The Good Catholic Life

Summary of today’s show: On the last day of the WQOM Fall fund drive, Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell discussed the Al Smith Foundation dinner in New York last night and Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s funny and pointed remarks before the Democrat and Republican candidates for President; the witness by TV and movie actor Kevin James to his Catholic faith; and this Sunday’s Gospel readings. 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 topics: Al Smith dinner; Actor Kevin James; Sunday’s Gospel 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Fr. Mark O’Connell to the show. Fr. Mark said congratulations to Scot for 399 shows. Scot said it’s a milestone, but it doesn’t have the cachet of 100 or 500. Scot said one of the bigger Catholic events this week was the Al Smith Dinner in New York to support Catholic charitable work in New York. President Obama and Mitt Romney were both present and it’s one of those events where the speakers roast everyone. Cardinal Dolan gave his remarks. Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s remarks at the Al Smith Foundation Dinner on October 18, 2012 It traditionally falls to the host of this enjoyable evening, the Archbishop of New York, to “call it a night.” Thank you, everybody, for your gracious company this evening. What a unique honor and joy to welcome and thank our two candidates, and Mrs. Romney. Our two candidates claim that both your parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, are “big tents,” containing extraordinarily diverse, even contrary, opposite people and groups. Well, you don’t have a thing over the Catholic Church. We got both Biden and Ryan! Governor Romney, thank you for being up here sitting next to me; although I must confess I was secretly hoping the Republican candidate would be Governor Christie, because I sure would have looked good sitting next to him! Mr. President I trust you’ll be able to report to Mrs. Obama that I ate my vegetables and salad. If she had been “first lady” instead of Mamie Eisenhower when I was growing up in the 50’s, I wouldn’t be in this shape! As you may know, I just returned from Rome a couple of hours ago, where I’m participating in the Synod of Bishops. Thanks to Mr. Mort Zuckerman’s jet, I will be able to return to Rome right after the dinner. By the way, just before I left this morning, Pope Benedict XVI asked me to deliver a special personal message to both candidates. Mr. President, Governor Romney, do you know what the Holy Father asked me to tell you? … neither do I, because he said it in Latin. Both candidates expressed shock that Mayor Bloomberg had a 16 ounce cup in front of him. Not to worry, Your Honor — I explained to them that it was not a sugar-laden soft drink, but a martini. The mayor might want to challenge that remark, but, I’m sorry Mr. Mayor, Candy Crowley has already said she agrees with me. Only the Al Smith dinner could bring together two men, of the same calling, who disagree on almost everything, both of whom think they are the world’s experts on everything, who don’t like even being in the same room together: Roger Ailes and Chris Matthews. The Al Smith Dinner … in thanking all of you for your presence and support, might I suggest that this annual dinner actually shows America and the Church at their best? Here we are: in an atmosphere of civility and humor, hosted by a Church which claims that “joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence;” men and women; young and old; of every ethnic and racial background; Democrats, Republicans, and Independents; Catholics, Christians, Jews, Latter-Day Saints, people of no particular creed; people of wealth, yes, but some folks as well who barely get by; guests from Westchester and the Bronx; Dutchess County and Staten Island; Grateful to be people of faith and loyal Americans; Loving a country which considers religious liberty our first and most cherished freedom, convinced that faith is not just limited to an hour of Sabbath worship, but affects everything we do and dream; privileged to be in the company of two honorable men, both called to the noble vocation of public service, whose love for God and country is surpassed only by their love for their own wives and children, and who, as happy as I hope they are to be here with us tonight, would rather be home with Michelle, Ann, and their families. All of us reverently recalling a man of deep Catholic faith and ringing patriotism, who had a tear in his Irish eyes for what we would call, the “uns;” – the un-employed – the un-insured – the un-wanted – the un-wed mother, and her innocent, fragile un-born baby in her womb; – the un-documented – the un-housed – the un-healthy – the un-fed – the under-educated. Government, Al Smith believed, should be on the side of these “uns,” but a government partnering with family, Church, parish, neighborhood, organizations and community, never intruding or opposing, since, when all is said and done, it’s in God we trust, not, ultimately, in government or politics. Al Smith … the “happy warrior” on behalf of the “uns” who were so close to Jesus, or to the Native American Kateri Tekakwitha, and the “Angel to the Lepers of Hawaii,” Sister Mary Anne Cope, both women of New York whom this Sunday Pope Benedict will declare saints; so tenderly close to Bl. Mother Theresa of Calcutta who reminded us of the “five- finger gospel” — “As often as you do it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you do it for me!” God bless the memory of Al Smith! God Bless the “uns!” God bless the Al Smith Foundation in this Archdiocese of New York which continues his solicitude for the “uns!” God bless all of you for helping them this evening! God bless our two candidates! God bless America! Thank God for this grand evening! Amen. Goodnight! Scot said Dolan went from engaging people in laughter and joy and then made the Church’s pitch for religious freedom and for those who need help in society and how the Church serves them. Fr. Mark said both he and Scot experienced then-Msgr. Dolan when they were all in Rome and how he could come into a room and engage everyone. Scot said Cardinal Dolan took heatfor inviting Obama to the dinner for the administration’s lack of respect for life and for religious liberty. Dolan took on the religious liberty issue head-on in a civil but blunt way. Scot said Cardinal Dolan loves the apostolate of Catholic radio, with his own radio program in New York. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 2nd segment: Scot said he was surprised by a story in the Pilot this week about actor Kevin James, TV and movie star. It turns out he takes his Catholic faith seriously. He wants to glorify God in every way. He wants to have a positive message and be able to sit and watch movies with his children. Fr. Mark said James has always been relatable, but to find out he’s a cradle Catholic who takes his faith seriously is even more inspiring. “Comic actor Kevin James wants to ‘glorify God in every way”, Catholic News Service Scot and Fr. Mark discussed what James said about struggling at times to live his faith and to pass it on to his children. Scot said to integrate your Catholic faith into your kids helps you live your values more. Fr. Mark said there’s a lot of people who walk down the aisle at confirmation as if it’s a graduation and come back later, regretful they wasted all those years and realize now that their faith is fulfilling. Part of growing in faith is realizing that all our blessings come from God. Kevin James got where he is on talent, but also as a blessing from God. Fr. Mark talked about the similarity between Kevin James and Cardinal Dolan in that they are filled with joy. Fr. Mark and Scot discussed the Catholic understanding of joy as being fulfilled in what you’re doing as what God wants us to be and do. While we’re not always happy in every moment, we are joyful. Scot said there is a connection between joy and holiness, especially with examples from Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. One of the foundations of joy for Scot is that gratitude helps leads to joy. When you add up all the things with which God has blessed us, that’s when the sense of joy resonates. Fr. Mark tells a story about how joy brought conversion to a profoundly unhappy man being served by Mother Teresa’s sisters. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 3rd segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. Gospel for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 21, 2012 (Mark 10:35-45) James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Scot said there are three parts to this Gospel. The first is a natural request to be close to JEsus. Jesus responds he can’t guarantee that. They don’t realize that to be closest to him, they will have to imitate him in his Passion. The second part is the others being indignant as the presumption of James and John. Jesus responds the model for the Church will be servant leadership, giving full attention to the least of our brothers and sisters. Scot recalled a story where he met Pope John Paul II and how focused he was in that moment on Scot who was before him. Fr. Mark said the apostles start with a very real request to do what they ask. They think Jesus is going to be heading into battle so they had their plan all ready. We can do that with God, presuming his plans for us. But God has other plans and they’re always so much better than ours. His plan was suffering for all in his love and humanity. Scot said we’ve all been in the different roles shown here, including leading in the right according to our faith or not leading in the right way. When we stumble and it’s too much about us, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mark said just wait for God’s plan for you. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge.

