tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36520021703935187782024-03-14T02:15:17.561-07:00A Little Bit for God and His PeopleViews of a Layman with a Missionary Spirit
Columns by Dr. Paul R. Sebastian
Professor Emeritus of Management, University of Rio Grande (Ohio)Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-14852948473802122282024-03-04T13:04:00.000-08:002024-03-04T14:57:38.050-08:00(288) Dr. Alan Schreck to Discuss How to Live By the Power of the Holy Spirit At the Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjMg8mJ_Ic4ksw5DhqhusWp5er7AoBoTQ9_Ypp0awKjVrOUFyxvJxmRoTL0h7eJ-aCvInbeV2kdTg_U9ylMnNfkKJUQT-W03tBrfdE8wpthtgaxTrY_y3WLOdmkG-PEHssjrlUpEzacuW_cT8bD0WPW-G-WbbxyIxmqM-h2euJsqvpdx40wnvVH5se-lO/s1500/2024%20Alan%20Schreck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjMg8mJ_Ic4ksw5DhqhusWp5er7AoBoTQ9_Ypp0awKjVrOUFyxvJxmRoTL0h7eJ-aCvInbeV2kdTg_U9ylMnNfkKJUQT-W03tBrfdE8wpthtgaxTrY_y3WLOdmkG-PEHssjrlUpEzacuW_cT8bD0WPW-G-WbbxyIxmqM-h2euJsqvpdx40wnvVH5se-lO/w591-h393/2024%20Alan%20Schreck.jpg" width="591" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dr. Alan Schreck</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">T</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">he </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">Diocese of Steubenville continues its annual Men's Day
of Renewal on Saturday, March 9 at St. Stephen’s Church, 1036 Belford St. in
Caldwell off of Exit 25 on I-77, a half hour north of Marietta or a half hour
south of I-70. This Conference will be the
thirteenth Men’s Day since 2010. Doors
open for Registration, coffee, and optional prayer at 8 am. The main program will begin at 9 am,
continuing until 4 pm. <a name="_Hlk160195126">The theme of the Conference is “</a></span></strong><strong><i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Living Under the Power of the Holy Spirit</span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">”. The
patron of the Conference is St. Joseph, a model of virtue and a true man of
God, whose intercession we count upon for its success.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">To complement the Holy Hour, the Penance Service, and Mass presided by
Bishop Bradley the featured speaker is Dr. Alan Schreck</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">, has been a professor
of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. for 45 years. The main speaker has </span></strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">taught a variety of theology courses
specializing in Catholic Doctrine, Church History, the Teachings of Vatican II
and St. Pope John Paul II, Ecclesiology, Apologetics, and the Theology of the
Holy Spirit. He had a major role
expanding the undergraduate program, distance learning, and founding the
graduate program. Dear to his heart is
spiritual renewal in the Church in the spirit of St. Francis.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">Dr. Schreck has spoken at numerous conferences
for laity, religious, and academics all over the country and has appeared on
EWTN television many times. Outside of
class he belongs to a charismatic community and is a member of Triumph of the
Cross Parish. He is not only a scholar,
but also an athlete, a runner who has helped coach the track team. Despite being so busy, he and his wife Nancy
raised five children and have 13 grandchildren.
Thus </span><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">he can identify with the problems and daily struggles
facing the men who will be participating in the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal</span></strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">He is a prolific author, having written 16
books, including best sellers and two on this year’s topic, the Holy Spirit:
“Your Life in the Holy Spirit” (Word Among Us Press) and “The Gift: Discovering
the Holy Spirit in Catholic Tradition” (Paraclete Press). His books are simple to read for the layman
yet deep and thought provoking. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">The men who attend his two presentations at the Men’s Conference will
receive some fascinating insights</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;">
about how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, beyond what we learned as
boys and young men in catechism and preparation for the sacrament of
Confirmation often many years ago. Dr.
Schreck will explore such points as: Who
is the Holy Spirit?; What is His role in
the Holy Trinity?; How can the Holy Spirit be a most valuable resource and help
us in our daily lives?; How and when do we pray to Him? The goal for all is to accept the universal
call to holiness, to be more effective Christian leaders and servants of God
and His people as well as good husbands and fathers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>Each
one of us is called to holiness, a prerequisite to enter Heaven. Do we become holy in the here and now or do
we wait for the intense cleansing of Purgatory?
A giant step toward holiness is to resign oneself to the power of the
Holy Spirit at the beginning of each day……<a name="_Hlk160016453">His guidance
in what to do, what to say, and what to write.
Then growth in manly virtue will follow.
Let Alan Schreck, an expert on the Holy Spirit, introduce you to the
Holy Spirit and His role in our daily lives, His graces, His gifts, and fruits.</a></span><span style="color: #26282a; font-size: 24pt;"> Depending upon His power while w</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">orking on such
virtues as humility, love, and trust in God while being faithful to Church
teaching, you’ll be on your way to holiness</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span> </span>We know so little about the Holy Spirit.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Take advantage of the opportunity to know Him
better, to discover the difference He can make in your life, to learn that He
empowers us to know more about the truth of our Faith and to live the ways of
Christ.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He is the principal agent of the
new evangelization of which we all have a part.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He is also the love that binds us to God and to one another, a fire of
holiness and purity.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Learn how He can be
a valuable resource in our daily lives to guide us in our decisions.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">That’s only a taste!</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Come and see for yourself by attending the
Steubenville Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal on March 9.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"><span> </span>Registration</span></strong><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">. The men are encouraged to bring their sons (18 and under
free of charge) and thus make it also a father and son event. A bag lunch will be provided. Although the men may register at the door,
preferable for planning purposes is to register by mail with Brett Martz; 75
Stewart St.; Athens, OH 45701 at </span></strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">bmartz21@gmail.com<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">. Fill out
the Registration Form in the brochure in your parish and send a $25 check (payable
to the Diocese of Steubenville to the address indicated. More information may be obtained from the
Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Don Coen at 740-264-0155, 740-632-1565,
or </span></strong></span><span style="background: white; color: #0f69ff; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><</span><span style="background: white; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">cchscrusader63@gmail.com></span><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">.</span></strong><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"> For greater
