faithful through Twitter, and uses his personal blog as an important instrument not only of communication but for meeting everybody, the faithful and even non-believers.” Scot said these are strong endorsements and credible articles by six leading publications in Italy. Fr. Mike said it shows anything is possible. He said when the cardinals sit down, they will discuss what are the emerging issues at this time for the Church and what does the Church need now. Scot said this all brings it out of the realm that a Pope Sean is a non-starter. He said there’s a greater than zero chance of an American pope this time for various reasons. John Allen continues: I can confirm the O’Malley buzz from personal experience. Right now, it’s tough for an American journalist to walk into the Vatican Press Office without fielding questions from colleagues about him. At the moment, this is basically journalistic chatter. The real action will begin next week, when most of the cardinals will be in town for Benedict XVI’s big farewell on Feb. 28. We’ll see then if O’Malley has serious traction as a candidate. As the cardinals from other parts of the world start to take a serious look, they’re likely to see both promising qualities in O’Malley and question marks. On the plus side, many cardinals have said they’d like a pope with a global vision, sensitive to the church outside the West where two-thirds of Catholics today live. O’Malley has a Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese literature, and has long experience of ministering to both Hispanics and Haitians. He worked in Chile as a priest, and served as the Bishop of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. He’s deeply attached to many of the devotions popular at the Catholic grassroots across the developing world. O’Malley has at least a basic command of Italian, seen by most as a prerequisite for serving as the Bishop of Rome. O’Malley’s simplicity isn’t just a matter of wearing his brown habit, or insisting on being called “Cardinal Sean.” By reputation he’s not given to building empires or playing political games, and on the back of the Vatileaks mess, ongoing questions about the Vatican Bank, and other perceived Vatican imbroglios, that profile could strike some cardinals as just what the doctor ordered. Despite his overall image as a moderate, O’Malley is by-the-book when it comes to matters of Catholic orthodoxy and is especially committed to the pro-life cause, making him attractive to cardinals concerned that the church hold the line on its positions in the culture wars. O’Malley is also passionate about the “New Evangelization,” expressed not only in his use of Twitter and blogs, but in his general approach to the role of a bishop. Certainly O’Malley’s image as a house-cleaner on the sex abuse crisis doesn’t hurt. Ironically, the best spokesperson for the O’Malley campaign at the moment may be his fellow American, Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, who, fairly or not, has become the latest symbol of the church’s failures. Controversy over his presence at the conclave has spread across the Atlantic; this week the widely read Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana has a cover package on “The Mahony Case,” including an on-line poll for readers to vote as to whether Mahony ought to participate in the election of the next pope. In that context, many cardinals may feel special pressure to pick a pope seen as having “clean hands” on the sex abuse crisis. Those positives, however, come intertwined with some features of O’Malley’s biography that may give cardinals pause. For one thing, O’Malley has zero experience in the Vatican. While that means he’s not identified with its recent meltdowns, it may also mean some cardinals will wonder if he’d be out of his depth trying to get the place under control, perhaps overly dependent on veteran insiders to get things done. For another, O’Malley is a sensitive soul who occasionally has seemed to struggle under the burden of office. In 2004, facing not only sex abuse litigation but also a painful round of parish closings, he put out an anguished letter to Boston Catholics in which he wrote: “At times I ask God to call me home and let someone else finish this job, but I keep waking up in the morning to face another day of reconfiguration.” On the heels of a pope who just resigned because he felt he no longer had the strength to do the job, some cardinals may wonder if O’Malley possesses the steel to withstand the burdens of the papacy. It’s worth noting that O’Malley’s record on the abuse crisis has not played to universal praise. The victims’ group SNAP faulted him for delaying release of the names of accused priests in Boston, asserting that O’Malley “belatedly and begrudgingly posted a very partial list with minimal information, using hair-splitting excuses for not being more prompt or thorough.” Finally, while 34 previous popes have come from religious orders, there hasn’t been one since the 19th century, and there’s never been a Capuchin. In some circles, there’s a belief that under ordinary circumstances popes ought to come out of diocesan structures rather than religious orders, on the grounds that the diocese represents the ordinary pastoral setting