Summary of today’s show: Our Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, and Gregory Tracy consider the news headlines of the week, including Cardinal Seán’s latest op-ed in the Pilot on the 10 reasons to vote against Question Two; an appointment of a new Pastor and the death of a long-serving Pastor; the 100th anniversary of a beautiful church in New Bedford; a bishop reflecting on attending the Second Vatican Council as a 35-year-old newly minted prelate; and Fr. Roger Landry’s inspiring exposition on the Sign of the Cross. Also, the second day of the WQOM Fall fund drive to support Catholic radio in Boston. 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 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: Physician-assisted suicide; Pastor news; Centennial parish; Vatican II bishop; Sign of the Cross 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and his co-host Susan Abbott and today’s guest Gregory Tracy. Today is the second day of the WQOM Fall fund drive. Scot said Cardinal Seán has a new op-ed in tomorrow’s Pilot that discusses ten reasons to oppose Question Two. Greg said the cardinal said in the op ed he’s heard more than 100 reasons to vote no, but he wanted to break it down and give the 10 most compelling and easiest to understand. “Ten Reasons to Oppose Question 2”, Cardinal Seán, The Boston Pilot, 10/19/12 Question 2 would legalize assisted suicide; suicide is always a tragedy and never a dignified way to die Suicide always impacts other beyond the individual that takes his or her life. Doctors strongly oppose assisted suicide and Question 2 Advocates for the disabled strongly oppose assisted suicide and Question 2. Terminal diagnoses are often wrong. Question 2 is shockingly flawed. Question 2 does not require a patient to consult with a psychiatrist or palliative care expert before receiving the lethal prescription. Question 2 does not require family notification. Assisted suicide would weaken efforts to expand and improve palliative care. Complex issues like assisted suicide should be decided in a legislative process rather than a ballot initiative. Scot said there’s something in this for everyone for whatever reason they need to oppose it. Susan said it’s the beauty of this summary, whether looking at this from a faith perspective or a secular perspective. She also recommended the TV ads found at StopAssistedSuicide.org. She said her favorite of the ten reasons are 8 and 2. On number 2, we are social beings and if we think there’s anything we do that doesn’t somehow affect others, we’re deluded. It’s not all about me. Greg said number 6 is his favorite because even if someone is a complete atheist they can read this law and see the pitfalls in it. He used the example that there is no mechanism to ensure that lethal doses that are prescribed are disposed of properly is they go unused. The law lacks safeguards and clear directions. Scot said it ties in with number 10. If this was done in the Legislature, they would have made sure that the loopholes and lack of controls would have been taken care of. This is an up or down vote. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 2nd segment: Scot said in the Pilot this week is a new appointment of a pastor. Fr. Dan O’Connell is moving from St. Joseph parish in Boston to Corpus Christi-St. Bernard parish in Newton. Many people know him from his long-running show on CatholicTV. Greg said congratulations to the people in Newton and said they are getting a very energetic pastor. Scot said he is one of those people who never seem to age. Scot said on other hand, Fr. David A. Doucet, who served in Stow since 2005, has passed away. He was pastor of St. Isidore parish. His funeral Mass was this week in Brighton at St. Columbkille. Greg noted that priests have lengthy lists of parishes they served, but Fr. Doucet served only a handful of parishes in his 40 years. From the Anchor this week, St. Anthony of Padua parish in New Bedford celebrates its 100th anniversary in the Diocese of Fall River. He said this church is one of the gems of New England. It seats about 2,200, the stations of the cross are the largest of any parish in the country and the statues and artwork are phenomenal. St. Anthony Parish, New Bedford Susan said she’s seen pictures of it and it is lovely. She asked if it’s bigger than the cathedral in Fall River. The cathedral is the oldest church in the diocese and sits many fewer people. Scot related the story that when a diocese was going to be erected in the South Coast, there started a competition to build beautiful churches in the big towns by the various ethnic communities or to promote the big churches they already had. So when the diocese was formed, they went for the oldest church, instead of the largest, as the cathedral. Scot said it reminds him of how blessed New England is to have so many beautiful churches. He said in many places in the world, they would love to have even our least beautiful churches. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 3rd segment: In the Pilot and Anchor this week is a story of a bishop born in Boston who was a missionary bishop in Korea who attended the opening of the Second Vatican Council as a bishop. There are few of those left in the Church and only 15 of them made it back to Rome for the Year of Faith and the 50th anniversary. Greg said Bishop William J. McNaughton gives his assessment of how the Council’s documents were implemented and how he thinks much of it was taken too far or misinterpreted. Scot said one of the responses was about the idea of moving the tabernacle to a separate devotional chapel and that it was a mistake because people have the sense of the centrality of the Eucharist. “Fifty years later, a bishop from Boston remembers Vatican II”, Catholic News Service, 10/15/12 Susan said the bishop said people took some of the ideas to an extreme. People need to re-read the council documents. He said so much has come from people who have not read the documents obviously. The council was not a radical break from the past as the footnotes prove to us. She said he has wonderful insights and he rejects the arguments that the Council was somehow to blame for the decline of Catholic observance. Susan noted that the bishop was only 35 at the time. Greg said people interpreted the documents in that time which was a time of tossing aside convention and tradition. People were looking for an opportunity to take it to the extreme. Susan said it was in some case an unbridled zeal. Scot said Cardinal Seán talks about learning faith like learning to speak a language, by practicing it and immersing yourself in it. The idea in this Year of Faith is to return to those documents and to finally have that authentic interpretation of the Second Vatican Council and live it. Susan said Fr. Roger wrote a column a few weeks ago about making the Sign of the Cross and it has made a difference for her. “Putting into the Deep: The Summit of Our Faith”, Fr. Roger Landry, The Anchor, 9/21/12 When I was in Lourdes earlier this month, I went early in the morning to pray at the Grotto where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. I had with me a biography of St. Bernadette and was preparing to meditate once again on the content of the apparitions and try to appropriate the lessons. I was planning to ponder what I normally ponder on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes each February 11: the significance of Mary’s praying the Rosary with Bernadette; her having Bernadette wash her face in what seemed only to be mud, but turned out to be the miraculous healing spring; her insistence on the need for Penance; her request for a Church to be built; her self-revelation as the Immaculate Conception; and her promise to Bernadette to make her happy in the next life, not in this one. But when I began to re-read Bernadette’s account of the first apparition, I noticed something I had always passed over as an insignificant detail. Bernadette recounted, “I wanted to make the Sign of the Cross, but I couldn’t. My hand fell. Then I became afraid because I couldn’t do it. The Vision made the Sign of the Cross and I tried again to make it myself and then I could. And as soon as I had made it, I became calm.” Bernadette had been prevented from making the Sign of the Cross until she had seen the Blessed Mother make it. On subsequent appearances, Bernadette would make the Sign of the Cross together with Mary and tried to imitate precisely how Mary made it with profound reverence and recollection. After the apparitions, when Bernadette was subjected to the endless line of interviews from people seeking to get her to divulge all that Mary had revealed to her, she would often be reticent about many of the details. She would readily respond, however, when her interrogators asked her to show them how Our Lady demonstrated to make the Sign of the Cross. When she became a Sister of Charity of Nevers, Bernadette continued to make the Sign of the Cross as Mary had taught her. It often brought other Sisters, accustomed to making the Sign of the Cross routinely and without much thought, to conversion. “The way in which she made the Sign of the Cross indicated that she was full of the Spirit of faith,” Sister Vincent Garros said after Bernadette’s death. “She couldn’t stand to see others make it poorly. One day, when I had made it very negligently, she asked me if I had hurt my arm or was in a hurry.” A young novice, Sister Emilienne Dobuoué, recalled that Bernadette once politely indicated to her that she made the Sign of the Cross poorly. “You should pay attention to it,” Bernadette encouraged her, “for making the Cross well is important.” To another Sister who asked what she needed to do to go to Heaven, Bernadette without hesitation said, “Make the Sign of the Cross well. That in itself is already a great deal.” Bernadette sought to make the Sign of the Cross as she had witnessed the Blessed Mother make it: slowly, in a sweeping gesture, raising her right hand so that her fingers touched to the very top of her forehead, then lowering her hands to touch her waist, and then slowly touching the extreme of her left shoulder followed by her right. She did so entrusting herself to the Three Persons of the Trinity Whose name she would invoke, while opening herself up to the infinite graces Christ gained for us on the Cross and at the same time committing herself to embrace her daily Cross and follow Christ as a new Simon of Cyrene. Among the various things on my iPad that I had downloaded to pray at the grotto were the homilies given by the popes at Lourdes. When I began to read Pope Benedict’s 2008 homily for the 150th anniversary of the apparitions, I noticed that he spent most of his time focused on the same connection between Mary, Bernadette and the Sign of the Cross that the Holy Spirit had inspired in me earlier that morning. “At Lourdes, in the school of Mary,” Pope Benedict said, “pilgrims learn to consider the Cross in their own lives in the light of the glorious cross of Christ. In appearing to Bernadette, the first gesture of Mary was precisely the Sign of the Cross, in silence and without words. And Bernadette imitated her in making also the Sign of the Cross with a trembling hand. Thus, the Virgin gave a first initiation into the essence of Christianity: the Sign of the Cross is the summit of our faith, and in making it with an attentive heart, we enter into the fullness of the mystery of our salvation.” Most Catholics, I believe, treat the Sign of the Cross as a gesture to open and close a time of prayer, but Pope Benedict was stressing that we learn in Lourdes it’s much more than that: it itself is a prayer and one that has the capability to bring us into the fullness of our relationship with God if we pray it well. That insight triggered in me a memory of a great Vietnamese professor I had during my one year at the Angelicum in Rome, Father Joseph Phan Tan Thanh. In all the classes there, we would start class with a prayer, but normally we would either invoke the Holy Spirit, say a vocal prayer like the Our Father or Hail Mary, or the professor would offer a spontaneous prayer based on what we would be studying that day. We would, of course, begin and end the prayer with the Sign of the Cross. But the only prayer I really remember 17 years later is the one Father Phan Tan Thanh would make to start and end classes. He would close his eyes and very slowly make the Sign of the Cross in a broad gesture that must have been very similar to St. Bernadette. The first time he did it, my fellow students and I thought he “forgot” the prayer. Then we realized not only was the Sign of the Cross his prayer, but our whole class was likewise supposed to be a prayer. As we prepare for the Year of Faith, there will be lots of events, programs, educational materials, pilgrimages and more to help us live it well. All of these will be good and useful. But when Mary appeared in Massabielle to Bernadette to help her and through her others to grow in faith, this model of the Church’s faith started by helping Bernadette learn how to pray the Sign of the Cross well. For the rest of her life, Bernadette taught this lesson to others until she made her last devout Sign of the Cross just before she breathed her last. Making the Sign of the Cross with faith, love and reverence might be a great place for all of us to start the Year of Faith as well. Father Landry is Pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge.