convenience, the men may also register on-line at </span></strong><u style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #338fe9; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="https://athenscatholic.org/steubenville-mens-day">https://athenscatholic.org/steubenville-mens-day</a></span></u><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> <strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">with an additional $3.00 surcharge. </span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"><span> </span>Since St. Stephen’s Church
in Caldwell is near the approximate center of our far flung diocese, the
Steering Committee is hopeful that the men of Steubenville in the north and the
men of Ironton and Chesapeake in the south will be able to participate. </span></strong><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">This
mini-pilgrimage is a Lenten sacrifice</span></i></strong><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"> of early rising and a long trip with great fellowship in a
van or bus as the men pray together, discuss the talks and other events of the
Conference, and deepen friendships.</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Parish representatives are urgently needed</span></strong><strong style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"> to mobilize the men; they can inform Don Coen of their
availability. Ads in the program and
donations to underwrite the Conference and keep the registration at a low price
are greatly appreciated and may be sent to Brett Martz (</span></strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">330-354-8028<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">) at the address indicated
in the brochure. Keep posted on resources
to promote the Men’s Conference and articles on men’s spirituality at <a href="http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/">http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com</a>.</span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;"> Equipped with the power of the
Holy Spirit and His gifts, the men will be more effective as fathers as well as
leaders in the parish, the community, and on the job. </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">God fearing men and leaders can be pivotal in changing the culture,
putting Christ into the market place (job), renewing the parish, and building
the domestic church at home.</span> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p></p><br /><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-29639103686066073112023-12-30T20:55:00.000-08:002023-12-30T22:08:54.117-08:00(287) Fr. Joseph Kowalcyzk (1927-2019): From GE Electrical Engineer to the Maryknoll Missionaries in Perú<p style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vOeCFRa_FndCedZvBGUAp3mMWJtxGG7yvWlUoKV71vtj9pmxbYB9LUxpXKiGh-HEnY1mAW3asYR4EG-c6Vg325qT5ECzCzYN-VwqvrRa1jsdosCWzJm09JdywdOh6ixCPR_wf4J4ouhbvvUyhOBDViDS0NhY-UgOx7go2e2GfLJfF8XUat6IrOCUprDW/s219/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%20Obit%20Picture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="169" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vOeCFRa_FndCedZvBGUAp3mMWJtxGG7yvWlUoKV71vtj9pmxbYB9LUxpXKiGh-HEnY1mAW3asYR4EG-c6Vg325qT5ECzCzYN-VwqvrRa1jsdosCWzJm09JdywdOh6ixCPR_wf4J4ouhbvvUyhOBDViDS0NhY-UgOx7go2e2GfLJfF8XUat6IrOCUprDW/w317-h410/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%20Obit%20Picture.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Fr. Joseph Kowalczyk M.M.</span></b></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He died a priest, a holy priest, who
gave his life to God.......all 92 years of it until his death in 2019.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Joe was on the road to success as our
secular world knows it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He was part of
the “Great Generation” who won World War II, having finished his voluntary
enlistment toward the end of the war as a Seaman First Class in the U.S. Navy,
specializing in the then new radar technology before discharge in 1946.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Taking advantage of the GI Bill and graduating
as an electrical engineer from Union College, He applied his skills working for
General Electric as an engineer for six years.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He also did his part over the years as a member of the Knights of
Columbus.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> During that time he felt a
calling to something much bigger.....to be a missionary priest for the Lord and
His Church, beginning his studies for the priesthood in 1954.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">On June 10, 1961 Fr. Joe completed his
studies at the Maryknoll major seminary in Ossining, NY and was ordained to the
priesthood .</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The traditional bell
clanged, calling each newly ordained missionary priest to his assignment all
over the world, be it Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia, Kenya, Africa, or South
America.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Joe was called to Peru and that's
where I first met him in my assignment as a lay missioner (the Papal Volunteers
for Latin America or PAVLA) as a chemistry professor at the Universidad Católica
de Santa María en Arequipa, the second largest city of Perú, dominated by a
majestic 19,000 ft. volcano, Misti, and two huge mountains, the snow covered
Chachani (23,000 ft.) and Pichu Pichu.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">PAVLA was somewhat similar to the Peace Corps, but sent by the Catholic
Church of the United States in response to the call of St. Pope John XXIII for
priests and lay volunteers to help the Church in Latin America as requested by
the local bishops.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">After being sent to the Spanish language
school in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Fr. Joe was helping out at the Nuestra Señora
del Pilar parish church, but was allowed to teach Physics and Church Social
teaching at our university founded by Fr. William Morris, a Marianist priest
from St. Louis.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Bill could not pass
up recruiting a former GE electrical engineer to teach at the Universidad Católica
de Santa María.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It seems that the Lord
so often uses people of diverse talents and skills to do His work.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We both worked to form science
teachers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Bob Relyea, a Peace Corps
Volunteer and devout Evangelical Christian, completed the gringo team in
teaching Math.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He later returned to
Arequipa as a missionary himself.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It was
a joy to have Fr. Joe as my confessor in my own language at la Parroquia del
Pilar where he was also assigned.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Joe was a kind, gentle, humble, and
compassionate priest.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Any donations he
received from stateside benefactors would go to the poor, particularly
impoverished families.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC2X_xQD_cOOeuxxOrmbCQgT8FmYn5YyxuK3zg321AhpT1ChdA2zGVoNV-1KMj8Y6-0NzC_tJV8ULdbF-uGLdNHWizSXPtKWbHnUXFNCIamsVresmXvyMg-dXeSltbXYgG51zjVsIpj9U4i8qWoj_rFXFOtIDItC_7H7ncQvHoy3jP1iwmO2CnneZbMM_/s3056/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="3056" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC2X_xQD_cOOeuxxOrmbCQgT8FmYn5YyxuK3zg321AhpT1ChdA2zGVoNV-1KMj8Y6-0NzC_tJV8ULdbF-uGLdNHWizSXPtKWbHnUXFNCIamsVresmXvyMg-dXeSltbXYgG51zjVsIpj9U4i8qWoj_rFXFOtIDItC_7H7ncQvHoy3jP1iwmO2CnneZbMM_/w584-h437/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202013.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Three generations of a Peruvian family Fr.
