The Good Catholic Life

**Today's hosts:** Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor, vice-rector of St. John's Seminary **Today's guests:** Bishop Robery Hennessey, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Boston, and Sinisa Ubiparipovic, a seminarian studying at St./ John's Seminary. **Today's topics:** The Light Is On For You, Lenten confessions, a seminarian from Yugoslavia, the St. James Society and South America * [St. John's Seminary](http://www.sjs.edu) * [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org) * [St. James Society](http://www.socstjames.com/) **A summary of today's show:** Bishop Robert Hennessey reflects on the beauty of the Sacrament of Confession and the message of God's forgiveness it contains. He also notes the wonderful success of The Light Is On For You, a confession initiative during Lent and Advent. Seminarian Sinisa Ubiparipovic talked of his journey to seminary and his recent travels to South America with the St. James Society, while Bishop Hennessey recalled his years with the Society, the important work they do, and the important fruit it continues to bear for the Archdiocese. **1st segment:** Fr. Chris O'Connor joined Scot on the show for the first time. He shared some of his background that brought him to the seminary. He grew up in Dorchester and Quincy, went to BC High, attended St. John's Seminary College, went to Rome for a year, returned to finish his studies, spent some time in St. Mary, Chelmsford, received a doctorate in Philosophy from Catholic U in DC. St. John's has had a renewal in recent years. It has almost reached capacity with seminarians and continues to grow. Many of the men entering were inspired by the example of Pope John Paul II. Bishop Arthur Kennedy, the rector, has provided great leadership and expanded their mission to become a regional seminary. It also offers a series of lay leadership and ministry formation courses. There is a master of arts in ministry program to form parish ministers. They also offer catechetical certificates. On Thursday at 11am, Cardinal Seán and Bishop Kennedy will announce a new lay formation program during a press conference at the cathedral, followed by the St. Patrick's Day Mass. **2nd segment:** Bishop Robert Hennessey joined the program. He was ordained a bishop on December 12, 2006. Prior to that, he served the Church in various ways, including the St. James Society. He grew up in South Boston at St. Augustine's parish. He attended St. John Seminary and then served in several parishes and then went to Bolivia for several years with the St. James Society. He then served Most Holy Redeemer in East Boston, the largest Spanish-speaking parish in the archdiocese, as pastor for 12 years. Then he was appointed as bishop. Two years ago he was appointed to lead The Light Is On For You, a Confession initiative for Lent and Advent. Confession is not just for Lent, Bishop Hennessey said, but frequent confession is good for us. It is a great place to find out, not that we're bad, but that we're loved by God. Even if we disappoint God or anger Him through our sins, we are still beloved of Him. Fr. Chris asked the bishop which Scripture passage he would say is the best to talk about Confession. The bishop loves the Prodigal Son, mainly because the young man was able to admit his faults, but also before he could tell his father that he was no longer worthy to be his son, the father cut him off with his loving forgiveness. We cannot say we are not worthy to be loved by the Father, because His love is a free gift of His grace and His very nature. Scot said that it is not just the story of the Prodigal Son, but also the story of the Loving Father. Bishop Hennessey said that the father was keeping watch for his son, because we know he saw the son coming back from a distance. In Pope Benedict's book, "Jesus of Nazareth", he says it's not just the Prodigal Son, but the Prodigal Son*s*, because it is both sons who disappoint their father and who need forgiveness. * [Jesus of Nazareth](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586171984/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1586171984) Bishop Hennessey said that the adage is true: Confession is good for the soul. He is always amazed in hearing confessions that people are willing to share with him those intense moments of their lives and feels great being an instrument of that forgiveness of God. Scot observed that the Sacrament of Penance is not used as frequently as it used to be, citing a recent study: 14% of Catholics go several times a year or more, 12% once per year, 30% less than once per year and 45% can't remember their last confession. * [Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among US Catholics, CARA study](http://cara.georgetown.edu/sacraments.html) Bishop Hennessey said he thinks people just got out of the habit. In his childhood, he remembers that everyone went to confession on Saturdays. That was the only thing going on in the Church on Saturdays. But now, the vigil Mass puts a limit on how long the priest can be in the confessional. A part of the reason is we're not providing as many opportunities for confession. This is why they chose Wednesday for The Light Is On For You because Saturday from 3-4pm is so busy in our modern lives. Fr. Chris agreed that part of the lack of use of the sacrament is because so many people no longer have a sense of sin. But there is something very powerful about hearing the words of absolution. Oscar Wilde once said, "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." Scot recalls a powerful analogy by the author and speaker Matthew Kelly in his book "Rediscovering Catholicism" comparing confession to getting your car washed and detailed. * [Rediscovering Catholicism: Journeying Toward Our Spiritual North Star](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929266081/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=catholicnetrevie&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1929266081) Kelly's analogy is that after a car wash and detailing, you avoid every mud puddle and try to keep the interior spotless, but over time, the dirt inevitably comes and trash accumulates and you stop trying as hard to keep it clean. Likewise after confession, we are careful to avoid sin, but then we begin to allow venial sin into our life and as those venial sins pile up, we become desensitized even to mortal sin. So frequent confession keeps us sensitized to sin. Bishop Hennessey likes the analogy because the spiritual cleansing of confession is for our interior life, like the detailing of the car. Fr. Chris noted that Cardinal O'Connor had said that no sin can be more powerful than the power of the Cross. **3rd segment:** Discussing now The Light Is On For You. It began in some other dioceses, and Cardinal Seán brought it up in a meeting of Boston's bishops several years ago, asking Bishop Hennessey to lead it. TLIOFY started in Lent 2010 and it has been received well by priests and parishioners. He had assured them that this was not something that would require meetings. They just had to be in their churches on Wednesdays. A key is that it is every parish at the same time so that the people know they can go anywhere, wherever they are, Wednesdays 6:30-8pm. The best estimates (because the seal of confession forbids taking counts) is that more than 30,000 people went during the Wednesdays in Lent last year. Fr. Chris