Summary of today’s show: Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams discuss two of the speeches by bishops at the ongoing Synod for the New Evangelization in Rome, the first by Cardinal Timothy Dolan on the Sacrament of Reconciliation as the engine of the New Evangelization and the second by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli on the importance of the new media in sharing the New Evangelization, especially with the young. Meanwhile, the Fall fund drive for WQOM has started this week. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 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 topics: Interventions of bishops at the Synod of the New Evangelization 1st segment: Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams welcome everyone to the show. Fr. Matt talked about their monthly gathering with young adults in the Archdiocese at St. Leonard’s in the North End of Boston, called Jesus in the North End. They stand in the street to invite people in to pray before the Blessed Sacrament and they also have confession available. This month, some of them handed out cards to people in the street on why Question Two for physician-assisted suicide is a bad law. They didn’t do it in front of the church in order not to make an inappropriate connection with the prayer service. Scot asked how many hadn’t heard about question two. Fr. Matt said most of those coming to the event regularly tend to be informed Catholics. Fr. Matt’s team still invited them to learn even more to be able to share with their friends. Scot asked Fr. Matt what it means to him to set the world ablaze with faith on fire, which is the theme of the Fall Fund drive for WQOM. He said when you fall in love, it affects, forms, and shapes everything you do. Being on fire with faith means to be in love with Jesus. You want to share that love, you want others to know that amazing love. Scot said today they will be reading some of the moving interventions going on at the Synod of the New Evangelization in Rome right now. He said the talks from each of the bishops attending tend to be short and powerful and on one topic. The first will be Cardinal Dolan talking about the Sacrament of Penance as being key to the success of the New Evangelization. But first, Scot asked Fr. Matt what he hears from young people about the importance of Catholic radio. He said young people are engaged in media on average 8 hours per day, sometimes multiple ones. He said when young people are invited, they become engaged. He said young people often mirror their parents’ habits and so parents can influence their children’s habits. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Matt will now talk about the intervention of Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York at the synod of bishops. Cardinal Dolan’s intervention at the Synod The great American evangelist, The Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, commented, “The first word of Jesus in the Gospel was ‘come’; the last word of Jesus was ‘go’.” The New Evangelization reminds us that the very agents of evangelization must first be evangelized themselves. We must first come to Jesus ourselves before we can go out to others in His Holy Name. Saint Bernard said, “if you want to be a channel, you must first be a reservoir.” Thus I believe that the primary sacrament of the New Evangelization is the sacrament of penance, and thank Pope Benedict for reminding us of this. Yes, to be sure, the sacraments of initiation – - Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist – - charge, challenge, and equip the agents of evangelization. But, the sacrament of reconciliation evangelizes the evangelizers, as it brings us sacramentally into contact with Jesus, who calls us to conversion of heart, and inspires us to answer His invitation to repentance. As we learned in philosophy, nemo dat qoud non habet (“no one gives what he does not have”). The Second Vatican Council called for a renewal of the sacrament of penance, but what we got instead, sadly, in many places, was the disappearance of the sacrament. So we have busied ourselves calling for the reform of structures, systems, institutions, and people other than ourselves. Yes, this is good. But the answer to the question “What’s wrong with the world?” is not, in the first place, politics, the economy, secularism, pollution, global warming, or other people … no. As Chesterton, the eloquent British apologist, wrote, “The answer to the question ‘What’s wrong with the world?’ is two words: I am.” I am! Admitting that leads to conversion of heart and repentance, the core of the Gospel-invitation. That happens in the Sacrament of Penance. This is the sacrament of the New Evangelization. Scot loves how the intervention starts. Before we are sent to help others, Jesus calls us to come to him, to enter a close relationship with him, to let him work through us. Fr. Matt said in Mark’s Gospel when Jesus calls the Twelve, it says he called them to be with him and to be sent forth. We must be fed before we can feed others. For three years, he formed and taught them. Fr. Matt referred to an article by Dr. Peter Kreeft called “The Winning Strategy”. He said we are at war and we need to recognize the enemy. First, it is Satan and second it is sin, which is in all of us. Because we can cooperate with evil, we can become devils. But the winning strategy is that by cooperating with good, we can become saints. “The Winning Strategy”, Dr. Peter Kreeft, The Integrated Catholic Life Scot said Dolan wrote that confession evangelizes the evangelizers. It brings us into contact with Jesus with conversion of heart. Extremely holy people go to confession at the time. You become a saint and become holy by going to confession. Fr. Matt said conversion is a daily reality. Jesus says we have to pick up our cross and follow him daily. Cardinal Dolan said in some places, the sacrament has fallen away in the practice of the church. Scot thinks of how often we’ve talked about the Sacrament of Reconciliation on this show and how many people may have returned to the practice of confession. Fr. Matt said when you talk to young people about the sacrament of reconciliation and how Christ calls us to be holy, suddenly the want that because they recognize that what they’ve been seeking in the world doesn’t satisfy the hungry heart. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge. 3rd segment: Scot said he and Fr. Matt are back to the discussion of the Synod for the New Evangelization. He said the reason for this topic was the Holy Father getting input from bishops who said there many Catholics who had received the sacraments of initiation and were no longer connected to the Church in a meaningful way. Fr. Matt said it’s not about a new program. The program is Jesus Christ. It’s recognizing that the audience has shifted. It’s geared toward those who have been baptized but for whom the faith has grown cold. He said in Massachusetts, it’s the most Catholic state where 44% are Catholic, but we’re also the most secular state. We’re also significantly losing the battle to protect all human life. Because we call ourselves Catholic, it doesn’t mean JEsus is an active part of our life. So we need new ardor and means of expression of the faith and we need to renew and convert ourselves to more effectively proclaim the Good News. Scot said many of the interventions deal with using media to proclaim the Good News. He quoted from Archbishop Claudio Celli’s intervention. The archbishop is head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Intervention of Archbishop Claudio Celli The new evangelization asks us to be attentive to the “newness” of the cultural context in which we are called upon to proclaim the Gospel, but also to the “newness” of the methods to be used. The New Media are radically changing the culture in which we live and offer new paths for sharing the message of the Gospel. The new technologies have not only changed the method of communicating, but have also transformed communication itself, creating a new cultural infrastructure that is influencing the environment of communication, and we cannot simply continue to do what we have always done, even with the new technologies. The digital area is not a “virtual” space, less important than the “real” world, and if the Gospel is not also proclaimed “digitally”, we run the risk of abandoning many people, for whom this is the world in which they “live”. The Church is already present in digital space, but the next challenge is to change our communicative style in order to render such a presence more effective, occupying ourselves above all with the question of language. In the digital forum discourse is spontaneous, interactive and participatory: in the Church, we are used to using written texts as our normal method of communication. I do not know if this form can speak to the young, who are accustomed to a language rooted in the convergence of words, sounds and images. We are called upon to communicate our testimony, sharing in personal relationships the hope that resides in us. We cannot dilute the content of our faith, but rather find new ways of expressing it in its fullness. We are obliged to express ourselves in a manner that involves others who, in turn, share our ideas with their friends and “followers”. We need to valorize the “voices” of many Catholics present in blogs, so that they might evangelize and present the teachings of the Church which is called upon to initiate a respectful dialogue with all, to give a reason to all for the hope we carry in our hearts. Scot said everything the archbishop said can be said of Catholic radio. Fr. Matt said St. Paul says that faith comes by hearing. The Holy Father says his hope is in that the human heart is ultimately longing for God; the truth of Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that Jesus invites everyone into a personal friendship with him and has promised to stay with us forever; and the Holy Father knows that a fast food of things of the world will never satisfy and this is the opportunity for the Church to proclaim those things which will satisfy. Break for Fund Drive Appeal. To support the work of WQOM and The Station of the Cross, which brings Catholic programming like The Good Catholic Life to the Boston area, please be as generous as your means permit with your gift or pledge.

Summary of today’s show: This Sunday is World Mission Sunday and Fr. Rodney Copp, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Boston, joins Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor to talk about the work of supporting the missions—especially Mass cards and stipends—and how it is the duty of every Catholic to be a missionary, even if you never leave home. One way to be a missionary is to engage the work of the New Evangelization and invite a friend or family member to go to Mass with you some week. Scot, Fr. Chris, and Fr. Copp also discuss Fr. Copp’s parishes he serves—St. Charles Borromeo in Waltham and St. Gerard Majella in Canton—as well as his work as the Promoter of Justice in the Archdiocese of Boston. 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. Rodney Copp Links from today’s show: Pontifical Mission Societies Boston St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Waltham St. Gerard Majella Parish, Canton One Family in Mission: Society for the Propagation of the Faith Today’s topics: Fr. Rodney Copp and World Mission Sunday 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Fr. Chris O’Connor to the show and he said that this week the political campaign season has picked up. He asked Fr. Chris how the debate-watching goes at the seminary. The faculty usually gather to watch together. He said that he typically is the one yelling at the TV. Scot said there’s lots of talk about what moderator Candy Crowley will be doing during the debate. She has said she will do what she wants. Fr. Chris said she’s a force to be reckoned with. Fr. Chris attended the St. James Society dinner this past Sunday. The seminary often takes seminarians to their missions in Peru to show how and why the diocesan priest can be involved in the life of the missions. He said Fr. Peter Quinn at St. Catherine in Westford was honored for his support of the society. He said we all must play some role in spreading the Gospel throughout the universal church. Scot said that the Pontifical Mission Society does that as well. He said this weekend is World Mission Sunday and the following Sunday, Cardinal Seán will speak to all Catholic parishioners on Question 2. Joining us next will be Fr. Rodney Copp, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Boston. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Chris discussed an ad for the Committee Against Physician-Assisted Suicide that just aired. Scot welcomed Fr. Rodney Copp to the show. He’s the pastor of St. Gerard Majella in Canton and administrator of St. Charles Borromeo in Waltham. They discussed how he’s been moving from Waltham to Canton. He’s still attached to Waltham because the parish had just started an increased offertory program so he agreed to stay on for six more months. He said the staff in Canton have been helpful to him as well. He was in Waltham for 15 years. He said St. Gerard’s is a big parish with 1,000 kids in CCD. He said being pastor there would be a full-time job alone, but the great staff there has been a great gift. He said there were 7 pastors in 100 years in Waltham and 5 pastors in 50 years in Canton and he’s known all of the pastors in Canton. Scot asked how he balances the three jobs he has now. Fr. Copp said he’s also Promoter of Justice for the Archdiocese in the Tribunal. He said that most of what he does is in Braintree at the Pastoral Center. He’s in the parishes nights and weekend. Fr. Chris asked about the Tribunal work. Fr. Copp said he was a judge in the Tribunal for 10 years and worked a lot in marriages and then in the clergy sex abuse trials. He said most of what they deal with is very old cases. He said part of the job of Promoter of Justice is to participate in canonizations. He’s currently working on a case for an Opus Dei priest, Fr. Joseph Muzquiz. He said he was a holy man, humble and much concerned with others. He’s buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury. His job is to look at the evidence and find any objections there might to present a balanced brief when sending the case to the COngregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. Program #0164 for Tuesday, October 25, 2011: Fr. David Cavanagh, Opus Dei Fr. Copp has been at St. Gerard since the end of August. He said they’re heavily committed to the social justice teachings. Part of that was due to Fr. Bernard McLaughlin. He knew Fr. McLaughlin when he was newly ordained in 1959 and came to St. John’s in Peabody when Fr. Copp was in grade school. He later served in East Boston, where he gained his desire to work for the poor. St. Gerard also has high Mass attendance and its 1,000 kids in religious education puts among the top 15 parishes in the archdiocese. They’re getting the kids involved in the Missionary Childhood Association from the Pontifical Mission Societies. The mission societies’ primary focus is to bring the Gospel message to bear in places where people have never heard the name of Jesus. There are four mission societies: Society for the Propagation of the Faith; Society of St. Peter the Apostle (for seminaries and religious in missionary countries); Missionary Childhood (which used to be Holy Childhood); and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious, which provides spiritual support. World Mission Sunday is this upcoming Sunday. It promotes all the mission societies. It started in 1926 by Pope Pius XI to renew the commitment to the spread of the Gospel. October is mission month to coincide with Columbus bringing the faith to the New World. It’s appropriate that the Year of Faith begins in October. Scot asks why it’s the third or fourth Sunday and Fr. Copp said it’s always the second-to-last Sunday in October just so that people would know when it is every year. The primary purpose is to educate about the missions and to take up a collection for the support of mission activities all over the world. Last year, World Mission Sunday in Boston produced $428,000 for the missions. They also brought in $650,000 in a missionary cooperative program that brings missionaries to parishes to speak throughout the year. He said Mass stipends have been decreasing, which support priests in many mission dioceses. They also send a great number of Mass stipends to the St. James Society. Fr. Copp said you can make an offering for Mass for someone who’s living, for someone who’s recently deceased or who passed a long time ago. He said many parishes support them this way, but people can also contact the Pontifical Mission Societies directly or talk to their pastor and see if he’s willing to do that. Fr. Copp said he’s been on the job two years and he has’t been able to go to the missions yet because of his work as a pastor. He said some give by going and some go by giving. You don’t actually have to go to the missions to be a missionary. Fr. Copp said they send a clergy guide out to pastors for Mission Sunday, with suggestions for prayers of the faithful, suggestions for including ethnic groups in music, readings, and more. Scot asked why Boston is such a big supporter of missions. Fr. Copp said Archbishop Walsh was founder of the Maryknoll Society and so it’s part of our long history. In many ways the Archdiocese of Boston has always been an immigrant church, with special welcome for each wave of immigrants. Cardinal Cushing put the missions on the map. He wanted to be a missionary priest and Cardinal O’Connell assigned him to the Pontifical Mission Societies. Fr. Chris related a story that Cardinal Cushing tendered his resignation to Pope John XXIII on the opening say of the Second Vatican Council in order to go to the mission and was denied by the Pope. Scot said a large number of people give a standard amount to every second collection. What would Fr. Copp say to encourage a little bit larger donation? Fr. Copp said it’s a varied ministry in the missions but the Gospel comes with many good things like clean water or more food. Fr. Chris told a story of St. James Society priests about how a MAryknoll priest confronted the president of Peru about the lack of water in a poor town and how the water was then brought to the village. The poor of these countries often rely on missionaries to speak for them. 3rd segment: Scot reminded listeners that the fall fund drive for WQOM and the Stations of the Cross will take place Wednesday through Friday. He asked listeners to support Catholic radio in the Archdiocese of Boston. Scot asked Fr. Copp to explain the difference between evangelization and the new evangelization. Fr. Copp said in the Second Vatican Council we find the means of expressing the truths of the faith by means that are better understood by people in the 21st century. New evangelization is about a renewed effort to reach out to those who may have stepped away from the practice of their faith, whether in Boston or in mission countries. In Boston only 17% of Catholics attend Mass on a regular basis. In some mission countries, people walk miles or even days to go to Mass once per month. Here was have a luxury of parishes. In Waltham there are five parishes, in Canton, two. He said Boston has numerous missionary communities within its border and they remind people of their missionary duty by virtue of their baptism. He said we pay little attention to sharing the faith because we presume we live in an archdiocese where the faith already exists. He challenged people in his parish to bring one person to Mass with them and double the number of people in their church. He also encourages people not to be afraid to talk about their faith. He remembers living at St. Patrick’s in Watertown and hearing from a parishioner how he mentioned going to Mass on a Sunday and how that affected a co-worker who didn’t realize he was Catholic. Scot has learned that so much of the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies is to ensure that people around the world know that Jesus loves them and wants to be with them forever. In Massachusetts, nearly everyone has heard the name of Jesus. So many who have been baptized just know Jesus like he’s a historical figure. They don’t have a relationship with him. The New Evangelization is a reintroduction of people to this Person who wants to change their life on a moment by moment basis. The New Evangelization it the conversion of ourselves. Fr. Chris said part of that is to have a tangible joy in ourselves because the Lord is present in our lives. People should see by the peace and joy that we know Christ and he is present to us. Scot said many of the people in the missions have next to nothing but yet respond with so much joy and generosity of spirit when brought to a relationship with Christ. Fr. Copp said no one comes to the Church from a vacuum, but almost always come in because someone invited them and shepherded them. Scot said the “each one reach one” allows us to take to prayer for a week or two the question of whom the Lord is calling me to invite to our parish. It’s one particular person, couple or family. You don’t have to teach them the Catechism. You just have to tell them that you get so much out of the Mass, invite them to come as your guest, and maybe go out for coffee afterward. Fr. Copp said he met a women last year who said she didn’t know the prayers, but he told her that the missal was changing and everyone would be in the same boat. Scot said you can control whether you’re willing to make an invitation. He tells the Holy Spirit that their response is up to him. When people say they don’t know the prayers or actions at Mass, he refers to the story of the Prodigal Son. When the son returns the loving father runs out to greet the son. That’s how the Church celebrates and no one is concerned with whether they know the responses. Fr. Copp said parishes do have to be willing to say hello and recognize that someone new is there. Scot noted that a lot of people say they don’t go to church anymore because someone was rude to them in Mass. On our best day, maybe we can be the reason for someone to give the Church a second chance. Fr. Chris and Fr. Copp both said to never let another human being get in the way of your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Summary of today’s show: Carter Snead, a law professor at University of Notre Dame, joins Scot Landry to talk about the moral principles embodied in the passage of laws and why the arguments put forth by the proponents of Question Two to legalize physician-assisted suicide would provide no barrier to even more extreme forms of euthanasia, voluntary or involuntary, and would place the most vulnerable groups among us at risk. 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): Carter Snead, Caroline Cassidy, Bridget Rose Links from today’s show: Prof. Snead’s Faculty page at University of Notre Dame Law School Montrose School Committee Against Physician Assisted Suicide Suicide Is Always A Tragedy Today’s topics: 1st segment: Today’s show is coming live from Montrose School in Medfield, Mass. The school is hosting sessions on assisted suicide for the young women at the school by Carter Snead, a professor at University of Notre Dame. Scot said we’re talking about assisted suicide still because polls show 50% of Mass. voters still don’t know about this issue. Scot said the Committee Against Physician Assisted Suicide is starting to air a new radio ad on Massachusetts radio stations. They aired the new ad. It talks about the six-month prognosis, the ingestion of 100 capsules is not in a medical setting and without any supervision, that the doctor doesn’t have to be present, and that family doesn’t have to be notified. The close of this is that proponents say it’s all about control, but because of lack of effective safeguards, this is a law that is out of control. Scot said television advertising will start soon, probably later this week. Carter Snead is director of the Center for Ethics and Culture and a professor of law. He specializes in the relationship between bioethics and the law. Scot said Carter has also spoken at St. Sebastian School and will speak tomorrow at the Boston Leadership Forum breakfast at 7:30am at the Union Club. He will speak tonight at the Montrose School at 7pm. Scot noted that Carter isn’t from Massachusetts but he wanted to help us on this issue. He said the stakes don’t get higher than assisted suicide and those outside of Massachusetts who care about the well-being of the most vulnerable populations want to help. We have seen in other places how these types of laws put them at risk. He noted that New York state took up this issue and agreed that the state shouldn’t legalize it, even though some agreed with the concept, because it placed the vulnerable at too much risk. Scot said many folks don’t know that this sort of legislation has come up in 25 states and in all but two states it’s been turned away. Carter said overwhelmingly in the US is that assisted suicide is frowned upon, criminalized, disavowed by the medical profession. There is an active and well-funded movement to legalize assisted suicide and then later euthanasia. Even those who are not Catholic or committed to the same Catholic moral principles can agree that the framework of this proposal is very bad. There is little evidence from Oregon’s legalization because there is no real reporting. In the Netherlands, what started as assisted suicide has led to voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Scot asked if that progression is something likely to happen here if it passes in Massachusetts and whether the extra autonomy is worth that price. Proponents know euthanasia wouldn’t pass on its own. Carter agreed that it’s an incremental strategy to go from assisted suicide for a limited population to eventually involuntary euthanasia. That’s because that there’s no meaningful principle to say yes to assisted suicide and no to involuntary euthanasia. Scot said the primary argument from proponents is that dignity involved me having the right at the end of my life to control when I die. People have a right to self-determination in matters of their existence. Scot said we have to respond that suicide affects all of us. Carter said “dignity” in this context means autonomy. He said dignity is a kind of intrinsic, inalienable value recognized in every human being. They’re using dignity to refer only to their individual lives. As Americans we care about liberty. The argument for autonomy shows it doesn’t do what it’s proponents say it does. We don’t live as disembodied wills. We live situated in families and communities with chosen and unchosen relationships. We’re all interconnected and there is a principle of solidarity when it comes to our actions. Suicide impacts survivors and the community they live in. Scot said it particularly affects the people who say they wish they would have known in order to help. Carter said the Question doesn’t required any kind of mental health evaluation when we know that the vast majority of people who think of suicide are mentally ill. People are going to make this decision without autonomy. Suicidal desires are often alleviated with effective pain management. Given any real choice, suicide is a phony autonomy. Scot said anybody who’s lost someone they care about knows the impact affects everyone you know. He added that what’s even worse is that they will assist someone in taking their own life without informing family members. If we say it’s all about autonomy, then a lot of other things can appeal to the same autonomy argument. Carter said if we allow this as autonomy, how can we criminalize voluntary euthanasia? How can we stop suicide pacts? How can we limit this only to people who are terminally ill? How can we claim emotional suffering isn’t worse than physical suffering? How can we say cold, rational judgment isn’t better than the judgment of someone who is pain and near death? In the Netherlands right now, they are considering a proposal to allow non-terminal suicide for people who have decided they are done with life. 2nd segment: Scot said the second big argument by the proponents is “Who am I to impose my values on others” and citing separation of church and state. Carter said the response to the idea that the state has to be morally neutral misunderstands what the law is. Law is the imposition of values by definition. Law decides what is legal and illegal. It does impose on people. Every law is grounded in some normative framework and oriented toward a particular good to be pursued or some harm to be avoided. Even the speed limit balances many goods and many harms and evaluating the fit of the means of the law and the final end. The notion that the basic good of human life and state’s obligation to protect it—a fundamental reason for government—is unsurprising. And if we say that religious traditions’ value of human life is a violation of separation of church and state, then we have to undo all our homicide laws and more. If something is legalized, what other risks come along with that? Can they be regulated in a way that doesn’t endanger other people? Assisted suicide doesn’t work within that framework. If I’m a statesman I see there’s no breaks within this system. All of the aforementioned problems cited—including lack of legal definition of ingestion—lead to the inevitable lack of protection for the vulnerable. Scot said Carter said earlier today that sometimes the law shapes our values, instead of vice versa. Cardinal Sean has said that if the law sanctions suicide for one group of people, then how can the state’s efforts to minimize suicide across all age demographics, particularly the young, fail to shape some people to think that suicide is the solution for their suffering. Carter said law does shape people’s behavior. The government endorsement or tolerance has deep symbolic significance for citizens. There are a whole array of examples from the Netherlands to illustrate this point. It’s impossible to hold the line when the government says it’s okay to kill yourself for whatever reason. The costs are just too grave to allow such a law. How many cases of involuntary euthanasia are worth the autonomous suicide of a few? Scot said in the Netherlands some people who are very sick and near the end of life fear going to the doctor because they’re afraid of being euthanized. So they’re not getting the healthcare they need. Why would we make that possible here? Carter asked how the proponents could oppose what’s happening in the Netherlands within the framework of their own arguments? There’s no grounds for refusing those conditions. Think about health insurance. There are cases from Oregon of people receiving notification from the insurance carriers telling them that the companies will pay for the assisted suicide and not for expensive treatments. How many instances of coercion that lead to a person’s death is too many to justify this system of assisted suicide? Scot quoted Carter as saying that in principle societies make laws against self-annihilation. Carter said suicide has always been a crime in the law historically and was eventually de-criminalized. At the same, assisted suicide’s criminalization was expanded. And the law allows someone considering suicide to be detained. Assisted suicide is condemned in the law in all states but three: Oregon, Washington, and Montana. The Montana Supreme Court declared it is not illegal, but no legal either. What’s proposed here is quite radical. A systemwide availability of facilitated killing promotes an inegalitarian ethos against those living in diminished states. The state also has an interest in preserving the medical profession’s integrity and legitimacy. 3rd segment: Scot welcomed two seniors at Montrose School, Bridget Rose and Caroline Cassidy. Bridget is president of the pro-life club at the school. Scot asked her for her reactions to what Carter talked about today. Bridget said many high school students don’t know what this question is about. They will talk about autonomy, dignity and the arguments against assisted suicide. They’re energized to inform others. Scot asked Caroline what she heard today that would shock her. She said she was taken aback by the possibilities. Quality of life replaces life itself as an argument. Caroline is voting for the first time in November. Scot asked her about voting on an issue that is literally about life and death. She said it’s an amazing responsibility as a young person with strong beliefs. We have a responsibility to take up the value of our lives. Scot cited the arguments that values should not be imposed on others. He asked Bridget how she would respond to that. She said they discussed in her classes why can’t one person decide for themselves. She said they’ve now learned that it affects everyone and as members of communities our decisions and actions affect everyone. Scot asked Caroline what she thinks about the possibility that assisted suicide will make young people think suicide is more viable. She said there have been more stories lately in the news about kids contemplating suicide in their difficult lives. Scot noted that disability groups particularly are opposed to this question because of the pressures they fear will be brought against them. Scot said a lot of the advertising on this issue will be focused on older voters, but young people put a lot of weight in the tolerance and autonomy arguments. Carter said there’s superficial appeal to the idea, but students are smart enough that when they think about the interconnectedness of all people and the implications of these arguments, then it doesn’t carry the weight that proponents hope it does. The people most at risk through a system of legalized suicide are the weakest, the poorest, the marginalized. Carter said he hopes the voters will consider the consequences for all those who will be threatened in dramatic ways, as shown in the Netherlands. He said he was encouraged and buoyed by what he saw in the young men and women at St. Sebastian’s and Montrose School and how they are being formed.

Summary of today’s show: There are many arguments and accusations leveled against the Catholic Church today, much of it based on prejudice and misinformation. Dr. Chistopher Kaczor has written a new book addressing The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church, especially those held by those who oppose the Church from a secular viewpoint. Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connor engage with Dr. Kaczor on several of the myths, including those about science and faith, on same-sex marriage, on contraception, and on the primacy of conscience. 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): Dr. Christopher Kaczor Links from today’s show: “The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church” by Dr. Christopher Kaczor at Ignatius Press The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction about Catholicism by Dr. Christopher Kaczor Today’s topics: Dr. Christopher Kaczor, author of 7 Big Myths about the Catholic Church 1st segment: Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell talked about the launch of the Year of Faith and Scot said part of the Year of Faith is getting a handle on our faith and the new apologetics. Today’s guest is Dr. Chris Kaczor, author of a new book about the myths people have about the Catholic Church. Chris is a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He attended Boston College as an undergraduate and has a Ph.D from the University of Notre Dame. Scot welcomed Chris to the show and asked him why the number seven. Chris said he could have 35 big myths, but 7 had a better ring to it. Chris said he was inspired by the book by Michael Medved called The 10 Big Lies About America: Combating Destructive Distortions About Our Nation . He thought there should be a book from a Catholic perspective and he wanted to approach the myths that are held by secular people, as opposed to those held by non-Catholic Christians. He wanted to fortify Catholics who wanted to share their faith. He garnered the list of myths from those held among his students and took the most challenging and the most widespread. The seven myths are Catholic irrationality, Catholic indifference to earthly welfare, misogyny, opposition between love and procreation, homophobia, that there is no rational basis for limiting marriage to one man and one woman, and priestly pedophilia. The book starts with a famous quote from Bishop Fulton Sheen: “There are not 100 people who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive is the Catholic Church.” Chris said the biggest obstacle to people appreciating the Church is the behavior of Catholics at times. We have many holy saints, but many of us fail to live out the message of Jesus. If all Catholics acted in the way Jesus treated others, that would change attitudes and would dispel myths. He quoted Chesterton who said the only argument against Christianity is Christians. But it is really misguided to base an attitude toward the whole Church based on the actions of some because in a big enough group, there will always be people who’ve behaved badly. Important goods, like education or healthcare, will have institutions that serve those goods, but the people in those institutions will not always be their best selves. It would be ridiculous to refuse to go to any doctor because of a bad experience with one doctor. Scot said Chris makes a reference to St. Peter, writing that we can make up for how we fail by repenting and returning to Christ. Chris said people sometimes misunderstand the Church’s teachings because many Catholics are not well-informed by their own faith. Even highly educated people are educated to a grade school level about their faith. Another problem is that people get their news and understanding about the Church from the media which is often ill-informed and even prejudiced against the Church. Gleaning faith from movies, TV, or even news will lead to a distorted picture of the Church. It’s important to help people deepen their faith and we need to make ourselves better informed and then we need to explain it in an atmosphere of friendship and charity. Fr. Mark asked about specifically reaching people in their 20s and 30s who can be the toughest audience. How do we get this book in their hands and address these issues with them. On the same-sex marriage issue, many people seem to have made up their minds, for example. So what he does is examine the reasons people give and then explain how the justifications don’t work. He points out that the same-sex marriage is not like interracial marriage. He points out that differences in race are not the same as differences in sex. We treat men and women differently all the time in many ways. We differentiate in athletics, in public accommodations like bathrooms. Chris said we would never have a 100-yard dash where men and women compete on the sam track or sports teams where the same standards apply. We don’t treat men and women as if there were no important differences. Fr. Mark said it comes down to natural law, which is foreign to a lot of people in that age group. Chris said you don’t need to invoke the natural law to explain law. Marriage is a comprehensive union. It’s only possible when you have beings that can become united. So their will has to be able to be united, so they both have to be human. There also has to be a unity of bodies and the most complete kind of union is the sexual union because it allows them to create a new human being. Only in a complementary one male-one female union can that occur. It precludes both same-sex and polygamous marriage. Scot said another of the myths is topical because of the Year of Faith. He said the myth is that faith and science are opposed, that the more one if a believer, the less rational they are. He asked Chris to explain underlying premises and the best response. Chris said if you look at the evidence, it’s very strong that the Church supports science. Many Catholic scientists have made important contributions to science, like Gregor Mendel, Nicholas Copernicus, George LeMaitre. Even the Church as an institution supports science through Catholic universities and even some cathedrals in 17th and 18th centuries were designed as world-class observatories. This comes from the belief that God is the author of both the book of revelation and the book of nature and he doesn’t contradict himself. The Church holds that faith and reason go together. There is no foundation for the supposition that faith and reason are opposed in the Church. Scot quoted Dr. Peter Kreeft in his endorsement: “All of this book is full of clarity and charity, but two chapters are masterpieces each worth ten times the price of the whole book. The chapter on contraception is the most simple, commonsensical, winsome, and persuasive I have ever seen. The chapter on same-sex marriage has the clearest and the completest logic I have ever read on the subject.” On the topic of contraception, Chris said romantic love is geared towards a union between the lovers who want to be together in a complete way for their whole lives. So we have to explain why procreation is important in a society which doesn’t value children. When you have a children with someone there is a unity with someone both physically, emotionally, and activity (working together for the baby’s well-being). The child unifies that couple. Contraception is a barrier to romantic love. It’s a desire for a disunity, a lack of unity. One of the reasons procreation is good is it allows people in love to have a bodily unity that they so deeply desire. Scot noted that the chapter asks some interesting questions. One is whether having children fosters marital friendship. Scot said he and his wife have found they have to be so much more of a team to care for their three kids. Then with the children and spouse, living it as a vocation so that loving your wife and your kids can help you get to heaven. Chris said this is one of the most important reasons procreation is good. He referenced the sheep and goats parable that Jesus told about the corporal works of mercy. He said he learned that every good parent literally does these things that Jesus is talking about. Every child comes into a family as a stranger and you welcome him. You feed your children. You clothe your children. Parents get into heaven by taking care of Jesus who they find in the least of these, their children. Fr. Mark said this must have been timed for the Year of Faith. He said one of the parts of the New Evangelization is informing our consciences so we can out and evangelize others. Chris said God desires everyone to be happy, but to be happy we have to love God and love others. When we do things that contradict love, we are undermining our own happiness. Our actions become disordered. A rightly formed consciences knows the truths about what actions serve love of God and serve love of neighbor and which ones undermine those. We have an obligation to know that truth and live that truth. A conscience is like a compass and a compass doesn’t create true north; it recognizes true north. A properly formed conscience doesn’t create truth for itself. Fr, Mark said young people often say that tolerance is a virtue. Chris said the Christian attitude is that we should love every single person and that includes those who are different and those who are the same as us. But when you love someone it doesn’t mean you agree with the things they do that are harmful to themselves or others. If I love my friend, I prevent him from driving drunk. Real love wants the well-being of a friend to flourish. All Christians are called to work for the real salvation of everyone. Real love doesn’t tolerate people working against their own or others true happiness. Chris said the reaction to the book has been positive since it came out on October 8. Most fair-minded people don’t come to a judgment until they’ve read the book or engaged the arguments. He encourages anyone who disagrees to read the book and if they still disagree to have a dialogue and civil conversation about it. 2nd segment: Scot said Cardinal Sean launched a new initiative, asking people to follow him on Twitter at @CardinalSean, where he’ll be tweeting several times a day between now and the election. He also noted that Fr. Mark was in Chicago this past week for the Canon Law Society of America. Fr. Mark said he had been asked to preach at Mass about last week’s Sunday readings which included a major topic of canon law, marriage and divorce. He also gave a well-attended talk before a prestigious audience. Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. Gospel for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 14, 2012 (Mark 10:17-30) As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.” Scot said it sounds like Jesus rebukes the questioner for calling him Good Teacher. Scot said he calls him good as a teacher, when he should be calling him good for his nature. Fr. Mark said it could be that the man was only approaching Jesus on an intellectual level. Jesus doesn’t want to just know things well and say things well, but to do things well. It shouldn’t just be wonderful words, but he should take the words to heart. Scot said when Jesus is said to love the young man, it recalls what Chris Kazcor said about truly loving others. He said the passage makes us question how attached we are to the things in our lives. Fr. Mark said many people in our society duplicate this story by going away sad from the Church to indulge in the things that will make them happy. Fr. Mark said he hopes this young man later came back, just as many people today come back to the faith. Scot noted how the disciples were amazed at Jesus’ words about wealth. Scot said it’s not just about how much money you have, but your attitude. Fr. Mark said wealth was seen as a blessing from God and sickness was seen as a curse from God and Jesus was turning that on its head. Whatever the camel going through the eye of the needle means, it clearly means it’s very difficult. The disciples are left wondering then who can be saved? Scot said that none of us can save ourselves. None of us merit eternal life on our own. Fr. Mark said the Scripture we should take into the Year of Faith is “Nothing is impossible for God.” Scot said imagine how confusing this whole episode must have been to the disciples. The riches and treasures from God aren’t just measured in man’s terms. Fr. Mark said there is some speculation that the rich, young man was St. Mark the Evangelist.

Summary of today’s show: Our usual thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry discussed the headlines of the week, including the launch of the Year of Faith both in Rome and in Boston and Fall River; Pope Benedict’s homily for the opening Mass; indulgences for the Year of Faith; the Synod for the New Evangelization; Cardinal Seán starting to Tweet daily; religious leaders discussing physician-assisted suicide; and Cardinal Seán’s reflection on the assisted-suicide slippery slope. 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: Year of Faith, Tweeting Cardinal Sean, Physician-Assisted Suicide 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and to the Year of Faith. Cardinal Seán celebrated a Year of Faith opening Mass that was simulcast on WQOM and on BostonCatholicLive.com. Susan and Scot discussed the celebration of the Mass in Rome with the Holy Father and the very crowded Mass in the Pastoral Center with Cardinal Seán. Scot asked Gregory Tracy about his impressions. He said the homily was very engaging as always. He engages first with humors and anecdotes and then gets to the heart of the matter. After the Mass, they gathered in a conference room where Cardinal Seán sent out his first tweet for the Year of Faith in front of a group of journalists. Scot noted that the Cardinal had a tough time typing because his own personal computers are set up with Spanish-language keyboards. Cardinal Seán’s Twitter account Fr. Roger talked about his own preparations and launch of the Year of Faith in his parish. He outlined his plans for his parish over the year. Scot said Cardinal Seán’s homily and the entire Mass are available online at YearofFaithBoston.org. Moving to Pope Benedict’s homily at the Mass opening the Year of Faith this morning, Scot quoted: If today the Church proposes a new Year of Faith and a new evangelization, it is not to honour an anniversary, but because there is more need of it, even more than there was fifty years ago! And the reply to be given to this need is the one desired by the Popes, by the Council Fathers and contained in its documents. Even the initiative to create a Pontifical Council for the promotion of the new evangelization, which I thank for its special effort for the Year of Faith, is to be understood in this context. Recent decades have seen the advance of a spiritual “desertification”. In the Council’s time it was already possible from a few tragic pages of history to know what a life or a world without God looked like, but now we see it every day around us. This void has spread. But it is in starting from the experience of this desert, from this void, that we can again discover the joy of believing, its vital importance for us, men and women. In the desert we rediscover the value of what is essential for living; thus in today’s world there are innumerable signs, often expressed implicitly or negatively, of the thirst for God, for the ultimate meaning of life. And in the desert people of faith are needed who, with their own lives, point out the way to the Promised Land and keep hope alive. Living faith opens the heart to the grace of God which frees us from pessimism. Today, more than ever, evangelizing means witnessing to the new life, transformed by God, and thus showing the path. The first reading spoke to us of the wisdom of the wayfarer (cf. Sir 34:9-13): the journey is a metaphor for life, and the wise wayfarer is one who has learned the art of living, and can share it with his brethren – as happens to pilgrims along the Way of Saint James or similar routes which, not by chance, have again become popular in recent years. How come so many people today feel the need to make these journeys? Is it not because they find there, or at least intuit, the meaning of our existence in the world? This, then, is how we can picture the Year of Faith: a pilgrimage in the deserts of today’s world, taking with us only what is necessary: neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, nor two tunics – as the Lord said to those he was sending out on mission (cf. Lk 9:3), but the Gospel and the faith of the Church, of which the Council documents are a luminous expression, as is the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published twenty years ago. Scot said the homily is stark about saying that many of the people we meet each day are in the desert, but it is from the starkness of the desert that we can rediscover the faith. Greg said already at the Second Vatican Council, society was making this transition to the secular desert and now 50 years on we are deep into the desert. Susan was reminded of Pope John Paul’s teaching that Christ leads us to the Father through the Holy Father. She also noted he quoted Pope John XXIII: ““What above all concerns the Ecumenical Council is this: that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine be safeguarded and taught more effectively […] Therefore, the principal purpose of this Council is not the discussion of this or that doctrinal theme.” She said we observe the signs of the times and determine how we authentically and faithfully present the faith. She also noted that he talks about going back to the documents and she always encourages people to read the texts. Fr. Roger said in this homily the Holy Father is bringing us back to the themes of his pontificate. He says the whole mission of the Church is to lead people out of the desert into friendship with Christ. He said many people haven’t read the documents of the Second Vatican Council and this is an opportunity to go back and re-read them. Fr. Roger noted that this isn’t a year of catechesis, but a year of living by faith. Pope Benedict’s homily for the Mass marking the Opening of the Year of Faith “Pope authorizes granting of indulgences for Year of Faith events”, CNS, 10/5/12 Scot noted that at the same time as the opening of the Year of Faith is a synod of bishops on the New Evangelization. Cardinal Donald Wuerl says that it’s like a tsunami of secularism has swept across Europe and beyond. He also talked about the cost of poor catechesis. The cardinal said a “tsunami of secularism” has washed across the world, leaving in its wake a tendency to deny God’s existence, or to deny that God’s existence is relevant to human thinking and action. Yet, without God “the very understanding of what it means to be human is altered,” he said. A key task of the new evangelization is to help people see that human dignity and human rights flow from the fact that human beings are created in God’s image, he said. “Pope, opening synod, says Christ is the answer to humanity’s questions”, CNS, 10/8/12 “Pope adds two saints to list of church ‘doctors’”, CNS, 10/8/12 “Cardinal Wuerl: Evangelization should be relevant, rooted in tradition”, CNS, 10/8/12 Susan said she couldn’t agree more with the Cardinal that the Catechism has immensely improved catechesis. Susan would add the improvement in understanding of hiw we learn through the social sciences. Scot also noted that the plenary indulgences for the Year of Faith have been given. An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. Fr. Roger explained that Purgatory repairs the damage to relationships caused by sin. Indulgences take away that temporal punishment for sin by the merits of Christ. they can be applied to the living or the dead. The indulgences are gained in this circumstance through some specific steps, including making pilgrimages to a local site designated by the bishop, attending parish missions or lectures on Vatican II or the catechism, attending a Mass or Liturgy of the Hours on days designated by the local bishop or renewing baptismal vows where we were baptized; or attending a Mass celebrated by a bishop on the Year of Faith’s last day. The other usual conditions for indulgences apply as well. Scot noted the last day of the Year of Christ will be the Feast of Christ the King on which we have the Cheverus Awards at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and that could be one of the biggest Masses ever at the cathedral. 2nd segment: Scot said it was announced today that Cardinal Seán will be tweeting at least daily until November 6 and encouraging everyone to follow him on Twitter. He’s hoping that people will retweet his messages on the Year of Faith and physician-assisted suicide. The cardinal says the biggest challenge of Question 2 is that not enough people know about it yet. Scot noted that yesterday his follower count was about 5,090 and today it’s up a few hundred more already. Greg explained what twitter is and how it works. He said Twitter is very ephemeral and it’s easy to miss one tweet so if the Cardinal writes consistently it will be more easily found. “Cardinal O’Malley to tweet each day until ballot vote”, The Pilot, 10/12/12 Scot said we don’t have to be confrontational in talking to people about this issue. There are plenty of low-impact ways of spreading the message. Fr. Roger said the cost of a failure to act is that someone might die and the benefit of acting might be to help people get the help they need instead of poison from their doctor. He noted some anecdotes from people in his parish who have talked to others about it, describing their own experiences with suicide or terminal illness. Another story in the Pilot this week was an invitation to Cardinal Sean from Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodius to gather with representatives from different religious groups—from Salvation Army to Islam— to talk about physician-assisted suicide. Greg was there and said there was a sense that this can’t be described as just a Catholic issue. One of the issues on their minds was how to make it clear to their congregations and others that this isn’t just a Catholic issue, even though the Catholic Church is on the forefront. “The slippery slope of assisted suicide”, Cardinal Seán, The Pilot, 10/12/12 Scot said in the Pilot is Cardinal Seán’s third reflection on assisted suicide: Slippery slope arguments involve small decisions that lead to undesirable outcomes that never would have been supported at the outset. Often, it is impossible to prove that one small step will have significant negative effects, but common sense allows reasonable people to judge the likelihood that a sequence of events that have happened in one place are likely to happen in another place in a similar way He then points out 7 potential problems downstream: It could lead to increased elder abuse; It could lead to adoption of “quality of life” standards; It could lead to lower quality of care; It could undermine doctor/patient relationship; It could lead to a general devaluing of human life; It could lead to an increase of suicide generally; and It could lead, eventually to euthanasia—like it has in the Netherlands. Scot said people say you can’t prove a slippery slope argument empirically. Susan said arguing the slippery slope can make you seem like an extremist. She noted that in the Netherlands they have mobile euthanasia units now. She also said both the American Medical Association and Massachusetts Medical Society oppose this ballot question. Scot said there are also good op-ed columns in the Pilot on this topic as well. Winding up the show, Scot noted the death of Fr. Lawrence Wetterholm at 88 and the appointment of Fr. Bill Schmidt to pastor of both St. Marym, Wrentham, and St. Martha, Plainville from St. Patrick in Stoneham, one of the biggest parishes in the Archdiocese.