most people experience. In addition, the Capuchins themselves have usually held that they really shouldn’t become bishops at all except in mission territories. Among the keenest devotees of tradition in the College of Cardinals, there might be some reluctance along these lines. Scot recapped that Allen talks about Cardinal Seán’s strengths, including his connection to other cultures. He said Cardinal Seán comes alive when he speaks with and greets people from other countries and new immigrants. Fr. Mike said Cardinal Seán has the heart of an evangelist and loves working with young people. On the other hand, he said Allen notes that this is all journalistic chatter and in the conclave, it will be the Holy Spirit who cuts through politics and chatter to select the right pope. Scot said he confesses to being partial to Cardinal Seán, to respect his style of leadership, and how he dealt with the sexual abuse crisis, especially in being pastoral toward victims. One of the best ways to make disciples of all nations is to go out and love them and Cardinal Seán exemplifies that. Scot said there were three things he didn’t like about the column. First, it is the use of a political word to describe Cardinal Seán as a moderate. He is completely orthodox, not trying to be ideological in anyway. Second, on the criticism of SNAP against Cardinal Seán, Scot has never heard them say a positive word about a bishop. Third, that as a religious Cardinal Seán doesn’t have diocesan experience, given that he’s been a diocesan bishop for almost 30 years. Fr. Mike confirmed that Cardinal Seán has a keen sense of how to be a diocesan priest with a pastor’s heart. Scot asked listeners to pray for Pope Benedict and all the cardinals, but also to pray specifically for Cardinal Seán now as this article places a spotlight on him that he doesn’t want, which unleashes both cheerleading and criticism from all sides. 2nd segment: Scot said starting tomorrow and for all the following Wednesday of Lent, all parishes and chapels of the archdiocese will be open for confession from 6:30pm to 8pm as part of the Light Is On For You initiative. Come back to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Bishop Robert Hennessey, an auxiliary bishop of Boston, leads this effort. Scot emphasized that the website TheLightIsOnForYou.org is a resource for much information on Penance. He noted some of the great lines that Bishop Hennessey gives in the video. He noted that confession is liking hitting the reset button. He said the story of the Prodigal Son is really the story of the Loving Father, who sprints out to his son who has been away, willing to forgive the ways he has hurt him. Fr. Mike said confession is one of God’s greatest gifts to His Children. The bishop mentioned the excuses people give about being away so long or being embarrassed or thinking God can’t forgive them, and Fr. Mike has heard them all. The Church across the country is embracing this initiative to tell people that they’re wrong about this. Fr. Mike said if you’re hearing those voices in your heart, that is not the voice of the Holy Spirit, but of the devil. He says every listener should go take advantage of the great gift of Reconciliation. The priest is waiting to receive and give you the loving mercy of God. Scot said if you don’t know the prayers or what to do the priest is there to help you. Fr. Mike related a story of going to a juvenile delinquent institution. He heard the confessions of teens who had done some very bad things. As he tried to offer forgiveness, each would deny that God could forgive them and he wondered how he could break through to convince them that God would forgive them. Eventually, he started to ask if they were greater than God. When they would say No, he told them that no matter what their mountain of sins, God is greater than any sin they could commit. Scot said God is always reaching out to us to call us home to the confessional, no matter how long we have been away from him. Now, Scot shared CatholicTV’s Fr. Robert Reed’s message about confession: Scot said we can’t be the person God has created us to be if we’re burdened by all the sins we’ve accumulated since our last confession. Fr. Mike said so many are coming back to confession and so many young people. Whenever he’s at a youth event, there are long lines of young people waiting to go to the sacrament of confession. Scot added that there are many humorous videos on TheLightIsOnForYou.org as well, including one from Matt Weber, who has been a guest on TGCL. Scot said a wonderful line: “I don’t like going to confession, but I love coming from confession.” Scot talked about going to St. Anthony’s Shrine on a regular basis and doesn’t think he’s had the same priest twice in more than a year. Fr. Mike said it’s better to go to a regular confessor, like a spiritual director, who can help someone get through their spiritual barriers, but if that’s the obstacle then just go. Fr. Mike emphasized that there will be a priest in every church and chapel on every Wednesday from 6:30pm to 8pm waiting for you to bring to you the loving mercy of God. Scot encouraged everyone to be an apostle of confession, going to confession and sharing the testimony of how it felt to be cleansed.