said that having a regular scheduled time of confession is helpful because of our very busy scheduled lives. Bishop Hennessey said some worried whether priests would support this, because it would not work without their support, but his experience is of almost universal support. He got two complaints from priests last year, and one of them called him back after Easter to apologize because of how wonderful it was. The other turned out not the be angry at all, but reported that he was in the confessional until after 10pm hearing confessions. Scot noted that there was a concern that we were asking priests to add yet another duty to their already stretched lives. They were also concerned whether anyone would show. Fr. Chris said he was meeting a priest for dinner at a Wednesday last year, but while the priest was waiting outside the chapel for Fr. Chris to finish, he started to hear even more confessions from so many people who were waiting. Scot said some people call it the forgotten sacrament, which may indicate that as a Church we don't embrace it as frequently as we should. Bishop Hennessey said that in his 12 years as a pastor, he learned firsthand the difficult schedules that pastors have, but also that administering the sacrament of confession was a beautiful part of his vocation appreciated by all priests. For people who think their sins are just too big or too complex for some young priest to hear them, Bishop Hennessey said it's not about the priest's experience, but it's about receiving God's mercy and encountering His infinite loving forgiveness, which is medicine for the soul. Scot said we wouldn't be reluctant to tell our doctor what our symptoms are if we really want to be healed of whatever ails us. Plus, a priest of almost any experience will have heard just about everything. Bishop Hennessey said it was a joy to hear people bare their souls so he could offer them the words of forgiveness they were seeking and the penitent often thanked him for lifting their burden. Fr. Chris noted that the sacraments offers both forgiveness and grace and the grace gives assistance to avoid that sin again in life. If someone has not been to confession in a long time and feels unsure of what to do or say, that's okay because the priest is there to help them and wants to help them. Scot said that in the story of the Prodigal Son the father throws a celebration for his son who has returned, and God rejoices whenever we return to Him in the sacrament of confession. The website of The Light Is On For You has tremendous resources for examination of conscience and to learn more about the sacrament of confession and God's loving forgiveness. All the prayers are there, print them out from the website and bring them with you to the confessional. * [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org) * [Pilot Parish Finder](http://www.pilotparishfinder.com) * [Pilot Parish Finder (iPhone app)](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pilot-parish-finder/id406816873?mt=8) * [Confession (iPhone app)](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/confession-a-roman-catholic/id416019676?mt=8) **4th segment:** Sinisa Ubiparipovic was born in Yugoslavia, in Bosnia in 1987, his family moved to Germany temporarily, and in 1999 came to the United States. They lived in Lynn, which was a culture shock because he grew up in a small village. He worked at St. Joseph's church as a youth and the pastor there encouraged him to become a priest, but he refused to consider it. He studied accounting at Bentley College, lived a typical college lifestyle, and traveled throughout Europe encountering all kinds of people. But no matter who he talked to, he noticed that everyone was looking for happiness, which led him to wonder where that desire comes from. He concluded that there must be an answer to the desire for true and eternal happiness. When he went to see Pope Benedict in New York City, he saw all around him the incredible diversity of the Church, like the incredibly rich diversity of peoples he had encountered in his travels. That's when he applied to the seminary. As part of his studies last year for spring break, he went with a group from St. John's to Peru to work with the St. James Society. Sinisa had never been to South America. The first day they arrived, they were sent to parishes and he ended up at the parish furthest from the mother house for the society. This parish had 40,000-50,000 parishioners and all were extremely poor in a dirty, dusty shantytown. Nevertheless, the people had a sense of faith and a sense of hope for life beyond this life. Fr. Chris said the experience made him aware of how blessed we are as Americans, even to have clean water from a tap. The sheer poverty you encounter, yet also people filled with life and joy. People had very little, but were extremely happy because they had the Lord. It made him aware of where our focus should truly be. Bishop Hennessey was pastor of a parish in Bolivia for many years as a member of the St. James Society. He recalled that when the people prayed, "Give us this day our daily bread," they meant it in a literal way. The people wanted more out of life, but there was also a contentment in daily life. He was led to the missions because as a young priest he was blessed with a great pastor in Plymouth, Fr. Dan Lynch, who had served in the society. Fr. Lynch spoke about the fraternity among the St. James priests, who become closer in their bond of priesthood because they are serving in an alien culture with a different language, even though they may be physically distant from one another. When Bishop Hennessey was in Bolivia, the nearest priest was sometimes stationed several hours away. The St. James Society was founded by Cardinal Richard Cushing in the 1960s responding to a call by the Pope for dioceses to be generous with their priests to the missions. And now as we struggle to have enough priests for our people, we are receiving many priests from the places to which we had sent our priests in those years past. Fr. Chris asked Bishop Hennessey what sort of Lenten practices he saw in South America that we could adopt here. He saw an emphasis on confessions. There are also penitential groups that get together regularly for corporal works of mercy, but also literally to carry the image of Our Crucified Lord through the streets of the city for hours at a time. Bishop Hennessey said the Archdiocese of Boston is stronger for all the immigrants that have come to us in recent years and we are reaping the rewards as a Church. Fasting and almsgiving are disciplines for Lent that help us to remember the needs of others. What should we be doing to support the missions through our Lenten disciplines? The Lenten almsgiving boxes ("rice bowls") are still quite effective. Even little bits of money, gathered together, go a long way. As a young man studying for the priesthood, Sinisa takes to heart the admonition that every priest is called to be a missionary, whether at home or abroad. He hopes that as a priest he can be a bridge to salvation through the sacrament of confession, even if he can be that conduit just once for one dying penitent soul. Cardinal Seán is asking every Catholic to be a missionary by praying for and inviting home Catholics who are away from the Church. Bishop Hennessey sees that The Light Is On For You as the best way for Catholics to come home, by getting a complete fresh start.

**Today's host:** Scot Landry **Today's guests:** Bishop Daniel Reilly, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Worcester, Mass.; Angelo Guadagno, organizer of the Worcester Catholic Men's Conference; Deacon Jack Sullivan of St. Thecla Parish, Pembroke; and Fr. Dan Hennessey, director of the Office for Vocations of the Archdiocese of Boston. * [Office for Vocations](http://www.vocationsboston.org) * [Diocese of Worcester](http://www.worcesterdiocese.org/) * [Worcester Catholic Men's Conference](http://www.firstmensconf.org/www.firstmensconf.org/Welcome.html) * [Pilot article from August 2010 on Deacon Sullivan's miracle](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com/article.asp?ID=12190) * [Archdiocesan Eucharistic Congress](http://www.eucharisticcongress.org) **Today's topics:** Lenten retreats, the annual Archdiocesan Eucharistic Congress, the Worcester Catholic Men's Conference, and the miraculous intercession of Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman. **A summary of today's show:** The Worcester Men's Conference was the seed of the nationwide Catholic men's conference movement over the past decade, and that tradition continues at this year's conference later this month. The keynote speaker will be Deacon Jack Sullivan of St. Thecla Parish in Pembroke, whose miraculous healing from a spinal ailment led to the beatification of Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman. And on April 1 and 2, the fourth annual Eucharistic Congress for Youth and Young Adults will take place in the North End of Boston as hundreds of youth witness to the power of Christ in their lives. **1st segment:** Welcoming Fr. Dan Hennessey. He reports that there are many men interviewing and considering applying for the seminary this spring. He talked about the St. Andrew's Dinner for young men in high school. The most recent dinner welcomed 75 young men. There also retreats for men 18-40 held at St. John Seminary and for men older than 40 at Blessed John Seminary. There are currently 59 men studying for the archdiocese at St. John Seminary, Blessed John XXIII Seminary, Our Lady of Providence Seminary, and the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Interested men should call Fr. Dan at 617-746-5949 or through the [Vocations Office website](http://www.vocationsboston.org). **2nd segment:** Scot welcomes Bishop Daniel Reilly and Angelo Guadagno. Bishop Reilly was bishop of Worcester for 17 years and one of his passions was working with men. He doesn't like to consider himself as retired, just emeritus, and so as long as he has the capacity to minister he will be there with the people and be a witness to faith. Bishop Reilly and Angelo and others launched the Worcester Men's Conference 11 years ago and it was the first men's conference in the country. At the time, PromiseKeepers was a large Evangelical movement for men, and Catholic men were coming to Bishop Reilly and wanted something similar. Shortly after that, a pastor called the bishop about a man who wanted to serve the Church. That was Angelo. They met and talked about ministry for men. At first they worked with other dioceses in New England, but in 2001 they decided to go forward on their own in Worcester and it has been very successful and uplifting. It gives the men who attend something to direct their Lenten journey toward. The talks of the conference carry them throughout the year and give men's groups a foundation to build upon. Angelo said men usually come to the conference because they were invited by someone and thus the conference is an environment of fellowship. Men come to the conference because it's easy in these days for a man to feel isolated and alone, but when he comes to the conference and sees 1,000 men who are like him, have his values, his point of view, then he no longer feels alone. The second reason is that it's easy to plateau in our faith, to think that because we go to church every Sunday that's enough, but the conference gives a challenge and the tools and incentive to take another step in faith, to move up one notch, to keep doing one more thing. The men also come to learn, to laugh, and to leverage, to leverage what they learn in order to be a better husband, dad, and man and it stays with them for the rest of the year. About 70 other dioceses have copied what has happened in Worcester and it must be fulfilling to see how their work has taken fruit. Bishop Reilly said it was just reading the signs of the times, that there was a natural desire for this type of ministry. It was providential for Angelo to come along and it just took off. It seemed to be all a part of God's time. Angelo spoke about the speakers at this year's conference. Kicking off will be Deacon Jack, who we will hear from in a few minutes; then Mark Shea, author and speaker, on the 101 reasons to not be Catholic and the *one* reason to be one; Fr. Dave Cavanaugh on rediscovering confession as part of the path of the Prodigal Son and preparing men for the work of the new evangelization (Typically, the confession time is a highlight for the men; last year the conference organizers received hundreds of positive comments from men who experienced the sacrament); Kellen Clemens, a quarterback for the NY Jets on living as a Catholic within the pressure cooker of the NFL and the high profile life of a professional athlete in New York City; and Michael Franzese, a former Mafia don with a bounty on his head who has had a major conversion experience. The conference is March 26, 2011, starting at 8:30am and ending with Mass at 4pm. Bishop Reilly talked about the experience of hearing the confessions of so many men at the conference. First, there's the atmosphere of the whole conference with so many powerful talks to inspire the men. Then at 11am, about 50 priests come in and hear confessions for two hours. And the men line up to give their confessions, each to a randomly selected priest, face to face. And the quality of the confessions is very high, the bishop said. Fr. Dan said that seeing so many come to confession is a grace for the whole diocese, but also for the priests. Scot said that it's a way that men in mass numbers can meet the mercy of Christ. When you see men leave, they're standing taller. And when the priests leave, they're energized at what they have seen. **3rd segment:** Deacon Jack Sullivan joins the panel. He will be one of the speakers at the Worcester men's conference and it is the first men's conference he will speak at. In 2001, he had just concluded his second year of his diaconal formation for the Archdiocese of Boston when he awoke one day with horrendous pain in his back and legs. Five or six of his vertebrae had turned inward and began squeezing his spinal cord. There had been no accident or trauma; it just happened. A surgeon specialist told Deacon Jack that he likely would be paralyzed and he was scheduled for surgery about the same time he was to return to his third year of classes. He consented to the surgery for the sake of his work and family, even though he would have to drop his diaconal program. Even so, recovery would take months. He returned home and turned on EWTN, only to hear priests speaking about Cardinal Newman and about the difficulties Newman experienced throughout his life. At the height of his fame as an Anglican preacher in England, he converted to Catholicism. At the end of the program, Deacon Jack saw a notice that anyone who experienced favors due to Newman's intercession should contact the cause for Newman's canonization, so Deacon Jack prayed with all his heart to be able to continue his classes. The next morning he awoke without any pain. He was examined by his doctor, one of the foremost spinal surgeons in the country. His spine was still deformed, but he had no pain, and so the surgery was canceled, although the doctor fully expected the pain to return. Nine months later, the day after the last class of his second semester, the pain returned. Deacon Jack thanked Cardinal Newman for interceding so he could finish his classes. He had the surgery and there were unforeseen difficulties that resulted in further problems and a bleak prognosis. After the surgery, he was told he wouldn't be able to enter his fourth year of classes in two weeks. They didn't know whether he would ever walk again and if he did it would take months of rehab. After four days of thinking about it, Deacon Jack decided to try to walk and in excruciating pain, he prayed again: "Please, Cardinal Newman, help me to walk so I can return to classes and be ordained." Suddenly he felt tremendous heat and a tingling sensation all over his body. He also felt a strong sense of peace and love. He was totally consumed by the experience; like experiencing a piece of heaven. When he started to come out of this state, he had a strong feeling he could walk. So he said to the nurse, "I have no more pain." At this point, he was standing, rather than being hunched over in agony. He had no need for a walker and began walking all around normally. Deacon Jack submitted the miracle to the postulator for the cause, and it was investigated by the Church, which determined that there was no medical or scientific explanation for the cure. The experience of receiving the miracle starts with asking, "Why me?" But he also thinks God wanted to honor the life of service of Cardinal Newman to the Church and how he has affected so many thousands during and after his life. Somebody had to experience it, and Deacon Jack said he guessed that the Lord needed someone lowly. God is active in performing miracles today and this miracle is not just for Deacon Jack, but for all of us. Bishop Reilly said that in Jesus' public ministry, he did not heal everyone. He healed some, while others learned that they just have to put their faith and trust in God. Fr. Dan asked how people have reacted to the story. Do people question it or do they just say Wow? Deacon Jack said he's learned some lessons. For one thing, he now knows that Cardinal Newman is alive in heaven and it shows that the kingdom of heaven is real. Also, it makes him face his trials and sorrows and those of others with a different attitude. These situations are opportunities to exercise our faith. Newman believed in divine providence, that God loves us intensely, and wills us to receive some greater good out of our experiences if we just have faith and trust in Him. It's a good lesson for Lent: If we have faith, it will be okay. Pray to the Lord, Our Lady, Blessed John Henry Newman and the other saints for intercession. While Deacon Jack only prayed to continue his studies, God healed him because God knew what Deacon Jack really needed. Bishop Reilly said it tells us that we should be people of faith who ask God to see our need, and to ask Him specifically for what we need to serve God's will. It has to be within the context of faith, not for show. Last year, Deacon Jack was the deacon at the Mass of beatification for Cardinal Newman in England celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI. He said it was an incredible privilege. The previous summer, the master of ceremonies for the beatification Mass came to Massachusetts to ask Deacon Jack personally if he would proclaim the Gospel at the pontifical Mass as deacon and if his wife Carol would be willing to carry up the relic of Bl. Newman. He said it was amazing to meet the Pope and speak with him. When Deacon Jack thanked the Pope for coming to England, the Pontiff leaned over and said to him, "Thank you for all this." Bishop Reilly hoped that the men at the Worcester conference who hear the talk will see that we're here in the world to live our faith and to let people see it. Chesterton said, "We don't need a church that moves *with* the world, we need a Church that moves the world." That's what happened here with Deacon Jack, he said. * [A brief bio of Cardinal Newman](http://saints.sqpn.com/blessed-john-henry-newman/) **4th segment:** The week after the men's conference, on April 1 and 2, will be the Eucharistic Congress. Fr. Dan said that a Eucharistic congress is focused very much on a real encounter with Christ. This congress is mainly aimed at college students in the region to come into the North End in the heart of the city for a time of worship and service. This year's theme is "Pope John Paul II: Be Not Afraid." Bishop Reilly shared how Pope John Paul really attracted young people. You also knew he had the love of Eucharist in him. Before celebrating Mass, he would often pray before the Eucharist for long periods. One time, Bishop Reilly was with the Pope after he had returned from World Youth Day in the Philippines, where he spoke before 6 million people, the largest gathering of humanity in history. Bishop Reilly remarked that the Pope had been seen and heard by more people in history than any other person. He replied, "Well, thank God." At the Eucharistic Congress, one of the major features is a procession through the North End with the Eucharist. It's on a Saturday night in the North End, so there's usually a lot of people who see. There's a Mass with Cardinal Sean on Saturday night. There's also a time of confession and Eucharistic adoration. The young adult organizers also plan service projects as part of the weekend. One of the projects is to go to the Boston Common with the Little Brothers of St. Francis to hand out supplies to the homeless. Another is to go to a park in the North End to clean up. Fr. Dan expects 500-600 to attend this year. * [The Eucharistic Congress](http://www.eucharisticcongress.org) * To find out more about the Worcester Men's Conference, call 508-929-4345 or go to [www.firstconf.org](http://www.firstconf.org)

*Due to technical difficulties, the first 15 minutes of today's program are not available in the stream and podcast. Much of the content is available in the show notes below. We apologize for the error.* **Today's hosts:** Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell, Judicial Vicar for the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Boston. **Today's guest(s):** Bishop John D'Arcy, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend, Indiana and a former auxiliary bishop of Boston;,and Fr. Michael Harrington, director of the Office for Cultural Diversity and Outreach and assistant director of the Office for Vocations of the Archdiocese of Boston. * [Tribunal](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Tribunal.aspx) * [Office of Vocations](http://www.vocationsboston.org) * [Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/OutreachandCulturalDiversity.aspx) * [Cardinal Seán's Blog](http://www.cardinalseansblog.org) * [Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend](http://www.diocesefwsb.org/) * [St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Beverly](http://www.stmarystar.org) **Today's topic(s):** The importance of Lenten retreats and missions; Cardinal Seán's Lenten message to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston; Listener questions about Lent and Lenten practices. **A summary of today's show:** Today's hosts and guest discuss Cardinal Seán's Lenten homily on Ash Wednesday and its call for Catholic to use this time to take stock, to "update our obituary," and to make sure that we're always moving forward in the spiritual life. Lent is also a perfect time for the work of evangelization that is Catholics Come Home. This initiative is one of the spiritual works of mercy to which we are commended during Lent. Bishop John D'Arcy also recalled his years as a priest and then bishop in Boston and then talked about how Lenten missions and retreats are a spiritual aid to Lent, as well as a work of evangelization and a renewal of the parish. Finally, Scot, Fr. Mark, and Fr. Michael answered some common questions about Lent, especially those surrounding the practice of fasting. **1st segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark recalled their experience of Lent as children, giving up meat on Fridays. Fr. Mark then gave a brief summary of his life and vocation as a priest. As judicial vicar, he is "the canon law guy." The Metropolitan Tribunal's main focus are marriage cases and annulments. They also do some criminal cases, financial cases, and even cases related to saints. In future broadcasts, they will delve into those subjects more. One day he came back from lunch and said he'd had a great lunch of chicken noodle soup. His secretary reminded him that it was a Friday in Lent. Another worker in the office, who happened to be Jewish, came in then and called out, "Look, I've got my tune sandwich. It's Friday in Lent." So, the Jewish woman remembered Lent, but the priest did not. **2nd segment:** Scot asked Fr. Michael Harrington what his hopes are for Catholic radio. He said St. Paul would be doing the same thing if he were here today, using every means to reach out to people. Scot, Fr. Mark, and Fr. Michael considered the following clip from Cardinal Seán's homily for Ash Wednesday: > Lent is such a special time in our year. It is a time of new beginnings, of reviewing our lives in the light of the Gospel, to deepen our conversion and to draw closer to God and to one another. > The ashes on our forehead are to remind us that we are pilgrims in this world. One day death will end that pilgrimage and we will have to render an account of our stewardship. How did we use our talents, our treasure, our time? Did we make this a better world by our love and generosity? If we have been living selfish and self-absorbed lives, Lent is an opportunity to clean up our obituary, to change the direction of our life. Change is never easy. We need a lot of help and we need a plan. Lent first of all, must be a renewal in the life of prayer. There can be no growth in faith and holiness without prayer. Each day we need time and space for God. > Hence, our first Lenten resolution should be about our prayer life. Daily reading from the Gospels and the Scriptures can be a very important way to deepen our prayer life, to find direction and encouragement in the Word of God. Jesus wants us to know His voice and to ponder His words in our heart. Scot highlighted the Cardinal's admonition that "Lent is a time to clean up your obituary." It received a laugh from the congregation, but it is very true. Fr. Michael said what he heard was that we all need a plan of life. We can't just spontaneously enter into the spiritual life, because we won't grow. The plan of life leads to spontaneity. Fr. Mark said what he heard was that the Cardinal wants us to come out of Lent as better people than how we entered. We need to make a conscious effort to pray every day of Lent. Scot said the Cardinal was basically saying that if you do only one thing during Lent, you need to grow in prayer: "Jesus wants us to know His voice and to ponder His words in our heart." Fr. Michael: "By our prayer, it all becomes God's work, not our work." What suggestions would Fr. Michael have for people to enter into Lent. He said, the most important thing is to just do something. To start something. Fr. Mark said, that if busyness in prayer gets in the way, we need to focus. We need to quiet the brain and quiet all the stuff going on around us, so we can hear God speak to us. We have a very busy life, Scot said. But we need to make an appointment with God, even if it just for 10 or 15 minutes. He asked the Fathers what they think are the best times to pray. Fr. Michael said early mornings are best because it's before everything gets hectic and it also sets the tone for the day, placing his time before God. Fr. Mark said he recognizes how the morning is best for others, but for him the end of the day is best because his examination of conscience is where he meets God the most. In his homily, the Cardinal said Jesus is just as concerned with the "how" as much as the "what" of our faith practice. Fr. Michael tied it in with the Cardinal's words that we should not settle for mediocrity in our life. We should strive to be great. The Cardinal also said, Standing still is going backwards in life. Either we go forward or we fall back. Scot said that just showing up is not enough. Lent can help us establish new habits to grow in faith and to break old habits that are not helping us move forward in prayer. Fr. Michael: "Lent is a matter of the heart." The voice of Christ speaks in our heart. When we seek Him, we find He's been seeking us. **3rd segment:** This Lent, Cardinal Sean has launched the largest outreach initiative in more than a generation for us in the Archdiocese of Boston. It is called Catholics Come Home. Let’s listen now to the conclusion of his Lenten message where he asks us all to incorporate Catholics Come Home into our practices this Lent. > In the past, we have often asked our Catholics to practice the corporal works of mercy…to feed the hungry, provide clothes and shelter, visit the sick and prisoners. This is part of who we are as the Catholic Church…why we are involved in Catholic Charities, Saint Vincent de Paul, Catholic Relief Services, Health Care, Orphanages and soup kitchens and shelters and cemeteries. But we sometimes forget that these are also spiritual works of mercy; to instruct the uninformed, counsel the doubtful, admonish sinners, bear wrongs patiently, forgive offenses willingly, comfort the afflicted and to pray for the living and the dead. > I consider the Catholics Come Home initiative as a Spiritual Work of Mercy. It expresses our concern about people’s interior life, their relationship with God, their spiritual hunger. We want people to know Christ and His love, because we believe that in Christ we find the answers to life questions and come to eternal happiness. > The Church exists to evangelize and this Holy Season of Lent is a special time of opportunity. And so as the Prophet tells us, “Sound the trumpet, proclaim a fast, gather the people and invite the Family to come home”. Fr. Mark said evangelization is Cardinal Sean's passion and we've had so many distractions since he's come here and this is finally a time for him to focus us on this, his passion. Scot said, Boston is often an example around the country for our works of charity, but we haven't yet distinguished ourselves for our evangelization. Fr. Michael said the Cardinal tied together the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. As Catholics, they are not optional. Fr. Michael recalled a new pastor telling him that his goals for his new parish were to find out of the parish was living the works of mercy. The corporal works of mercy are to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are to correct sinners, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive injuries, and pray for the living and the dead. Basically to care for people's physical needs and the needs of their soul. The Church exists to bring Christ to the world around us, not just in our actions, but to be deliberate in speaking the Gospel. Fr. Mark said that what strikes him about Catholics Come Home is that we are reaching out to our own people; it's a new focus for evangelization. The Cardinal has asked us to pray for those who will receive an invitation and those of us who will invite, then to do the inviting, and then to be welcoming in our parishes. If we see someone new at Mass this Sunday, reach out to them, introduce yourself, and welcome them. **4th segment:** Scot welcomes Bishop John D'Arcy to The Good Catholic Life. Bishop D'Arcy has been a priest for 54 years and next Monday he will return to his first assignment as a priest at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Beverly for a parish mission. He spent 8-1/2 years and it's where the people taught him what it means to be a priest. It was an extraordinary experience. When he moved onto his next assignment in Rome, he left with a deep appreciation of what it means to be a parish priest. A parish mission and Lenten retreat is a good practice for Lent. Why should Catholics seek to attend the mission at their own parish or, if your parish isn’t having one, at a nearby parish like St. Mary’s in Beverly? Bishop D'Arcy said that the missions are about faith, prayer, sacrament of penance, but the real strength of them is strengthening the faith of the devout, and also reaching out to those whose faith has become weak. The key is the work of the laity in the parish to prepare for the mission, to reach out to everyone in the parish, to provide services like babysitting or transportation for the elderly. Parish missions should also tie themselves into Catholics Come Home. These large group gatherings in parishes help people to approach church in anonymity because it might make them feel more comfortable than making an appointment with a priest or even coming to Sunday Mass, at first. Likewise, if they don't go to confession that week, then maybe they will be inspired to go sometime later and return to the practice. What is the central message of this mission, which is entitled "Christ, Yesterday, Today and Forever"? During the mission, the bishop will speak of the challenges of modern life to a life of prayer; the call to repentance and penance; Eucharistic spirituality, bringing Christ to others; and what the parish will do after the mission, where the parish needs to do more work. In February, Bishop D'Arcy was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he said he is doing fine. He made sure with the doctors that he would not have any radiation treatments before the mission so that he would be strong for the people of Beverly. His outlook is good and he's more than halfway through treatment. He has received many, many letters promising prayer, both from people in Boston and those in Fort Wayne. A week on the North Shore near the ocean will be just the thing for him. His retirement has kept him busy, giving quite a few retreats for priests, bishops, and religious in various places. After the St. Mary mission on Tuesday night, he will give three talks at Blessed John Seminary on Wednesday and then return to Beverly. Then on St. Patrick's Day, he *must* celebrate a Mass while in Boston. The rest of the week's schedule is also full. He does miss shepherding the diocese, because you hold the diocese in your heart, but now there's more time for prayer and reading. He is adjusting very well. **5th segment:** Now we answer listener-submitted questions about Lent: 1. What do we have against meat and can we substitute lobster for meat? Back in the day when the practice started, meat was for the privileged and fish was for the poor, so it was an attempt to connect everyone to the poor. Technically, lobster would be in the letter of the law, but it's not in the spirit of sacrificing for the poor. 2. Why aren't Sundays part of Lent and does this mean we can "cheat" on Sundays? Fr. Mark says this is a disputed question. He's of the opinion that Lent includes Sunday as far as sacrifice goes, but Sundays are mini-Easters and a time of feasting; we do not fast. Scot says he's always been taught we don't need to fast on Sundays. Fr. Michael agreed with Fr. Mark. 3. Why does the Church use Lent and Easter as the time to prepare those entering the Church through RCIA? Lent is a baptismal retreat, according to Pope Benedict and Cardinal Sean. While we may be used to focusing on Good Friday throughout Lent, but the Church's liturgies have always been about Lent being a time of rebirth and purification. Fr. Michael said Lent is a time of detaching ourselves from the world and clinging to the things of God. 4. Do any drinks violate the fast? Certainly a bunch of chocolate milkshakes or half of refrigerator of fruit in a smoothie would violate the spirit of the law. Fr. Michael said we need to look at what we're trying to accomplish. Scot noted that the purpose of the fast is to notice the effects of the fast, so if we're drinking so much that we don't feel the effects that might not be in the spirit of the fast. 5. Are the stations of the cross experiencing a renewal in popularity? Fr. Michael sees more parishes bringing back regular stations of the cross throughout Lent as well as regular Eucharistic adoration, prayer the Rosary before Mass, and other devotions that bring vibrancy to the Church. Scot noted that many devotions went away as the Church adjusted post-Vatican II and now we're bringing those back, especially among the young. Fr. Michael noted all the young people who will come to the Eucharistic Congress. [The Archdiocese of Boston's 4th annual Eucharistic Congress for Youth and Young Adults](http://eucharisticcongress.org/), April 1 & 2, North End of Boston

Today's hosts: Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's topic(s): Pope's message for Lent, a Pakistani martyr, the Pope's new book, Bishop Chris Coyne from Boston, ultrasounds for life, the Church using the media to spread the message, and WQOM, Boston's new Catholic radio station.Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese, and pastor of St. Anthony of Padua parish, New Bedford; Greg Tracy, managing editor The Boston Pilot; and Maria Bain, station manager for WQOM 1060 Boston. A summary of today's show:Pope Benedict's message for Lent 2011 dominates talk of world news, while the example of a martyr for the faith in Pakistan gives us cause to reflect. We celebrate one of our own being ordained an auxiliary bishop for Indianapolis, as well as the donation of an ultrasound machine to promote the cause of life. 1st segment: Scot introduces Susan Abbott as his co-host. She is the director of the Archdiocese of Boston's Office for Religious Education. She reflected on the launch of Catholics Come Home on Ash Wednesday. "It was an amazing experience. When I saw [the TV commercial] on the big TV at the press conference, it took my breath away," she said. "You want people to know the beauty and goodness of the Church." She found the whole day to be emotional and uplifting with a sense of hope despite the difficulties that surround us. 2nd segment: Greg Tracy and Fr. Roger Landry join the program to discuss news from around the world. First up for discussion is Pope Benedict's message for Lent 2011. Pope Benedict is emphasizing our baptism in his Lenten message. Fr. Landry says the ashes of Lent remind, marked as a cross on our foreheads, recalls our baptism when a cross is marked on our foreheads with holy water and holy oil. The more we can enter into our rebirth through baptism, the more we can enter into Christ's death and resurrection. As a father of 10, the experience of baptism is familiar for Greg Tracy. Baptism is the door through which all other graces flow. The other children get excited as well, seeing the beauty of an experience we don't begin to fully understand until much later in life. It is unfortunate that baptism is often the forgotten sacrament. The rite of Election for those being prepared to be received into the Church at Easter will happen this weeked at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Susan Abbott says she loves the pope's words that in baptism, we are claimed for Christ. Baptism is not a date, but a way of life. The RCIA is a school for baptism. Fr. Landry says Lent is like baseball spring training. The multimillionaire ballplayers are getting back to the fundamentals of baseball. We do the same thing in Lent by getting back to the basics: taking the time to pray, learning how to deny ourselves in order to say no to temptation and say yes to God, learning how to love one another as Christ has loved us. We put God first in prayer, put others second through almsgiving, and ourselves third through fasting. The Holy Father this week commented on the murder of Pakistani government minister Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Catholic in Pakistan's government. The Pakistani Catholic bishops are moving to have him recognized as a martyr for the faith. Greg says that this is just the latest of numerous incidents of anti-Christian violence that seems to be escalating throughout the world. Fr. Landry says we are, first, called to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Second, we are called to work with our own government to work for the right to religious freedom everywhere. Third, we should elevate the example of the great martyred heroes of the faith. Bhatti had said beforehand that he would probably die for his work for his Christian brothers and sisters. A Pakistani bishop of Greg's acquaintance once remarked at how empty he found American Catholic churches. In Pakistan, people are literally dying to get to Mass, yet with our freedom to worship so many do not. The Holy Father's message for Lent The Boston Pilot: "Pope remembers Pakistani minister; bishops recognize him as martyr" Jesus of Nazareth Part Two, Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection 3rd segment: Continuing the discussion with Greg Tracy and Fr. Landry, we turn our attention to national news. Last week, Bishop Chris Coyne was ordained an auxiliary bishop in Indianapolis. He is a former spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston and was Greg's boss. Greg recalls the difficult times of the abuse scandals and how then-Fr. Coyne was always a straight shooter, who always said what he knew and if he didn't know, he would say that. Bishop Coyne said at his ordination that bishops are called to be no-nonsense and to "be who we are called to be." Bishop Coyne's remarks at his ordination Mass It is unusual for an auxiliary bishop to come from outside the diocese in which he is ordained (except for certain Spanish-speaking bishops). Fr. Landry says there are two schools of thought: Some say it's great to promote from within because they know the place and the needs, but others say an outside bring a fresh perspective. We're starting to see more bishops being appointed from outside the diocese for that fresh perspective and a cross-fertilization of best practices from other places in the Church. Bishop Coyne also said that we can never lose sight of the fact that the Church is about the work of evangelization. All that we do as Christians must be performed in light of this truth. 4th segment:Turning their attention to local news, Scot, Susan, Greg, and Fr. Landry, The Pilot has a story about the donation of a new ultrasound machine to a pregnancy help center in Brighton. A private donor and the Knights of Columbus donated a machine that will be housed at St. Elizabeth Medical Center for the use of the nearby archdiocesan pregnancy help center. Seeing the baby on the ultrasound machine can really have an impact on people saying, "I'm not just aborting a fetus, but that's my child in there." Fr. Landry says it has an enormous impact on those who participate in abortion. The late Bernard Nathanson was an abortionist until he saw an unborn child on an ultrasound and began his rejection of abortion. He recorded an ultrasound of an abortion to make his powerful documentary "The Silent Scream." Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader's Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line Susan said her involvement with the pro-life movement goes back many years, and the Knights of Columbus have always been big supporters of life. "Bravo to the Knights for all you do." With all the local media outlets present at the launch of Catholics Come Home, as a journalist, Greg said it was a joyous moment. It is great to have all the media turn out for something positive for a change, as opposed to covering a negative development. There were tough questions to be sure, but they were appropriately handled and Cardinal Seán shined. Scot reflected that to have all the media there for the biggest evangelization effort in a generation is awesome to understand that the Church believes the media is a huge tool for evangelization. Fr. Landry said the Pope has been calling us as a Church to join in the new Aeropagus, the place in the city of Athens where the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles. He called the entire Church to take advantage of this gift of the Internet, the new media, and the digital continent. The message is the same, but the means we use is constantly changing. The Pope's message for the 45th World Communications Day 5th segment: Scot talks with Maria Bain, station manager of WQOM. She's been making parish presentations throughout the archdiocese and has been invited to over 80 parishes. The goal of Catholic radio in Boston is not just evangelize, but also to help parishioners become more involved in their parish and to reconnect lapsed Catholics. The Good Catholic Life, as a locally based radio program, helps WQOM to connect with the local market in a significant way. The Station of the Cross network is also preparing for a listener conference at the TD Garden in Boston on August 6 with Fr. John Corapi. Tickets are available online and through Ticketmaster. There are even opportunities for some to have dinner with Fr. Corapi. All proceeds will benefit WQOM. Discounts are also available for groups. Father John Corapi Conference WQOM One of the priorities for WQOM right now is to find a benefactor who will donate office space of at least 1,000 square feet within 20 miles of the transmitter in Natick. Ideally, it will have room for offices, a studio, some conference rooms, and even a chapel. Interested parties should contact Maria at 617-939-5207 or email [email protected].

www.TheGoodCatholicLife.com Date: March 9, 2011 Today's hosts: Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today's topic(s): Catholics Come Home Boston, the debut of The Good Catholic Life, Ash Wednesday Today's guest(s): Cardinal Seán O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston; Tom Peterson, founder and president of Catholics Come Home; Janet Benestad, Secretary of Faith Formation & Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Boston; and Jim Wright, founder & president of The Station of the Cross. A summary of today's show:The Archdiocese of Boston marks Ash Wednesday with the launch of the Catholics Come Home initiative. Cardinal Seán and Tom Peterson talk to Scot and Fr. Matt about their hopes for the initiative and discuss the TV commercials that will be airing on every major channel in the Boston area throughout Lent. Catholics Come Home Catholics Come Home Boston 1st segment: Two of the commercials, "Epic" and "Movie", were aired and each participant gave his impression of the ads and their favorite images and messages. Tom Peterson shared that in other diocese where the initiative has launched and the commercials have aired have seen hundreds and thousands of people return to church and even for those who were in the pews every Sunday, many returned to the regular practice of the Sacrament of Confession. Even some of the actors who worked on the commercials had experiences that brought them back to the Church. Fr. Matt described what it is like to hear the confession of someone who has returned to sacrament after a long absence. He quoted the Scripture which says that heaven rejoices when one lost sheep returns. We give them a message of hope, where Jesus does not come to condemn, but to receive. "This is the big fish we're looking for," he said, referring to a Catholic who comes home. "We are so happy to see them." Cardinal Seán said he launched The Light Is On For you campaign as a complement to Catholics Come Home. He said Lent is a baptismal retreat for Catholics, a time to renew our baptism. "Jesus invited us to clean the inside of the cup, too," he said. It is a time to learn how to be loving and forgiving to others, as the Lord is to us. Where better to learn forgiveness than in that sacrament. The cardinal gave his advice on Lenten resolutions. The Gospel speaks of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Some people today speak of giving up smoking or going on a diet, which isn't bad, but Lent should have a spiritual meaning. We should set aside time for prayer and reflect on the Word of God. The discipline of Lent and giving things up, like sweets or television, is useful in itself. It's an opportunity for us in our society, who often live a very soft life, to identify with the sufferings of others. Segment 2: Janet Benestad talked about the scenes in the "Epic" commercial that were localized for Boston. She knew that it would have an affect on people in Boston who see it. Our late colleague David Thorp, who was director of the CCH effort in Boston and who died tragically in January, was himself in one of the scenes, playing a homeless man helped by a priest. Other scenes include students near Harvard walking along the Charles; a sister and children in front of Fenway Park; Mission Church in Boston; and fishermen by Fish Pier in South Boston receiving a blessing from a priest. Cardinal Seán has asked all Catholics to share their faith and offer an invitation. Tom Peterson gave tips for how people should feel comfortable in sharing their own stories, where they have found hope and answers in their faith. "I know how you feel. I felt the same way too, but I found in my life that the faith has..." Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. We will win hearts and minds with love, not debates. He asked all to pray everyday for the Holy Spirit to give us opportunities wherever we may be to share the Gospel, to recognize the moment, and to have the courage. Every Wednesday we will announced the winners of the week's WQOM Benefactor Raffle. The winners this week are Paul & Elaine Mongeon of Woonsocket, RI. They will receive a copy of the "Diary of St. Marie Faustina Kowalska" (Divine Mercy In My Soul). To enroll in the raffle, go to WQOMand click on the link to "Benefactor Card". Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul Segment 3: Jim Wright, founder & president of The Station of the Cross network, which includes WQOM. The new radio station, which began on November 1, 2010, has been very successful in Boston, including a very successful fund drive in December. The Station of the Cross is sponsoring a conference with Fr. John Corapi in Boston next August at the TD Garden. If it sells, it could be the biggest gathering of Catholics in several decades. Jim is confident that the event could sell out. He encourages both individual and group sales. Father Corapi Conference The Station of the Cross is looking for a benefactor who can donate about 1,000 square feet of office space for WQOM, ideally within 25 miles of Framingham where the transmitter is located. Contact WQOM via their website.