Joe worked with in Perú.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">He served at different missions in
southern Peru.......Puno, Juli, Arequipa, and Tacna.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">He even learned the Indian language Aymara in
which he heard confessions.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">Later he was
reassigned to head a house of formation for seminarians who studied at the Católica.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">There I had the opportunity to meet his
seminarians when he invited me to have dinner with them.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">Occasionally, he would take a break to be
with nature, traveling upstream along the Rio Chili to fish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">In 1968-69 I took leave to obtain a
Master's Degree in Business Administration at the University of
Pittsburgh.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">After being so active in
Peru, it was so confining to be a student again.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">I craved having contact with the people I
worked with in Peru.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">Fr. Joe was a
godsend.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">During a time when it was so
costly to call abroad, he communicated with his friends and family in the
United States via a phone patch on his ham radio station.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) had a
student ham radio station; so it was very convenient.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">Every Wednesday we would have a
conversation.......ham radio station to ham radio station. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-oEd2x0LuGox0aeDJPFmhcFIy9rVQLiiq6ejCuO-IOV4vEjgM5s58qfFpL7ynciyEE1CtKc93HkLFzRtIsDNNxtrTJ4pIxm36zbmtD_9FBJ0XdKqB2IBoOMTZl8emlrTxZjjPB99NEzYgTlt5E6h2XmUrm6EJwaELIP_XgkQMdZHtZyQe_uNwiUDAS-m/s829/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="829" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-oEd2x0LuGox0aeDJPFmhcFIy9rVQLiiq6ejCuO-IOV4vEjgM5s58qfFpL7ynciyEE1CtKc93HkLFzRtIsDNNxtrTJ4pIxm36zbmtD_9FBJ0XdKqB2IBoOMTZl8emlrTxZjjPB99NEzYgTlt5E6h2XmUrm6EJwaELIP_XgkQMdZHtZyQe_uNwiUDAS-m/w579-h435/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202012.jpg" width="579" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">One of the families of his parish in Tacna, Perú
close to the border with Chile. When retired
in the U.S., he kept in contact with them via Skype and by occasional visits.</span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvLynpnc6ct_uQaqzv1H4SdH_9j7SMTAC4O4-1TkL6Wh5k8_Dq-_wT2Iq9J2oikYXjsY41w6CUrT1NceEttr0I9R3k0pfXcOeeXEiUYfBwmCzkafY995tCjWL8q8a7tOQV61L0UKJHMPUc4hPAvjq-3vdSc_c2Vu-Hx6Vx1R0iUV-BUVEEYPVePqQz0W3/s3056/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%202012b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="3056" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvLynpnc6ct_uQaqzv1H4SdH_9j7SMTAC4O4-1TkL6Wh5k8_Dq-_wT2Iq9J2oikYXjsY41w6CUrT1NceEttr0I9R3k0pfXcOeeXEiUYfBwmCzkafY995tCjWL8q8a7tOQV61L0UKJHMPUc4hPAvjq-3vdSc_c2Vu-Hx6Vx1R0iUV-BUVEEYPVePqQz0W3/w594-h445/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%202012b.jpg" width="594" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Fr. James
Stefaniak (left), flanked by Fr. Philip
Erbland, M.M and Fr. Joseph Kowalcyzk on the right. Both helped to set up parishes in
Tacna, Peru. Fr. Stefianiak died in
December 2012 after 62 years serving the Lord as a Maryknoll missioner.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> I was back in Peru teaching Chemistry,
Methodology of Science Teaching, and Business.
Meanwhile Fr. Joe was transferred back to the Altiplano (a 12,000 ft.
plain along Lake Titicaca) and to Tacna on the south Pacific coast. In 1979 my father died with my mother being
alone with my sick brother, Fred. I had
to return to the United States. I taught
at Franciscan University of Steubenville until 1983 when I began work on a
doctorate in Business at Kent State University.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCdUe96oXUFK1tTsvQjI3BXu-ffoDCPiKwjMa6KFR-QGBpwyOXk2CM60NvCEqCN8q393bJHgQQ8YpVu1jCRno6F-4WMcubj8ZCGPB-3jQRUHDuYTkIcLaLmhg5ltjMZFXzFn04S1-uZWkd-iH_d4X44bAroc5FIz-UJYNOe0oiwqbcOnWJc23l-_5Pf87/s560/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202018b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="560" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCdUe96oXUFK1tTsvQjI3BXu-ffoDCPiKwjMa6KFR-QGBpwyOXk2CM60NvCEqCN8q393bJHgQQ8YpVu1jCRno6F-4WMcubj8ZCGPB-3jQRUHDuYTkIcLaLmhg5ltjMZFXzFn04S1-uZWkd-iH_d4X44bAroc5FIz-UJYNOe0oiwqbcOnWJc23l-_5Pf87/w579-h257/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalcyzk%202018b.JPG" width="579" /></a></div><br /> <o:p></o:p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Fr. Joseph Kowalczyk M.M. is flanked by a group of
faithful he worked with in San Jose, CA.</span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">In 1986 Fr. Joe was doing Maryknoll
promotion work and invited me to help celebrate the 2</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>5<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of his ordination</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He
was recruiting Polish Americans for the order.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">I said:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“I have a friend who is a
real live Pole and she's considering becoming a missionary nurse and nun”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">So I brought her along.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Jaga met Fr. Joe's mother and they spoke
Polish together.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">I arranged with my
friends among the sisters to take her on a tour of the convent.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Later Jaga said: “I don't think I want to
become a nun.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">My reaction was:
“YES!”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">I did my part to encourage any
vocation she might have had.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We became
closer friends than ever.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We got married
in 1988 and 35 years, four kids, five grand children later.......now you know
the rest of the story.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">In 2011 Fr. Joe was a retired priest
residing at Maryknoll, NY and it was time to celebrate the 50</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
anniversary of his ordination and also the 100</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> anniversary of the
founding of Maryknoll (see </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Maryknollers – A Century Spreading the Gospel
And the Role of Each One of Us) at</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/maryknollers-century-spreading-gospel.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/maryknollers-century-spreading-gospel.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">This time two of our four children
(Stephanie & Joseph) came with Jaga and me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It was a joy celebrating with Fr. Joe and his extended family.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We had the privilege of sitting in on the
liturgy of the hours done by Fr. Joe and</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">a group of younger priests, some of whom wore the traditional
cassock.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">All of this gave me hope for
the future of the Church along</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">with the
prayer groups that are still persevering; namely, the Nucleus of Divine Mercy,
the Legion of Mary, and the Marian Movement of Priests.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">As a bonus we met my dear friend, Sr.
Maria Colabella (R.I.P. See </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Sr.
Maria Colabella: From Papal Volunteer to Maryknoll Missionary..........An
Instrument of God That Communicated His Love on Three Continents</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/05/225-sr-maris-colabella-from-papal.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/05/225-sr-maris-colabella-from-papal.html</span></a><u><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">)<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 281.25pt 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> She invited us for dinner at the
Maryknoll convent and it was a wonderful reunion with my former student, Sr.
Elizabeth Roach of Pittsburgh (</span><a href="https://www.maryknollsisters.org/sisters/sister-elizabeth-roach/html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">https://www.maryknollsisters.org/sisters/sister-elizabeth-roach/html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">, </span><a href="https://archive.triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/newsmaker-sister-elizabeth-roach/html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">https://archive.triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/newsmaker-sister-elizabeth-roach/html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> and </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 281.25pt 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://voith-usa.com/SemPix/Maryknoll_Nuns_Brothers/SisterElizabethRoach/index.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">https://voith.com/SemPix/Maryknoll_Nuns_Brothers/SisterElizabethRoach/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">), and others I worked
with in Peru. Furthermore, we took side
trips to the New York Art Gallery and the West Point Military Academy. Sr. Elizabeth wrote a number of children’s
books about the missions available on </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">www.amazon.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">. <span style="color: #0070c0; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> In his later years Fr. Joe suffered from
arthritis in his hip, back, and knee which was replaced. His attitude was “Fiat” (let it be done) as
he offered it all to the Lord as redemptive suffering for the conversion of
sinners as Mary had requested at Fatima. He had a strong devotion to Mary and Divine
Mercy upon whom world peace depends. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 299.25pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> We were already talking about Fr. Joe's
60<sup>th</sup> anniversary, but he was two years short. In his late November
Christmas Newsletter of 2019 Padre José foresaw his death with faith, trust,
and resignation. A couple weeks later he
did depart from us and is laid to rest at the Maryknoll Cemetery among the many
heroes of the Society, among them martyrs and the hundreds of other Men of
Maryknoll who gave their lives to Christ as missionaries around the world. We miss you, Padrecito; thank you so much for
all those years you served God, the Church, and us so faithfully. Before long we'll all be together again for
one glorious reunion in eternity. Let's
all make sure that we get there</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">**********************************************************************************<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b>Appendix</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span></span></p><h1 align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #00141e;">Fr. Joseph
Kowalczyk Obituary (1927-2019)</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></h1><span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaNaR9Jiw0LmOk1b4s7zjerw9J59s6ydIVw8Yb9mZihbE73AeF9veHS52yE0G4hQcxgSKXtQwJhT8_NaV1MSh47a0evEsoYcRWBNuj_XjGDofu4RPuzupCuCcg4WkFvv2vO-6ZPZ30yR1nxuUCBM1sJT5xzk-4h1spOcz7_hbJ6t7VkVVUGApX1U_-aEk/s219/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%20Obit%20Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="169" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaNaR9Jiw0LmOk1b4s7zjerw9J59s6ydIVw8Yb9mZihbE73AeF9veHS52yE0G4hQcxgSKXtQwJhT8_NaV1MSh47a0evEsoYcRWBNuj_XjGDofu4RPuzupCuCcg4WkFvv2vO-6ZPZ30yR1nxuUCBM1sJT5xzk-4h1spOcz7_hbJ6t7VkVVUGApX1U_-aEk/s1600/Fr.%20Joe%20Kowalczyk%20Obit%20Picture.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p class="Textbody" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #404f57; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="color: #404f57; font-family: times; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Maryknoll
Missioner (92) to Peru, Father Joseph W. Kowalczyk died on December 15, 2019,
at Phelps Memorial Hospital, Tarrytown, NY. He was 92 years old and a Maryknoll
priest for 58 years.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #404f57; font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Joseph
William Kowalczyk was born in Schenectady, NY on March 22, 1927, to Joseph and
Stefania Kaczmarczyk Kowalczyk. Father Kowalczyk is survived by his brother
George Kowalczyk, of Hanover, PA; two sisters, Blanche Prudent of Fort Smith,
AR and Regina Weishet of Naples, FL; and several nieces and nephews He was
predeceased by his sister, Emily Grzybowski of Schenectady, NY. He was a
parishioner at St. Adalbert's Church. Joseph attended Draper Grammar School and
graduated from Draper High School in 1943.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>During
the World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in
August 1946. Resuming his studies, he graduated from Union College in June 1948
with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He worked for the General Electric
Company for six years. In June 1954, he joined Maryknoll, and he was ordained
to the priesthood on June 10, 1961, and assigned to the Peru Region.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After
20 years in Peru, Father Kowalczyk returned to the U.S. in 1981.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In January 1985.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he returned to Peru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From June 1996 to the end of 1997, he served
as Vicar General under Bishop Hugo Garaycoa in the Diocese of Tacna and
Moquegua.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
March 2002, Father Kowalczyk was given retirement status with residency in the Maryknoll
Residence in Los Altos, CA, where he lived and served part time on Mission
Promotion appeals and as Spiritual Director. In June 2014, Father moved to the
Society Center at Maryknoll, NY.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 21pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
2019, Father Kowalczyk was appointed to the Pastoral Visitors Team. A Rosary
and wake service will be held at 4 p.m. on December 22, 2019, in the Holy
Spirit Chapel at the Maryknoll Society Center. A Mass of Christian Burial will
be held on December 23, 2019 at 11 a.m., and will be concelebrated in Queen of Apostles
Chapel. Burial will be followed in Maryknoll Society Cemetery with Father
Raymond Finch conducting the graveside service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 60pt 0.25in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404f57;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Published by The Daily Gazette Co. on Dec. 21, 2019.</span><span style="font-family: Open Sans; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-size: 24pt;"></span></span></span><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-51057092821828714742023-10-30T19:31:00.010-07:002023-10-31T19:29:24.765-07:00(286) Giving Glory to God with Flowers That He Himself Designed and Created<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">“Prayer is a way of doing instantaneous good for all things
in all places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a way of sending out
love everywhere at once…….Prayer makes everything you do more real, lasting,
meaningful, and faihful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through prayer,
everything just flowers and flows” </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">(Robert Lax, a noted poet)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidva68YrPIbQmcqImjvWNmcC7ADFs5oi1Xw6-9ob3mPmsWnJz2HcR3jWpBRyLYwCDHdLBROkwaZ_DIItshAjZKs0s6OFGbKQ4Gv-EZWQ7g-i_9RRNcBD93UlCyG_UPk3U-nr1yB7XZFgo5LNRkGZGw2acr2bIqLVsb5ZGtrhZvbf1-muCaFq7jfbKuSrLp/s640/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(5)%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidva68YrPIbQmcqImjvWNmcC7ADFs5oi1Xw6-9ob3mPmsWnJz2HcR3jWpBRyLYwCDHdLBROkwaZ_DIItshAjZKs0s6OFGbKQ4Gv-EZWQ7g-i_9RRNcBD93UlCyG_UPk3U-nr1yB7XZFgo5LNRkGZGw2acr2bIqLVsb5ZGtrhZvbf1-muCaFq7jfbKuSrLp/w619-h464/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(5)%202023.jpg" width="619" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">A photo of our beautiful
church garden with three dogwood trees. It features our Mother Mary in the
month of her Holy Rosary with our church hall in the background. Zinnias, begonias, roses, chrysanthemums, and common mums
surround Mary. As of October 30 the flowers are still doing well. </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"> Beauty and a
beautiful ambient facilitate prayer and we’ve provided that in the renovation
of our church, the flowers at the main entrance next to the statue of St. Louis
Marie de Montfort, the garden outside, the St. Francis Peace Garden on the
other side of the rectory & church office, and the cemetery as we pray for
our deceased loved ones near their final resting places on this side of
eternity. Hopefully, all of that is
giving us pride in our parish that will help to make us more faithful to God
and His Church.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGV2tHUJKuCpWpXhWLz-4y27fc7POPKeWdcDA7lIgUwdHqu1uHTAFd79ygiRS7CtARIFKUBozpSCrAyOykQpogJ1SMtSgZwA4A2dLht2i1TFeCNOT9ignNhGPTouc65LkUxrt30uAi_Bc_Gep5aLRfOgv_B3sL0h_SM3kKzHeCxtoS5iA0fq2Gqx9uSSD/s853/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(4)%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="727" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGV2tHUJKuCpWpXhWLz-4y27fc7POPKeWdcDA7lIgUwdHqu1uHTAFd79ygiRS7CtARIFKUBozpSCrAyOykQpogJ1SMtSgZwA4A2dLht2i1TFeCNOT9ignNhGPTouc65LkUxrt30uAi_Bc_Gep5aLRfOgv_B3sL0h_SM3kKzHeCxtoS5iA0fq2Gqx9uSSD/w545-h727/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(4)%202023.jpg" width="545" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">This photo shows the statue of an
early Church martyr, St. Philomena, a donation of another former grand knight,
DJ Stapleton. The rectory and church
office is to the right of the statue.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">For years our former grand knight, Bruce
Davison, has grown and sold flowers and tree seedlings in his green house. Now he is devoting much of his retirement to
glorifying God with his gardening and landscaping within our parish: During our
interview, he reflected: “All the beauty in the flowers around the church and
the cemetery are but a pale, pale, pale, pale reflection of the beauty and the
glory that God has waiting for us in Heaven.