Summary of today’s show: Massachusetts’ impending vote on physician-assisted suicide has national implications and that’s what has brought Ryan Verret from Louisiana Right to Life to the Commonwealth. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams talk to Ryan about his background in healthcare and medical ethics; concerns about recent healthcare legislation; and the awful message that legalizing assisted suicide sends to those who are at their most vulnerable, scared, and depressed moment. 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): Ryan Verret of Louisiana Right to Life Links from today’s show: Louisiana Right to Life SuicideIsAlwaysATragedy Committee to Stop Physician-Assisted Suicide Today’s topics: Ryan Verret on Assisted Suicide and End of Life Issues 1st segment: Scot welcomed everyone to the show. He said the new media team at the Archdiocese just completed a livestream of a workshop on physician-assisted suicide and then rushed to get all the equipment set up back in the studio. Fr. Matt then talked about a recent visit to St. Anthony’s in Lowell in which they had a prayer service like LIFT, which includes contemporary worship music and prayer. He said they do a “LIFT on the road” with the whole musical band and everyone involved several times per year. This event was a smaller experience with just Fr. Matt and one musician. Scot said also last Friday in St. Mary’s in Chelmsford, they prayed for the intention of Catholic media in Boston for the Year of Faith during their monthly all-night Eucharistic Adoration. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Matt welcomed Ryan Verret to the show. Ryan is in the area to give some talks and do some interviews. He was born in Louisiana and grew up there. Scot noted that Ryan attended seminary with Fr. Matt for a couple of years. Scot asked Ryan about the Catholic roots in Louisiana. Ryan said his family was Acadian, descended from those expelled from Nova Scotia by the British in the 1700s. They settled in Louisiana. He noted that Catholicism is strong in the region. He noted that his parish has had perpetual adoration around the clock since 1887. There is a high concentration of adoration chapels in the region. Ryan said coming to Massachusetts for seminary was a culture shock. Coming from a rural background into an urban area was very different. He discerned in the seminary that he wasn’t called to the priesthood. He went to Washington, DC, and attended the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. He did an internship with the Missionaries of Charity at an AIDS hospice. While he was there, he met his wife, Mary Rose, a graduate of Christendom College. They have two children, a 3-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy. As a couple they teach natural family planning to many other couples. Scot asked about their devotion to St. Therese’s parents, Louis and Zelie Martin. He said it started when Pope John Paul beatified them and set them on the path to eventually being the first canonized couple. Ryan said he and his wife felt called that their home should be a missionary outpost of their parish and they see Louis and Zelie as examples for creating that domestic church. Ryan said they had chosen the name Zelie for their daughter (it comes from the French Azelie, which is the name for azaleas.) A few weeks before the due date, his wife developed pre-eclampsia and she had an emergency c-section. Fr. Matt performed the baptism and brought with him holy cards from when he visited Lisieux. They found out that their daughters’ birthday on December 23 turned out to be Zelie Martin’s birthday. Their son is named for Brother Andre, St. Andre Bessette. Ryan said he’s always been devoted to St. Joseph and Brother Andre served in the Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal and who had a similar strong connection to the saint. Scot said the 5-hour car ride to Montreal to visit the Oratory and other beautiful churches there is a wonderful family pilgrimage. Fr. Matt said St. Andre is buried there and you can pray before the relic of his heart. He noted that Brother Andre was the doorkeeper and every person who came through the doors was loved and welcomed by him. He received each person as a unique and unrepeatable gift. He often prayed with and applied holy oil to people with ailments who were healed through the intercession of St. Joseph. Ryan said many people in Louisiana keep “St. Joseph oil” in their homes because of their connection to Québec. 3rd segment: Scot asked Ryan how he came to work as director of the Center for Medical Ethics of Louisiana Right to Life. He said that when he first returned to Louisiana, he worked as director of a healthcare facility and he saw a lot of the strengths and challenges of modern healthcare, including the problems related to resources. He also became a member of an ethics board of a local hospital. Then he was approached by Louisiana Right to Life. The group has been in existence since 1970 and works for the dignity of life from conception to natural death. A few years ago they asked him to come on right about the time that the Affordable Care Act was being debated. Also he was asked to be proactive on issues like assisted suicide. He’s now worked with them full-time for about a year. The primary issues he addresses are euthanasia, assisted suicide, withdrawal of necessary or unnecessary treatment. He said there’s a lot of pressure to do less today, even ordinary care, not extraordinary. Another issue is medical discrimination, not just race, but also disabilities, whether physical or mental. One aspect is that 90% of children diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted in utero. It’s such a tragic loss, especially when anyone who knows someone with Down will say that they are often the most loving people. Another area is healthcare reform, including rationing of healthcare. He noted that the Affordable Care Act claims not to ration healthcare, but it does create an independent payment advisory board of 15 people appointed by the president whose goal is to create quality and efficiency standards. Their goal is to push down some medical costs through best practices that are handed down in the form of recommendations every two years to the Health Secretary. The secretary will send those standards to any health provider using any government-funded healthcare. Congress doesn’t have to approve these. Those standards become rules because the providers don’t want to lose reimbursement and so they will decrease the amount of care. The fifth area is helping Catholics understand end-of-life decision-making. They provide documents approved by the Secretary of State in Louisiana to help people make provisions for their end of life. Scot went back to the first issue. He said physician-assisted suicide is coming up more and more after being dormant for so long in just Oregon and Washington, DC. Ryan said proponents of assisted suicide are concerned about the growing numbers of elderly. They call it the Silver Tsunami of elderly with too many seeking care from a system being paid for by too few. Ryan noted that the reality is that we’re seeing the results of declining birth rates. Also we’re living in a time in which fewer people are living a faith which helps us to deal with pain and suffering and getting to the root. Scot said proponents talk about choice, control, and dignity as if taking 100 pills in a liquid after taking a numbing agent because of its bitterness. Many people think they should have a choice, not understanding that it releases other pressures later on that might force this “choice” on you later on. It’s a false autonomy. As for control, there are limited safeguards for those can’t speak up for themselves. Ryan said it’s making a choice based on inaccurate information. It’s almost to accurately diagnose how long someone is actually going to live, but the law says you can make the choice if diagnosed to live 6 months or less. Scot said doctors have told him that it’s an arbitrary number and it’s a lot of time, whether to set things right or to have new treatments. It’s also just a guess at a time. Scot said that someone who receives a terminal diagnosis of any length, the person will tend toward becoming depressed. Shouldn’t there be a safeguard to ensure that it’s not just the depression pushing them to suicide. Ryan noted that in Oregon only two percent of those requesting suicide pills accepted the recommendation of a doctor to seek mental health counseling. Of those that did, many were not even terminally ill, but just depressed. Scot said the proposed law would allow a husband to request the suicide pills without informing his wife. He said men are more likely to commit suicide than women. He could be thinking he’s preventing her from suffering when she’s made a commitment to walk with him at every moment to the end. We all know that it’s never just one individual affected by the decision to commit suicide. Ryan noted that the death certificate will list only the underlying disease, not suicide. This is the falsification of a legal document. We don’t need legalized assisted suicide to provide for the needs of the dying. There are so many amazing virtuous moments at the end of life as well as so many options for palliative care. Fr. Matt asked Ryan to expand on palliative care. Ryan said when he’s talked with a patient or family member who guides them through the process of thinking what the person needs when dying. If they’re Christian, he walks them through Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and to make known his will for his loved ones and to place his life in the hands of the Father. He said it’s so essential for all of us to have those opportunities for goodbye. Palliative care is extremely successful in managing pain, but it’s also a great opportunity for families to come together and it’s important for generations. 4th segment: This week’s benefactor card raffle winner is Marilyn Lalmond from Merrimack, NH She wins Why Children Matter by Johann Christoph Arnold. 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. 5th segment: Scot said each state battles to stop physician-assisted suicide in different ways. For people on all sides of many issues and political views agree that the flaws in this initiative are awful. Why would we put such an important issue on a ballot where people are informed by 30-second commercials, instead of the usual way in the Legislature where there are many open committee hearings and people from all sides are heard. Ballot initiatives are a crazy way to decide a life and death issue. Ryan said Louisiana doesn’t have the ballot initiative process but he has worked on this issue with committees in the state legislature and that was definitely the preferable means of dealing with it. Scot said he assumes Ryan is here from Louisiana because they understand how we vote in Massachusetts will affect the rest of the country. Ryan said that in the beginning of June he was in Minneapolis to discuss the issue with people from around the US and Canada and the people at the meeting were very concerned about this issue. The country would see that this issue breaks out of the Northwest, which as a reputation for being secular and liberal, into an area with a very large Catholic population, which could help it to spread. Scot said he’s heard Massachusetts is the most valuable state because we’re seen around the world as having the best medical care and if Massachusetts chooses this, then why shouldn’t everyone choose it? Ryan said the question is what we are communicating to people who are ill and scared? This option is so far below their dignity.

