The Good Catholic Life

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor**Today's guest(s):** Maureen Heil, Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies in Boston, and Sister Lisa Valentini of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.* [Pontifical Mission Societies in Boston](http://www.propfaithboston.org/Boston/index.html)* [Pontifical Mission Societies/Boston on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001954394979)* [Pontifical Mission Societies/Boston on Twitter](http://twitter.com/#!/BostonMissions)* [Pontifical Mission Societies/National](http://www.onefamilyinmission.org/)* [Maryknoll Missionaries](http://www.maryknoll.org/)* [Society for the Propagation of the Faith](http://www.onefamilyinmission.org/society-propfaith.html)* [Holy Childhood Association](http://www.onefamilyinmission.org/hca.html)* [Missionary Union of Priest & Religious](http://www.onefamilyinmission.org/missionary.html)* [Society of St. Peter the Apostle](http://www.onefamilyinmission.org/apostle.html)* [Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, USA Province](http://www.mscreading.org/)**Today's topics:** The work of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Archdiocese, nationally, and internationally and the universal call to all Christians to support the missions.**A summary of today's show:** Maureen Heil and Sr. Lisa Valentini tell us about the Pontifical Mission Societies and the essential missionary nature of the Church. Sr. Lisa and Maureen also related some of their eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming experiences serving on the missions in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and more. Also, the missionary history of the Archdiocese of Boston as both recipient and giver.**1st segment:** Scot welcomed Fr. Chris back as co-host. Fr. Chris said the seminary had its annual seminary workday, doing a spring cleaning of the seminary and preparing for the Triduum.If people are having problems hearing the over-the-air signal, they can listen on TheGoodCatholicLife.com either streaming or for download. WQOM's engineers are hard at work fixing the issues related to the powerful signal of our radio dial neighbor, WBZ 1030.Fr. Chris said he's hearing a lot of excitement for the radio show and for the radio station.Introducing today's topic, Scot said it's a common misunderstanding that there is just one mission society in the archdiocese, but in fact there are four. An explanation after the break.**2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Chris welcomed Maureen and Sr. Lisa to the show. Scot said he always thought the Propagation of the Faith was *the* pontifical mission society. Maureen said as a legal corporation in Boston they do business as the Propagation of the Faith, Inc., but there are four related societies. The Propagation of the Faith is responsible for mission education in developed countries, to help them be aware of the need to pray for the missions around the world and to support them. The Holy Childhood Association is for children from Kindergarten to Confirmation. The motto is children helping children. All the support goes to help children 14 and under. The children are asked to pray a Hail Mary every day for kids in the missions who don't know God loves them, who need an education, food to eat, a place to sleep, medicine when they're sick, etc. And they're asked to remember to do this on their own, without prompting from parents or teachers.There is also the St. Peter Apostle Society, which raises up a local clergy in the missions. Helps men in the missions who want to become priests but can't because of poverty. The Missionary Union is non-fundraising and asks people to pray for the spread of the Gospel around the world. They publish brochures and books.The name "pontifical" connects to the Pope's title as Supreme Pontiff. The mission societies report through the [Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cevang/index.htm) to the Pope. They serve at the behest of the local ordinary, but their ties are to the Holy Father.Fr. Chris noted that Maureen travels around the diocese to foster mission awareness. When she talks to young people, he asked what captivates them most? Maureen said it's most important to convey that the gifts the kids have--talents, goods, spiritual gifts--are gifts from God. Prayer is the most important thing you can do for anyone, she tells them. She also helps them understand the concept of sacrifice and the children are fascinated to find out that the US was mission-dependent only about 100 years ago.Sr. Lisa said her religious order was invited to the US in 1908 as a mission to the immigrant people in the US. The order was founded in Germany. The order might have folded when some of its sisters were martyred in Papua New Guinea, but many woman joined the order because of the witness so the order went to their bishop to be given a new mission for all of the new sisters and they were sent to Pennsylvania.Maureen said American children are so used to their material possessions that she shows them children around the developing world who are happy, but who still lack the basic necessities.Scot said the most common way people in the archdiocese hear about the missions is through a missionary speaking to the parish. Sr. Lisa said the experience is amazing because there is an openness and desire of people to hear the mission message and to help. She believes that it is because missions is of the essence of our faith. Sr. Lisa said in her two years coming to the archdiocese she has often heard people tell her of their desire to help the missions and sometimes how they themselves once wanted to be missionaries.Scot noted that Sister said the missionary character is in the DNA of the Church. Sister said this comes from Jesus' last words: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." ([Matthew 28:19](http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/matthew/matthew28.htm)) Sister said she once had the opportunity to baptize a baby in Peru. On an early morning, she had a woman come to her and ask her to baptize the baby. Sister said the priest would do it later in the day, but the woman said her baby was very sick. Sister invited her into the convent chapel and led the woman through the questions committing her to raising the baby as a Catholic. She baptized the baby. Although she never saw the baby again, Sister knew that he had received the spark of God's life.Maureen said God uses us according to the talents He gave us and determining those talents is essential to our living the mission we have been given. We need to listen to God to learn where He wants us to go. He wants us to go because the Church is missionary by nature. Sometimes we need to *go* to the person at the desk next to us at work. For others, we need to *go* to a third world nation. But we can only do this if we listen.Sister pointed out that Maureen is living it as well, having sent her kids on teen mission trips with Sr. Lisa.Sister has three rules for the teens: 1. If you don't like nuns, don't come because you'll be with Sister all day, every day ; 2. If you don't like to pray, don't come because you'll get up early every morning to pray; 3. If you don't like to sing don't come, because Sister likes to sing a lot.* [Missionary Sisters of the Most Heart of Jesus' mission in the Dominican Republic](http://www.mscreading.org/domincanrepublic.html)**3rd segment:** Scot said he's the only one in the room who hasn't been on a mission trip, but Sr. Lisa and Maureen said they will get him on one. He asked Sr. Lisa about her trip to Haiti last November and earlier in the year.Sr. Lisa said she started her missionary work with a time in Haiti 20 years ago with the group [Hands Together](http://www.handstogether.org/). So after the earthquake, she really wanted to go back. Ten weeks after the earthquake she was in the country. They started a feeding program for the children. The sisters called Fr. Tom Hagan from Hands Together to celebrate Mass for the children on Easter. Even though he had been in Haiti for 14 years he was still shocked by the conditions for the people Sister was working with. Hands Together then came back to the locale and built a school for the kids. Maureen said Fr. Hagan is well known in Boston and she often uses his work as an example of what the societies are doing in Haiti. Sr. Lisa returned for November and part of December. She went to a cholera treatment center. It was terrible. But there were many people willing to help out. She said next to the school they had also built a clinic. The situation is still very bad. When cholera arrives in a place, it said to stay for 100 years.Scot asked her to describe the experience of the youth mission trips. She has done 34 of them with hundreds and hundreds of young people. About 10 days ago at a retreat at the University of Penn, she encountered a young woman who went on a mission trip with her to Mexico in 1994. The young woman is now a campus minister. Another young man went on five mission trips to the Dominican Republic and then after college went back there for a year to teach art in all the schools in his area.On teen mission trips, they mostly work with children in the parishes. They do catechesis in what she called a catechesis blitz. The children always pay close attention to her songs and prayers and teaching. Then they break up the group of kids into four groups and do arts and crafts, games, and other activities. At the end, the pray together and sing again and leave them with a rosary and candy. All of the supplies are donated and raised by the teens going on the trip, including all the school supplies. They also brought supplies for the older kids, including backpacks and school supplies for upper grades and even college.Fr. Chris asked about the *mite box* for the Holy Childhood Association. The mite box has been around for a very long time. It is named after the biblical story of the widow's mite. They are cardboard boxes and kids use them all year long to make sacrifices. Besides just giving up candy bars, they also do extra chores around the house, do odd jobs, give found money, and any other kind of sacrifice. It's important to note that in Jesus' time, the widow didn't have any real means of support and would have been the poorest of the poor and so for her to give, it would have been from her extreme need.Sr. Lisa notes that pontifical mission societies exist in every country. Even in the Dominican Republic, the kids collect for the missions. Maureen recalled a time in Ecuador, going up a jungle river in a dugout canoe to a remote village. The people they were visiting put on a pageant for the dignitaries and at the end of the pageant, the kids--some of whom had no shoes or a second set of clothes--stepped up and put in their own coins. It was just $5 total. Maureen said one child told her: "We know that there are children who are poorer than we are, because they don't know Jesus." They told her to tell the children in the US that they need to pray for them.**4th segment:** Fr. Chris brought a group of seminarians on a mission trip last year. He said the most important idea is a quote from Cardinal Cushing, "We are all missionaries." We are all called to share the Good News. The future priests, when they eventually meet missionaries who come to the parish like Sr. Lisa, will know something of the need. The seminarians could not believe the poverty they encountered. He believes that if more Americans could see the need in the developing world first hand, we would do even more than we do.Scot notes that even our poorest parishes in the US are better off than most mission parishes. Even though we have a shortage of priests in the archdiocese, we have the blessing of hundreds of active priests, whereas in many mission countries, they have a shortage of priests that results in one priest per hundreds of square miles in some cases.Sr. Lisa said it seems we've lost the passion for our faith compared to the time of the apostles. We see miracles around us every day, but we forget that God has given us many gifts and that our calling is to go out. Mission comes from a Greek word meaning "to be sent." We have a responsibility to one another. One way of being missionary is to give by going, but the other is to go by giving. We must give love most of all. Maureen calls it being a stationary missionary. Sr. Lisa was called to leave her home and family, but we are no less called to be missionaries. For us, being stationary does not take away our responsibility to share the Gospel with everyone we encounter.Scot said our first bishop in Boston, Bishop Cheverus, was a missionary himself. A very important part of Bishop Cheverus' mission, his desk, adorns the entrance to the Pontifical Mission Societies in the pastoral center. Maureen said it reminds us of where we came from. In his time, there were 300 Catholics in the Boston region. He brought the desk from France and used it to write letters to the French-speaking people in Canada and in France asking them to support his mission with both prayers and financial support. When missionaries come to Boston and see the desk and realize that we have gone from that desk and two priests on horseback to the Archdiocese today and all the dioceses of New England, they see that they are the same sort of seed wherever they are serving.* [Cardinal Sean's Blog, "Visiting with the Propagation of the Faith"](http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2011/01/21/visiting-with-the-propagation-of-the-faith/) Fr. Chris said every diocese has once been the recipient of missionary activity and eventually sends out missionaries. "To whom much is given, much is expected." It's in our DNA to want to give back to others.* [Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter for the Advent of the Third Millennium](http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20010106_novo-millennio-ineunte_en.html)* [Pope Benedict XVI, Message for World Mission Sunday 2011](http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/missions/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20110106_world-mission-day-2011_en.html)

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry **Today's guest(s):** Dr. Mary Grassa O'Neill, archdiocesan secretary for education and superintendent of schools, and Dr. William McKersie, archdiocesan associate superintendent for academic excellence. * [Catholics School Office on BostonCatholic.org](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/CatholicSchoolsOffice.aspx) * [Boston Catholic Schools Office](http://www.catholicschoolsboston.org/) * [Pioneer Institute](http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/) * [Pioneer Institute white paper: "Be Not Afraid: A History of Schooling in Massachusetts"](http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/pdf/110315_Be_Not_Afraid.pdf) * [Pioneer Institute statement on the white paper](http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/pdf/110315_Be_Not_Afraid_PR.pdf) * [The Know Nothings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing) * [Pioneer Institute white paper: "The Know Nothing Amendments: Barriers to School Choice in Massachusetts"](http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/pdf/090401_chapman_know_nothing.pdf) * [Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, "The Catholic Schools We Need," America magazine (Sept 13, 10)](http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=12448) **Today's topics:** Catholic schools in Boston and Massachusetts; their successes, vision, and challenges; recent efforts to address laws that are obstacles for parents choosing Catholic education **A summary of today's show:** Catholic schools in the archdiocese and nationally are providing a superior education for their students, but also provide benefits to our communities and society as a whole. Dr. Mary Grassa O'Neill and Dr. Bill McKersie share the good news about Catholic education in Boston, Cardinal Sean's vision for its future, and the obstacles for parents who want to send their children to Catholic schools presented by 19th-century anti-Catholic laws **1st segment:** Catholic schools are vital to the overall health of the Catholic church. They have experienced several challenges in recent years and so many have responded to this challenge and are working to rebuild Catholic schools that have strong Catholic identity, academic excellence and financial vitality. One of the challenges of Catholic schools now is the inability for many families to afford the tuition. A group of leaders in Boston is trying to do something about that, to eliminate anti-Catholic discriminatory statutes in the Massachusetts constitution and to lobby for educational tax credits that parents could apply to a Catholic School education. Catholics are challenged in many of the Northeast cities. Archbishop Timothy Dolan wrote a piece in "America" magazine last fall on this topic. He said, "The most crippling reason, [for the decline in Catholic schools], may rest in an enormous shift in the thinking of many American Catholics, namely, that the responsibility for Catholic schools belongs only to the parents of the students who attend them, not to the entire church. Nowadays, Catholics often see a Catholic education as a consumer product, reserved to those who can afford it. The result is predictable: Catholics as a whole in the United States have for some time disowned their school system, excusing themselves as individuals, parishes or dioceses from any further involvement with a Catholic school simply because their own children are not enrolled there, or their parish does not have its own school." He also said, "“As long as we Catholics refuse to acknowledge that the overall health of the church in the United States is vitally linked not only to the survival but the revival of the Catholic school, we are likely to miss the enormous opportunity this present moment extends" to all of us as a Church. We look forward to discussing the state of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston, the many initiatives underway to revitalize them, and this effort to repeal the Know Nothing amendments and enable educational tax credits during this entire hour on this special broadcast of The Good Catholic Life. **2nd segment:** Scot welcomes Mary Grassa O'Neill, superintendent of Catholic schools in the archdiocese, and Bill McKersie, associate superintendent for academic excellence. Scot asked Mary what led her to come to the Archdiocese to take on the challenge to transform Catholic schools. The defining moment was when she was talking with Cardinal Sean about the benefits of her 12 years of Catholic education and he asked her if she didn't want to see other children to receive the same opportunity. The big difference from her time as public school superintendent in Milton is that the Catholic schools are mission driven, to form the students as whole persons in character and integrity. Also, Catholic education is synonymous with excellence. So the area we struggle is financial viability. Bill also came from the [Harvard Graduate School of Education](http://www.gse.harvard.edu/) and was asked by Mary to join her in helping to improve Catholic education. His whole career has had many opportunities to work with Catholic schools, especially in Chicago and Cleveland. He had a deep respect for the mission of Catholic schools, having seen what a difference high quality Catholic education makes in urban areas, like Chicago, Cleveland, and now Boston. Part of their drive has been to change the Archdiocese's schools from a system of schools to a Catholic school system. Mary said we're the second largest school district in Massachusetts, in number of students. It covers from Plymouth to New Hampshire. They work with very strong independent Catholic schools as well as parish schools and regional schools. There is a wide variety of charism, admission requirements, and more. One aspect of the mission is the make it affordable. Scot said staffing Catholics schools with faculty and staff is a national challenge. In 1960, religious made of 64% of faculty and staff, but now it's just 4%, which presents a financial challenge because lay workers need higher pay and benefits. Bill said religious and clergy built what we have today, but what's exciting now is that the laity is in the schools continuing what they have received. Our people are still taking a lower wage than they could get in public schools, but they are willing to take it for the sake of the schools. Hiring and pay decisions are made at the local level, but centrally they assist the schools where asked. Scot asked Mary how we're forming the Catholic identity in schools. Mary said they're building Catholic education for the future, for families, for localities, and for the nation. Catholic students are good citizens and members of society. Catholic schools are not merely for nostalgia. We are focusing professional development this year on spiritual leadership. They've done a lot of work with the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults. They're doing a lot with technology and has received a matching grant from the Lynch Foundation to get SmartBoards into schools. They're looking at curriculum, keeping up with the state and national standards, and they have a track record of exceeding what's expected, especially in the urban schools. * [Lynch Foundation](http://thelynchfoundation.com/) * [SMART Boards](http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Interactive+whiteboards+and+displays/SMART+Board+interactive+whiteboards) **3rd segment:** Three principles: Catholic identity, academic excellence, and financial vitality in the schools. Scot said he was surprised at hearing the level of success in our Catholic schools. It's been a well-kept secret. Bill said we're in an era of data, numbers, statistics, but we go beyond basic assessment results. Massachusetts is top performing state in education and Catholic school exceed the public schools on all the assessment tests. What's important to success is faculty committed to excellence. Clear strong leaders are focused on mission. To be a high quality school, you have to be excellent in morals, behavior, and academics. They push for results, but they also provide support. What's key to Catholic education is both the standards and the push. The standards come from the faith and the push comes from the academics. A distinguishing characteristic of Catholic schools is formation of the whole student. Scot asked why that results in a better student and a better citizen. Bill gave an example of a school community where they helped the students deal with the death of a classmate, from a perspective rooted in the Catholic faith. Mary said they're teaching youngsters how to be successful in life, and part of being successful in life is having a relationship with Jesus. It's part of why the cardinal is so clear on his desire for the kids to be involved in the March for Life. While you will get the same science lessons as you will in public schools, in Catholic schools you will have an understanding of the moral and spiritual implications. Bill said that Catholic schools office is supportive of charter schools, but the cardinal has been clear that they are not Catholic. For Catholic charter schools, the Catholic element only takes place before and after school. It separates out Catholicism, but it's not in the core of all classes and the environment. In Xaverian Brothers High School, for example, when you walk in the front door you see the chapel and then you see top-notch science labs. They go hand in hand. * [Xaverian Brothers High School](http://www.xbhs.com/s/141/index_alumni.aspx) Mary said they have exceptionally high attendance rates (90% attendance); very high graduation rates, even in inner-city schools, well over 90% graduating within 4 years; and the vast majority go on to 4-year colleges. In nationally recognized assessment tests, our elementary school children regularly rate among the highest in the country. Catholic school students in Boston archdiocese have the best rate of attending college. Scot said Catholic schools benefit the common good of the state as well. Scot related a statistic that Catholic schools save the taxpayer $500 million per year in Massachusetts. Our school system is excellent and does it at half the cost of public schools. Average tuition is about $4,000 and the cost per pupil is about $6000. The average per pupil for public and charter schools is $12,000. Mary said nationally Catholic education saves the taxpayer about $20 billion with outstanding results in the students. Even atheists understand the benefit of Catholic education to our economy and to the well-being of the country and the future endeavors of the country. **4th segment:** One of Mary's initiatives has been the formation of Catholic academies versus parish schools. We have 5 Catholic academies. Mary said the academies were started by the Campaign for Catholic Schools, which thought merging small schools that were failing financially could help them survive. In Brockton, three schools merged on two campuses. In Dorchester, 7 schools have merged to 4 campuses with 1,300 students. After an academy forms, generally the total enrollment increases because greater resources and higher standards attract more students. * [Trinity Catholic Academy](http://www.trinitycatholicacademybrockton.org/) * [John Paul II Catholic Academy](http://www.popejp2catholicacademy.org/) * [South Boston Catholic Academy](http://www.sbcatholicacademy.org/) * [Lawrence Catholic Academy](http://www.lawrencecatholicacademy.org/) * [Quincy Catholic Academy](http://www.quincycatholicacademy.org/) They have established 12 standards of excellence for the academies. Students in South Boston are being accepted in exam schools at very high rates. Lawrence has seen Catholic school enrollment rise from 400 to 450 in just the first year. The Catholic School Foundation has given each of the new academies a gift of $150,000 to help the academies in their merger efforts. * [Catholic Schools Foundation](http://www.csfboston.org/) * [Campaign for Catholic Schools](http://www.campaignforcatholicschools.org/site/PageServer) Mary said that while some people are sad to see their parish schools close, they often say how excited they are to see the opportunities that the new academies provide and the more assured futures they have. Bill noted that the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools office is a very lean administrative team compared to similar size school systems. He mentioned the area superintendents who provide leadership in the regions of the archdiocese. They are all lay individuals who care deeply about their faith and draw from across the Pastoral Center in various specialities, like real estate or legal. And in the boards of these schools, you also have expertise from laity in like manner, giving the religious who've run these schools for so long the expertise in areas they may not have had. The Cardinal commissioned a Catholic schools "x-ray" of all the elementary school finances. They came up with a tool that schools could use to monitor their own financial health and where they need to fix their own financial picture. They visited every school and produced a report that gives the Cardinal a clear idea of how the schools are doing, but also gave the schools' leaders a business vocabulary and transformational information. Another initiative is to get the story of Catholic successes out to the wider world. Mary said when she first came, she told the Cardinal that there was an overabundance of humility that prevented us from talking about our successes. They just started a Facebook page and have just started into social networking on an organized level, especially in order to reach out to technologically savvy parents. * [Catholic schools Facebook page](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boston-Catholic-Schools/111806515545758) Mary said they are working on technology advancement. Boston College is giving Catholic Schools the gift of a BC IT person to work with them part-time to help improve technology in schools. Other Catholic colleges are also working to help advance the mission of Catholic schools. * [Catholic colleges in the Archdiocese](http://abcso.org/colleges.html) **5th segment:** Discussing a recent press conference and report given by the Pioneer Institute on a history of Catholic schooling in Massachusetts. It made two recommendations: that Mass. lawmakers should repeal the two Know Nothing or anti-aid amendments which are anti-Catholic and discriminatory and the second was that they should enact tax credit legislation to give parents great choice on where to send their children for school. Bill said Massachusetts is the only state with such strident anti-Catholic laws on the books. It goes back to the 1850s when the Know Nothing party, a nativist anti-immigrant group, put them on the books. Today, it affects anyone outside the public sector trying to have excellent schools, including Jewish schools and others. The Blaine amendments from the early 1900s make it very difficult to repeal the original Know Nothing amendments. The amendments prevent any public support for any non-public schools. Scot asked why legislators don't want to touch this when it is so blatantly discriminatory. His sense is that there needs to be a groundswell of support from grassroots Catholics that say this should change because we would all suffer if Catholic schools can't thrive. Bill said the way to deal with this effectively is as other states have done is to establish educational tax credits, to create a marketplace of schools that benefits all parents and students. Parents and Catholic schools are not asking for charity, but justice. It is a way of allowing Catholic schools to thrive without asking for public funding.

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell **Today's guest(s):** LeAnn Thieman, author of "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Catholic Faith", Fr. Bill Schmidt, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Stoneham, and Mike Alex, founder of MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com, the Catholic online learning platform. * [MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com](http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com) * [LeAnn Thieman's website](http://www.leannthieman.com/) * ["Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Catholic Faith"](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935096230/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1935096230) * [St. Patrick Parish, Stoneham](http://www.catholic-church.org/st-patricks/) **Today's topics:** Lenten mission at St. Patrick Parish in Stoneham; MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com; A look at this Sunday's readings for Mass **A summary of today's show:** LeAnn Thieman, author of "Chicken Soup for Soul: Living Catholic Faith", and Fr. Bill Schmidt of St. Patrick Parish, Stoneham, discuss "the most unusual parish mission" you'll attend coming up next week at Fr. Schmidt's parish. Mike Alex tells Scot and Fr. Mark about MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com, the most advanced online learning platform for Catholics. Finally, Scot, Fr. Mark, and Mike discuss this coming Sunday's Gospel reading for Mass on the woman at the well and the Living Water that Christ promises her. **1st segment:** Fr. Mark's week included a talk in Stoneham at Fr. Schmidt's parish on annulments. Also a cabinet meeting today at which Cardinal Sean announced that Chancellor Jim McDonough's term was renewed for another five years. Fr. Mark said the chancellor is also the finance officer for the archdiocese. The term that was renewed was actually for finance officer. Only two diocesan roles have terms that cannot be abridged except for grave reasons. The other is Fr. Mark's job as Judicial Vicar. **2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark welcome LeAnn Thieman by phone from Colorado and Fr. Bill Schmidt by phone from Stoneham. LeAnn gave an overview of the sessions she'll be giving at the mission next week. She'll start by sharing her story, starting in 1975 with Operation Babylift, to bring 300 Vietnamese orphans out of the midst of the war in Vietnam with the approval of President Ford. On Tuesday, she'll speak on caring for ourselves as well as we care for others, caring for our bodies and our minds. She shares stories from her 12 Chicken Soup books she's written. One of the tools is the tool of forgiveness. On Wednesday, she'll talk about living the Catholic faith as the spiritual balance to the topic of the night before: What we can do to stand up for our faith and to take pride in it. She promises that attendees will march out proud of being Catholic and excited about sharing it. Fr. Schmidt said Lent is a privileged time during which busy people who don't often have time for prayer want to do something special. It's not easy to carve out three nights in a row, so it's a special opportunity. This is the sixth year they've had a parish mission in his 10 years as pastor. 800 people come at least once over the 3 nights. Fr. Mark asked what the Chicken Soup for the Soul books are. LeAnn explained that each has 101 true stories all on a particular topic, such as adoption, fathers and daughters, nurses. Part of LeAnn's own story during Operation Babylift is that she found a little boy who she then adopted as her own. It's amazing, she said, how she still gets emotional as she tells the story, even though she has told it so many times. * [Operation Babylift](http://www.adoptvietnam.org/adoption/babylift-index.htm) Fr. Schmidt said after the last mission, where they heard Fr. Tom Nestor, Bishop Hennessey, and Fr. Jonathan Morris, someone on the parish council asked if a woman could give the mission. Father had a friend in Colorado who had heard of LeAnn and her captivating and motivating story and his experience of her talk at a diocesan dinner in Pueblo, Colorado. Fr. Mark noted that St. Patrick's has undergone renovations and expansions. Six years ago, Cardinal Sean dedicated the renovated and enlarged church, which includes many elements from parishes that have closed. **3rd segment:** Continuing the discussion of the upcoming Lenten mission at St. Patrick's. Scot asked LeAnn for highlights of her talk on Wednesday, which will talk about all the good the Church does. LeAnn said the Church is at the forefront of medical care, helping the poor, educating children and she is awe of all the church does. At the end of her talk on Tuesday night addressing the need to care for ourselves, there is a call to the sacrament of reconciliation. Even when she talks to secular audiences, people thank her for giving them permission to forgive others and to forgive themselves. Fr. Mark asked how parish missions today differ from the fire-and-brimstone missions of old. Fr. Schmidt recalled the missions of his youth which include a confession talk describing hell in stark terms. Now the talks speak of God's love and mercy and forgiveness. He added that they are looking for more priest-confessors to accommodate everyone. LeAnn said it should be the most unusual mission people will have attended, because she intends to have lots of fun and to share how much she loves Christ and His Church and her faith. She hopes that anyone who comes will invite someone else. Fr. Mark said this sounds like it fits perfectly with the Catholics Come Home initiative. Fr. Schmidt said anyone who is interested is very welcome even if they're not members of the parish. LeAnn's books will be on sale at the mission and she will be autographing them. The parish is right at the intersection of Route 128 and 93 and is convenient to many people who will be commuting home from Boston. **4th segment:** Mike Alex joins the show, visiting from the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. He hopes to catch his Kansas University Jayhawks in the NCAA tournament if they win tonight in San Antonio and go on to the Elite 8. It is an act of providence that MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com came together. In 2002 he had been asked by his bishop to help build a new Catholic high school. As part of the mission he was given, then-Archbishop Keleher told Mike, "If we fail to pass on the faith from this generation to the next, we're failing in one of our most important missions as Church." To ensure the quality of instruction at the school, Mike created a relationship with a program called [School of Faith](http://www.schooloffaith.com/) to help train and form the faculty of the new high school. Many other schools in the region were interested in taking part but there wasn't enough space for them in the training classes. Meanwhile, he had a friend who was converting to Catholicism, and it turned out that this friend had an online platform and company that teaches 275,000 nurses across the country to pass their boards. He'd just sold the company and was looking for a new challenge. Mike proposed to take some of the Catholic content and create a new platform with a new way to catechize folks. At first, it was supposed to be local, but it was so robust that people sought out Mike's company to provide their content. National publishers started to see the innovation and interactivity of the program and now they have Ascension Press, Midwest Theological, Ignatius Press as partners, and many more who would like to get their content on the system. Catholic learning is moving online because of the convenience today. Scot notes that our own [CatholicTV](http://www.catholictv.com) has the best online on-demand Catholic TV programming in the world. MyCatholicFaithDelivered is so far ahead of everyone else with online learning, it's as if there isn't a second place. An advisory board of bishops oversee the content to ensure its fidelity to Church teaching. Every class has an imprimatur. All the publishers are considered orthodox. The Faith Foundations program received the first online imprimatur. An imprimatur is a statement, authorized by the bishop of a diocese, that a work is free of doctrinal error. Fr. Mark asked who the target audience is. Mike said the initial thrust is adult formation, catechist certification, and teacher certification. There are many adults, catechists, and teachers who may not be well-grounded in the faith and are in need of assistance. They also have a first through eighth grade series and a high school series for children, but the main thrust is in teaching adults. Scot said we've heard several times over the past week on The Good Catholic Life about the new Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John's seminary and their very flexible classes and programs. But there are those who might not have the time even for the certificate program that is one Saturday per month for six months. Mike said his website offers learning that is available at any time and locations and includes a lot of interactivity. It offers the flexibility they might need. Mike said there are different costs for each course. Mike's friend paid the millions of dollars to create the system, so the current prices are just to keep the website self-sustaining. There are also free lessons available to try out the platform. The mission is to spread the teaching of the Church worldwide--they are in the middle of Spanish translations for their biggest programs. Mike met today with people from around the Archdiocese of Boston who have teaching that would make good content, as well as meeting with our own Catholic Media group who can help create the materials in partnership with MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com Mike said Boston has technical capabilities that other dioceses don't have, and he's excited to bring Boston's content to more people across the country. Scot points out that this is a well-crafted, high-quality video with quizzes and links that bring students to even more resources on the Internet. The programs are interactive and not static. People have responded that they find it meaningful and worthwhile. They've have 3 to 4,000 who have registered to date and another 3 to 4,000 from various dioceses that they are planning to bring online through next September. **5th segment:** As we do each Friday, we look at this coming Sunday's readings to help us prepare for Mass. * [This Sunday's readings for Mass](http://www.usccb.org/nab/032711.shtml) >*Gospel* (John 4:5-42) >Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. >A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” >Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” >At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” >Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” Scot said it's a long reading but so worthwhile to read the long one. Living water is a theme and Christ calling people is another theme. Fr. Mark said at this time when we're asking people to look at the faith again in Catholics Come Home, it resonates with us. Fr. Mark sees a whole journey in there that goes hand in hand with Catholics Come Home. Scot noted that the woman went to the well at noon because she was ashamed to be around the others who went in the morning. Jesus knew why she was at the well at that time and chose her purposefully. People often doubt that Christ would choose them because they were so unworthy, but he chooses those the world would not choose. Mike noted how the woman's perception of Jesus as she interacted with him became clearer. At first, He was just another Jewish man, then she saw him as a prophet, and finally she asked him if He is the Messiah. We can go through this same progression in our Lenten journey to continue to deepen out perception. Also, where the water in Jacob's well is so difficult to find and the Living Water of Jesus is easy at hand because He gives it to us freely. But, Scot said, we should thirst for the water. During Lent we ask ourselves if we thirst for everything God is waiting to give us? Do we ask for more than God has already given me? Fr. Mark said we need to remember who Christ is asking to bring his message, the most unlikely messenger: A woman, a Samaritan, an adulteress. But she was called to be an evangelist to the city. Scot said it was her notoriety that might have made her the best messenger to a particular people, that God would work through her. Fr. Mark noted that we should follow the bucket. She comes with the bucket, notes that Jesus doesn't have a bucket and leaves without it. She comes as a laborer and leaves as an evangelist. Mike noted that conversion comes through a process of interacting with Jesus, but it involves a longing and a desire to have a relationship with him. Often in Lent we think of Lent as a Good Friday experience, but the readings of the past two Sundays have been so hopeful and uplifting as a precursor sign of the hope of Easter. Scot noted that because today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, people are not bound to Friday meatless abstinence although Scot and Fr. Mark recommend the abstinence as a way to remain penitential.

**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 Archdiocese of Boston. * [The Anchor](http://www.anchornews.org) * [The Pilot](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com) * [St. Thomas More College](http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/) * [CNS, "Dancing with the saints: Retreat master says that's the key to Lent"](http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1101089.htm) * [The Boston Herald, "Nuns sue Archdiocese of Boston over retirement funds""](http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110321nuns_sue_boston_archdiocese_over_retirement_funds/) * [Raymond L. Flynn, "Halting bigotry against Mass. Catholic schools"](http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_17633890) * [Pioneer Institute](http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/) **Today's topics:** Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York interviewed on CBS News' *60 Minutes*, the Pope's Lenten retreat, school choice, the Daughters of St. Paul dispute with Archdiocese of Boston over pension funds, St. Thomas More College relocation **A summary of today's show:** In a brisk review of the week's news, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York on being a "conservative" Catholic and then the ongoing response to the sexual abuse crisis; the Pope's Lenten retreat focusing on Pope John Paul II; an effort to repeal anti-Catholic laws in Massachusetts; the dispute between the Daughters of St. Paul and the Archdiocese of Boston does not undermine the mutual love and respect; and a relocation of a Catholic college to the archdiocese. **1st segment:** Susan reflected on the past week since her last appearance and how she and friends and colleagues have been reflecting on Lent and the joy in Lent. Scot said it's always a trial to keep up with Lenten disciplines and also there appears to be many more people showing up for Mass each day at the Pastoral Center. **2nd segment:** Scot and Susan welcomed Gregory Tracy and Fr. Roger Landry. First item up for consideration was an interview by *60 Minutes'* Morley Safer with Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York. Fr. Roger recalled knowing then-Msgr. Dolan when Fr. Roger was a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Archbishop Dolan was as warm, friendly, and jovial as he remembered him and seemed to win over Morley Safer with his personality. Archbishop Dolan leads the US Catholic Church in several ways, both holding the biggest pulpit in the US at St. Patrick's Cathedral and as president of the USCCB. *A clip from the show includes Safer's comments calling Archbishop Dolan a right-wing conservative. Archbishop Dolan bristles at being called right-wing, but he is enthusiastically grateful and committed to the timeless traditions and history of the Church.* Scot notes that many people like to label the Church, especially calling people who take their faith seriously as right-wing. Greg noted that there's a tendency to put everything under political labels, like "left" and "right". But that doesn't really apply to the Church, which is what Archbishop Dolan was saying. Fr. Roger noted that Christ's word is eternal and those who follow don't put their finger in the wind to see which it's blowing. People try to make the Church a political messiah, like people tried to make Christ a political messiah back in the day. We are supposed to be conservative if we define it as supporting life issues and the Church's teaching on morality, but liberal if we define it as supporting the Church's teachings on the poor, for example. As Catholics we must defy those easy labels because we are called to be both. Susan said what came to mind was the paradox people saw in Pope John Paul II, being both orthodox on the Church's teachings and so politically "liberal" on issues related to war and peace. *A clip from the interview on the Archbishop's experience meeting with abuse victims and the Church's response to the scandals. in some ways, Archbishop Dolan said, he doesn't want the crisis to be over. It needs to haunt the Church.* Fr. Roger said he heard those words, having worked with so many victims who've been wounded in the Church, and it struck him because of the awful experience of the victims, not just from the original injury but also from the lack of compassion from the Church in so many cases. All of this needs to haunt the Church, and Fr. Roger is thrilled that Archbishop Dolan gets this at a visceral level. We don't just institute a policy and move on, but take it to heart and make reparation. And then use this as something that drives us to go on in a way that serves everyone into the future. Scot mentioned to Greg that so many want to just move on from the crisis, but there are others who say we always have to remember it because those who have been hurt will be with for a long time. Gregory sees a persistent theme in all coverage of the Church that the abuse scandal is always coming up. The Pilot has often received comments from readers asking them to stop covering the crisis because if something good can come out of the revelations of the abuse, it;s that it forced the Church to confront this evil, but also to bring awareness to the problem in general to society as a whole. The Church can provide a model to society on how to deal with this. Fr. Roger noted in this week's editorial that Archbishop Dolan has been using his blog to speak frankly and plainly about the issue of abuse as well as the response to the Church, the part of the story being missed which is that the bishops have begun to get things right and create the circumstances by which young children are perhaps safer in Catholic churches than in any other institution. We shouldn't be so ashamed at what has occurred that we become a punching bag for those who want to use the evil that occurred as a way to silence the Church. * [Archbishop Dolan's blog about his airport encounter with an angry man](http://blog.archny.org/?p=1127) **3rd segment:** Pope Benedict has an annual retreat for Lent along with the Roman curia. The theme this year was on Pope John Paul II. They also heard profiles of other courageous saints under a concept he called, "Dancing with the saints". Susan said she was pleased at the reference by the retreat master's reference to the upcoming beatification of Pope John Paul II: "This beatification, which will be an event of immense importance for the church and the entire world, requires deep spiritual preparation involving the entire people of God and, in a particular way, the Holy Father and his closest collaborators.' She also is pleased that the Pope recalls for us the importance of Lenten retreats. Fr. Roger noted that Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the chaplain to the papal household, has preached the Advent retreats for the papal household for the past 32 years. He recently came to Boston to preach a night of reflection. * [Fr. Cantalamessa's website](http://www.cantalamessa.org/) Greg found it interesting that the theme was intended to help people prepare for the beatification of Pope John Paul II, especially since he only recently died. Pope John Paul II was a great believer in the potential of all people to become saints and he canonized and beatified more people than all other pope's combined and so his beatification and reflection on that now helps us to recall that vision. **4th segment:** Last week, there was a news conference featuring former US Ambassador to the Vatican and former Boston mayor Ray FLynn in which he highlighted the existence of anti-Catholic amendments to the Massachusetts constitution that hurt parents who wish to send their children to Catholic schools. It is called the Know Nothing amendment, referring to a nativist movement of the 19th century that resisted the influx of immigrants, especially Irish Catholics, and a great fear that the upstart Irish would gain power. The name comes from the fact it was a semi-secret organization. There was an 1854 amendment putting the original anti-Catholic laws in place and then another amendment in 1917 that blocked the ability to repeal the amendment by citizen referendum. * [The Know Nothing party](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing) The law prevents government aid from going to Catholic schools. Fr. Roger said there is immense economic pressure on Catholic schools, especially in the inner-city. People can't afford even the $3000 tuition, which is below cost, while paying thousands of dollars in property taxes for public schools. Archbishop Dolan has pointed out that studies show Catholic schools do a better job of educating inner-city students and do it at about half the cost of public schools. He said we don't address the issue because there is still an anti-Catholic bias. When this came up in Massachusetts in the 1980s, it failed despite the fact that many of the legislators were themselves Catholics and had experienced the benefits of Catholic education, because they had bought into the secularist arguments. Susan said every Catholic should have an interest in the benefits of Catholic schools. Inside every classroom in Boston is a sign that says "Christ is the reason for this school." Also, every society benefits from a populace that is well-educated. And on a practical level, if Catholic schools didn't exist, the burden on the public schools would be enormous. They would have all those Catholic school students without any additional property tax funds. We hope to have Ambassador Flynn and Catholic schools superintendent Mary Grassa-O'Neill on next week to discuss this issue in depth. **5th segment:** On the front page of the *Boston Globe* this past Monday, we saw an article on the Daughters of St. Paul, as the paper put it, suing Cardinal Sean. At essence of the story, the Daughters want to manage their pension fund on their own and the trustees of the Archdiocesan pension plan asked for proof that they had a management plan in place as required by their fiduciary duty to those who have contributed to the pension plans. Greg noted that the issue is not a new one, but has been going on for a long time and precedes any current changes to the pension plan that are being put in place for current employees. Scot wanted to make sure that everyone understood that there remains a lot of affection between the Daughters of St. Paul and the Archdiocese of Boston. Susan said she is personally close to the Daughters. It's important to realize that there are good people on both sides, she said. Her office is planning several projects with them over this summer and in the fall. They are a cutting edge religious order, involved in the communications and the media. Susan felt that Romans 8:28 is a good verse for this situation: "We know that all things work for good for those who love God." Scot said it is tough to see a religious order you love and the Church you love being put at odds on the front page of the newspaper. Moving on exciting news that St. Thomas More College is moving from its current location in Merrimac, NH, to Groton, Mass. It will become the 7th Catholic college in the archdiocese. Greg said the better news is that their move is motivated by plans to grow. He also notes that they're not abandoning the location in New Hampshire, which will become a graduate school. Scot said more good news is that the beautiful Sacred Heart Church in Groton was sitting unused because of parish mergers and that Groton was planning to build a fire station on the property. The college is purchasing the church as its chapel. An interesting side note is that the school's main property that it's purchasing is the former estate of the J. Geils band. The town wins by getting the property for its fire station, but also preserving a large open area. The college plans to move by 2013. The school said they will be able to revive their adult faith formation programs at the new location as well. * [The life of St. Thomas More](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14689c.htm) * [A Man for All Seasons](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060665/) St. Thomas More is the patron saint of lawyers and was the chancellor for King Henry VIII and gave up his life rather than capitulate to Henry VIII on his dispute with the Catholic Church over divorce. His letters to his daughter Margaret are very enlightening. * ["A Daughter's Love: Thomas More and His Dearest Meg" by J.A. Guy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618499156/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0618499156)

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams **Today's guest(s):** Tim Van Damm, vice-president of advancement and admissions, College of St. Mary Magdalen, and coordinator of AdorationBoston.org; and Kathy Reda, coordinator of the Eucharistic Congress for Youth and Young Adults * [College of St. Mary Magdalen](http://www.magdalen.edu/) * [AdorationBoston.org](http://www.adorationboston.org) * [4th annual Eucharistic Congress for Youth and Young Adults](http://www.eucharisticcongress.org) * [St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine]() * [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org) * [Pilot Parish Finder](http://www.pilotparishfinder.com) * [Pilot Parish Finder iPhone/iPad/iPod touch app](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pilot-parish-finder/id406816873?mt=8) * [PilotParishFinder Android app](http://www.appbrain.com/app/pilot-parish-finder/com.thebostonpilot.parishfinder)) **Today's topics:** The College of St. Mary Magdalen's new name and new vision for itself; Perpetual adoration in the city of Boston at St. Clement's Eucharistic Shrine; the 4th annual Eucharistic Congress for Youth and Young Adults; and questions about confession

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor **Today's guest(s):** Drs. David and Angela Franks and Dr. Aldona Lingertat of the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John's Seminary/ * [TINE](http://www.tineboston.org) * [St. John's Seminary](http://www.sjs.edu) * [TINE on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theological-Institute-for-the-New-Evangelization/173683042661394) * [Photos from press conference launching TINE on March 17](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostoncatholic/sets/72157626161918993/) * [Co-Workers in the Vineyard Conference](http://sjs.edu/News/2011CWITV.html) **Today's topics:** The new Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John's Seminary and a new degree and certificates for laity, deacons, and religious that join the existing Master of Arts in Ministry program. **A summary of today's show:** The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John's Seminary is preparing laypeople, deacons and religious to become energetic and knowledgable evangelists and missionaries within their own parishes and out in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces to bring about the new evangelization envisioned by Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Seán. **1st segment:** Is God calling you to serve the Church as a professional lay minister or catechist? Or is God calling you to receive strong adult faith formation to know, share and defend the faith? If so, than today’s program is meant for you as we’ll be discussing the exciting new Institute at St. John’s Seminary for Adult Faith Formation. Fr. Chris said last week that they had the annual St. Patrick's Day dinner at St. John's Seminary, including Irish song, Irish cheer, and limericks that poked fun of the faculty. On St. Joseph Day, he had Mass with the Missionaries of Charity and lots of zeppoli throughout the day. It's an Italian pastry. Scot said his wife had her birthday this weekend, so he was able to break his Lenten diet as planned. He also wished a happy birthday today to Maria Bain, station manager for WQOM. **2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Chris welcomed Aldona Lingertat and David and Angela Franks from TINE. David explained that St. John's has gathered immense resources to train men for the diocesan priesthood, so St. John's has made available these resources to laypeople who want to serve the Church. For the past decade that has been available through the Master's in Ministry and now the institute further expands the offerings of those resources. St. John's feels it's crucial to make these resources available to support the new evangelization. Angela said St. Patrick's feast day was chosen to launch because he was an evangelist and missionary to a hostile culture and we live in a society and culture that is hostile to our faith. Scot also pointed out that as St. Patrick is the patron of the archdiocese it ties the work to the archdiocese. Fr. Chris concurred and added that they hope it also offers resources for other dioceses in the region as well. A seminary is the heart of the diocese, he said. Aldona said the program students are all active in their parishes. The program makes sure the students are already active or asks them to become so first. They also offer a course in the basics of the Catholic faith as well. Scot noted that many Catholics, through no fault of their own, sometimes have not studied the faith as adults because formal religious instruction ended at confirmation. Angela said they found many people who come to their programs haven't read the Catechism. Scot said being part of a community while learning the faith is more fun and rewarding than studying alone. Aldona said there's an excitement in finding other people who care as much about the faith as you do. It helps grow and deepen your faith. Scot finds two significant aspects to the name. First, that it is an institute at the seminary and, second, that it is for the new evangelization. Fr. Chris said it responds to Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization marked by a newness in ardor, method and means. Pope Benedict has picked up on that theme and created a curial office dedicated to this work. It focuses not just on the missions abroad, but also on places where the Gospel has been proclaimed but the faith has been dimmed. Re-presenting the Gospel in ways accessible to today's culture. David said that calling it an institute means that the intention is to grow it larger. It is important that it is a theological institute, because a failure in theological work in recent years has led to a breakdown in communicating a straightforward belief in the divinity and resurrection of Christ and his mission in the world. The theological institute makes the riches of the faith available and says the seminary is here to empower the people to take hold of the means of theological communication, that you don't have to wait for some theologian to speak, but you can make the Gospel known in the world. Aldona said it is beneficial to have laypeople and religious study side-by-side in many cases with seminarians because when the students go out in to parishes the priests know that they have received solid instruction and a foundation for ministry. **3rd segment:** Discussing the Master of Theological Studies for the New Evangelization program. Angela said it is different from the Master of Arts in Ministry, which is is a ministerial degree. Many students were asking for an academic degree. The whole-person formation of MTS is toward evangelizing the world, as opposed to parishes and the church sphere in MAM. She said it is an innovative degree, one of only a few programs of its type in the country. David said that Vatican II said it was up to laypeople to evangelize and transform the world. The MTS degree takes theological, human, and apostolic formation and empowers the students to go out into their homes, workplaces, the political arena, and the marketplace. The MAM program is better for those looking to work in the Church, while MTS is about going out into other professions. Angela said the whole-person formation goes beyond simply providing books and syllabi and instruction in the classroom. It acknowledges the need to nourish the vocation through spiritual formation and social formation and other ways that lead the person to the kind of depths they need to have the rich vocational role to play. Fr. Chris made the distinction between education and formation. A typical university is concerned with the mind, but the institute is concerned with the mind and soul. Aldona added that they are teaching for belief. In most schools, people learn things, but not so they can believe. But TINE is educating for a believing community. David spoke of the Friday colloquia for the MTS. They get together once per month on a Friday night to discuss great works of literature, art, music, philosophy and more. There's a dynamism of ideas as the substance of the evening. They will engage these cultural treasures at a personal level. It's more relaxed than a classroom setting. Angela said the tasks of evangelization require practical experience in working with others and so literature can help one to gain life experience through understanding the insights that people before us have had. The MTS classes will meet evenings on Tues, Wed, Thurs, 5pm-9:30pm. Taking classes full-time, the program should take 2 years. It is intended to allow people who have regular jobs to take part. **4th segment:** Now discussing the Master of Arts in Ministry program, which has been in place in the archdiocese for more than 10 years. Fr. Chris said the people who enroll in MAM are moms, dads, people with full-time jobs committing to this additional work in order to serve the Church. Right now, in one class, he has a mechanic, a court stenographer, and a pastoral associate in a parish. Aldona said they are approaching their 100th graduate. After they graduate, students often go into professional positions in parishes that are open to laity, including director of religious education, Catholic school teacher, high school and college campus minister, pastoral associate, health care ministry and chaplaincy. Some continue in their regular jobs outside the ministry, but become involved part-time or volunteer in their parishes. Scot said pastoral planning surveys show there is a trend that parishes are going to need even more lay ministers in the future. Aldona said there's a new trend as well that shows a number of adults who are ready to retire, who are still young and healthy and energetic, who want to still study and serve their parishes. There are MAM students who go full-time, but most students take 3 or 4 years. There is no pressure on students to complete on a particular schedule. Scot said he has noticed a spirit in the MAM program and that the students are very close. Aldona said the classes have been built into a schedule that allows a lot of interaction. Classes take breaks at the same time, they have breaks for evening prayer. There are required monthly evenings where they have dinners and prayer together. Students stay in touch after graduation. She said the typical workload requires 4-6 hours per week of study outside of the 1-2 classes per semester. They also have scholarship money available for tuition. She encourages interested people not to let money be an obstacle. Fr. Chris said they are seeing pastors supporting pastoral ministers in the parishes by paying for tuition. There also audit options available for those who aren't interested in the degree. Aldona said she sees the auditors even doing all the papers. She believes auditing is mostly due to finances, not time commitment. This Thursday, March 24, at 149 Washington Street, Brighton, will be an open house, starting with evening prayer at 7pm and then a presentation afterward, a time for questions, and then meeting faculty and students. **5th segment:** In addition to the degree programs, there are 4 catechetical certificate programs, some meeting on evenings and some on Saturdays. This is the main avenue for reaching large numbers of laypeople. They are geared to those who want to get a formation in the faith, grounded in the Catechism, so that they are able to communicate the love of Jesus Christ to the world. They have had the program for about 2 years. One track has been for catechesis, teaching the faith, and apologetics, knowing and defending the faith. This fall, one Saturday per month for eight months, there will be two programs on catechetics and the basics of the Catholic faith. On the Saturdays they will have classes, small group sessions and the rest of the whole-person formation. They want Catholics to feel they can go out and talk about the truths of Jesus Christ and the Church without being defensive or nervous. Before and after the programs, they survey students about their comfort levels sharing their faith and afterward they always see students agree that they look forward to opportunities to evangelize in the world. Scot said these programs meet a real need to learn the faith at a low cost, $300 or less, and without a large time commitment. Fr. Chris said the seminary's goal is to help people to know the love of Christ and this helps people to come to know what the faith is all about. It acknowledges that the faith is attractive and the truth is attractive. The catechetical certificate is aimed at DREs and catechists by providing practical skills in addition to theological instruction. The Catholicism certificate is for people who just want to learn more about their faith with the same sort of theological content, but aimed at helping them share their faith with friends and family. Parents are encouraged to attend the catechetical certificate to educate their own children. As Cardinal Sean advances initiatives like Catholics Come Home, he needs an army of Catholics who know their faith and are energized to evangelize. There will be a free Biblical study seminar on the Mondays of June, 7-9pm this year with Prof. Cecilia Sirois. This year the topic will be on the women of the Old and New Testament. They are planning a graduate certificate for teaching Scripture in parishes. Next spring, they will offer certificate on the New Evangelization. It is a more advanced level after the basic certificates. It will focus on explaining the tough issues that come up, including the hard teachings on sexuality, reservation of priesthood to men, and other controversial and misunderstood issues in the Church. Fr. Chris said the wonderful thing is that TINE will be going out to parishes around the archdiocese to bring the good news of TINE to the people in the pews. On April 8, TINE is holding the Co-workers in the Vineyard conference, whose topic is the parish of the future. It will include several keynote talks, breakout talks, and Mass with Cardinal Seán. On April 9, from 1-3pm, St. John's Medieros Classroom, chaplains from prison ministry will speak on the ministry and how one can support the ministry even for those who don't feel called to go into prisons. Fr. Chris said it is part of the corporal works of mercy.

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry **Today's guest(s):** Pat Gohn and Rachel Balducci for Faith and Family magazine's "Mom's Day Away" and Tom Shields, Peter Carpentier, and Dick Kiernan from Alpha for Catholics * [Faith and Family Live](http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/) * [Faith and Family's Mom's Day Away](http://faithandfamily.eventbrite.com/) * [Rachel Balducci's blog, "Testosterhome"](http://www.testosterhome.net/) * [Rachel's book, "How Do You Tuck in a Superhero?"](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080073372X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=080073372X) * [Pat Gohn's website](http://www.patgohn.com/) * [Pat Gohn's podcast "Amazing Women"](http://www.patgohn.com/patgohn/AmongWomenPodcast.com.html) * [Pat Gohn's podcast "Catholic GPS"](http://www.patgohn.com/patgohn/Catholic_GPS.html) * [Pat Gohn at CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com/author/pgohn/) * [Pat Gohn at Patheos](http://www.patheos.com/About-Patheos/Pat-Gohn.html) * [Pat Gohn at Catholic Exchange](http://catholicexchange.com/tag/pat-gohn/) **Today's topics:** Mom's Day Away for Catholic moms, Catholic moms in new media, and Alpha for Catholics **A summary of today's show:** Pat Gohn and Rachel Balducci talk with Scot about Faith and Family's Mom's Day Away for Catholic moms coming up on April 2 as well as their personal projects including blogs, books, podcasts, and online columns. Then Scot welcomes Tom Shields, Peter Carpentier, and Rick Kiernan to discuss the Alpha for Catholics program in the Boston archdiocese. Finally, Scot and George Martell talk about George's photographs and the unique ways the Internet allows him to share them. **1st segment:** Scot read a statement from Jim Wright, president of The Station of the Cross, on Fr. John Corapi's administrative leave and then read a statement from Fr. Corapi from his website. The Station of the Cross has suspended ticket sales for the August 6 conference with Fr. Corapi pending consultation with advisors and resolution of the situation. * [Fr. John Corapi's statement on his website](http://www.fathercorapi.com/default.aspx) **2nd segment:** Scot welcomes Pat Gohn and Rachel Balducci of Faith and Family magazine. Pat said Faith and Family magazine and their website is a ministry of high quality for Catholic families and especially with Catholic moms in mind. Faith and Family Live is a great resource that brings together bloggers and has built a close-knit online community. Mom's Day Away is a day to bring the community of Faith and Family together. Rachel talked about the experience of meeting so many of the women who've been reading her blogs and book. It's an opportunity to give these Internet relationships a soul. There is a challenge to forming relationships online. It can be easy to forget there's a person on the other end of the computer. She was at the Catholic New Media Celebration in Boston last summer and had a great time meeting so many real life connections with people she'd already met online. You need the real-life connections to go along with the online interactions. One of the three keynotes is Jennifer Fulwiler. She grew up never believing in God, raised as an atheist. After getting married, she and her husband starting exploring the lack they felt in their lives. The Internet became a resource for her and through the Catholics she met online she discovered God and joined the Catholic Church. * [Jennifer Fulwiler's "Conversion Diary" blog](http://www.conversiondiary.com) Danielle Bean is the editor of Faith and Family magazine and one of the other speakers. Pat said it is her vision and leadership that has brought the magazine and website to where it is today. She's an author as well as wife and mother of 8. She brings a lot of exuberance and energy to everything she does including this day. * [Danielle Bean's books on Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dsr_tc_2_0%26keywords%3DDanielle%2520Bean%26field-contributor_id%3DB001KHVGS2%26qid%3D1300738838%26sr%3D1-2-ent%26rh%3Di%253Astripbooks%252Ck%253ADanielle%2520Bean&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957) * [Danielle Bean's blog](http://daniellebean.com/) Stoneham was chosen as the location for this first day because it was close to the publisher's home base in Connecticut and in a larger metropolitan area. Fr. Bill Schmidt of St. Patrick, Stoneham, generously offered the use of his very beautiful parish, which is conveniently located on a major roadways. They are keeping it small with just 200 tickets available. Rachel said although it's called Mom's Day Away, it's for all women. The three speakers all have big families and know what it takes to extricate themselves from the home. It's an opportunity to get together with other women, but also to get spiritual refreshment. It can be as intense or as laid back as they want it to be. She hopes women will go home refreshed and energized and able to be the best women they can be. Pat said her hope for the day is that there is a lot of laughter and time to talk over a great luncheon. There will be moments of prayer, adoration, silence, confession and the celebration of the Mass. They are joining together to build community between the women who come. There is a desire to celebrate the vocation of motherhood. Rachel said they're not forgetting about Lent with this celebration, but they're putting aside the sackcloth and ashes for just one day. Scot asked whether men should buy tickets for their wives to go? Pat said it would be a great Lenten service to the family if the husband could say to his wife that he will take over with the kids for a day so she can have this day away. Of course for moms with husbands who work on the weekends or are single moms, it would be great for others to step forward for them so they can get away. She also asked for prayers for the day. It will be 8am-5pm, April 2 at St. Patrick's Parish hall, Stoneham. Less than half of the available tickets are left. Tickets must be purchased online in advance, not at the door. * [Faith and Family Live's Mom's Day Away page](http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/blog/register_today_for_moms_day_away/) **3rd segment:** Rachel is the mother of 5 boys (and 1 baby girl) and she chronicles her experiences raising them on her blog. She started blogging 5 years ago when she had 4 boys under the age of 8. When the fourth boy became 3, life became overwhelming with a pack of boys roaming her home. Girls provide a tempering influence on their brothers. As a former newspaper reporter, writing is therapeutic for her and the blog helped her take a step back and look objectively at her life with her kids. Sharing funny stories helped her deal with the difficulties. Other moms write to her about how it helps them deal with raising boys. She has readers from all over the world. She recalls within the first couple of months getting a link from The National Review magazine's "The Corner" blog and she started to see readers from Australia and Europe and elsewhere. She felt good that her writing was reaching all over the world and encouraging the readers. One reader thanked her for reminding her to find the humor in her life's struggles and stresses. * [National Review's The Corner](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner) Her new book is "How Do You Tuck in a Superhero". Her aim is to help other moms become excited that God sent them boys too. Having boys helps her recognize that her job is to raise the boys to know, love, and serve Jesus, but boys are challenging because boys aren't particularly and innately religious. She wants to raise them to love Jesus and to be civilized human beings too. Scot asked whether Rachel always had a sense of humor or did she get it from raising boys. She said she comes from a very funny family that gave her a great sense of humor. **4th segment:** Pat agreed with Scot that Rachel has a great sense of humor and a great perspective. Scot said it's striking to him how close the pioneers in Catholic new media have become just through online relationships. Pat said using the Internet to make connections is part of the new evangelization. It's a new way of reaching out and touching the world in an evangelistic and missionary way. One of Pat's first new media initiatives was the Among Women podcast. Pat had already been writing online and as she got to know more and more writers, she found many of them starting podcasts. She explained what a podcast is: It is like a radio show that downloads to your computer and you can put it on your iPod or other digital media players to play anywhere. You can find them on individual websites or in iTunes. "Among Women" is a phrase from the Hail Mary and she chose it because when she's with other Christian women, she's happy to find community in Christ in the unique ways they relate. The podcast is part faith-sharing, part teaching, and part cup of coffee together. An episode could be about how to use the Bible as a devotional aid in prayer or recovery from abuse or women's issues. It looks at spiritual issues in women's lives and gives them expression. The first segment of each program is a profile of a saint or mystic and the second is a conversation with a woman sharing something from her own life. It could be an author or speaker or just a woman in the pew. It celebrates the faith and beauty and grace in a well-lived Catholic life. She's reached 100 episodes with her show. She and her husband Bob are very active at St. Michael's in Andover. They've been involved in faith-sharing groups, like Renew and Arise; prayer groups; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and music ministry. Their involvement evolved as their family has grown and evolved. St. Michael's is the largest parish in the Archdiocese and has a very long list of ministries and programs available. Pat has worked on the ministry team at the parish and saw how much work is involved. The downside of such a large parish could be the need to find a ministry to become involved with so one can feel a part of a very large community. That can happen in any parish. It's important to make familiar connections with that parish, to find opportunities for one-to-one sharing and relationships. * [St. Michael Parish, Andover](http://www.saint-michael.org/) **5th segment:** Scot welcomes Tom Shields, Peter Carpentier, and Dick Kiernan. Alpha for Catholics is a 10-week practical introduction to the Christian faith, primarily for non-church goers but also for Catholics refreshing their understanding of the faith. It includes a dinner followed by a 45-minute video and a 45-minute discussion. There's also a weekend away mid-course. It was first designed for non-Catholic Christians, but Catholics asked for it as well. Many bishops around the world have recommended Alpha for Catholics as well as papal preacher Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. Some of the fruits of Alpha included the story of a Springfield diocese priest who was preparing to retire, but when he saw the effects of Alpha in enlivening his parish, he asked the bishop to delay his retirement. There is also Alpha for Youth, which uses youth presenters and talks and videos intended for them. Many agnostic and atheist-leaning kids come in and are completely turned around. There have been 16 million globally who have gone through Alpha. In New England, there have been more than 5,000. Why should Catholics do Alpha? More than 80% of Catholics don't attend Mass and many of those who do go, go out of obligation. Alpha helps engender a personal relationship with Christ. Alpha attendees routinely come to full sacramental participation in their parishes. It provides an important point of entry back into the Church for lapsed Catholics as well. It works best with the blessings of the pastor. There is a regional team of Catholic advisors to help train the parish's Alpha team. There are five upcoming luncheons and evening gatherings for pastors, parish staff, and lay volunteers to introduce them to Alpha leading up to training in June, which will equip them to lead Alpha in their parishes. * March 28, St. Mary, Rowley * April 4, St. Malachy, Burlington * April 5, Sacred Heart, Bradford * April 11, St. Joseph, Needham * April 14, St. Joseph, Holbrook One of the good ways to start Alpha is to attend a course at a nearby parish with other key leaders from your parish. A list of Alpha courses is available on the Alpha USA website. * [Alpha USA: New England](http://alphausa.org/Groups/1000045884/New_England.aspx) * [Alpha New England](http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35964711541) * [Alpha for Catholics Boston](http://www.northshorecm.org/AlphaForCatholics.html) **6th segment:** Scot welcomes George Martell, the archdiocesan photographer, to talk about the Boston Catholic Flickr.com photography site. As he shoots photos at live events, the photos are automatically uploaded so they are available within minutes of being shot. It's especially good for people to follow along with friends and family who are on pilgrimages. George and Dom Bettinelli will be with the World Youth Day pilgrimage to Madrid this summer. George said that working with the Boston Herald for almost 20 years he never had that immediacy of contact with viewers. * [The BostonCatholic Flickr page](http://www.flickr.com/BostonCatholic) * [George's photos of the devastation of Haiti after the earthquake](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostoncatholic/collections/72157623543912342/)

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell **Today's guest(s):** Marianne Luthin, director of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office * [Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Pro-LifeOffice.aspx) * [Pregnancy Help Boston](http://www.pregnancyhelpboston.org/) * [Project Rachel](http://www.projectrachelboston.com/) * [Respect Life Education Office](http://www.respectlifeeducation.com/) * [Holy Hour for Life](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/HolyHourForLife.aspx) **Today's topics:** Archdiocesan Pro-Life Office, Pregnancy Help, Project Rachel, Respect Life Education, Mass readings for Sunday, March 20, 2011 **A summary of today's show:** Marianne Luthin shared the breadth of the Pro-Life Office's work, including Project Rachel retreats for post-abortion women; the Archdiocesan Pregnancy Help Center, which provides counseling and assistance for women in crisis pregnancies; and Respect Life Education, which creates curricula and trains teachers for school-age children and sponsors chastity speakers. Fr. Mark O'Connell and Scot Landry also previewed this coming Sunday's Mass readings on the Transfiguration of Jesus. **1st segment:** Fr. Mark reflects on his week: worked on 16 marriages cases, said Masses in four different places. Scot said that he met today with priests who work in the Central Region of the Archdiocese to talk about the work he's doing in Catholic Media. He found them very receptive to what they're doing in media. The Church is very active in pro-life efforts. The March for Life is one activity, as well as the Way of the Cross for Life on Good Friday. Many priests, deacons, seminarians, religious and laity all participate. But there is much more, which Marianne Luthin will share after the break. **2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark welcome Marianne Luthin. Project Rachel retreat is coming up on March 26. It is an outreach ministry across the US and the world designed to offer hope and healing and reconciliation to women and men who've participated in past abortions. It takes its name from Rachel in the Old Testament, and in the Holy Land there is a shrine to her where women come to pray for safe childbirth. It recalls [Jeremiah 31:15-17](http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/jeremiah/jeremiah31.htm) where Rachel weeps inconsolably and the Lord comes to her to tell her to cease her cries of mourning, there is hope for the future. Marianne knows many women cry tears of desolation for years and it is the mercy of God that can heal those tears. There are countless millions of women who suffer the effects of abortion. There are 1.2 million abortions in the US every year and with every abortion there is both a father and a mother, and sometimes their parents and medical workers and friends and family who participate. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 3 women of childbearing age in the US have had abortions and Catholics abort at about the same rate as non-Catholics. Fr. Mark asked if the women on these retreats are those who have recently had abortions or if it's those for whom it's been a long time. Marianne said that they often find its women coming to them after years living with abortion. She had one woman who was in her 90s who'd had an abortion 69 years ago. The most common reaction of a woman having an abortion is a sense of relief right after it happens. But it's after that fact, maybe after getting pregnant again or on the anniversary of the abortion, that all these issues come to the fore. Scot asked whether she encounters many women who believe incorrectly that they can't be forgiven for the abortions. There are probably many who do who never call or contact her office. She estimated that close to 80 percent of the women who call them say something like, I understand God forgives, but I can't forgive myself. Many woman go to confession after confession, but can't experience the healing love of Christ. On the "Healing Waters" retreats, they begin by helping them understand it's a totally confidential process. They don't even list the location of the retreat publicly. They also ask the participants not to repeat any stories they hear and that raises the comfort level of the women attending. Ideally, no more than 10 women are on any retreat because the team needs to be able to offer each woman exactly what she needs to experience the healing love of Christ. Fr. Mark asked how common it is for men to come forward to ask for help. Marianne said it is very rare. The schedule of the day includes Scripture reading; personal witness; a social worker who speaks to the women; a Penance service; quiet time for personal prayer; Eucharistic adoration; information about monthly support groups; and ends with Mass. Scot said he's seen the information about the retreats primarily in bulletins. How would Marianne recommend people spread the news about it to women who've had an abortion? She said that it is very tricky and the person would have to know the woman very well; that each situation is different. This is why the bulletin ads are so important, because they offer a confidential, low pressure means of spreading the word. But someone could also say something like, "I've heard about Project Rachel, they have retreats, a website, and there's a video on the website." There's also a section on the website of testimonies of women who've been through Project Rachel and the difference its made in their lives. Those 30-40 women represent a cross-section of every kind of woman. Every woman will find something to match her experience. Other retreats will be May 21 and June 25, all on Saturdays, 9am-5pm. The phone number is 508.651.3100. If someone wants to support Project Rachel financially, they can write a check made out to "Project Rachel" and send it to the Pro-Life Office, 5 Wilson Street, Natick, MA 01760. **3rd segment:** There was an article in the Pilot last week about the new ultrasound machine that is just part of what the Pregnancy Help Center of the Archdiocese does. The center was founded by lay volunteers in 1973. The Archdiocese took it over as a full-time ministry in 1985. They offer services in 3 languages. They have two trained nurses who offer help in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Women struggling to make a decision about abortion can find counseling, information, and now an ultrasound. Ultrasound can make a tremendous difference, particularly with this new machine because you can see the baby's heartbeat at 6-1/2 weeks, which is about when most women find out they're pregnant. Having spoken to hundreds of women who've had abortions, she knows many women regret having made the decision to have an abortion too quickly. They never had the time to reflect on the full-range of what they were doing. Fr. Mark said the ultrasound sounds wonderful, but it may sound scary to some people. Marianne said it's the women herself who makes the decision to have an ultrasound. The ultrasound is housed at the ob-gyn offices at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. So when a woman comes to the Pregnancy Help center, she meets with a counselor first to talk about where she is in her pregnancy and what her concerns might be. The ultrasound enables her to understand more fully where she is in her pregnancy. Often when she sees a picture of her child, she forms a bond with him. Ironically, in an abortion the abortionists use an ultrasound, but won't let the mother see it. Not every woman needs or wants an ultrasound. Some women have already made the decision not to have an abortion, but now have been abandoned by others in their lives or need a lot of help to continue. The Pregnancy Help center is not just about telling women not to have an abortion, but provides positive assistance right through the time of birth, even up to several years after. Each counselor develops a personal relationship with each client and knows what she needs: financial assistance, housing assistance, referrals to services, help with employment issues, assistance with maternity and newborn needs. Marianne said that thanks to parishes in the Archdiocese, they are able to offer the practical assistance to these women in need. Fr. Mark asked about lack of insurance, and Marianne said the women are signed up on the spot. * [Pilot story on ultrasound machine](http://pilotcatholicnews.com/article.asp?ID=13088) * [Cardinal Seán's blog on visiting the Pregnancy Help office](http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2011/03/11/catholics-come-home-2/) **4th segment:** A lot of the material goods used in the pregnancy help centers are gathered by parish-based baby shower programs. The program was founded by one woman 26 years ago at Holy Ghost Parish in Whitman who wanted a way to participate in a pro-life work and so she invited friends to bring an item for an expectant mother and it grew from there to become the pregnancy help parish baby shower program. Many parishes will set up a place in the back of the church for people to drop off items for expectant mothers and children. There are practical ways for everyone to help. Fr. Mark encouraged parishioners in parishes where the baby showers aren't held to talk to their pastor about setting one up. Marianne said groups like the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Daughters of America are also active in providing assistance. Many young people are getting involved, engaging the whole parish and working to explain the program to others. Once you make that one-to-one human connection of providing a specific gift, like a child's snowsuit, to a specific child, even if you don't meet them yourself, it makes a lasting impact. Other ministries include the Spiritual Adoption program: take as an intention in your prayer life one particular mother and child and at the end of the 9 months hold a baby shower. March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation is a good time to begin because that it is when Christ came to us as an unborn child. Respect Life Education's main program is the curricula for middle schools, including "Created for Love", written specifically for parish-based religious education in the Archdiocese of Boston. They also sponsor talks by nationally known chastity speaker Jason Evert in the archdiocese. Lenten Pro-life retreat on April 16, 9am-2pm at the Daughters of St. Paul convent in Jamaica Plain. Everyone is encouraged to attend, including those who've been involved in pro-life ministries. They will have a reflection by Bl. John XXIII Seminary seminarian Edward Rama, who before seminary was very involved in pro-life ministry in his parish. * [Lenten Retreat - Come Away With Me For Awhile](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Events-Calendar/Event-Detail.aspx?id=19738) **5th segment:** To get the most out of Mass, we have to prepare. The more you put in to it, the more you get out of it. Each Friday, Scot and Fr. Mark will talk about the readings coming up for that Sunday's Mass. First reading is from Genesis 12:1-4 and the Gospel is Matthew 17:1-9. The two readings are interrelated. This is the Transfiguration Gospel. There aren't many times in the Gospel that we hear the voice of God the Father. He doesn't just identify Jesus as His Son, but tells the disciples to listen to Him. Scot believes this is significant. How many times do we just hear the Scriptures, but not really listen to them and internalize them? Fr. Mark said the first reading and the Gospel build up to that line, "Listen to Him." In the first reading, the covenant with Abram has three promises. The great nation is fulfilled in Moses, with the exodus from Egypt; the great name is fulfilled in David, who became the kingdom, and the great blessing is in Jesus, ultimately in the cross, but starting with the Transfiguration of Jesus. Scot said another connection between these readings is the idea of going forth: Abram goes forth from his home. The disciples and Jesus went up the mountain to pray, but came down to minister. And now the disciples were not the same anymore. Fr. Mark noted that Peter wanted to stay in the moment, but Jesus leads them down the mountain to where the work is. Every now and then we have glorious "mountaintop" experiences, but faith is lived in the real world "down the mountain." Scot also noted that the disciples were afraid, but Jesus tells them, "Do not be afraid." He also asked Fr. Mark what we should make of Jesus telling them not to tell anyone about the vision. Fr. Mark said he thinks it's too much for them to understand in the context, that this is a glimpse of Jesus' glorification, but that the fullness of glorification would come in the cross and that people could not understand the full extent of glorification except in light of the cross and Resurrection. Lent is a calling to us to change, to be transfigured. * [Readings for March 20, Second Sunday of Lent](http://www.usccb.org/nab/032011.shtml)

**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; Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese; and Justin Bell of the Catholic Media Secretariat * [The Anchor](http://www.anchornews.org/) * [The Boston Pilot](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com) **Today's topics:** Crisis in Japan and the Church's response; the Rite of Election; Massachusetts bishops on low-income energy heating policy; the real St. Patrick **A summary of today's show:** Fr. Roger Landry and Gregory Tracy join Scot and Susan to discuss how the tragedy in Japan as a reminder for prayer and to consider God's mercy; they discuss the significance of the Rite of Election and the preparation to receive new members of the Church; the Massachusetts bishops ask Congress not to cut home heating oil assistance and how that affects the dignity of the person; and who is the real St. Patrick? **1st segment:** Scot welcomes Susan to the show and they discuss St. Patrick's Day. Susan shared what she heard in the homily at Mass this morning at the Pastoral Center. Fr. Bob Oliver talked about the Breastplate of St. Patrick, and that if St. Patrick felt the need for armor in his ministry to protect him, then perhaps we shouldn't domesticate him too much. Scot said that the theme song for The Good Catholic Life is "St. Patrick's Breastplate" by Martin Doman. He wrote it as the theme song for the 2007 Boston Catholic Men's Conference. * [Martin Doman](http://www.martindoman.com/) * [St. Patrick's Breastplate](http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/legacy/id323621256) * [Boston Catholic Men's and Women's Conferences](http://catholicboston.com/) **2nd segment:** Gregory Tracy and Fr. Landry join Susan and Scot. The situation in Japan is one of most significant tragedies and calamities of our lifetime. Greg reflected that so many are overwhelmed by the scenes, the videos of the tsunami devastating everything in their path. It recalls for him how powerless we are in the face of the forces of nature. It takes these disasters to remind us that man is not the ultimate force in the world. One of the Japanese bishops said that life is a gift of God and is in the hands of God. Fr. Landry said it is difficult to watch every night to see so much suffering. It is hard to see other people like us to suffer so much. As a pastor, he tries to convert that sorrow into prayer. We know that this life isn't all that there is and even though we might die tragically, it doesn't mean that life is over. We pray for those who died and their loved ones. That is how we respond as Catholics. He is pleased that Cardinal Sean and Bishop Coleman in Fall River have authorized collections to provide for the physical and monetary needs in Japan. We can let them know that in the midst of charity they are not alone and that the love of people from across the world is stronger than a tsunami, that the radiation of Christian faith is stronger than nuclear radiation. Most parishes will take up the collection either this Sunday or the next. Scot had no doubt that Catholics in the region will be as generous as they always are when such collections come up. Fr. Roger is always pleased that in his inner-city parish so much is raised for these collections. Scot said that he's always felt that it is better to donate to a Catholic organization to show how we as a Church respond. Susan said that she remembers reading an assessment of relief organizations and Catholic Relief Services was highest rated as the one in which the most pennies per dollar reach the people on the ground. People often ask, "How could God let this happen?" Fr. Landry said that such disasters are never positively willed by God, but the best explanation was *Salvifici Doloris*, in which John Paul II said suffering causes us to become Good Samaritans, it unleashes love. We can't stand on the sidelines. It forces us to become who we really are in sacrificing for others. If we believe in an afterlife with God, we can't absolutely say death is a tragedy. The Caritas director in Japan said there is now an opportunity to witness to the truths of Catholic faith and Catholic love. Greg said in a country that's not necessarily a Catholic country, it shows that the Church is there witnessing to the value of all human life, that we're concerned for everyone, not just Catholics. Susan said it also answers the question, "Lord, who is my neighbor?" In a global community, it is a person half a world away. * [The Holy Father's calls for prayer for victims of disaster in Japan](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com/article.asp?ID=13096) * [Cardinal Seán's announcement of a collection for Japan](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=19780) * [Catholic Relief Services](http://www.crs.org/japan/) * [Salvifici Doloris](http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_11021984_salvifici-doloris_en.html) **3rd segment:** On the front page of tomorrow's *Pilot* is last Sunday's Rite of Election at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, in which those preparing to be received into the Church at Easter are welcomed by the Cardinal. On this past Sunday, there were two ceremonies in order to accommodate them all and their families. In Boston, there were 600 catechumens, nationally there are 150,000. Susan said this is the evidence of the universal Church. At the Rite of Election, you see people from every continent, of all ages. Greg was there and shared what he saw as a photographer. He said it was beautiful to see the catechumens, those who are unbaptized, and the candidates, baptized Christians who are going to be received into full communion with the Church. The front-page photo of the *Pilot* is of a 10-year-old boy who signed his own name into the book of Election. There is a catechumen or a candidate and behind them always comes a family or someone else who is guiding them into the faith. Fr. Roger described the preparation of the catechumens and candidates leading up to the Easter vigil. At the liturgies, they will receive scrutinies to help them determine their intentions and to stoke their desire to become not just Catholic, but good Catholics. Fr. Roger said at his parish that he's interviewing each person and continuing with their education in the faith. He pointed out that we don't give 25 years of instruction in 3 months time, but give them the basic foundation to understand that we trust in Christ and trust in what Christ did and in His Church and what it confesses. These are intense times for them as they examine their own intent and bring up any questions for discussion with those helping them on their journey. Susan said the renewal of baptismal vows on the Easter vigil by the whole Christian community is a very important participation in the ceremony of reception of catechumens and candidates into the Church. Of course, we reject Satan and his evil works, but the renewal asks us to reflect on what form those evils take in our lives. We ought not answer too glibly, but deliberately. Scot quoted one of the candidates, Kelly Elpers, who attends St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish in Acton: >"This is a 20-year journey for me -- something I've always wanted do." Elpers was raised in a non-religious household and never baptized. ... The only times Elpers attended Mass was if she went with friends, and before having a family of her own, the only time she attended was on Christmas and Easter. She said attending Mass without being able to fully participate was difficult for her, but she wanted to learn more abou the Mass. "I didn't understand what I was missing and what they were a part of," Elpers said. >Elpers said she even attended other Christian churches at times, but she was most drawn to the Catholic Church's history, tradition and Mass. "There was something so special about the Catholic Mass for me," she said. >Through raising her children Catholic she became more involved in the Church, ultimately deciding to be received into full communion. "Now that I'm part of something so big and so beautiful, words cannot describe the feeling." We pray for all those preparing to come into full communion with the Church and those helping them to prepare. **4th segment:** Discussing a letter sent this week by the bishops of the 4 dioceses in Massachusetts to congressional leaders on proposed cuts to the Low Income Energy Heating policy. It would cut heating assistance from $5.1 billion to $2.7 billion and would hurt the Northeast disproportionately. Scot said the four Mass. bishops rarely put out a common letter and this shows this to be a significant issue for them. Greg said that the cuts are a drop in the bucket for the deficit. Meanwhile, heating oil is mainly used in the Northeast, while virtually everywhere else only natural gas is used for heating. Ten years ago, heating oil was 78 cents per gallon and this year it's up to $4 per gallon. The Church is always on the side of the most disadvantaged, the poor. Fr. Landry said it difficult to balance fiscal responsibility with the need of the poor. The Church says we're supposed to love everyone and to have a real solicitude for the needy. This is the moral nucleus of what they wrote: >Our plea is that, when considering how to navigate through this difficult budgeting process, Congress preserve a special place and regard for the most vulnerable of our citizens, particularly those whose precarious economic circumstances force them to choose between shelter and clothing or between heat and food. There can be a vibrant debate over what form that care can take, whether it's through federal government or local government or a non-governmental solution, but there must always be a conscious regard for how those people will be taken care off. It is callous to say we're going to cut the budget by 50% without considering how the vulnerable are being left even more vulnerable. Susan said the bishops remind the government how much the Church does in social services, but also say the Church can't do it alone. Also, twice in the letter they talk about the dignity of the human person. * [Massachusetts bishops' letter on proposed cuts to Low Income Energy Heating policy](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=19736) **5th segment:** Welcoming Justin Bell to have a conversation about St. Patrick. Justin has been speaking in various venues on "who is the real St. Patrick," after having produced a documentary on Ireland that included a look at St. Patrick's life in the life of the Irish people. St. Patrick was a real person born about 373, his father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest. He lived a comfortable life, was well-educated, and a Roman citizen. He was kidnapped by pirates at 16 years old and sold into slavery in Ireland. He was a captive for 6 years and had a huge conversion experience. At 21 he escaped and went to Europe where he studied and prayed. At the age of 30 he received a vision in which he received a letter entitled "the voice of the Irish" and he heard the people of Ireland asking him to return to walk among them. This became his sacred calling, to become an apostle to Ireland. He didn't go back right away, but spent 30 more years preparing for his mission. Scot noted that even St. Patrick hadn't even done much by the age of 30 and this can be a lesson for young adults. Justin agreed that God prepares us in the present moment and young adults are too often looking ahead to something else rather than living in this moment. Scot said devotion to St. Patrick can be intense, but is often missing from St. Patrick's Day celebration. St. Patrick is not about binge drinking and carousing. The way we should celebrate him is to learn more about his life and his mission for us. Justin's idea for his documentary was to profile different Irish people's lives as an expression of Irish life and culture, but interwoven with the life of St. Patrick. The name of the documentary is "Seven Shades of Green." One of the people he interviewed is a Nigerian immigrant who had been elected as the first black mayor in Ireland. The saints are alive today and they are interested in our lives and we can pray to them, Justin said of the lessons he's learned in his study of Patrick. Susan said she marked St. Patrick's Day growing up, but it was very home-centered. Always starting with Mass, then a corned beef and cabbage meal, and wearing green, but her grandfather had come over in the famine and they were very much aware of the sacrifices of the Irish. Justin recalled the term the Green martyrdom, referring to so many Irish missionaries and priests who went out from Ireland, bringing Christ around the world, but never to return home. Scot said one way to model oneself after St. Patrick is to be a missionary and even in the Boston area where so many are nominally Catholic, this is a place ripe for missionary activity. Scot said it was the Irish priests who came to Boston in the early years of the Church in this area that grew the Church so large and the Irish immigrants who laid the foundation. We can only claim St. Patrick as a patron to the extent that we are missionaries. The documentary is showing at the Watertown Public Library next Tuesday. Justin said the reception to it has been very good because it engages the audience in real people's lives. Scot then mentioned that Cardinal Sean and Bishop Arthur Kennedy announced the launch of the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization at St. John Seminary. They will be discussing the new institute next Tuesday on The Good Catholic Life when Fr. Chris O'Connor, who has been named president of the institute, will be co-hosting. * [St. Patrick](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11554a.htm) * [Seven Shades of Green](http://www.sevenshadesofgreen.net/) * [The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization](http://www,tineboston.org) * [Subscribe to The Anchor](http://www.anchornews.org/subscribe.php) * [Subscribe to The Pilot](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com/subscribe.asp)

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams, director of the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults **Today's guest(s):** Stephen Colella, assistant director of the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults, and Seth DeMoor, founder of the website OneBillionStories.com. * [Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults](http://www.one4boston.org) * [OneBillionStories.com](http://www.onebillionstories.com) * [Seth's appearance on CatholicTV's "This Is The Day"](http://www.catholictv.com/shows/default.aspx?seriesID=72&videoID=89) * [World Youth Day Madrid official website](http://www.madrid11.com/en) * [Eucharistic Congress](http://www.eucharisticcongress.org) * [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org) **Today's topics:** World Youth Day Madrid 2011 and the Boston pilgrimage; OneBillionStories.com telling the faith stories of one billion Catholics; Listener questions about the sacrament of confession **A summary of today's show:** Stephen Colella of the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults talks about World Youth Day pilgrimages, including this summer's WYD in Madrid, and their value to young people on a faith journey. Seth DeMoor tells us about his plan to collect the personal witnesses of all one billion Catholics on their lifetime journeys of faith. And Stephen, Scot, and Fr. Matt answer listener questions about the sacrament of confession. **1st segment:** How is Lent going for Fr. Matt? Sometimes it's hard to remain true to Lenten disciplines, and those failings remind us of how much we need a savior. So for him it's been wonderful and humbling. Scot has said a new diet regime has given him new appreciation for "praying with your whole body." Today was very active at the Pastoral Center. There were 120 people at noon Mass with the Sisters of Life from New York and all the pro-life directors from around New England. Cardinal Sean gave a great homily as well. Fr. Matt said you see Catholics embracing the wonderful practice of daily Mass for Lent. Many people don't realize that we can go every day, that there is Mass every day of the year, except Good Friday. It's a good habit to form. Tonight is the first of the six Wednesdays during Lent in which we will have the Light Is On For You. Every parish throughout the archdiocese will be open for confessions from 6:30 to 8pm. Questions about confession may be emailed to [[email protected]]([email protected]), texted or called into 617-410-MASS. * [PilotParishFinder.com](http://www.pilotparishfinder.com) * [PilotParishFinder iPhone app](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pilot-parish-finder/id406816873?mt=8) * [PilotParishFinder Android app](http://www.appbrain.com/app/pilot-parish-finder/com.thebostonpilot.parishfinder) **2nd segment:** Stephen Colella joins Scot and Fr. Matt. World Youth Day 2011 is in Madrid. Every 3 years it's a celebration of young people gathering from around the world. Steve said Madrid is a classic European city, lots of plazas for gatherings, lots of historic churches and relics. His team has been planning since the last one, in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. Each WYD has its own flair, culturally, and the marks of the universal Church in that place. You also experience the culture, food, and music that makes that place unique. For example, on Wednesday of that week, the WYD organizers have rented every theater in Madrid and will be showing Catholic films submitted in every language. Fr. Matt said pilgrims should expect it to be hot, hot, hot. Some forecasts say it can be 110 degrees. They prepare the pilgrims by drilling into them, "This is a pilgrimage, not a vacation. On a pilgrimage, we never complain about anything." With that said, in Spain, you have the oldest marian shrine in the history of the Church, Santiago de Compostela. Spain has some of the greatest saints in history. In Spain, you're always encountering churches, still in good condition, that are older than our country. * [Santiago de Compostela](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_de_Compostela) Scot said he would love someday to visit the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Fr. Matt said that the pilgrimage will be making a stop there. Stephen said his favorite church in Madrid, St. Gines, a smaller church and absolutely beautiful with side shrines dedicated to almost every saint you can imagine. The other is in Valencia, a church that traditionally is said to house the relic of the holy Grail. * [Sagrada Familia](http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/) * [San Gines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gin%C3%A9s,_Madrid) Stephen said that the schedule of the week of pilgrimage reflects the paschal mystery, as Pope John Paul designed it. When the Boston pilgrims arrive they will land on Sunday; have Mass at the cathedral and a tour on Monday; the opening Mass by the local bishop on Tuesday night; then catechetical festivals by language group through the week. The Pope arrives during the week, and on Friday there is the Stations of the Cross. On Saturday morning, the pilgrims rise early and have Mass with Cardinal Seán (many pilgrims from other places will seek out the cardinal's Mass, knowing him from his blog.) Then the pilgrims will walk 3-4 miles from St. Francis Basilica to the overnight site, where the pilgrims camp out and have celebrations throughout the evening with Holy Father. In the morning, the Holy Father celebrates Mass and announces the next World Youth Day. The pilgrimage ends with a dinner for the whole Boston group, and then they return to the US. * [San Francisco el Grande Basilica, Madrid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_el_Grande_Basilica,_Madrid) **3rd segment:** Continuing the conversation about World Youth Day. Pope John Paul II made WYD a centerpiece of his papacy and he believed that moments in time can be a huge part of the faith journey. He had a theology for young people that was powerful and inviting. Stephen said Pope John Paul had in mind with WYD to restore the concept of pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is not a program or itinerary, it's an experience that is coached or directed. The subjective person, with whatever they bring with them, can go through the experience as a member of a community and still receive the universal objective truth. People on pilgrimage can have profound moments. You can train adults to have a model of leading an experience. You coach pilgrim in a system that is successful and you make them successful, which is the Bill Belichick model. The leaders can help a young person process what they've experienced as perhaps a life-changing adult reversion or conversion experience. Fr. Matt said he's been to 4 World Youth Days, the first one in Rome when he was a seminarian staying at St. Joseph, Quincy. In 2002, Toronto; 2005, Cologne, Germany; and 2008 in Sydney. In Rome, his powerful memories are of the heat, the crowds, and the incredible history of the Church, and the love of the Pope. A constant throughout this is the young people's encounter with the love of the Holy Father. The "Catholic sense" kicks in when the pilgrim encounters "Peter." The pilgrimage triggers the heart to be more receptive to the Gospel. His first two times, he went as a pilgrim, not a leader; but the second two he went as a leader, helping to direct young persons to grow in the areas they need. In Australia, what blew him away was when the young people started hearing the theology of the body teachings. At the end of the week in Australia, he and Stephen hosted a gathering of young people to help them be able to articulate what they had experienced to their friends and family, to be able share what they learned. Three young women on that trip used the contents of a girl's purse to illustrate the pressure that the world puts on them to be attractive to boys, and they said they learned that their relationship with Christ was more powerful and what gave them real value. When asked where they learned it on the trip, they said it was in the sacrament of confession. * [Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults](http://www.one4boston.com) * [World Youth Day Madrid 2011 site for the Boston pilgrimage (under construction)](http://www.wydmadridboston.com) **4th segment:** Scot and Fr. Matt welcome Seth DeMoor. He said he was raised Catholic, but was pretty lukewarm growing up. He learned the faith in his mind, but it never traveled to his heart. He attended the University of Colorado, where he encountered two excellent priests who helped him discover his faith. One Billion Stories refers to the one billion Catholics and he believes that all Catholics have a story to share. Jesus taught through parables and stories. Fr. Matt asked what sharing one's story does for the faith. Seth said that it's difficult to connect with people just through the teachings of the Church or even Scripture, but they may listen to a personal testimony from someone if it's authentic and real. In November 2009, he was about to graduate from university and didn't have a job, so he decided to start a bike ride from Florida back to Denver, Colorado over 2,400 miles, collecting stories. This was the start of the website. It took 90 days. Before he left he had only 4 contacts for places to stay during his trip. He brought camping gear, but over the 90 days he only had to camp out 7 nights. Every other night people would take him in, usually folks he would encounter at daily Mass. They would hear his story and soon he would be eating dinner at their house. Fr. Matt is reminded of Christ sending out the 72 disciples who he told not to bring extra supplies, but to depend on providence. Seth said that story of the 72 was poignant because Christ sent the disciples in pairs, and he went alone and it was very difficult. One of the surprising stories was interviewing a gentleman who popped out a glass eye in the middle of the interview. But more inspiring was a young man in Gainesville, Florida, who had fallen away from the faith, got into Buddhism and New Age then fundamentalist Christianity, hating the Church. But by the time Seth interviewed him, he was in RCIA. Fr. Matt asked him what audience he was drawing to the website. Seth said as a 25-year-old he spends a lot of time with similar age people and that's the biggest part of his audience and those who are contributing their stories, but his most devout audience are mothers who are really engaged with the stories. He is asking people to record and submit their stories on video. He's asking for 3-5 minute videos recorded in high def that share people's own stories of what they love about the faith. Email them to [[email protected]]([email protected]) He's working on a new series for CatholicTV in 13 parts that's the back story to his pilgrimage and the stories he encountered. It will air in September. For OneBillionStories, he's also looking for people to help him take the mission to the next level, recording and compiling stories from around the globe. It's not his full-time job, but he's hoping to turn it into a non-profit. * [CatholicTV](http://www.catholictv.com) **5th segment:** Every Wednesday, we announce the winner of the 1060 WQOM Benefactor Raffle. This week the recipient will win a copy of the "2011 Calendar of Indulgences" from Bridegroom Press. This week's winner of the Benefactor Card raffle is **Rose Dacorta from Dorchester Center, Mass.**. Congratulations to Rose. * [2011 Beauty of Grace Calendar of Indulgences](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601040415/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1601040415) If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit [WQOM.org](http://www.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 our weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs, and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during The Good Catholic Life. **6th segment:** Stephen rejoins Scot and Fr. Matt. They will answer questions submitted by listeners about confession. 1. Over the past few decades, many parishes have added reconciliation rooms to allow face-to-face confession. Is the Church suggesting that face-to-face confession is better than in a traditional confessional? Fr. Matt said that allowing for face-to-face, an interpersonal communication becomes possible, but both forms are valid. The most important thing is to just go. Stephen said he prefers face-to-face, because it holds him accountable to the priests he frequents. Scot is strong for the anonymity of the confessional booth. He typically goes to St. Anthony shrine, where they start at 6:30 am every day. 2. I saw a story on the new iPhone app for confession. Some stories have suggested it’s a way to go to confession rather than seeing a priest. Please tell me that it isn’t true. Scot said it is definitely not true. The app is a tool to prepare for confession, allowing you to examine your conscience. It's not unlike printing out an examination of conscience; it's just a digital version of that. It was the first app to receive a bishop's imprimatur. Fr. Matt said that the examination of conscience helps the penitent to have the courage to go to confession and to make it more fruitful by preparing before confession. Jumping into confession without reflecting ahead of time doesn't give the opportunity to make sure every part of life has been looked at before confession. Stephen says he does an examen and he likes the idea of the app. Technology is neutral, can be used for good or ill. * [Confession: A Roman Catholic App](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/confession-a-roman-catholic/id416019676?mt=8) 3. I know I need to confess my sins to a priest, but it's difficult to explain to others why sins need to be confessed to a priest when God is all-knowing and can see our contrition. Fr. Matt said it goes back to Christ telling the apostles that they have the authority to bind and loose, a power and authority that was handed on in the life of the Church. Grace comes to us through the sacraments. When we confess, we encounter Christ through his ordained representatives. In confession the person articulates the sin aloud, and the priest is able to receive that confession and articulate the mercy and absolution. * [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org)