Everytime we look at the flowers we can relflect on the beauty of God”. Let’s make sure that we all get there!</span></div></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvmVT-Xf6RG-hIsHDeodeiQb0XbhhcMVaJwme-MqVGeib3x4PNlSQz7Agt-7gwTBBJB43qh7rmCW92uW8VMsFHMKKNPu5qF3fTITnNkzsyrwbEJQcHqwZ4y7OZj_CA0mn7YMI6SJ-O2W3jh5eY_aHIZ1B0_RhWFRoiMRk-vAwkPWI0NcrHrk0VzBcXnc-/s640/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(1)%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="640" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvmVT-Xf6RG-hIsHDeodeiQb0XbhhcMVaJwme-MqVGeib3x4PNlSQz7Agt-7gwTBBJB43qh7rmCW92uW8VMsFHMKKNPu5qF3fTITnNkzsyrwbEJQcHqwZ4y7OZj_CA0mn7YMI6SJ-O2W3jh5eY_aHIZ1B0_RhWFRoiMRk-vAwkPWI0NcrHrk0VzBcXnc-/w499-h444/Church%20Garden%20Summer%20(1)%202023.jpg" width="499" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span> </span>The garden has a variety of flowers, including day lillies,
blackberry lillies, oriental lilllies, marigods, mums, roses, begonias, dwarf zinnias, laurels, purple sages, purple cone
flowers, salvias, hostias, iris, columbines, echnecias, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJ4Wx9-k3hCuMnX1L-hqX9D4LUs1Lh-0jEF4QQXKVl-bYwv_XdB9VWCBE-2FIOhuxopVJY2Kn4Is7Ns87K3EWunG5tTgdNL8dngdlqUjJ5EPb09-iBSG9V0PhAv2EF68L__EITxyphdK3BbMYJ9u1Zhr4NFAZDX8O-zD074H9KVPpDtO3CgdfDjE7i3ve/s640/St.%20Louis%20Church%20Summer%20(1)%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="640" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJ4Wx9-k3hCuMnX1L-hqX9D4LUs1Lh-0jEF4QQXKVl-bYwv_XdB9VWCBE-2FIOhuxopVJY2Kn4Is7Ns87K3EWunG5tTgdNL8dngdlqUjJ5EPb09-iBSG9V0PhAv2EF68L__EITxyphdK3BbMYJ9u1Zhr4NFAZDX8O-zD074H9KVPpDtO3CgdfDjE7i3ve/w598-h323/St.%20Louis%20Church%20Summer%20(1)%202023.jpg" width="598" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The garden also includes the St. Francis Peace
Garden, the cemetery gardens, and even the mini-garden at the entrance of the
church.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYOHTTSjUgPzjL_mKJrnU1U9bCPQYviDGqCCQph4paqwsgkvTJV7bDW6mxkuOM3ssksKnzi2x9VIF3KVtH3G7bgG9_X0CZzoeamCMEGVzAkd-2C3LUYOMdr0FZdND-d4W1c6Cwj0UwwJOU4WD1G8KdOxIxFIYDyDVAcJ2DSk9zivsDl79oedc79cN8sk2/s853/Cemetery%202023%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="689" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYOHTTSjUgPzjL_mKJrnU1U9bCPQYviDGqCCQph4paqwsgkvTJV7bDW6mxkuOM3ssksKnzi2x9VIF3KVtH3G7bgG9_X0CZzoeamCMEGVzAkd-2C3LUYOMdr0FZdND-d4W1c6Cwj0UwwJOU4WD1G8KdOxIxFIYDyDVAcJ2DSk9zivsDl79oedc79cN8sk2/w517-h689/Cemetery%202023%20(1).jpg" width="517" /></a></div></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">The flowers at the
cemetery provide an ambient for people visiting the graves of their loved ones,
encouraging reflextion and prayer for their souls. The banister is reminscent of the stairs to
the paradise of Heaven. Here we see red
Zinnias and yellow marigolds.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Davison’s
goal is to make this an all season garden, bigger and better every year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Last Fall Kathryn Marchi contributed
Mums.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The winter features evergreens and
the Spring features the lenten rose and the blossoms of the dogwood tree shown
in the photo on the far right.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">So as we
say goodby to summer and hello Fall and Winter, keep observing our beautiful church
and cemetery gardens during the coming seasons.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikDpA3bHch9TFzAxIc52lID6BTjgSBpnD73qm2sFK6mXdkdc9p8AclZPyb9PiLYiB5Hh_gB55yw5bHcaVAOPZV8z5j0gfLBfOrk0M_fYnCHPhEhiqiq3fn1yQIy4s65QWbSgKkj-1CSze-Tg_lHjoaNAPJU9m95xXx0dFAbLmcJU7L3b6pNp1nYNraBVb/s640/Cemetery%202023%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikDpA3bHch9TFzAxIc52lID6BTjgSBpnD73qm2sFK6mXdkdc9p8AclZPyb9PiLYiB5Hh_gB55yw5bHcaVAOPZV8z5j0gfLBfOrk0M_fYnCHPhEhiqiq3fn1yQIy4s65QWbSgKkj-1CSze-Tg_lHjoaNAPJU9m95xXx0dFAbLmcJU7L3b6pNp1nYNraBVb/w619-h465/Cemetery%202023%20(2).jpg" width="619" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">This photo shows
the gazebo of the cemetery that houses cremated remains; Masses are said there
as well as the final prayers before burial of the deceased. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Many have contributed to the beauty inside and</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b>outside of our church in time, talent, and treasure,
</b>reminding us of a biblical verse (1 Cor 3:6-8).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Bruce ordered and planted the seeds; Remy Simon, a little flower
herself, added water; Karen Stapleton and Jan Davison did weeding; Josh Davison helped; and God made
it all grow.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span> The Lord,</span> of course, is the
artist that designed the flowers when He created the world. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Some of the flowers have a connection to our
Faith.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The four petals of the Spring blossom
of the dogwood tree seem to simulate the wounds of the crucified Christ’s
wrists and feet. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It seems that the rose
is Mary’s favorite flower.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The marigold
flower is named after her.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">St. Joseph is
often pictured holding a lilly which symbolizes purity.</span></p></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4CpEwBgLDxLNkjhyphenhyphenbYxAGRBdyTl-rs2LnmbYsFISQa6sJcGKr4Nf3a-A9y9FCjytxH4zVgeKBMVcvivG5dZQs8J2vY2Z9oEuQsXjuW9IzQmYHqC0Gfy_qEmFaWuKeIt0myHdV3mfic-t09E83V7yG-3zkaKLPkhn9DVKmY-KezJq_mr-OANjmEFYTjRX/s577/Cemetery%202023%20(4b).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="537" height="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4CpEwBgLDxLNkjhyphenhyphenbYxAGRBdyTl-rs2LnmbYsFISQa6sJcGKr4Nf3a-A9y9FCjytxH4zVgeKBMVcvivG5dZQs8J2vY2Z9oEuQsXjuW9IzQmYHqC0Gfy_qEmFaWuKeIt0myHdV3mfic-t09E83V7yG-3zkaKLPkhn9DVKmY-KezJq_mr-OANjmEFYTjRX/w539-h579/Cemetery%202023%20(4b).JPG" width="539" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">This photo depicts St.
John and our Mother Mary grieving at the crucifixion of her Son, the same as
we grieve for the loss of our loved ones and anticipate our own deaths. Are you ready? Make sure that we all get there! Brother knight Chris Davison and his brother Pat
did much of the work in planting and caring for the flowers. Brother knights Matt Bokovitz, Bruce Davison,
Mike Merry, Butch Leport, Larry Angel, Allen White and his son, Alex as well as
others have also worked with the maintenance of the cemetery. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>Many with different gifts, talents, and
skills have worked together in providing that beauty both inside and outside of
our little church, be it with flowers or carpentry.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It’s such a privilege to help to beautify
God’s house.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Whenever you plant flowers in your garden
at home, do it for the glory of God.
Placing a statue of Mary, the Sacred Heart, or St. Francis or a cross would be a bonus for meditation and prayer as you walk through and enjoy your
own garden. Bruce and/or his son Josh
could give you tips. Josh does
landscaping for a living. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b>Our New Pews</b>. After having Mass in our Parish
Hall for several months because of renovations to the main church, we finally
returned.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The old pews were falling
apart, but</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">providentially a church which
was closing down in Portsmouth gave us their pews.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It was a job renting a truck and hauling all
of those pews to Gallipolis.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Only
problem was that they would not fit into the church.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Hamm our pastor mobilized the men to
solve the problem.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">They cut the pews and
kneelers to size……an all day job of exquisite carpentry.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">After applying lacquer, the pews looked
beautiful like they were brand new.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">In
addition to Mike McConnell, Terry Madden, and Bill Griffith, several of our
brother knights were front and center......Mike Dressel, Mike Merry, Mike Ours,
Matt Bokovitz, and Keith Elliott.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The
women were not to be denied the privilege of serving in the clean-up: Kitty
Griffith, Pam Withrow Dovyak, Merry Stapleton, Wendy Nance, Margo Marizon,
Patty Hays, and Trudy Linder.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Thanks for
giving your day to our church.</span></p></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;">Our
thanks to Mary Ann Bokovitz for taking the pictures and Bruce & Jan Davison
for the depth that they gave to this article.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></div><p></p></div></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b></span></p><b></b><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-70906677919499664622023-09-03T19:22:00.010-07:002023-09-25T20:17:34.068-07:00(285) Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly Boldly Describes What the Knights of Columbus Are All About.......Its Mission, What It Stands For, Its Activities<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> <i> </i></b><i>For many years the Knights of Columbus were often more secular than spiritual, a Catholic version of national organizations that serve the community and feature fellowship. The spiritual elements were there, but it was not emphasized as it should have been. However, under Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and his successor Patrick E. Kelly, the Knights of Columbus have become more spiritual and have had a stronger influence in the Church and in the popular culture. In the recent national convention, the current Supreme Knight, Patrick E. Kelly boldly described what the Knights of Columbus are all about. and what it stands for.in his report/speech to those attending and millions of viewers on EWTN television, the internet at <a href="http://www.kofc.org">www.kofc.org</a>, and other outlets.</i></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsGON1Nj9DzZ6sHWExWJbZQ5BvvTPgsVdpm8XHBNrmuqIvtIzF85wccMwj7dzUFUgifDOrjMVjuo9LziO95QhU623MDrrNnfoSNKkhWsISG1oSKC9mCQBpABKWsR2TNGoU10NjAhlZ8PqjdhaGRBUfmPyuCYV3Kwv7awi6vTrM_yo99qvUhHHTcHMsii5/s500/Kelly%20Supreme%20Knight%20&%202023%20Report%20to%20Convention.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsGON1Nj9DzZ6sHWExWJbZQ5BvvTPgsVdpm8XHBNrmuqIvtIzF85wccMwj7dzUFUgifDOrjMVjuo9LziO95QhU623MDrrNnfoSNKkhWsISG1oSKC9mCQBpABKWsR2TNGoU10NjAhlZ8PqjdhaGRBUfmPyuCYV3Kwv7awi6vTrM_yo99qvUhHHTcHMsii5/w567-h379/Kelly%20Supreme%20Knight%20&%202023%20Report%20to%20Convention.jpg" width="567" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Supreme Knight
Patrick E. Kelly making his annual report to the the 141st Supreme Convention
August 1-3 in Orlando, FL He urged the
2300 knights attending and up to 2 million other knights all over the world watching
on EWTN television and internet (</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="http://www.ewtn.com/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">www.ewtn.com</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">) to respond to
their baptismal calling and advance the Order's mission, pointing the world to
Christ, aspiring that the Knights of Columbus be first in faith and first in charity. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">FIRST IN FAITH</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">. “As Knights, what we do reflects who we are. We are faithful Catholics — and disciples of Jesus Christ.” Blessed Father Michael McGivney, our founder,
“gave us one mission — to follow Christ. And he called us to fulfill it through
faith and charity.” </span></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b><i>We must be credible witnesses to
a living faith</i></b>; <b><i>our charity must evangelize; we must stand
for the truth without apology without counting the cost</i></b>. <b><i>We must “point the world to Jesus Christ who
is the light that shines in the darkness and He will shine through the Knights
of Columbus</i></b>.” <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2w22jpE91fKMWF7DG2i99cLf0CyfCV66yAfdDW2yVqUYp69SV_lGKuA1Zp1g_LMo3Gy6aFKLzD1uASDLunxaT5arp560j2dmkabdcBTOySHdUHMWCMOjZo-I6b05-BRvGsCyBsn6MnkV72cthmlpiOZ8-NB0xAB-kWze25-DRPAfAKvjMFZvgV-KS3CG/s500/2023%20Supreme%20Convention.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2w22jpE91fKMWF7DG2i99cLf0CyfCV66yAfdDW2yVqUYp69SV_lGKuA1Zp1g_LMo3Gy6aFKLzD1uASDLunxaT5arp560j2dmkabdcBTOySHdUHMWCMOjZo-I6b05-BRvGsCyBsn6MnkV72cthmlpiOZ8-NB0xAB-kWze25-DRPAfAKvjMFZvgV-KS3CG/w624-h417/2023%20Supreme%20Convention.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">We are all called
to be missionaries in little or big ways as opportunities arise in the New
Evangelization. For photos and details
of the Supreme Convention as well as the complete both oral and written text of
the Supreme Knight’s report, go to </span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://www.kofc.org/en/events/supreme-convention/2023/index.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">https://www.kofc.org/en/events/supreme-convention/2023/index.html</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">. Below are some of the highlights as
a summary.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“</span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><u>Forming