Summary of today’s show: Even 16 months after ordination, Fr. Mark Murphy remains the youngest priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and he’s now serving in on of the busiest and largest parishes, St. Agatha’s in Milton/Quincy. Fr. Mark shares with Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor how his first year as a priest has gone, the unique and welcoming way his parish has received him, the challenges of serving a parish with as many people coming to daily Mass as some parishes get on Sunday, and how he’s managed to improve his already superior golf game. 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. Mark Murphy Links from today’s show: Fr. Murphy’s Blog St. Agatha Parish Today’s topics: Priest Profile: Fr. Mark Murphy 1st segment: Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor talked about Christopher Columbus Day. Fr. Chris said he was in Washington, DC, over the weekend, getting together with his priest-friends he made while he was in graduate school at Catholic University. He visited the National Zoo, the home of Elizabeth Ann Seton, and a Trappist monastery. Scot said it’s never too late to start praying the Rosary novena to stop assisted suicide. This week also kicks off the Year of Faith on Thursday. Fr. Chris said St. John Seminary is hosting an open-house for all fifth graders, boys and girls, and their families to see what the seminary is all about and to talk about vocations. He said studies show that young people start thinking about vocations at the fifth grade. This will be on October 21 and October 28 . Interested people should register through their school or parish. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Chris welcomed Fr. Mark Murphy to the show. They discussed Fr. Mark’s golf game yesterday, when he shot a 79. He said he’s been playing since he was 13 years old and his game has improved since ordination mainly because he never had time to play in seminary. Fr. Mark has been ordained about 16 months now. He’s been at St. Agatha Parish in Milton. Part of the reason for his wonderful experience is the life of the parish. They get 150 people or more at the several daily Masses. They’ve noticed the numbers increasing since mid-summer. They’re especially moved by the number of men coming as well as all the different ages coming. The daily Mass is held in a renovated chapel that is part of a large renovation of the lower church. He said they have six weekend Masses with about 2,400 people. The largest Mass is the Saturday vigil with about 500 attendees. Scot said that puts the parish in the top ten among parishes in the archdiocese in terms of attendance. Scot asked him how he tailors his homilies for such large crowds. Fr. Mark talked about the challenge of preaching at the family Mass when the children come up to hear a homily directed primarily at them. Fr. Mark said he takes his homily preparation to prayer at the beginning of the week, with the Masses he’ll be preaching that weekend in mind. Fr. Chris asked him what he preached on this past weekend, when it was about marriage. Fr. Mark said he talked about his priesthood lets him see marriages at all different stages, whether it’s weddings, baptisms, or funerals. He sees people living out their vocation to marriage so radiantly and lovingly together. He also discussed the difficulties and trials. He related a story of a conversation with an older parishioner who had been married for 50 years. Fr. Chris asked Fr. Mark what a typical day is like for him. Fr. Mark say they have about three funerals per week and he celebrates one or two of the Masses. He also celebrates one of the daily Masses. The school has 600 kids at pre-K through 8 levels and if he doesn’t have a funeral he visits the school in the morning, or in the afternoon if he does. He also has meeting with pastoral staff. He meets with couples preparing for marriage, goes to wakes, and so on. There are also the unexpected events, like someone coming to the door who wants to talk for an hour. He also tries to find time to exercise in the later afternoon and then get some prayer time in. Scot asked him how he has grown in his ministry with so many funerals. He said it is a moment of faith and evangelization, when people are thinking about the important themes of life and death. Fr. Chris talked about some of the challenges of funerals. He said it’s an essential moment to grieve and encounter the Lord, but also to commend that person to the Lord. He recalled a daily Mass communicant who opted not to have a funeral Mass so they wouldn’t have to go to church. Fr. Mark said we have to go back to the basics and explain why they are there, why do they use a pall, why is the paschal candle there. Scot noted that Fr. Mark is still the youngest priest in the Archdiocese at 27 years old. Fr. Mark said when he first got to St. Agatha’s a woman came up to him and said she didn’t realize they were ordaining 18-year-olds. He said it’s usually a positive and people are enthusiastic to see a younger priest. Fr. Chris asked what shocked him most about the priesthood. Fr. Mark said it’s the fact that it’s all-encompassing and time management is a challenge. Ordinary parts of time management are very important. He works hard at getting back to people who leave a message promptly. He’s also been surprised at how much fun it is, like school events or going to Canobie Lake Park with the altar servers. 3rd segment: Scot asked Fr. Murphy about the life that the school brings to the parish. Fr. Mark said he went to public school his whole life and it’s his first parochial school experience. Part of him regrets he didn’t get that chance. The teachers obviously love being there and teaching in that school. The kids are great and appreciate that he wants to learn their names. He often asks the classes what they’re learning in their religion classes and he finds that they are definitely learning their faith. On the question of the hardest question he’s received from a student, he said they had a teaching Mass, a simulated Mass, and at the end one of the kids asked why the priest smells the altar at the procession. They also want to know him as a person and often ask personal questions. Fr. Mark said there were four sixth graders last year who wanted to have lunch with him before the end of the school year. They had lunch in the principal’s office and it turned out that they had religious questions about God, their faith, their church. They wanted to know about the end of the world and what we believe about evil and the devil. They also had questions about his own call to the priesthood. It is a gift that the kids feel comfortable enough to sit down with him and ask him questions. Fr. Mark is also involved in many other sacramental obligations. He did twelve weddings last year. He’s also a chaplain in the National Guard which takes him away one weekend a month and 15 days per year. He said both the pastor and the Guard are flexible with his obligations. His ministry has helped him connect with veterans or with families who have someone deployed overseas. Fr. Chris asked how Fr. Casey has helped Fr. Mark in his first assignment. Fr. Mark said Fr. Casey has given him a great model in servant leadership. He’s a fantastic listener and Fr. Mark has had to grow in his listening skills. He also notices that Fr. Casey is prayerful and prayer is central in everything they do. Fr. Casey has been in the parish for 14 years and knows all the parishioners and has their respect. They see Christ in him in a powerful way. They see a strong faith in him. Fr. Mark said he didn’t know a lot about Milton when first arrived, but he found many people didn’t know his hometown in Burlington. They discussed how north and south of Boston are like two different worlds. Fr. Mark said they are technically a Milton and Quincy parish. He said the people have been very welcoming, inviting him into their homes and getting to know them. Fr. Chris asked what sets St. Agatha’s apart from other parishes he’s known. Fr. Mark said the high Mass attendance is remarkable as is the large parish school where 50% of the attendance is from inside the parish. Those are the strengths of the parish. He also noted the parish bereavement team that reaches out to families in those 150 funerals per year. Scot talked about the transition from the seminary and how he stays connected to his classmates from the seminary. Fr. Mark said once he was ordained he got a letter from the cardinal about an ongoing formation for priests ordained zero to 5 years. They come together once per month as a group for prayer, a speaker, or dinner with the cardinal. He said one of the benefits is to see the other newly ordained men. He said he and his classmates get together occasionally too and on their one-year anniversary they got together for dinner. Fr. Mark said the most beautiful part of being a priest was how much parishioners love their priests. As a seminarian you get used to people saying how happy you are to be studying for the priesthood, but as a priest you see how much larger that it is. HE thinks it’s because they know the priest and how he loves them and brings God’s grace to them. They love that the priest is the instrument of God’s grace to them and he embodies Christ and His Church for them. He said being a priest supersedes race and age. On the numbers of men coming to daily Mass at St. Agatha’s, Fr. Mark said there is a men’s collaborative group in Milton that meets monthly and many of those men come to daily Masses.

Summary of today’s show: On Wednesday, October 3, Cardinal Sean O’Malley hosted a virtual town hall meeting on physician-assisted suicide that was simulcast on CatholicTV and WQOM. As a Columbus Day special, we’re re-broadcasting the town hall for our listeners in our regular time slot. In addition to Cardinal Seán, the other panelists were M.C. Sullivan of the Committee to Stop Physician-Assisted Suicide; Dr. John Howland, a family physician; Dr. Janet Benestad, Secretary for Faith Formation and Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Boston; and Fr. Tad Pacholczyk of the National Catholic Bioethics Center. John Monahan was the moderator and several members of the studio audience submitted questions in addition to those received via Facebook, Twitter, and email. Listen to the show: Subscribe for free in iTunes Watch the show: