The Good Catholic Life

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor Today’s guest(s): Bishop Arthur Kennedy, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston and Rector of St. John Seminary Links from today’s show: Bishop Kennedy’s Profile at BostonCatholic.org St. John Seminary Today’s topics: Bishop Profile: Bishop Arthur Kennedy Summary of today’s show: Bishop Arthur Kennedy, rector of St. John Seminary, just celebrated 45 years in the priesthood. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor discuss with Bishop Kennedy his recent ad limina visit with Pope Benedict in Rome; his childhood in West Roxbury; his formation and ordination in Rome in 1966; and the many years he spent in academia, teaching the Catholic faith to university students. They also talk about bishop Kennedy’s favorite author, Flannery O’Connor, and his assessment of the young people he’s confirmed throughout the Archdiocese since his ordination as bishop last year. 1st segment: Scot asked Fr. Chris how he celebrates Christmas now that the seminary is not in session. Fr. Chris said he will be helping out at St. John in Winthrop and Sacred Heart in East Boston, which are close together but unique. St. John is a typical suburban parish and Sacred Heart is a melting pot of the city with several ethnic groups living there. He will celebrate the 4pm and 6pm Christmas Eve Masses. On Christmas, he will spend it with his family at his sister’s home in Stoughton. Scot said his family will travel to New Bedford where his brother Roger is pastor of St. Anthony Parish. They will attend 4pm Mass and then have a dinner after in the rectory. On Christmas Day they go to the 9am at St. Agnes in Arlington, where his daughter sings in the children’s choir. They will gather with both sides of his family afterward. Fr. Chris said it’s easier on pastors when Christmas is on a Sunday because they don’t have to double up on Masses. He said he hopes people who come back for Christmas for the first time since the new translation came into effect will find it edifying. Also, this Wednesday, all the church and chapels of the Archdiocese will have confessions available from 6pm to 8:30pm as part of The Light Is On For You. You can find a church at PilotParishFinder.com. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Bishop Kennedy to the show. Scot said he was ordained to the priesthood on December 17, 1966 and is celebrating 45 years in the priesthood. Bishop Kennedy thanked Scot and said it’s a good time to be rector because it shows the young men the life of the priesthood can be remarkably rewarding and filled with the mystery of God. What God does in us is what we really celebrate in this 45th anniversary. On September 14, 2010, Bishop Kennedy and Bishop Peter Uglietto were ordained bishops for Boston. They recently met with all the bishops of New England with Pope Benedict for his first ad limina visit. It’s a pilgrimage to the tombs of the apostles, first of all, so they celebrated Mass at the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul as well as Bl. John Paul II. They also met with the Holy Father for about 40 minutes and they each spoke to him about some aspect of the work of the new Evangelization. Bishop Kennedy talked about the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization that they have undertaken at St. John Seminary. The Holy Father emphasized how all evangelization begins with catechesis. They then met with various Vatican offices, including the new council for the New Evangelization, where they were very excited about TINE for their work. He also met with the Congregation for Education ad Seminaries. They talked about the New Evangelization too, especially how they train and form lay people and how that relationship affects how they form and train seminarians. They also talked about getting permission to have a pontifical degree at St. John’ Seminary. Scot asked what is a pontifical degree. Bishop Kennedy said it is based on a system worked out by the Vatican on what is required for coursework. It includes a special ordering of coursework and provides the opportunity for a seminarian being able to go for further study to have a leg up than he otherwise might. Scot said it seems like the holy Father is particularly interested in talking about the New Evangelization in these meetings with bishops. Bishop Kennedy noted the Holy Father is dedicated to seeing this become a major dimension of his papacy because this was his focus for many years in his own academic work. New Evangelization re-opens the light that is so dangerously closed off by many of the dark elements in modern culture. Scot asked how the Pope seems to be doing as a man in his mid-80s. Bishop Kennedy said he looked quite frail when he saw him in September. He’d been told by his doctors to lose weight and he’d obviously done so. He looked tired; this was after World Youth Day in Spain and just before his trip to Germany. He was more invigorated when they saw him November, but still quite frail. Fr. Chris asked what else he sees as his legacy in his papacy. Bishop Kennedy said the way he’s been able to bring into the life of the Church that its development is always organic. It doesn’t bounce around by rejecting things of the past, but integrates new things in to the structure of the life of the Church. The way he was able to bring in an understanding of the Second Vatican Council as a continuation of the Church’s life. Scot said he’s often viewed Pope Benedict’s heart is tied to the renewal of the Liturgy because how we pray informs our faith. Bishop Kennedy said he guided the development of the new translation into English. 3rd segment: Scot said Bishop Kennedy grew up here in Boston and asked him how he first heard the call to the priesthood. Bishop Kennedy said he grew up in West Roxbury and Holy Name was his home parish. Msgr. Charles Finn was the pastor and four more priests lived there. He said the laypeople were very involved in the parish. The laity were the ones who made all the details of life go: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, bands, choirs, athletic teams, etc. There was a culture and form within that culture he had a sense of vocation. The unity between the priests and laity was extraordinary. He saw how holy laypeople could be and dedicated to prayer and prayed not just for themselves but for others. They had many vocations from that parish when he was growing up. The Archdiocese had a program—which he’s reinstating—called the St. Botolph Guild. St. Botolph’s name is the origin of the name Boston: St. Botolph’s Town. He’s the patron saint of the city of Boston. The guild were boys and young men interested in the priesthood who went once a month to the seminary for a holy hour, reflection, and meeting the seminarians. They learned the seminarians were just like themselves. His family was very close to the Church as well. He went to Boston Latin School for high school where he studied Latin, Greek, French and German as well as other subjects so he had a very good engagement entry into a broad world of interests. Scot asked him about not attending a Catholic high school. Bishop Kennedy said there was no Catholic high school near them at the time. He studied for seminary at St. John Seminary and then at the Pontifical North American College, and was ordained in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. At the time, they had one telephone call per year back home on Christmas Day, so all communications were by letter. Thus the planning for the ordination was complicated as 34 people came with his family. The ordination took place at the Altar of the Chair, which is the altar behind the main high altar in the center of the basilica. He celebrated his first Mass at the Basilica of St. Clements, which had been under the care of Cardinal O’Connell. Holy Name parish’s apse had been copied from the basilica so the artwork and design was quite familiar to him. He served in several parishes and then went for further studies after which he has spent the bulk of his time in academic work. He worked at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He said it was a very Catholic place, but even those who were not Catholic were still very devout. He spent eight years helping at one parish and 22 years in another parish in downtown St. Paul. The academic world was something he’d begun to enjoy even when he was in high school. He was interested in theology and how it helps us understand all of the dimensions of the mystery of Christ. So he taught theology to undergraduate students. Many of them came from small farm towns and were the first in their families to go to college. There was a greater sense of nature from students who grew up on farms. He said when you’re sitting on a tractor all day, there’s a lot of time for contemplation of the universe and one’s place in it. He started courses that linked theology to other social sciences, like literature and philosopher and more. They created a Catholic studies program, which has become very successful. It links the Catholic life of prayer, service to the Church, and a life of charity. It’s amazing how many vocations have come from students in that program. It was the first program of its type in the country and became the model for many others. Fr. Chris said Bishop Kennedy is known for his love of Flannery O’Connor, the souther Catholic writer. He said she had an amazing vision from the time she was about 18. She saw the great difficulty between faith and culture. In her world the Christians were principally not Catholic. She had a great sense that the grace of God works by allowing all of those who are informed by the Gospel to be able to recognize their place and their dignity and be drawn closer and closer to understanding the darkness of the world and their need for redemption. Her stories are always about redemption, how people resist redemption or find it only after great suffering. She is completely unsentimental. She recognizes that grace is a very difficult reality because it faces difficult things. Sometimes you show the reality of grace by showing what life is like when it is absent. She had a sense of the darkness that was coming, even back in the 50s when every thought things were fine. She saw the decline of education. She had a great spiritual sense of self. At 19, she wrote in a spiritual journal: “Go must be in everything I write.” As far as he can see, she fulfilled that command right until her early death at the age of 39 from Lupus. He would recommend people who want to start reading her books to start with the collection of her short stories called “A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories”. Scot said Bishop Kennedy earlier said the Catholic studies program he started tried to link Catholicism with other disciplines and there were a number of vocations that came from it. Does he think that those two are related? Bishop Kennedy thinks it opens one’s imagination to possibilities that might be closed off by the culture. It’s a terrific entire sense of the human community and the mystical Body of the Church. It’s exactly the way the Church was engaged in education for centuries. It’s only in the last decades that we’ve divided up these areas of education. The integrity allows young people to see how faith takes nothing away, but gives them a whole new way of being human. Scot asked how he implements it at St. John’s. Bishop Kennedy said they’ve established a summer reading program, including for example, books on economics so they can relate to people’s concerns; history books like those of the Catholic historian Christopher Dawson. Bishop Kennedy said Dawson made him realize that when faith is lived by Catholic people in society, they transform everything else. They change economics and education, for example. Dawson said we hadn’t linked our knowledge of theology with our knowledge of history. For example, the great churches are prayers in stone. It’s part of what they do at St. John’s. They do it through human formation and spiritual formation. 4th segment: Scot noted that Bishop Kennedy in June 2010, Cardinal Sean invited then-Fr. Kennedy and then-Fr. Uglietto to a meeting and told them that the Holy Father wanted to make them bishops. What was it like? Bishop Kennedy said at the time Cardinal Sean was heading to the US bishops meeting in Washington, DC, and they’d been talking about talking to bishops there about the seminary. So he got a phone call asking him to come meet the cardinal The Cardinal said there’s good news and Bishop Kennedy asked, “Oh, do you have some bishops who are going to send some men to St. John’s Seminary.” The cardinal said, “Oh no, the holy Father has named you an auxiliary bishop of Boston.” He replied, “What?” So Bishop Kennedy wasn’t able to tell anyone for a long time and then had to write a letter—you have to make a formal response to the Holy Father’s request—which he did after much prayer and fasting. The ordination Mass saw many bishops come from around the country on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. After the ordination, you walk down through the Church and give your blessing to all the people and he saw the enthusiasm of the people in the full cathedral. They don’t know him, but the enthusiasm is that the Church continues to have those offices and places and people who will continue to carry on the mission of the Church. the enthusiasm is about the Church and that was the most wonderful part for him. Fr. Chris said Bishop Kennedy travels around the diocese and performs many confirmations. What has he learned about the youth of the archdiocese? Bishop Kennedy has them write to him before he goes to the confirmations. He asks them to tell him the name they’ve chosen for confirmation; the sponsor and why they chose that person—many of the young people say the sponsor is a model of Christian fidelity; and what do they understand by the Mass. From those questions that he gives his reflections from the homily. He quotes from the letters and talks to the family members about what their children are saying. He then talks about how the young people have to become models themselves. He’s been impressed by the catechetical preparation in many parishes. In some parishes, it’s been so good that the young people ask to be able to continue to meet as a class with the pastor and catechists. It’s important because it can seem that confirmation is a graduation from Church, but it’s really the exact opposite case. So he talks to them about Pope Benedict’s talk to the students in England and Wales. He said it’s unusual for anyone to talk to all of the children in England, Scotland, and Wales, never mind the Pope. He told them that he was there for the beatification of Bl. Newman. He told them that they all have to consider becoming saints so they need to think about what a saint is how they would become one. Confirmation is one of the steps to becoming a saint. Scot said when he hears bishops talk about confirmation, there is a lot of variety. Cardinal Sean likes to talk about marriage, not knowing for how many of them this will be their last homily before they approach their pastor to get married in the church. He tries to help prepare them for their next sacrament. Scot said he loves Bishop Kennedy makes them reflect before coming forward for the sacrament. Scot said he’s always been fascinated that bishops get to pick on quote from Scripture and make it their episcopal motto. He’s often thought if he tried to boil down his life to one phrase, what would it be? Bishop Kennedy picked, “Ut cognoscant te”, which translates as “That they may know you.” Cardinal Cushing had the same motto. It’s from John 17:3. Bishop Kennedy picked it because it’s first in the Book of Wisdom in the Old Testament. It is the way he’s spent his life as a pastor and a teacher, helping people to know Christ. It also gives an historical link back to Boston. Scot said Cardinal Cushing built so many churches and schools, that this motto is in about a third of the buildings in the Archdiocese on his coat of arms. Scot asked if there’s anything in his first 15 months as a bishop that has surprised him. Bishop Kennedy said he’s been amazed by how many letters he’s received from former students who recall something he’s taught them or his presence at some event and the gratitude that comes back to him. It reminds him of the way in which when you live your life according to charity and sacrifice, that God’s work is taking place in others and you have no idea. It’s the hiddenness of God’s redemption. Fr. Chris said on behalf of St. John Seminary how blessed they are to have Bishop Kennedy lead them and impressed by his kindness and generosity and intellect. Bishop Kennedy said for a long time he’s tried to link faith to culture and he’s trying to help the seminarians do that by giving them a greater sense of the faith they’ll see in the young people they’ll be serving in the parishes. People are waiting for these men to come be faithful spiritual fathers in the future. Scot noted that St. John Seminary is now full like it wasn’t before he came. He thanked Bishop Kennedy for the work that benefits all of us.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry Today’s guest(s): Bishop Robert F. Hennessey, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston for the Central Region and Fr. David Barnes, Pastor of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Parish in Beverly, MA Links from today’s show: Fr. David Barnes’ blog The Light Is On For You PilotParishFinder.com St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Parish Today’s topics: Confession and Preparing for Christmas Summary of today’s show: Bishop Robert F. Henneseey and Fr. David Barnes discuss with Scot Landry the importance of Confession as a spiritual preparation for Christmas and on this Wednesday, the Archdiocese’s The Light Is On For You program makes every church and chapel available for Confessions that evening. Many of the myths and misconceptions of Confession are debunked and the wonderful spiritual benefits are revealed. Also, other ways to use this last week of Advent to make the best preparation for Christmas and the Incarnation of Christ. 1st segment: Scot said we hear a lot in Advent to prepare the way of the Lord. One good way to do that is to make a good holy confession between now and christmas. This Wednesday, every church and chapel in the Archdiocese will be open from 6:30pm to 8pm as part of The Light Is On For You. The recalled the anniversary of Bishop Hennessey’s ordination to the episcopate on last Monday, December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He’s been a bishop for five years. Scot said he meets many people as a bishop, but only sees them once. Bishop Hennessey said as a bishop you don’t have the same relationship with people as you did when you were a pastor. He loves going out to the parishes and doing confirmations, but he does miss life in a parish. Fr. David was the youngest pastor in the Archdiocese when he became pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea and he was parochial vicar before that and has been there 12 years. Bishop Hennessy said when he was pastor at Most Holy Redeemer in East Boston, he did more than 400 baptism a year and he still has people come up to him and say he baptized them. He said East Boston has been a gateway for newly arriving immigrants. Fr. David said he does about 75 in his own very large parish. Scot said Cardinal Seán launched The Light Is On For You during Lent 2010. It is occurring just one Wednesday this Advent on Wednesday, December 21. Bishop Hennessey said a lot of priests said during Advent that they would spend a lot of time preparing people for the new missal and wouldn’t have as much time preaching on confession, plus one of the Wednesday’s would be the vigil of the Immaculate Conception. Scot encouraged listeners to go to TheLightIsOnForYou.org for resources on preparing for confession. He asked how Fr. David was encouraging people to come to confession. He said he preaches about confession quite a bit and blogs on it and writes in the parish bulletin. The kids at the parish school have also gone to confession and hopefully they’re encouraging their parents. He said the more you talk about it and offer it, the more people will come to it. He notices that most of the people who come to confession to him now are under 40. The more you offer it and the more people know you’re waiting, the more they will come. He said for a long time people thought you didn’t need to come anymore. Bishop Hennessey said he remembers in the second grade, Sr. Marie Patrick asking them why Jesus came as a little baby. She said he did so because nobody is afraid of a baby. During Advent, people who say they are afraid to go to confession, that God won’t forgive them, it’s important to remember that God doesn’t want us to fear him. Scot said we often picture God as a strong judgmental father, but Scot likes to remember the father of the prodigal son who races out to embrace his son and has a celebration to welcome the son home. It’s the priest’s role to be that loving father. Fr. David said in the parables Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 who don’t need to repentant. Bishop hennessey said when we stand before God, it’s natural to be afraid, like Mary before Gabriel and the shepherds before the choir of angels, but Jesus came into the world to save us, not condemn us. Scot said sometimes people forget the prayers and feel like they don’t know how to go to confession, but all priests are willing to help someone through the process. Fr. David said that it’s music to their ears because that’s the person who needs to go the most. Scot said some people might be embarrassed by their sins and voicing their sins is intimidating. Bishop Hennessey said the success of The Light Is On For You is that people can go anywhere and not be recognized. Scot said he also likes the anonymity of the confessional box. He likes that he doesn’t have to look someone in the eye so he can pray with his eyes closed. Fr. David said it’s nice for people to see others also going to confession at the same time of all sorts and walks of life. Bishop Hennessey said a priest doesn’t want to yell at someone and drive them away. Regarding sins that people think are too big, Bishop Hennessey said it is impossible for us to commit a sin God can’t forgive. For people who think they will confess something that will shock the priest, Fr. David said anyone who’s been a priest more than a week can’t be shocked. The confessional is not a place of punishment; it’s a place to receive the peace and love of Christ. Bishop Hennessey said when someone says it’s been a long time, the priest thinks that’s music to his ears. It’s a great thing to experience. Bishop Hennessey said when they started the program a couple of priests were reluctant to do it, but after Lent they called him and said it was worth it because they had heard confessions of people who had been away for a long time. Scot said having heard many thousands of confessions in his life for Bishop Hennessy to be a witness to the grace must be one of the joys of the priesthood. Fr. David said it’s a privilege. He said the best thing is a long line of confessions. It’s exhausting, but this is what being a priest is all about. Bishop Hennessey said when he gives a penance and they say “Is that all?”, he explains no penance can pay back the debt of the sin, we can’t make up for our sins. But it is an act that says we are willing to try to make some reparation and to start off on the right path. 2nd segment: Scot said Fr. David wrote about the Sacrament of Confession on his blog last Wednesday and one passage struck him: If you are particularly embarrassed about some sin or another, just say it. Usually, sins of the flesh are the ones that are most embarrassing. What is so amazing is how these sins appear to exercise such power over a person and then, the moment a person confesses them, they realize that the power of these sins evaporates. Sexual sins embarrass people into not confessing. But confessing these sins deprives the sins of all of their imaginary power. To this end, let me say that the priest hearing confessions has heard the words, “adultery, fornication, homosexual activity, pornography, and masturbation” before. Unless you happen to be the first person ever to go to confession to that priest, you are not going to tell him anything he hasn’t already heard many times. What struck Scot about this is the power that some sins have over because we feel shame and guilt and we’re not willing to ask forgiveness, even if it’s a sin that keeps rearing its ugly head with us. Fr. David said he thinks it’s St. John Vianney who said first the Devil comes and whispers in one ear that this sin isn’t the biggest deal in the world so don’t worry, then whispers in the other ear, now yo’ve done and God will never forgive you. Scot said Fr. Larry Richards often says to men that they should just say “I’ve been impure with…” and every priest will know what you mean. But the grace you will feel and forgiveness will be multiples of grace over the embarrassment. Bishop Hennessey said a lot of healing comes when you can just voice the sins. That’s when people feel that great sense of relief. Scot quoted Fr. David’s blog: “Remember, priests go to confession too. We know what it is like to be on the other side of the screen.” Fr. David said the priest is the first to need God’s mercy and to be a good minister of mercy he must go to confession too. He says people are often surprised to hear that priests need to go to confession. Bishop Hennessey suggests people go to confession at least once per month. He recalls a retired priest kneeling down next to a young priest going to confession and it was a beautiful image. Scot said his friend Andreas Widmer tells the story of a priest who had fallen on hard times in Rome and became homeless. A priest going into an audience with Pope John Paul II noticed the homeless priest on the streets outside the Vatican and so he told the Holy Father about it. After the audience the Holy Father sought out the homeless priest and had him brought to dinner and at the end of dinner, the Holy Father knelt before the homeless priest and asked him to hear his confession. Bishop Hennessey said a former cardinal of New York would mention going to confession the previous week in almost every homily. When priests remind the people in the pew that priests go to confession, it’s good for them. Fr. David said the present archbishop of New York says he slips into a pew at a random church in New York for confession. Scot said every time he goes to confession at St. Anthony Shrine in downtown Boston, he sees a priest waiting already. Scot tends to go at 6:30am at St. Anthony’s. It’s moving to him that Archbishop Dolan might show up at any church in New York to ask a priest to hear his confession. Bishop Hennessey said there used to be a chapel just for priests to go to confession. Fr. David also wrote: “After you’ve confessed all of your sins, let the priest know that you are done. A lot of people say something like, “For these and for all of my sins, I am truly sorry.” This helps the priest to know that you have finished confessing.” Scot said he never realized how important this is. Fr. David said often people are holding the hardest sin until the end and he doesn’t want to cut them off. Scot said he likes to get the big one out of the way first. Fr. David said people who have been involved with an abortion carry that burden with them for decades. Sometimes they go on living a Catholic on appearances only because they’re so ashamed and bothered by the sin. He wants them to know that they should never be afraid. He said you almost always know immediately when someone is coming to confess that sin. Bishop Hennessey said the father of the prodigal son was waiting for his son and Jesus is waiting for people to give them that forgiveness. Scot emphasized that to find a parish in the Archdiocese, go to PilotParishFinder.com. 3rd segment: Scot said Bishop Hennessey said he came to the show today in order to tell his Christmas story. He was told a story of girl going home to tell her grandmother that she was in the Christmas pageant. She said she was going to be the star, she would have the most important role. So the grandma told her friends to come see her granddaughter be Mary. But during the pageant, the granddaughter was nowhere to be seen until the star came in wordlessly to lead the shepherds to the manger and then came back to bring in the magi. It turns out she was literally the star of the pageant. The little girl told her grandmother that it was the most important role because she brought everyone to the baby Jesus. Scot said this week is the easiest week to invite people to come back to the Church. Be one of the people that rejoices at the the full pews and that you can’t get your regular pew because so many people are there. Bishop Hennessey said he was just a meeting that told him that in the Central Region Mass attendance is going up. Scot about other ways to prepare for Christmas in the last few days of Advent. Bishop Hennessey said it aggravates him to see new stories of people shopping on Christmas Eve as if they didn’t know Christmas was coming. If we’re not ready when we know the day and time, how will we be ready when we don’t know the day and time, either of our own death or the second coming of Christ. He said we tend to wait until the last minute. We can make last preparations this week, but to take a real look at ourselves and not kid ourselves. We need to make ourselves ready. Fr. David said they just set up the rather large nativity set in his parish and you inevitably hear the question of where is Jesus. He said he reflects that without Christ the manger is empty. Now matter how much stuff we have in our life, no matter how many relationships, if Christ isn’t there, it is a great emptiness. Bishop Hennessey said in all that preparation, on Christmas God wants to give us a gift, His Son. He pictures the Blessed Mother herself saying, “I have him right here in my arms for you.” He’s seen so much charity over the past few weeks, but with all the gifts we want to give to others, and God wants to give us his son. Fr. David said we are born with a great desire for happiness. God tells us his son is the answer to that desire, but everything is competing for that. Stores spend months telling us if we buy these as gifts, we’ll be happy, but the lie is exposed when on the day after Christmas the sales start because we’re still not happy. Scot asked people to create a list this week of things that will help us to grow closer to Christ this Christmas. He advised people to reflect on the Gospels of the nativity narratives this week before Mass. Christmas isn’t just about gifts and isn’t just about family or even about the birth of a baby. That baby is God himself. Bishop Hennessey said on the top of that list is to go to Confession this Wednesday at any parish or chapel. Scot asked Fr. David if they always do confessions at the school before Christmas. He said they do it before Christmas and Easter. He said it’s so important because he wants the kids to remember the rest of their lives that they can go to confession when they commit sin. They will also remember that the priests didn’t yell at them, but offered only forgiveness. Bishop Hennessey will be at St. Peter’s in South Boston at the vigil on Christmas. He will be at the cloistered convent at Midnight Mass. Fr. David said he will have Masses at St. Mary’s and St. Margaret’s in Beverly Farms.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell Today’s guest(s): Fr Bryan Parrish, Assistant Vicar for Administration and Special Assistant to the Vicar General. Today’s topics: Priest Profile: Fr. Bryan Parrish Summary of today’s show: In another of our occasional series of profiles of priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, Fr. Bryan Parrish relates the story of his vocation, including how the words of Pope John Paul II on Boston Common ignited the spark of his vocational call, then showcases the series of parish assignments that encompass the broad diversity of the Archdiocese. Listeners will also learn the correct way to pronounce “Quincy” and leanr about Fr. Bryan’s family connection to a beloved South Shore institution. 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Mark caught up on the the week in the Pastoral Center, including the employee Advent party, where reserved parking spots are given out to lucky employees by lottery. They also had the Presbyteral Council yesterday. They are about 50 priests who give advice to Cardinal Seán on important matters. Yesterday they discussed pastoral planning, how the archdiocese will respond to an assisted suicide referendum next November, and the progress of the improved financial relationship model. Fr. Mark noted that there are representatives from each of the 20 vicariates that make up the Archdiocese and those priests are encouraged to go back and report to their fellow priests in their vicariate. Fr. Mark is also closing out the seminary year for his canon law classes. 2nd segment: Fr. Bryan Parrish grew up in Canton, Mass., and he heard the call to the priesthood at the end of high school. It was not a gradual call and came out of the blue, in a sense. He attended Xaverian High School in Westwood from 1976 to 1980. His parents were daily communicants and their faith was very much a part of his life. Going to Xaverian was a deepening of his faith and getting to know a couple of the priests who were chaplains, including then-Father Richard Malone, who is now Bishop Malone of Portland, Maine. Pope John Paul II came to Boston during Fr. Bryan’s senior year and when he spoke on Boston Common, Fr. Bryan had not been looking at the priesthood. He’d been thinking of studying engineering. But he preached his homily to young people, including the phrase “Follow Christ”. This beautiful line in his homily challenged young people: “Whatever you make of your lives, let it reflect the love of Christ.” The phrase stayed with him through his senior year. It was also a difficult time for his family, because his sister had been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma and for the first time in his life had to pray for someone. At the end of March, his senior year, it all just came together and he felt the Lord was calling him to the seminary to explore the priesthood in a more concrete and direct way. His parents were a little unsettled at first, because he hadn’t talked about it. He feels blessed that he didn’t go through any serious questioning of whether he should stay in the seminary. Fr. Mark said he knew Fr. Bryan’s brother, Mark, because they played hockey together. Fr. Mark said he also was a patron of Fr. Bryan’s family business, Crescent Ridge Dairy in Sharon, well known in the area for its ice cream. Fr. Bryan said his whole family was very supportive all along the way. 3rd segment: Fr. Bryan’s first parish was St. Mary’s in Quincy. Fr. Bryan corrected Scot’s pronunciation of Quincy (said with a Z sound, not S sound). Fr. Bryan said the pastor had only been there five days when Fr. Bryan arrived at 25 years old. Fr. Mark and Fr. Bryan both worked in a parish in Quincy together when Fr. Mark was a deacon and Fr. Bryan was a seminarian. From Quincy, Fr. Bryan went to St. Paul, Wellesley. He was there for six years. It was a very different community, very affluent in the MetroWest. The pastor was Msgr. Joe Lind. It was an experience of growing in ways he hadn’t previously. He was able to experience the colleges nearby, but specifically Babson which had a relationship with the surrounding parish priests to offer an 8pm Sunday Mass with the college students. He had a great experience meeting students from all over. His parishioners were very interesting too, many of them from outside Massachusetts or other countries. During the three years previous to the new millennium, families in the parishes would welcome in others to their home where one of the priests would celebrate Mass for those gathered. Fr. Bryan also served St. Mary in Plymouth, which Father Bryan said was America’s Hometown. It was a blessed 7 years. When he came to St. Mary’s as pastor, it needed a lift after having gone through some difficult times. There were challenges in terms of ethic communities: Portuguese and Italian, and being an older community. There were families and young people in the parish, but not involved. He met people with a great love of the church. He had to adapt to the culture and learn that just because someone was yelling at you didn’t mean they were mad at you, and may even like you. He was there from 2000-2007. The Brazilian community brought lots of life and over time, the parish came alive. Those initial years were very difficult for all parishes, including 9/11, the abuse crisis, and the reconfiguration in the Archdiocese, which all brought the parish closer together. Every Monday night at St. Mary’s, the Brazilian community celebrates Mass with a Brazilian priest in the Archdiocese. They certainly know how to pray and sing and have a good time. In Plymouth, Fr. Bryan was a Vicar Forane, who organized the priests of the vicariate, a regional grouping of parishes. They came together on a regular basis to collaborate and discuss issues. He noted that he was a young vicar forane compared to the other pastors, so having a certain influence with regard to assisting the regional bishop was awkward at first. That area of the diocese has a good number of great senior and retired priests who either live in their own homes or assist at local parishes and he invited them to the gatherings of the vicariate. They also got together for socializing and priestly fraternity. He then moved to Holy Family in Duxbury, succeeding Msgr. Glynn who was there for 24 years. They built a new church in 1988 and it was founded in 1946. Fr. Bryan was only there for just three years. He had known Holy Family because it was in his vicariate and knew Msgr. Glynn, who is close to 90 years old but is still active. Scot said for priests who serve in a one-parish town, which Duxbury is, everyone comes together as one community instead of there being any kind of intra-town rivalries like in the bigger communities. Fr. Bryan said Holy Family connected more directly with the community of Duxbury than other places. There were some tragedies of young deaths during his time there and the community and parish came together beautifully at the time. Fr. Bryan said he also welcomed a newly ordained priest to holy Family, Fr. Sean Maher, which was a new experience for Fr. Bryan. He was proud of the parish which was very welcoming. That parish experienced a priest ordained in 1947 and a priest just ordained in 2008 at the same time. Just a few years into his assignment, Fr. Bryan was called by the then-vicar general, Fr. Rich Erikson, to come help him in the Pastoral Center. Scot asked him what it was like to leave the pastoral parish ministry to enter a more administrative job. Fr. Bryan said it is an adjustment. The rhythm of parish life which he’d lived for 20 years was an adjustment. He feels like he’s into the flow now. He’s experienced that he has brought his pastoral parish experiences into his new role. The experiences he had in parish life have very much formed and shaped his decisions and ministry in administration. Fr. Bryan’s sister had recommended that he read Pope Benedict’s homily at Pope John Paul’s funeral and he spoke at one point with regard to pastoral ministry and how John Paul brought his parish experiences into his future ministry as Pope. He’s grateful to bring his parish experiences into his present life. Fr. Bryan said he assists on the weekends at St. Gerard’s in Canton, which was not his home parish in Canton. Fr. Mark said this is a different kind of priestly work, but it’s still parish work. At the end of the day, it’s still ministry and their hearts are still those of parish priests. Scot said Fr. Erikson always said the word administration has “ministry” in it and it can be holy work. Fr. Bryan said in a sense now the Archdiocese is his parish. 4th 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 4th Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2011 (Luke 1:26-38) The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Scot said there’s so much richness in the world, including that God sending angels into the world. Fr. Bryan noted God’s faithfulness in light of his promises in the Old Testament. The First Reading is the promise to King David that his house will live forever. Also, Mary is the model disciple for us to follow in our lives as she was faithful to what God asked of us. Scot said he loves the line: “For you have found favor with God.” That’s God’s message to all of us by the gift of our life and our baptism. Fr. Mark said Mary is a bit questioned by the angel. He said Zechariah is visited by the angel and is struck mute when he questions him, but that’s because he should have known better because it had happened before. What happened to Mary was unique in all of history. “For nothing is impossible for God”. Fr. Bryan said Advent is a season of hope and these are beautiful words of hope that encourage and support us. Fr. Mark said hopefully all of us will in some way say to God, “Let it be done according to your word.” Scot said the message of turning everything we have over to God like Mary reminds us to be open to God leading us.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today’s guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese 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: Tim Tebow; Pope going to Cuba, Mexico; Death of Cardinal Foley; Miracles for Sheen, Cope Summary of today’s show: Why do the secularists hate Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow so much? Because his public Christian faith confronts the deeply held knowledge of the existence of God they try to deny, conclude Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy, as the consider this question and other news of the week, including Pope Benedict’s announcement of visits to Cuba and Mexico next year; the death of Cardinal John Foley, the “voice of Christmas”; and discussion of miracles attributed to the intercession of Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Blessed Marianne Cope, which could advance their causes of canonization. 1st segment: Scot and Susan discussed how we are in the homestretch to Christmas with the momentum building toward the feast. Susan said there was a workshop at St. Michael, Bedford, on religious education for children with disabilities. They plan to do more workshops on the subject in the spring. They work with the parents to bring the kids into the mainstream of religious education. Scot and Susan previewed our first story today on Denver Bronco’s quarterback Tim Tebow and his public practice of his Christian faith, including the controversy over it. 2nd segment: Scot it’s fascinating to turn on the secular sports and talk shows and hear that everyone wants to talk about Tim Tebow. Tebow has led the Broncos to a 7-1 record since he took over the team and many of his wins have been “miraculous”. Some people have been turned off by his wearing his faith on his sleeve. Fr. Michael Harrington gave a homily this week in which he asked whether as Christians we’re all supposed to wear our faith on our sleeves. Scot said Tebow doesn’t throw the God or Jesus around cheaply. Fr. Roger wrote an editorial this week in The Anchor on why secularists despise Tim Tebow. Fr. Roger said secularists are those who live as if God doesn’t exist and they don’t want to be confronted with the reality of faith in their own interactions. This is why there is an effort to eliminate Christmas from mention in favor of Holidays, for example. Tim Tebow isn’t like some athletes who clearly isn’t living a relationship with Jesus, but thanks God at the end of a win. Tebow spends his time off volunteering in hospitals and going on the missions. Tim Tebow is clearly a sign of contradiction, which is why he’s considered a controversial figure. People trying to reject Tebow are rejecting him not as a football player, but as a Christian. Tebow thanks Jesus for vitories and defeats, for his teammates, for his career, and so on. “Fathers Landry, Pavone on ‘Tebow phenomenon”, Matt C. Abbott, Renew America Scot said NFL Films miked Tim Tebow for last week’s game and last night they aired some of the excerpts. During the game, on the sideline, Tebow is humming Christian hymns under his breath. And when one of his receivers dropped a critical pass, he goes to the receiver and encourages him and tells him he will succeed for the rest of the game. And he did. Scot asked Susan why people despise him for his Christianity. Susan said it sounds like he is a product of a faith-filled home. Maybe people dislike him because he holds a mirror up to us and makes us feel bad about how we’re living our lives. There have been other athletes, including Mohammed Ali who gave praise to Allah, who were public in their expressions of faith. Scot noted that Tim Tebow’s mom had been told to abort Tim in the womb because he wouldn’t be healthy. She refused based on her faith, and now he’s known for how tough he plays the position of quarterback. Prior to entering the NFL, he and his mom made a Super Bowl commercial with the pro-life message. Greg said it strikes him that a generation or two ago, this wouldn’t be all that unusual to see a public figure living his faith. He said it confronts people in their lives and decisions. Modern secularists are going against the small spark inside all of us that knows that God exists and Tebow’s example reminds them of that. Greg noted how his wife will be out with their ten children at the supermarket who will start talking to her out of the blue, either to criticize her for family size or making an apology for how many children they had. They have been confronted by that reality. Scot said Tebow isn’t imposing his Christianity on anybody. It’s not contrived. It’s just who he is. He just exudes his faith. It makes us consider how much we wear our faith publicly. The militant secularists are trying to impose on us to take our faith out of public view and then trying to say that guys like Tim Tebow are trying to impose their faith on the rest of us. Scot asked Fr. Roger why the war on Christmas is bigger now in 2011 than ever before. Fr. Roger said there’s now some fight back from the religious. The Obama administration and its lack of appreciation for religious freedom is waking a sleeping bear. We’re tired of it and we’re not going to take it any more. Fr. Roger said when he was in kindergarten, some kids often picked on the smart kids. We’re seeing a similar immaturity in our society, which defines virtues as sins. Many secularists see Christianity as harmful and if Tim Tebow becomes popular it can do damage to that perception. He asked why people are so fascinated by Tebow’s “miraculous” fourth-quarter comebacks. People want to know if God is helping Tim Tebow because he’s a good Christian; If so, what does it mean for me if I’m not a good Christian. People are rooting for him to fail because if he continues to succeed, it lifts up a mirror on their own conscience. Scot said obviously God is not rooting for the Denver Broncos. He can intervene in anything if it fulfills his divine plan, but it’s not because someone prays for their team to win. Fr. Roger said God responds to prayer like parents respond to kids. Kids may ask for something silly and the parents may say okay if it’s not essential and there’s no reason not to. God could allow Tim Tebow to win, but remember that Christ died on Good Friday. That would have seemed like defeat in human eyes, but it fulfilled God’s plan. It might be God’s plan to let Tim Tebow show through humility and defeat the greater Christian virtue. That said, his faith clearly has an impact on his work on the football field. He never gives up on the field and believes that all things are possible, that you can steal victory from the jaws of defeat. And his character supports and encourages his teammates. Nobody criticizes Derek Jeter for his philandering, but they do criticize Tebow for his virginity. 3rd segment: Scot said Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed he’ll be traveling to Cuba and Mexico at the end of 2012. Greg’s wife comes from Cuba. Scot said he’s sure the Holy Father wants his trip lead to greater freedom like Pope John Paul’s visit a decade ago did. Greg said many Americans don’t know much about Cuba, despite it being 90 miles from the US coast. The poverty of the people is amazing and they have undergone a lot of suffering. In addition, with an official push for atheism, many young Cubans don’t have and have a great yearning for God. The Holy Father will be visiting the national shrine of Our Lady of El Cobre, which is a national symbol of unity for Cubans. The Church has also played a huge role in helping people meet their basic needs, especially through Catholic Charities. The Pope will be there at the end of March. In Mexico, the Holy Father will go to Leon, northwest of Mexico City, but not Mexico City itself. “Pope confirms Cuba, Mexico visits on Guadalupe feast”, Catholic News Agency, 12/12/11 Fr. Roger said some speculation is that Vatican officials were afraid of the health impact of the high altitudes in Mexico City on the Holy Father. However, he thinks the Holy Father is trying to go to a place that isn’t typically associated with the practice of the faith to show the message of the Incarnation in this hemisphere. In the heart of a modern city, a secular metropolis, Christ comes to save. It puts into image the message of Pope Benedict. He will be there on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25. Scot said another story in the Anchor is about the Blackstone Valley Catholic Youth Choir with 19 eight-to-fifteen year olds, who sing traditional hymns mainly at St. Brendan’s in Bellingham, but also at other parishes. Fr. Roger said there is a new movement to help kids recognize that they are heirs to the incredible beauty of traditional Latin chant, which is part of the Church’s liturgy going back for 1,600 years. Fr. Roger said at a parish in Sugarland, TX, he visited, they had a kindergartener choir singing Gregorian chant and it was amazing how much they enjoyed it and how well they sang it. One child said she loved it because they weren’t just singing it together, but with hundreds of saints who have sung it before them and it made her feel more Catholic. Fr. Roger encouraged parents to read the story and see if they can help their own kids open up to this incredible spiritual treasury. The director of the choir is Michael Olbash. Susan said he is well-respected in this area and nationally as a music director. susan said this is evidence of the product of good catechesis. “Cardinal Foley dies; was Vatican communications chief, Mideast advocate”, Catholic News Service, 12/11/11 Scot asked Fr. Roger’s reaction to Cardinal John Foley’s death, who served for many years in the Vatican as the “voice of Christmas” and the head of the Council for Social Communications. Fr. Roger said he was an incredible Christian and a theologian. Fr. Roger remembered when he was in Rome for his first Christmas at seminary that Cardinal Foley took the time to learn their names and then mention them by name during the broadcast of the Mass. He remembered going out to lunch with the Cardinal by happenstance on Fr. Roger’s birthday and then never forgot that date and would call him every year on his birthday. That’s the kind of Christian gentleman Cardinal Foley was. Greg said he met the cardinal at the Catholic Press Association a few years ago, where he met with many of the members of the press. He was a great communicator. He had a unique skill set. He was once editor of a diocesan newspaper and addressed the association as a peer, acknowledging the challenges of being a communicator within the Church, sometimes delivering tough news with love. Scot said it’s a significant loss for the Church when a cardinal dies. In the US we have 17 cardinals, about half of them retired. Susan said the National Association of Catechetical Media Professionals has also marked the passing of Cardinal Foley. She said NBC NEws, the night he died, Brian Williams said NBC has lost a good friend and that Midnight Mass would never be the same. She said Cardinal Foley was visionary for communications in the Church. 4th segment: Scot said the cause for the canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen had a major milestone when testimony and evidence in the investigation of a miracle has been sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The miracle involved a woman who had a devotion to Sheen and when her baby was born without a heartbeat, she prayed to Sheen, and 61 minutes later his heart was beating. The investigators look for any medical explanation and if not, that would advance Sheen closer to canonization. “Evidence of alleged miracle credited to Archbishop Sheen heads to Rome”, Catholic News Service, 12/13/11 Greg said many people nationally are looking for his canonization. If we’re looking for evidence that God is alive and working in people’s lives, these miracles are clear evidence for it. This child with no heartbeat for an hour had no brain damage and is perfectly healthy and normal. Susan said the miracles point to nothing but the Lord. It’s not because the mother was particularly holy and thus deserved a prayer more than others. It’s because God wanted this particular miracle to happen. “Board approves miracle needed for Blessed Marianne Cope’s canonization”, Catholic News Service, 12/9/11 Blessed Marianne Cope’s miracle has been approved. She worked with St. Damien of Molokai in Hawaii. Greg said he was recently in Honolulu for a couple of days, where he learned much more about the work on Molokai with the lepers. This work was a sign of seeing Christ in the other. No one would go near them, but she did this for 30 years out of the love of Christ. The last milestone for canonization is approval by Pope Benedict XVI and setting a date. Scot said in this week’s Pilot there is an article by Msgr. Deeley, the vicar general, on the blessing of priests for all of us.There is also another article by Joe D’Arrigo, executive director of the clergy funds, which reflect on how we can remember the senior priests who served us well during the Christmas collection.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today’s guest(s): Stephen and Kari Colella and Mary Finnigan from Archdiocese of Boston Marriage Ministries and the Transformed in Love marriage preparation program Links from today’s show: Office of Marriage Ministries Natural Family Planning Program Marriage: Unique for A Reason For Your Marriage/Por Tu Matrimono Today’s topics: Transformed in Love marriage preparation program Summary of today’s show: Statistics tells us that there is a marriage crisis in our society. Cardinal Sean and the Marriage Ministry Office of the Archdicoese of Boston have responded with a new marriage preparation program called “Transformed in Love” that provides both the practical human skills and the spiritual foundation and formation that every couple needs to have a successful marriage today. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams are joined on our 200th show by Stephen and Kari Colella and Mary Finnigan to talk about what makes Transformed in Love different and how couples who’ve experienced it are giving glowing testimonials. 1st segment: Scot said it’s our 200th show on The Good Catholic Life and Fr. Matt said it’s great to be on Wednesdays because it’s always a milestone show. Fr. Matt said he’s been getting ready this week for the March for Life pilgrimage in January as well as the New Year’s Eve Young Adult Mass and gathering in the North End with Cardinal Seán. Information on both are available at http://www.one4boston.org. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Steve, Kari, and Mary to the show. He asked Kari to give background on Transformed in Love. She said they started developing it in 2006 and have been running marriage preparation programs with it in 2009. Mary said there are some new topics and areas in this program, by reconnecting people with their faith including reconciliation, a teaching Mass, and a discussion of salvation history. Kari said they spent a lot of time doing research and working with people to find the needs for people preparing for marriage today, as well as deacons and priests helping prepare people. A key element that came up was the role that faith plays in individual lives and as a couple to strengthen marriages, as well as the practical skills they can provide. There was a lot more substantive explanation of marriage, plus they maintained the traditional witness talks from married couples. Mary said the response has been positive. There have been comments like “I’ve never heard this before” or “I went through Catholic school and never heard this before” or “This is more relevant than I thought it would be.” They are connecting and reenergizing interest in the faith. Fr. Matt said several years ago, the cardinal called together a committee to study marriage and was chaired by Kari. They were asked to study how they could strengthen marriage in the archdiocese. One recommendation was educating people about marriage prior to engagement, often as children, and giving the tools for marriage; helping engaged couples prepare for marriage (this is where the committee wanted to focus resources); and helping couples in their relationship after marriage. They are looking how to adapt the marriage preparation program for young people before engagement and married couples after marriage. They are seeking to standardize the program through the archdiocese so that everyone knows what to expect and everyone gets the same high level of preparation. Scot said Catholics divorce about the same rate as non-Catholics. Kari said it is sobering to see those statistics. Research says communications are important to head off divorce. We also have to have the vision and commitment to understand where we’re going as well as spiritual practices to help us grow in virtue and love. People are thirsty for the vision and to love well. Scot asked Steve how those human skills get worked into the program. Steve said when he was first married to Kari, he thought Kari was the luckiest girl in the world, but in the past 15 years he’s realized he’s the luckiest guy in the world. He said even those with the strongest backgrounds need these skills. He said this program has helped their own marriage grow. When you link the natural and supernatural, you start lining up those virtues and see and feel the growth in your spouse and yourself that becomes unstoppable when sharing that love with others. Scot said the Catholic Church tries to form the whole person whether it’s seminary or other formation. Formation for marriage is not just spiritual formation, but also the human formation of skills and how we merge all of our family background, our emotions, our history, our abilities and weaknesses. Kari said they talk about the importance of forgiveness, to be attentive to God’s presence, serving others in our family and community. They talk about the different types of love: attraction, friendship, romantic love, and selfless love, choosing to be loving even when we might not feel it. Choosing to be loving. Being mature in love. Scot noted that agape is God’s self-sacrificing, very active love. We are called to be self-giving, where the world tells us that it’s all about “me”. It can bring us together when a couple sees one spouse give up so much out of love with one another. Steve said Transformed in Love has been well-designed to build one topic upon another. John Paul II said our greatest strengths can be in our differences, not just our similarities. When you realize that communication styles can be different but compatible, that can lead to joy in life, not conflict. It can be difficult, but joyful and hopeful as a real witness of marriage. Fr. Matt said most couples coming into see the priest when engaged are just checking off a box of what they need to do. Kari said this program welcomes everyone, both Catholic and someone marrying a Catholic, but the program starts with self-knowledge and the human skills, then moves to expectations and communications in general. Communication includes effective talking skills, effective listening, and effective checking. The key skill is listening. In a conversation, we’re often thinking of what we want to say next rather than focus on what the person is saying. They focus on empathy: What is this like for them in their experience, not for me in my experience. Using everything I know about my spouse, what is it like for her. The checking is determining whether I am hearing correctly, not necessarily agreeing with what they’re saying. Steve said the checking phase gives a pause in the conversation. Mary said checking is not just parroting back; it’s trying to get at the feeling that’s being expressed. Identifying the underlying issue. Steve says intimacy grows when you have to say something back to your spouse and you realize the effect of your words and actions. Fr. Matt said it’s a virtue that needs to be built. He said people can start judging other people; throwing unfair comments, and hitting below the belt. Kari said this skills don’t come naturally. They have to be practiced and the couple grows in them together, to be transformed in love. 3rd segment: It’s time to announce this week’s winner of the WQOM Benefactor Raffle. Our prizes this week are “We Celebrate Christmas: the Birth of Jesus” children’s music CD by the Celebrate Jesus Singers; Gospel Champions PC game for Windows XP; and a World Mission children’s rosary. This week’s benefactor card raffle winner is Edward and Robin Kuczynski from North Billerica, MA. Congratulation, Edward and Robin! 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. 4th segment: Scot said 25 years ago in the Archdiocese, there were 12,000 marriages recorded in all the parishes. Fast-forward to today and there were only 3,700 were married in Catholic churches last year. That number propelled Cardinal Sean’s desire to look at marriage preparation. Kari said back in 2007, CARA did a study of the post-millennial generation. They had the highest rate of any generation to say marriage is whatever the couple say it is, but they also say marriage is a lifelong commitment and that divorce is too easy. Kari said this is a contradiction and one of the things they try to do in the program is education on marriage by talking about it as a natural institution—which pre-dates even the Catholic Church, and as a Christian institution. What added layer of meaning is there when two Christians marry? We want to articulate the value of marrying in the church. They look at the canons on marriage and then they do a diagram overview of the Faith to explain what a sacrament is and why we have them. When they started with marriage as a sacrament, they found the couples didn’t have the foundation to build on. Steve said one of the comments they get over and over is that diagram works, whether they are active Catholic, inactive Catholics, or even Protestant, because it gives a common language to talk about marriage. Scot said another part of the program looks at the promises made in marriage and then spiritual practices in marriage, being part of a faith community and more. He said Fr. Matt has talked about the teaching Mass before. Fr. Matt said it ties in perfectly to where they place it in the flow of topics. In it they tour the church and the various parts of it, then the structure of the Mass and the various prayers and parts. The priest explains what the prayers mean as he celebrates the Mass. The next section is called Marital Sexuality: A Divine Design. Mary said the placement of this topic was just as intentional because they’ve laid all the groundwork. They come from Holy Communion to talk about the marital act as an experience of holy communion between the spouses. What is the divine design of the act? Scot said society has cheapened it to make it about self-pleasure, when it should be about self-giving. Mary said they look at the practical aspects of what roles the spouse plays in the fertility of the couple. It isn’t just the men who are surprised about fertility, but the women too. They then look at the science of natural family planning and what it means in the marriage relationship. They also hear a couple discuss the challenges, the benefits, and the difference it makes, especially compared to artificial contraception. Mary said studies show the benefit of natural family planning, even in a lower divorce rate. They also discuss infertility and how the Church responds to the condition. They also discuss adoption. At the end of the section, they challenge them if they haven’t been living chastely to do so until the wedding and if they are living together to live apart. Fr. Matt said natural family planning is not the rhythm method. Mary said NFP identifies fertility signs in the woman’s cycle, including fertility monitors that identify hormones in urine. They are also developing iPhone and Android apps to help with charting that will be coming out in 2012. Kari said they survey the couples coming in and leaving the program. Coming in 37% say they know what NFP is and what the Church’s teaching. When they leave, 70% say they will consider using NFP, while 81% say they understand the Church’s teaching. Kari said they provide them with resources to follow up on this on their own and with their priest or deacon. Scot said the other topics include family life, maintaining priorities, finances, and marriage enrichment programs. In 2012, they have three programs scheduled. See their webpage. They are also publishing the curriculum and there is interest in other dioceses to use it. They are providing training to help implement. For married couples looking to enrich their marriage, they might want to become part of a Transformed in Love team. Their website also has links to other programs on enrichment.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor Today’s guest(s): Marianne Luthin, Director of the Archdiocese of Boston Pro-Life Office Links from today’s show: Archdiocese of Boston Pro-Life Office Project Rachel Boston “A Nationwide Call for Healing After Abortion”, Tom Grenchik, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, US Conference of Catholic Bishops “Cardinals throw clout behind strengthened post-abortion healing program”, Catholic News Service, 11/15/11 Today’s topics: Project Rachel Boston Summary of today’s show: Marianne Luthin talks with Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O’Connor about Project Rachel, an outreach ministry of hope and healing to men and women hurting from past abortions. Project Rachel Boston was one of two diocesan programs highlighted at the recent US bishops’ conference meeting as examples of the need to spread this ministry nationwide, helping women who often say, “God can forgive me, but I can’t forgive myself.” 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Chris back to the show. It’s the end of the semester at St. John Seminary. They had their big December 8 celebration on the Feast of Immaculate Conception. Bishop John D’Arcy,retired bishop of South Bend and and former faculty at St. John’s gave a reflection to the men on his priesthood. He said they should be aware of the beauty and dignity of the priesthood and live that with vigor and a desire for holiness. Fr. Chris said Bishop D’Arcy is on fire for the Lord and has a great gift with a real shepherd’s heart. Fr. Chris said the seminarians are now finishing up work and getting ready to head home to be with their families. Fr. Chris said he is looking forward to this weekend for the Patriots-Broncos games which pits Tom Brady against Tim Tebow, who is very well-known as a devout Christian who talks about his faith. Scot said are criticizing Tebow for being willing to talk about his faith and being willing to live it,. 2nd segment: Scot said it must have an honor for Marianne to go down to Washington last month to do a press conference on behalf of the bishops about Project Rachel. She said three cardinals did a joint presentation to all the US bishops on Project Rachel, including Cardinal Seán, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Houston, and Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, DC. The Project Rachel programs in Boston and Washington were being profiled and the hope is those programs can provide assistance and training to other dioceses who want to start one. Marianne said the program is named after the Old Testament matriarch Rachel. In the book of Jeremiah, Rachel weeps for her children who are no more. The Lord comes to her and says to her to cease her cries of mourning because there is hope and healing. Marianne said an important part of the Scripture is that no matter how many tears Rachel shed or how many years, she couldn’t heal herself. On the healing that came from God made it possible. Marianne said Project Rachel began in Boston in 1985, one of the first in the US. They started it with a full-year of prayer, every day a parish praying for it. The project cares for women who’ve had an abortion and all those who might have participated in the abortion. It provides retreats for women and men seeking wholeness and healing. Every woman’s story is unique and so they begin wherever they can in that healing process. Many women come in after many years after seeing a brochure. Other women are younger and the wound is fresh. The women range in age from teen all the way to elderly. Marianne said it is all completely confidential. No one knows where the retreats will be and they don’t even publish the list of priests who are involved. Scot said the Mass of Remembrance for miscarried children that we profiled a month ago showed that many parents don’t talk about the pain of miscarriage for years after. Marianne said a vast majority of women don’t talk about the abortion after. Where would you talk about it? Very seldom is there an opportunity to talk about personal experience because it is taboo. Much of what we know about post-abortion healing we learned from helping people deal with miscarriage and the very profound grief. Even up until recently, the medical community didn’t talk about miscarriage, never mind abortion. Fr. Chris said many women have a difficult time forgiving themselves. The late Cardinal John O’Connor said we fall into a trap when we fail to recognize that the Cross is infinitely more powerful than any sin we’ve committed and that there is a loving God ready to forgive us. Marianne said women sometimes say, “God can forgive me, but I can’t forgive myself.” 3rd segment: In October, the Pilot published five first-person accounts of women who’ve been on Project Rachel retreats. Project Rachel: Voices of Hope and Healing, from the Pilot Marianne said Project Rachel provides a confidential support group that meets monthly with a Scripture theme or healing theme. Last summer, the women talked about letting other women know there’s a safe place to come for hope and healing. Several wanted to write their testimonies but doing it anonymously. The Pilot agreed to the idea. “My Personal Journey of Healing”, The Pilot, 9/30/11 My personal journey of healing began after six long years of the most deafeningly silent pain. Six years of the heaviest regret. Just as profound as my deep need to turn back the clock was my triumphant return to who I once was, thanks solely to Project Rachel. I remember during those dark years, I would wake up each morning, and for a few brief seconds, all was well. Then I would remember what I had done. The grief was all-consuming. But, like so many other women, I kept it locked inside. I had accepted my fate. I was unforgivable. The enormity of what I had done actually made my steps heavier. Even my shoulders hung lower. I cried alone almost daily. For brief periods I could take my mind off of it. Sometimes I would even forget long enough to try and enjoy a comedy at the movies, but then mid-laughter I’d remember and my laughing would stop because, well, I didn’t deserve to laugh. Growing up in a Catholic family that attended Mass every Sunday, I never expected that I, of all people, would be in this situation. I convinced myself that I had committed an unforgivable act. I felt utterly alone. I desperately needed to connect with other women who were suffering as I was, and I longed to be the woman I used to be. And then one fateful Sunday morning during Mass, my husband handed me a church bulletin, pointing out the words on the back: “Project Rachel — a program for post-abortion healing through the archdiocese.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. It took me several months to muster up the nerve to call. I had done a fine job of beating myself up for years and I certainly didn’t need the person on the other end of the phone to make me feel any worse. But, when I finally called, it was not like that at all. The voice on the other end was warm and full of hope for me. My journey of healing began on that day that I made that phone call. Thanks to Project Rachel, I am me again. The retreat allowed me the opportunity to experience God’s love and forgiveness — something I had decided I was not worthy of. Little did I know that God was there, all along, offering me his love. Project Rachel literally lit the path for me. From the moment I arrived at the retreat house, the warmth of God’s love engulfed me. Furthermore, I was able to connect with other women who knew the despair that I knew, and we were able to experience the joy of receiving the gifts of hope and healing together. I actually feel lighter. The power of forgiveness is life altering. I am happy again, and the people whom I love sense that. I will always regret my decision, and I will continue to carry my quiet secret with me. It has become a part of who I am, but it no longer defines who I am. Fr. Chris said it captures many of the points talked about here: the sense of hopelessness that she is unforgivable; the idea of the Evil One convincing us our sins are indeed unforgivable, yet we know in the fiber of our beings that this is why Christ came in to the world, to forgive our sins, to reconcile us to one another. Scot said it was amazing that it takes several months to work up the courage to make the phone call after deciding to find out more about this ministry. Marianne said women will call when they are ready to accept God’s healing. Many women will say they couldn’t make the call until some time after picking up the brochure. But at some point the grace breaks through. she said the Number One referral source for Project Rachel is the parish bulletin. Women don’t want to pick up a brochure because people will notice, but the parish bulletin is more anonymous. Marianne said the first phone call a woman makes to Project Rachel is a conversation, not counseling. They know why the woman is calling so they don’t have to have that awkward part of the conversation. Having the retreat going on gives an excuse to call. Fr. Chris said his advice to anyone experiencing a need for confessing abortion is to go in and ask Father to help them to make their confession. Don’t hold back because you don’t know how to start confessing it. Scot asked about Project Rachel’s format. Marianne said it’s held in a place that’s not too big and without other groups there at the same time. It’s primarily a one-day Saturday retreat because so many women can’t get away for a whole weekend. The purpose of the retreat is to provide an an opportunity for the women to have a healing encounter with God. There is sacramental reconciliation, adoration, private prayer and reflections. It concludes with a Mass. Attendance is limited to 10 participants. If you go higher than that, they’re concerned women may not have the time to get all they can out of the day. The next Come to the Healing Waters retreat is January 21. They can find out more by calling the helpline 508-651-310 or send email to [email protected]. 4th segment: Marianne said the Living Well post-retreat support group assists women with ongoing help and a place to talk with people they can trust after going on the Come to the Waters of Healing retreat. They found after the retreats that many of the women wanted to grow in the spiritual life and many of the women didn’t have anyone in their circles to help them grow spiritually. It helps them to live out their Catholic faith. This is why parishes are such an important part of the continuing work of Project Rachel. Scot asked for advice for someone who knows someone hurting from abortion and wants to help. Marianne said to trust your instincts and rely on the Holy Spirit. They can call the Project Rachel line for help and advice. Marianne said she has a list of parish bulletin editors who are particularly committed to Project Rachel. If pastors know it’s important, they will pass the word on. Some volunteers also make calls from their office to parishes. Scot suggested a man can bring it up to the parish secretary or pastor. Marianne said one of the most effective arguments is the numbers: nearly one in 3 women in the United States will have an abortion in her lifetime and it’s the same proportion for self-identified Catholic women as for non-Catholic. Marianne added that there is an incredibly dedicated network of priests across the Archdiocese providing assistance to women and men who are suffering after abortion.

Subscribe for free in iTunes Today’s host(s): Scot Landry Today’s guest(s): Kevin Wells and Jen Schiller Links from today’s show: WQOM 1st Anniversary Conference Kevin's Burst blog Burst: A Story of God's Grace when Life Falls Apart Today’s topics: Kevin Wells discusses his book Burst. Summary of today’s show: Scot, Jen Schiller, and Kevin Wells discuss Kevin's moving book Burst: A Story of God's Grace when Life Falls Apart, in which Kevin details how his faith helped him through various medical and family traumas. 1st segment: Scot opened the show by wishing all the listeners a happy feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe today, and thanked WQOM for a great conference this past Saturday at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Scot welcomed Jen to the show. Jen said she got Kevin's book from friends several months ago. She explained that she knew Kevin from Loyola University, and was very excited to read Burst. Jen said the themes of hope and enduring suffering with faith was inspiring to her, and that his message and witness could be a great example for everyone. Scot commented that Kevin's story is very much what a "Good Catholic Life" is about - not every day is bliss, but we persevere with help from God. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Kevin Wells to the show, and asked him to detail what happened on January 2nd, 2009. Kevin explained that it was a typical night when he was 41, but as soon as he put his head down to go to sleep, it felt like someone had put a tomahawk into the back of his head. A line of arteries and veins had burst in his brain, and his brain was bleeding. By the grace of God he didn't die instantly, as many people with similar bursts do. Kevin said he remembers the EMTs picking him up gently and walking him to the ambulance - the thought that he might not recover crossed his mind then. After undergoing emergency surgery, he spent a long time in the intensive care unit in the hospital. Kevin continued and said that he was mostly lucid after the surgery, as the main impairment was balance and motor function. He remembers vividly a horrid set of hallucinations of demons taunting him and even of his daughter drowning in the ceiling. Kevin said he had just gotten back from a Jesuit retreat, and had been a regular attendee. He said the Ignatian contemplation helped him battle through the time in the hospital bed. He said the method he followed was to take a scripture passage and continually visualize and meditate on being present in the passage. Kevin explained that the passage he focused on most was being in the upper room and picturing Jesus wash the feet of his Apostles. The tenderness and care with which Jesus did this, even when he was about to die, was comforting to Kevin. Another mental picture of Jesus' hand on his head helped Kevin offer up the pain and suffering he was going through. Jen said she was struck by the part of the book where he described these exercises, and what a remarkable gift it is that Kevin has good memory and can put this faith into words to share with everyone else. Jen commented that reading through the book it is obvious a miracle happened in his life. Kevin agreed, saying there's no formula for everyone to deal with pain - we must simply place ourselves in Christ's hands in hopeful surrender and know he will tend to our needs. Kevin said when we unite our pain with Jesus, God's graces flow strongly. Jen mentioned that Kevin wrote in the book that sometimes he struggled to feel God's presence, but that he also wrote in retrospect that "...I'd would be back to my old self in a year or so, yet that really wasn't the point, it would have been a shame if it was." Kevin commented that he thinks it's false theology to say we shouldn't suffer - Easter wouldn't have happened without the Cross a few days prior. We need to embrace the Catholic view of suffering, Kevin said - pain is part of life, and all we can do is call on God in a childlike way and ask Him to hold on to us. Scot commented that sometimes when we get so busy, we miss God getting our attention - sometimes an encounter that sets us back or a door that gets slammed in our face can be God's way of telling us to slow down and listen to Him. Those moments of suffering can help us redirect ourselves through God's grace, Scot said, and we know that through the testimony of the saints and modern-day situations like Kevin's. Kevin agreed - God doesn't send us suffering for His amusement or to torture us, but rather to serve monumental purpose in our lives. 3rd segment: Scot said he was struck throughout the book by Kevin's relationship with his uncle, Monsignor Tom Wells (known throughout the book simply as "Tommy"). Kevin explained that Tommy was a massive presence in the area, had more friends than anyone else he know, and that the Cardinal would shift from parish to parish because he know Tommy could fix any problem. Kevin said Tommy was a happy ambassador of spreading the Catholic faith. Then tragedy struck - a man walked into Tommy's rectory on an evening in 2000, and stabbed him to death. Defense attorneys tried to defame Tommy by saying that the murderer had an inappropriate relationship with Monsignor Wells. Kevin said that they all knew that they had to put the anguish and shock into God's hands. Jen mentioned a portion of the book said that the family decided to gather as a group and pray the rosary at the courthouse. Kevin said that they invited the murderer's family, and said a rosary with his mother at one point - they refused to turn angry. The murderer was sentenced to 42 years at the end of the trial. Scot asked Kevin to describe a powerful story from the book where Tommy helped Kevin and his wife through their problems with infertility. Originally, Kevin's wife wanted to use IVF, in opposition to Catholic teaching. They went to meet with Tommy, who told them that they had to embrace the cross of infertility, unite the pain to Jesus' suffering, and they would find peace. Kevin said their lives were changed - his wife understood that she needed to give it up to God and Kevin understood his wife's pain. The meeting was only two days before his murder - his last weekly column in his parish bulletin, published just after the murder, was on the cross of infertility. It was a final gift to Kevin and his wife from Tommy, and showed them that God would be their strength throughout the adoption process. 4th segment: Scot mentioned that one thing in the book that moved him was the description of the sacrificial love of the birth mothers of their three adopted children. Kevin agreed, and said it was a pain but a beautiful pain that results in a new life. Each time they went to adopt, Kevin would see the birth mothers hand their child to his wife - the tears are uncontrollable on both sides. Kevin said he knows for a fact that each of the birth mothers, after the heroic act of offering their child up for adoption, there is a peace that God gives them. Scot wrapped up the show by asking Kevin how he is doing - Kevin said he has a relatively clean bill of health and, while he does have some occasional balance problems, God has been good to him. He has been back to work and writing for 2 years now, and things are back to normal. Scot asked Kevin to share what he tells people when they contact him about their own suffering - Kevin said he recommends prayer, reflection, and more prayer. A lot of people have seen that graces can be revealed in darkness, he continued, and that graces are hidden where we least expect them sometimes.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O’Connell Today’s guest(s): Fr. Mitch Pacwa and Brian Patrick, speakers at the 2011 WQOM 1st Anniversary Conference Links from today’s show: WQOM WQOM 1st Anniversary Conference Ignatius Productions, an apostolate of Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ Son Rise Morning Show Today’s topics: Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Brian Patrick, WQOM Conference, Sunday readings Summary of today’s show: Scot and Fr. Mark welcome two of the speakers at this weekend’s WQOM 1st Anniversary Conference in Lowell, Fr. Mitch Pacwa of EWTN and Brian Patrick of the Son Rise Morning Show on WQOM. They discuss the value and importance of Catholic conferences, especially during Advent, to enliven the faith and prepare for Christmas as well as to grow in fellowship with other Catholics. 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Mark talked about their week, including Friday’s Mass of blessing for the new community of women with Sister Olga at the Cathedral. There about 800 people coming. Fr. Mark said Sr. Olga is a very well-known and memorable person who has touched the lives of many people. Scot said on Saturday, more than 1,000 people will join WQOM in celebrating the first anniversary of Catholic radio in Boston at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Scot said he loves conferences. He was very involved in the Catholic Men’s and Women’s Conferences in the past and will be the emcee tomorrow. Tickets will be available at the door. It runs from 9am-5pm and will end with a Mass with Cardinal Seán for Gaudete Sunday. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Mark welcomed Brian Patrick to the show. Scot said WQOM listeners wake up each day to learn about the Catholic faith listening to the Son Rise Morning Show, which originates out of Cincinnati. Scot asked Brian why it’s good for Catholics to come to a conference in Advent or Lent. Brian said on Saturday he will talk about Advent as a time for a new beginning. The season of Advent is the beginning of the Church year. Especially with the new Mass translation, it’s a new beginning even more this year. Fr. Mark asked how a conference can touch a person individually. Brian said he starts by preparing his own soul for the coming of Christ and then sharing with others his passion for Christ. Brian said he was away from his faith for many years, but he came back to Christ on his knees and realized that the Lord loved him through all those years and gave him a new beginning. Now he gets to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with people all over the world every day. So he will share his own experience and those attending will share their stories with one another. When we can share what we’re going through, it prompts us along the journey. Scot said Brian said Advent is a great time to slow down, but the Christmas shopping frenzy can take us out of it. Scot said he likes an Advent retreat as a way t o step back and not get caught up in that to marvel at the Incarnation. This conference can help make Christmas more special. Brian said the culture wants us to buy in to the idea that we need to make sure the retailers have a good Christmas. But Christmas is focusing on Jesus who comes to us in the Nativity. He loves to give Christmas gifts, but he keeps them personal and simple and refuses to buy into the prevalent idea. Thank God for Catholic media that reminds us of the true reason for Advent and Christmas. Scot said the conference will be a chance to say thank you to The Good Catholic Life listeners. Brian said he loves meeting his listeners. Each morning he thinks of talking to one person because it’s a personal meeting. To see the faces and meet the personalities, he then begins to picture them personally. Brian said they are privileged to have a 24-hour adoration chapel in the building where Son Rise Morning Show is broadcast each day. Fr. Mark asked Brian if he could think of a time when a conference has truly borne fruit. Brian said with the Crossing the Goal team he has attended many men’s conferences and he has been moved by the fact that men and women are coming back to the reconciliation. He is moved to tears at men’s conference to see lines of men going to confession to dozens of priests giving up their days to give the sacrament. Eucharistic adoration is a big part of the conferences too and to see 1,000 men on their knees adoring Christ is moving. Brian said invitation is key. We are called as disciples to invite our brothers and sisters to come back to Church. And when we invite them, we have to be willing to hear yes or no. Inviting someone to a conference opens the door to inviting them back to the Church .He encouraged everyone to invite at least one other person to come. Brian said Dr. Ray Guarendi uses humor to get our attention for a powerful message. He and his wife have adopted 10 children, some special needs. He’s extremely funny and entertaining. There is a powerful message there. Fr. Mitch, too, is a brilliant teacher who speaks several language with a way of sharing the faith at a level that everyone can understand. EWTN first picked up the Son Rise Morning Show about 3 years ago. The show started 4 years ago and Sacred Heart Radio in Cincinnati started 10 years ago. He said getting on the Boston radio market last year was great and he’s very grateful. Brian said last time he was in Boston he had the best seafood meal ever at Anthony’s Pier 4. Fr. Mark asked Brian for his recommendation to the hosts of The Good Catholic Life to keep it fresh and always new. Brian said our faith is always fresh and new and there are so many wonderful people out there. He learns every day from the people he talks to on a regular basis, that he has on the show all the time. Always remember what’s old is new. We are a universal Church that includes the faithful of all time so he advises to tap into this immense treasure of faith and wisdom. Son Rise Morning Show is on the air every weekday from 6-8am on WQOM. 3rd segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Mitch Pacwa to the show. He hosts several EWTN TV shows and is a speaker at the WQOM conference in Lowell this weekend. Scot asked Fr. Mitch why it’s important to attend Catholic conferences in the seasons of Advent and Lent. Fr. Mitch said in recent years people have not been well-catechized and don’t know enough about their Catholic faith. These are opportunities to help people know more about what’s going on in their faith. In his experience, people know their Catholic faith when they hear, but don’t know how to put it into words. We live in a time when it’s important to be able to explain the faith. There is a significant amount of anti-Catholicism. We have a number of people who dislike God and the Catholic Church, in particular. We need to be able to put our faith into words to give them an answer. In 1 Peter, chapter 3, We should always be ready with a reason for our hope in Jesus Christ. Many in our culture do not have a lot of hope. The Catholic faith is there to give a reason for hope. Scot said, going to large Catholic conferences, one can feel it’s tough to live the faith in daily life and seeing hundreds or thousands of like-minded Catholics at these events can inspire us and transform us and energize us to transform society. Fr. Mitch said some who try to discourage us from having faith often assume we won’t be able to meet with each other, know each other, and find out the cool things that are happening in the faith. We need to help each other find out we’re not alone. Scot said Fr. Mitch has led pilgrimages to the Holy Land and trying to put ourselves in the mindset of Nazareth can help us deepen our faith. Fr. Mitch said he has taken 55 groups of pilgrims to the Holy Land and he has found that you realize that the facts of our salvation did not occur in some theme park, but in a concrete place where life goes on and there are people still living close to the land. He has had the experience of pilgrims saying to him that when they go home and hear the Gospel read, suddenly it all comes to life. That is a very positive experience. Scot said St. John Baptist was always asking us to be ready for the coming of Christ. Fr. Mitch’s talk on Saturday is titled “Prepare the Way for Christ.” Fr. Mitch said one of the things he’s doing now is getting ready for the Year of Faith next October as declared by Pope Benedict. He would like to talk about the important role of faith. Faith is not just a psychological state; it’s a commitment to the person of Christ. We are in need of hearing Jesus ask us to make the act of faith in him. The more you read the Gospel, the more he evokes a response of faith (or in some cases, a rejection of faith). Scot said one of his favorite Scriptures is “Who do you say that I am?” Who do we say Jesus is during this Advent in 2011? Fr. Mitch said what we respond with is a statement of faith. If we have faith in the fullness of what he revealed about himself then our act of faith means … In the Baltimore Catechism asks “Why did God make me?” The answer is the ultimate answer to life: “God made me to know, love, and serve him, in this life and to be happy with him in the next.” That is why we exist. So many people are running from one experience to the next where they’re trying to find relief from pain or fleeting moments of pleasure, where they don’t have an overview of the purpose of life. Our faith in God tells us he is there to give us that overview. He is why we exist. Scot asked Fr. Mitch what it’s like for him, where he has a very large audience, to come to a conference and meet people in person who watch his show or listen to his radio shows. Fr. Mitch said it’s great to get to meet the people and get their reactions. When he comes back from conferences, he’s often thinking of the individuals he’s met. He just came back from vacation in Texas and met some people who have an apostolate in a high-security prison and they told him how the prisoners listen to EWTN radio and 92 of the prisoners are presently in RCIA. It helps him to think and be sensitive to a group he doesn’t think about unless he goes out and meets folks, to talk to them about their experience. Fr. Mitch knows he now needs to do a shout out to them to let them know that we’re thinking about and praying for them. Scot said prison can be a fertile time for people to meet Christ again or for the first and begin a lifetime of ongoing conversion. Scot said this conference is also a celebration of one year of Catholic radio in Boston. He asked Fr. Mitch why Catholic radio is doing so much good. Fr. Mitch said radio is a great medium in the daytime when people are at work or driving. Once, when he was in Seattle, a person had seen a bumper sticker for Catholic radio while he was driving on his way to commit suicide. He tuned into the station, it changed his life and he became a Catholic. This is just one story. He’s heard others about women changing their minds about having abortions and others like that. For most people it helps their faith, but for some it saves their lives. It is an incredible privilege to be part of this medium. 4th segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. First Reading for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2011 (Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11) The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God. I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations. Second Reading for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2011 (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24) Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. The Gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2011 (John 1:6-8, 19-28) A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. Scot said this Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, which is driven by the second reading. Scot said Gaudete is Latin for “Rejoice”. Priests will wear rose-colored garments. Fr. Mark said he doesn’t know why they wear, but all he knows is we don’t call them pink. St. Paul tells us that God’s will is to rejoice, pray, and always give thanks. Fr. Mark said the first reading is split in two: In the first half, the anointed one speaks and in the second, Zion responds. Our response can’t help but be rejoicing. He said seminarians are often told, if you’re going to preach the redemption, look redeemed. Scot said we should respond with rejoicing in the Lord. In my God is the joy of my soul. Joy is the hope of knowing that God loves and protects us and gives us what we need. Advent prepares us this third Sunday by focusing on joy. In Advent we think about the first coming of Jesus as the nativity and the second coming at the end of time. In those times, we rest in the hope of God’s desire to pour out his love for us. Fr. Mark pointed out a third coming of Jesus, his coming in a new way at this Christmas. Scot said we’re not called as adults to be blind in our faith, but we should ask and delve deep and ask questions. Scot said in the Gospel people ask John the Baptist who he is and he responds by saying who he is not. Then he identifies himself by quoting Moses. We are John-like because we can point others to Christ and get out of the way.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today’s guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese 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: Immaculate Conception, pastoral plan, Holy Father’s address to US bishops, Rhode Island’s “holiday tree” Summary of today’s show: Scot Landry and Susan Abbott gathered with Fr. Roger Landry and Gregory Tracy on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception to discuss the news of the week, including the meaning of the feast day; a follow-up on the priests’ convocation Monday on pastoral planning in the archdiocese; the Holy Father’s ad limina address to US bishops on the need to preach with new freshness about our faith; the importance of good Catholic families to evangelization; a kerfuffle over a “holiday tree” in Rhode Island; and mourning two dear colleagues who have passed away. 1st segment: Scot welcomed Susan, Gregory, and Fr. Roger to the show. Today is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and a holy day of obligation. Fr. Roger preached on various depictions of the Blessed Mother in his parish, St. Anthony in New Bedford and what they teach about Our Lady. The Immaculate Conception has been celebrated in the parish for 100 years because the parish was dedicated in 1912. He said Bishop Dooher came from Boston to give an Advent reflection to priests in the Diocese of Fall River. The grace of God shines through Mary to radiate upon us and to defeat Satan as prophesied in the book of Genesis. Scot said the Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast of the United States and on Monday is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Scot said it’s often confused that we’re celebrating today the conception of Jesus, but we’re really celebrating the conception of Mary. In 9 months, on September 8, we will celebrate Mary’s birth. 2nd segment: Scot said the front-page headline in the Pilot discusses the Pastoral planning that has begun in the archdiocese. Greg said since we already discussed some of the details of the pastoral plan last week. On Monday, the cardinal brought it before the priests of the archdiocese to get their feedback. He said they chose to have the reporter not be in the room in order to respect the cardinal’s desire to have an open discussion with the priests. “Archdiocese proposes plan to share parish resources”, The Boston Pilot, 12/2/11 Greg said the priests were able to give their instant feedback en masse through electronic voting. The important message was that this is the beginning of a conversation and if any priest wants to make any more comments in private, they will be welcome. Scot noted that the trial question for the priests, in order to teach them how to use the electronic voting, asked them their favorite sports teams. Number one was Red Sox at 32% and number 2 was the Patriots at 30% and the third choice was none of the above at 17%. The rest of the voting will be made public in the future as data is compiled by the Office for Pastoral Planning. Susan said the prospect of the pastoral plan is exciting and scary. She’s been asking people to pray that whatever God wills for the archdiocese, we will cooperate with. She noted that the proposal for Pastoral Service Teams, includes lay ecclesial ministers which includes all kinds of roles within the parish. Fr. Roger said in the diocese of Fall River at the day of recollection for priests, they looked to Boston and were blown away by the scope of the proposal and the response to what is coming down the road, being proactive instead of reactive. It creates a new circumstance where the Church will not just maintain at a barebones level, but create structures to allow us to do it as well as we possibly can in the midst of a decade or two when we will have far fewer priests than we need. It’s incredibly bold and inspires them in Fall River. They believe it will become a model for dioceses across the country. Scot said the Pastoral Planning Commission has asked every Catholic in the Archdiocese to read the proposal documents and listen to three videos of addresses by Cardinal Seán, Msgr. Bill Fay, and Fr. Jack Ahern at 2012planning.org. 3rd segment: Scot said last week the Holy Father met with the US bishops from Region 2, which is mostly New York. The Pope will meet with 15 different groups of US bishops over the next year and he will give five addresses that apply to all the bishops of the US. Fr. Roger said the Holy Father indicated that he will preach about the New Evangelization, preaching with a new freshness about our faith. But first we need interior renewal before we can renew the world. This talk was about the interior renewal, starting with the clergy sex abuse scandal. This has brought us to recognize our profound need for conversion and our response to that may bring our entire society to conversion because this kid of abuse is not isolated to the Church. “Addressing US bishops, pope defends Church efforts on sex abuse”, The Boston Pilot, 12/2/11 Scot said the key message was that in the Church we need to walk what we preach. Susan said on retreat last weekend she studied the program for the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization. If we’re evangelizing ourselves, then outward evangelization will be a natural flow. Fr. Roger said believers are best by troubling questions and cynicism every day that comes from a society that seems to have lost its roots. This leads to a quiet attrition and people just drift away from the faith. We need to start to put the connection back together between faith and life. Marriage needs to be reconnected to God. We can’t pretend God is absent from the way we legislate. All Catholic institutions need to help make this connection, from universities down to nurseries. He implies that teaching of the full Gospel has occurred in past decades. Scot said there’s an article in the Pilot this week about Fr. Benedict Groeschel’s address to a dinner at St. Thomas More College. He said he never experienced hostility to the faith at any secular school, but at some Catholic colleges and institutions he found more hostility to the faith. Greg said that some institutions have chosen to go the path of least resistance. Fr. Roger said the Holy Father talked about the new translation of the Roman Missal and how the Mass is the source and summit of the Christian life. The Catechism describe that faith and life go together, that we pray as we live and live as we pray. Once we lose the sense of the sacredness of the Mass, then we lose the sense of the sacredness of all human life. Once the Mass is marginalized, then Christ and his salvation is marginalized. Pope Benedict said a weakened sense of the meaning of Christian worship inevitably leads to a weakened witness of the faith. Scot said one of the main efforts of the Holy Father has been to reinvigorate our celebration of the Mass. Susan said the new translation has focused us so much on the liturgy and how we pray. “Pope: New Evangelization depends on good Catholic families”, Catholic News Agency, 12/2/11 Scot said the Holy Father has said the new evangelization depends on the domestic church, the Catholic household. “In our time, as in times past, the eclipse of God, the spread of ideologies contrary to the family and the degradation of sexual ethics are intertwined,” he added. “And just as the eclipse of God and the crisis of the family are linked, so the New Evangelization is inseparable from the Christian family.” … “The family founded on the Sacrament of Matrimony is a particular realization of the Church, saved and saving, evangelized and evangelizing community,” the Pope said. He explained that just like the Church, the Catholic family is also called to “welcome, radiate and show the world the love and the presence of Christ.” Scot said that’s one of the reasons Cardinal Seán in his pastoral letter encouraged families to come to Mass together and pray together. Greg said for the majority of people, the seed of faith grows in the home. Even if the kids are sent to Catholic school, but there is no living the faith at home, it’s much more difficult for them to grow in their faith. If they live it at home, then they see what they learn in Catholic school or religious education being lived out. Scot said we should never outsource the teaching of the faith of our children. Susan said when the children experience it at home, they recognize what the catechist is teaching them because they’ve lived it. Scot said the Holy Father suggests that a week for the family could be added to the Catholic calendar like we celebrate Catholic schools week. Fr. Roger said it’s good we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to focus on these vocations in our society, but we don’t have a similar focus on the family. We could have a week to pray for the family, celebrate it, and beg God’s mercy for those families in need. 4th segment: Scot said about a week ago there was a story about criticism of the Rhode Island governor’s decision to call the 17-foot tree in the statehouse a holiday tree, making a big deal over it. The governor made pointed remarks about the critics and both Bishop Tobin and those who gave the tree to the state had some very good responses. Fr. Roger said that Gov. Chaffee, in trying not to offend people by saying Christmas, is then offending Christians by being insensitive to Christian concerns. “Criticism grows over governor’s ‘holiday tree’ label for public display”, Catholic News Service, 12/2/11 “Governor Chafee’s decision to avoid the word Christmas at the statehouse ceremony is most disheartening and divisive,” Bishop Tobin said in a statement Nov. 29. “It is sad that such a secular spirit has swept over our state. The governor’s decision ignores long-held American traditions and is an affront to the faith of many citizens,” the bishop said. “For the sake of peace and harmony in our state at this special time of the year, I respectfully encourage the governor to reconsider his decision to use the word Christmas in the state observance.” … The son of the donor of the statehouse blue spruce said he was disappointed that the governor has “removed the word Christmas” in describing the tree. “We provide him with a Christmas tree,” said Timothy Leyden. “It came from Big John Leyden’s Christmas Tree Farm. It is not a holiday tree. We don’t sell holiday trees.” Scot said that it seems like a basic affront to faith. He said we should just celebrate all of the holidays in December. No Christian is offended by Jews celebrating Hannukah. Hopefully, the people of Rhode Island will let Gov. Chaffee know they will not stand for this trampling of Christmas. Scot and Susan noted that Christmas is a federal holiday and even the secularists take the day off. Moving on, Scot said we mourn the passing of two people close to those on the show. In this week’s Pilot is the obituary for Joan McAllister who worked for the Pilot for more than 30 years. Greg said she was the institutional memory of the Pilot and the Archdiocese. We also mourn the passing of Fr. James McCune last night. He served in many parishes, including 17 years at St. John the Evangelist in Canton, as cardinal’s secretary and master of ceremonies during the visit of Pope John Paul II to Boston in 1978. Later, he was Director of the Office of Senior Priests. Scot and Susan and Fr. Roger shared memories of Fr. McCune. They also congratulated Bishop Peter Libasci who was installed as Bishop of Manchester, NH, today. Our colleague George Martell took photos and posted them on our Flickr page.

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today’s guest(s): Dr. Ray Guarendi, Carol Pirillo, and Christopher Harding Links from today’s show: Dr. Ray’s website Cards Behind Bars Archdiocese of Boston Pastoral Planning Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults Today’s topics: Pastoring three parishes, Dr. Ray Guarendi, Cards Behind Bars Summary of today’s show: It’s a feast of topics today. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams continue the discussion of the proposed pastoral plan for the Archdiocese of Boston presented to priests on Monday, by listening to a talk given by Fr. Jack Ahern on lessons learned pastoring three parishes. Then Scot welcomes Dr. Ray Guarendi, host of his own show on WQOM and one of the presenters at this Saturday’s WQOM conference in Lowell. Finally, Scot talks with Chris Harding and Carol Pirillo of the Cards Behind Bars ministry, which provides Christmas cards to prisoners to send to their families. 1st segment: Scot said to Fr. Matt that not only is it the beginning of Advent with the new Roman Missal translation, the God of This City tour last week, a Priests’ Convocation on Monday, a Sister Olga’s new religious community on Friday, and the WQOM conference on Saturday. Fr. Matt recapped the God of This City tour which had over 2,000 people take part over four nights. Friday evening was the culminating event at the Cathedral. They had five priests for confession and all night long the line was over 20 to 30 people deep. Some priests heard confessions for over 4 hours. It shows the need for more priests, but it also shows how the tour brings people to a deeper relationship with the Lord. Scot will begin today with a continuation of the conversation about this past Monday’s priest convocation. Among the speakers on Monday was Fr. Jack Ahern, about what it is like to be the first pastor in the Archdiocese to serve three parishes at once as pastor. His reflections moved the priests who were present. Fr. Jack Ahern: On his first day in Dorchester, following Mass, the lector asked to speak to him. He asked Fr. Jack why the cardinal would send a liberal elite to their parish. He said he must be liberal elite because he’s from Brookline and the Boston Globe likes him. It went down from there. There were painful decisions related to hiring and firing staff, adjusting the schedules and programs for each of the three parishes. Most people recognized the need for change, but the vocal minority made life difficult sometimes. One woman had Bishop Hennessey on speed-dial and called him at least once per week. Scot said when a pastor takes on three parishes you meet it with everything you have and most people embrace the priest and the change necessary. Fr. Matt said in a new assignment you expect to be welcomed with open arms. He suspects it was complicated by the changes that had already occurred in Dorchester. He said it’s difficult for the priest too because you want to shepherd these people and to experience this right at the beginning puts you on your heels. You can lose perspective in that the vocal minority can monopolize your attention. Scot said Fr. Jack was speaking to the concerns of the priests in the room who had not pastored more than one parish at a time. Fr. Jack delineated the challenges they would face. Fr. Jack: It hasn’t been easy, but it’s true for all the priests. For himself and his vicars, they have sometimes shown up at the right time but the wrong church for Mass. The schedules don’t always allow them to be together as one in all activities. It’s an adjustment for the parishioners who do not understand why you cannot be present. Combining programs and celebrations is a slow process. The most difficult adjustment for the priests is that the parishioners are used to seeing their priests each and every week. They would sometimes not see one of the priests for one or two weeks. At times he feels like an absentee father. He misses the intimacies involved in being pastor of one parish. Scot said a key point was the challenge for priests who miss seeing the same people every day or every week when they serve multiple communities. Fr. Matt said what father isn’t present for his family? It’s ingrained in us from a natural level. Fr. Matt said it beckons us to consider Jesus as an itinerant preacher, who never stayed in one place for very long. It’s a greater sacrifice of self for the priest. Scot reiterated that the future pastoral plan is a proposal right now in which all will be asked to give their feedback before Cardinal Seán makes a final decision. The current proposal is for a Pastoral Service Team of one pastor and one or more parochial vicars and assistants to serve two or three parishes. Fr. Jack: Unable to be present with one parish week in and week out, without the intimacy for the parish priest, it’s not easy to move into. The one consolation that has come his way is that he’s been graced with a deeper intimacy with Jesus. Scot said Fr. Jack has relied more on Jesus to balance the demands of three parishes which has given him great joy and peace. Fr. Matt said that God can never be outdone in generosity. Scot said Cardinal Seán and the commission recognize that its better for priests to live in community. Fr. Jack: Regarding living with priests, Fr. Doc Conway who works with Fr. Jack has come to recognize the joy of living with other priests, having served his last few assignments alone. Fr. Jack said he’s having the time of his life and the other two priests who live with him are too, which makes an incredible difference for the parishes and their own lives as well. Fr. Matt said there is a rich sharing between three men of such different ages and backgrounds. Fr. Doc is older, Fr. Jack is in about his mid-50s, and Fr. Huy is newly ordained. He said there’s so much a young priest can learn from older priests when they live with them. Scot said when he encounters Fr. Jack, who not only serves in a community that has gone through rough times, but serves three parishes, he is struck by how joy-filled he is. Fr. Jack: As of today, there are 26 situations where priests and pastoral staffs are responsible for multiple parishes and more with multiple worship sites. This proposal recognizes that reality and calls us to get ahead of the curve in such a way that together with him we can bring more energy and life to our parishes, provide a greater sense of stability to the people, and do the work of Christ with the people in new creative and life-giving ways. The future is unknown, but as we move forward in the power of the Holy Spirit we do so with great confidence that great things will happen. Scot said that was the conclusion of Fr. Jack’s address. Fr. Matt said we have to shift from maintenance to mission. Cardinal Sean is moving us to intentionally live mission and be about the work of evangelization. The new structure will allow priests to be shepherds of the community. Scot encouraged everyone to go to Planning2012.org and read the documents and watch the videos and then give feedback when it’s requested. 2nd segment: It’s time to announce this week’s winner of the WQOM Benefactor Raffle. Our prizes this week are Let Us Adore Him by the Dady Brothers, A CD of Christmas music; a $15 Mystic Monk Coffee gift card; a box of Chocolate Butter Nut Much, made by the Nuns of Mount Saint Mary Abbey, whose candy is available from TrappistineCandy.com. This week’s benefactor card raffle winner is Gerard Hubbard from Braintree, MA. Congratulation, Gerard! If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit WQOM.org. For a one-time $30 donation, you’ll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM’s weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We’ll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 3rd segment: Scot welcomed Dr. Ray Guarendi to the show. He will be a speaker at the WQOM conference on Saturday. Scot asked him last time he was in Boston. Dr. Ray used to be a regular guest on a morning TV show on Channel 7. Scot asked him why Catholic radio is such a wonderful tool of evangelization. Dr. Ray said it’s because it works and works for so little money. Radio is everywhere and you can listen to it whatever you’re doing. It’s very inexpensive compared to TV. You can acquire new listeners just by scraping them up as they run up and down the dial. Dr. Ray’s show is heard throughout the US and even people around the world will send him emails, having listened to his show via the computer. He’s also on SiriusXM satellite radio’s channel 130, the Catholic Channel. Dr. Ray’s talk on Saturday will be called, “Laughter: The Sanity of the Family.” Dr. Ray promised attendees will laugh and will leave standing stronger in their faith. They will feel more confident in their authority and less nervous as parents. Scot said Dr. Ray has spoken in about 2,000 venues. Why is it important for people to come and hear the presentations versus just listening on the radio. Dr. Ray said people tell him he’s very different in person than on the radio. On the air he’s limited by the topics and callers. when first asked to do Catholic radio, he said No because he was so busy with his live speaking. What happened was he tried it on a trial basis and was so moved by the power of radio to bring people back to the faith and change lives, that he said he couldn’t refuse. He will be bringing his books and tapes to sell. He notes that in most conferences people wait to hear him before buying his materials. But at Catholic conferences people will buy his books and tapes first. 4th segment: Scot welcomed Chris Harding and Carol Pirillo from the Cards Behind Bars ministry. Scot said Carol has been involved in the ministry since 1978 and Chris has been involved for the past four years. Chris said prisoners are so disempowered, especially around Christmas, and parents couldn’t make cards for children or friends. They have been working chaplains to make available excess cards from donations to prisoners. Chris said we have to remember Christ’s words that we are to visit the imprisoned as a period of trial and regeneration. It’s incumbent upon everyone to put Christ back in Christmas to make these cards available and make them feel again like citizens and good parents. Scot asked what standards they have for the Christmas cards? Chris said they encourage people to, in their parishes, to get donations of Christmas cards. A large majority are unused cards sent by religious orders soliciting donations. But what they really look for are people to shop after Christmas, especially Spanish language cards, for cards that will be heavily discounted. Chris suggested people call him at 617-282-3521 or via the link at the top of this page. Carol said she’s collected more than 8,000 cards over the years. They give each man 10 cards. Most of them men have no access to cards and they couldn’t afford to buy them even if they were available. In the past, the prisoners have swapped contraband in order to get their access to cards. Chris said it makes prisoners feel like valuable citizens and part of the greater Catholic community. Scot said it nurtures the relationships that can keep them out of prison when their time is up. Scot said most Catholic households receive a number of unsolicited cards at their home and buying discounted cards is a low-cost way to be thoughtful to those who have far less than we have. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us to be mindful of the imprisoned and be with them as if we were imprisoned with them. Scot reminded listeners that tomorrow is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and a holy day of obligation. There will be Masses tonight, tomorrow morning and even tomorrow evening in most parishes. Fr. Matt said Friday is the deadline for anyone who wants to go on the youth and young adult pilgrimage to the March for Life. There are tracks for middle school, high school, and young adults. They will stay for varying lengths of time in DC. Register at www.one4boston.org. Last year more than 300 went and this year they’re anticipating more than 400 so they need to make plans for travel and accommodations.