Catholic men must be our top priority</u></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">……..If we get the man right, we
get everything right — the marriage, the family, the parish, the community. We
need men who say “yes” to their God-given vocation. And we know what happens
when men respond in faith.”</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Having re-consecrated
the order to Our Lady of Guadalupe, </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">we
must say “yes’ to Our Lady’s message of God’s redemptive love.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>The
order is continuing with a new initiative called “</span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Cor</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">” which is focused on
prayer, formation and fraternity.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It is
open to knights and non-knights alike.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Its goal is to help men to become better husbands, fathers, and Catholics.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>To that end, the order is introducing its
first-ever Bible Study called “</span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Men of the Word</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">” designed specifically
for Catholic men.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“When it comes to
deepening our faith, nothing is more effective than the Word of God”. This Bible
Study will bring Scripture alive and it has the power to transform our
lives.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Furthermore,
Supreme is preparing to debut a new video series on marriage, family and
fatherhood. It follows the model of <b><i>Into the Breach </i></b></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">which has been viewed
nearly 1.5 million times on EWTN Catholic television and at <a href="https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html">https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html</a>. You’ll find powerful testimonies and practical advice
for living the faith as a family. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">According
to one survey, only one third of parents care if their children remain
Catholic. That is the reason the Church
is losing so many of its youth. “<b><i><u>A
relationship with Christ is the greatest </u>g<u>ift we can offer to the next
generation</u></i></b>”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Knights of Columbus has a duty to help parents
grow in their faith and pass it on to their children. This is the goal of these videos along with
the 75 year old Catholic Information Service.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">FIRST IN CHARITY</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. “Reaching
new depths of faith will take us to new heights of charity”. He noted that “Mother Teresa shows us that
faith leads to charity — and charity leads to faith. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“In the Middle East, we continue to <b><i>aid
persecuted Christians</i></b>. Without our work, some of the most ancient
Christian communities might have disappeared forever. But they’re still here,
and since 2014, we’ve provided more than $33 million to help them build for the
future.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Since 2003 the knights have
helped landmine victims in Afghanistan. Over the past two years, in partnership
with the Global Wheelchair Mission,
we’ve given more than <b><i>127,000
wheelchairs</i></b>, the gift of mobility to those in need.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">During the past year, we helped our </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>priests
and seminarians</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> with more than $3.7 million in scholarships and
support; in the last five years alone, brother Knights have contributed over
$21 million to </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>Special Olympics</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> plus helping hands and encouraging words. </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Finally, there’s Knights of Columbus </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>Coats
for Kids </i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">since 2009 to give children the gift of warmth in the coldest
months. And this winter, we will distribute our one-millionth coat to a child
in need. “When it comes to charity, we do much more than just donate money and
goods. The time we give is even more meaningful”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, the
knights were there; when Russia invaded Ukraine, the knights of the U.S., Ukraine,
and especially Poland were there to help refugees and establish the Ukraine
Solidarity Fund that raised $24 million stateside. That help includes protecting Ukrainian as
well as Filipino women from human trafficking. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>“And to this day, I am struck by the words of
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv. Reflecting on Russian atrocities,
His Beatitude spoke of the duty to cultivate love. For as he said, “<b><i>hatred gives birth to criminals,
but love gives birth to heroes</i></b>” and there are many in Ukraine. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>“On behalf of the entire Order, I made a
promise to that family and every refugee I met: You are not alone. We are with
you.” For more detail and background,
see </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">(263) Knights
of Columbus Front and Center to Help Ukrainian Refugees and Victims of the War Plus
Background for Understanding the War</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/03/263-knights-of-columbus-help-ukrainian.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/03/263-knights-of-columbus-help-ukrainian.html</span></a></span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">(264) The War
Rages On in Ukraine as Refugees Keep Coming and the Knights Keep Helping</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> <a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/05/265-war-rages-on-in-ukraine-as-refugees.html"><span style="color: #0070c0; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/05/265-war-rages-on-in-ukraine-as-refugees.htm</span><span style="color: #ff8000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">l</span></a></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">PATRIOTISM AND FAITHFUL
CITIZENSHIP</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">.<b> “</b>Our
principle of charity compels us to serve the most vulnerable. And our principle
of patriotism leads us to serve our country”……to defend freedom, to hold strong
principles of human dignity, religious freedom, and equal justice — regardless
of race, religion or nationality. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">“There
is nothing hateful about the sanctity of marriage, the reality of biological
sex, or the humanity of the unborn child. And the Knights of Columbus will never
apologize for <b><i>defending the truth</i></b>! We stand for the truth because it’s right
— even when it leads to ridicule and scorn.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">We’ve endowed a new <b><i>chair at the Columbus School of Law Catholic
University of America</i></b>. The
Knights of Columbus <b><i>provides prayer books for the military, supports the training of chaplains,</i></b>
and since 2014 has sponsored the <b><i>Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage</i></b> for
healing of active duty military and veterans.
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">See
(265) Soldiers & Veterans From 40 Nations Make an Annual May Pilgrimage to
Lourdes For Healing </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/05/265-soldiers-veterans-from-40-nations.html" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/05/265-soldiers-veterans-from-40-nations.html</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">INSURANCE
AND INVESTMENTS</b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Knights of
Columbus insurance program was originally established to protect widowed
families.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">For years it has received superior
ratings from the rating agencies as one of the very best insurance
organizations for financial soundness.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Any surplus goes to policy holders and Knights of Columbus charities,
not stockholders.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Knights of
Columbus also continues to help families secure their financial futures through
mutual funds.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Members may also
contribute to a Charitable Fund.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“Today,
we manage more than $2.3 billion for Catholic families, religious communities,
and dioceses.” </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">MEMBERSHIP</b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“We now have more than 2,084,000 knights in
16,672 councils” (the largest lay Catholic men’s organization in the world),
including Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Poland, Ukraine, France,
the Philippines, Korea, 300 college councils and 100,000 men, who became
members on-line.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>“The Knights of Columbus invites men to
greatness: to sacrifice themselves for the good of others; </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>to commit to a higher call with a
band of brothers</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">; and to stand strong in the breach, side by side,
instead of being swept away by the culture, one at a time…..And in a world that
offers apathy and anger, we invite men to lives of meaning and mission.”</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> PRO-LIFE</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. The Knights of Columbus have now donated 1,745 ultra
sound machines to pregnancy centers, making it easier for moms to choose life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_dRTnaVsq8QVWmRhcsoL1jvZ3YqMiRg106vdd8FpqVFo_PM23PjIkniaS9OdDmFza7r_SE-c0Hmm6vpGCiOwwihuJjRCuKhT8PM5y8m_EcTF82KFmztTem6o5YVwEYWawjtVoWZTJQ6hvjin_M2hHwCDdovmxae7i2RRTTdt6wPEC1CwLH61OuFWG5l8/s500/2023%20Ultra%20Sound%20For%20Pregant%20Woman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_dRTnaVsq8QVWmRhcsoL1jvZ3YqMiRg106vdd8FpqVFo_PM23PjIkniaS9OdDmFza7r_SE-c0Hmm6vpGCiOwwihuJjRCuKhT8PM5y8m_EcTF82KFmztTem6o5YVwEYWawjtVoWZTJQ6hvjin_M2hHwCDdovmxae7i2RRTTdt6wPEC1CwLH61OuFWG5l8/w654-h438/2023%20Ultra%20Sound%20For%20Pregant%20Woman.jpg" width="654" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Supreme Knight Patrick
Kelly shows a woman being able to see her baby in utero through a KofC donated
ultra sound machine at a pregnancy center.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>The Knights initiated the new ASAP (Aid and
Support After Pregnancy) program with $6 million for pregnancy centers and maternity
homes, caring for both mother and child before and after pregnancy. Year after year the KofC is very much
involved in the March For Life to “win more hearts, change more minds, and
enshrine the right to life in the laws
of the land.” Post-Roe v. Wade the
battle continues state by state, particularly in Ohio this coming November. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Pope Francis called on the Knights of
Columbus to </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>continue advancing the Church’s mission</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is a challenge we gladly accept. We will
continue to take up </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>the mission of evangelization</i></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> — in our hearts and in our
communities. And we will continue our mission of charity — a charity that
evangelizes.”</span></p></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-32232362918522568512023-08-20T19:43:00.004-07:002023-08-20T20:44:27.058-07:00(284) Oscar Bastiani: A Faithful Witness and Servant Into His Old Age <p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This article is based upon the eulogy I gave at
the funeral of Oscar Bastiani Jr. June 16, 2023.</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex1W-wNOavBgzH7um7USdbFcmhXdNu22VMjQ0dqVY9Py7d2WmYQdvNZrO8Ms2rdD9QyRJNjJjDMiv8J1YmFVPg_Ob6YbL005qJThT1R20sPWnCQnxnY8W3NcEMiNPlqDJTOjphke5cjY7nbjnV8DcsznTYLZfnfzHjRkGqOzTjuFp3kMzijRiMmKwwCyZ/s1338/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20&%20Fish%20Fries%20Split%20the%20Pot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1338" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex1W-wNOavBgzH7um7USdbFcmhXdNu22VMjQ0dqVY9Py7d2WmYQdvNZrO8Ms2rdD9QyRJNjJjDMiv8J1YmFVPg_Ob6YbL005qJThT1R20sPWnCQnxnY8W3NcEMiNPlqDJTOjphke5cjY7nbjnV8DcsznTYLZfnfzHjRkGqOzTjuFp3kMzijRiMmKwwCyZ/w624-h497/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20&%20Fish%20Fries%20Split%20the%20Pot.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">Oscar Bastiani Jr. (1936-2023),
a faithful member of our parish and the Knights of Columbus helped out wherever
he could in his twilight years. A son of
Oscar Bastiani Sr., owner of the Italian Restaurant on Court and 3<sup>rd</sup>
St., Oscar made an exquisite sauce for
the annual Spaghetti Dinner fund raiser for the parish. When age slowed him down, he got out of the
kitchen and sold raffle tickets as he greeted the people entering the Parish
Hall for the August Spaghetti Dinner for the Feast of St. Louis, the patron of
the parish and Lenten Fish Fries in late winter and Spring. Although an American first, he transmitted an
intense pride of his rich Italian heritage to his extended family.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Oscar’s wishes were for a small funeral with no visiting hours.
Apparently, he felt that the richness of the Mass would suffice.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Please keep him in your prayers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Yet we should celebrate his life in a small
way.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> We'll miss Oscar. He was so faithful to the Church, an example to us
all. Somehow he would drive by himself to the Saturday vigil Mass in his
little car and with the aid of a walker climb the ramp and sit in the back of
the church. A Eucharistic minister would bring Holy Communion to him in
his pew. Nothing could keep that guy down.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">This heroic faithfulness puts to shame the
young men who miss Mass on Sunday because they're sleeping off a hangover from
the night before. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Although an experienced cook of Italian cuisine, he could no longer be active
in the kitchen during our Spaghetti Dinner Fund Raiser in August for the Feast
of St. Louis and the Lenten fish fries, but he was there as a greeter in
collecting money and sold raffle tickets to support our church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> He could not participate in our Knights of Columbus work sessions, but he was
there to help with the annual fund raising raffles. He even conducted a
survey of our knights.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Furthermore, he
would call every knight, reminding them of our next meeting. There were a
time or two he would have to put up with a gruff, "Don't bother me".</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-pQgeUf-65TDlC5p3ON8Xsz71B3LLwkh3OxmkihPlQeiUzTQuLWKqdU0jHKE1if-ygV7ZJVt3XYeM1fxMJmsjpvrUIwl9T5efSa3yRHsWHQNMUkYARQl1NZJn_T0YCpaiCp8gTAlcbvanA7e_V1hiqOVvafuTpgv48kcKvDcy1VLpcd1YQxNp4EO9kfj/s1600/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20&%20Son%20Mike.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-pQgeUf-65TDlC5p3ON8Xsz71B3LLwkh3OxmkihPlQeiUzTQuLWKqdU0jHKE1if-ygV7ZJVt3XYeM1fxMJmsjpvrUIwl9T5efSa3yRHsWHQNMUkYARQl1NZJn_T0YCpaiCp8gTAlcbvanA7e_V1hiqOVvafuTpgv48kcKvDcy1VLpcd1YQxNp4EO9kfj/w466-h622/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20&%20Son%20Mike.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">In this photo Oscar is with his son, Mike and Brittany
Spaniel bird dog, Zeke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After graduating
from St. Vincent Prep School in Latrobe, PA and Ohio University, he was a
supervisor at the Goodyear chemical plant across the river before starting up
his own construction business.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Oscar suffered a lot with
grace, with faith, and with courage.
After undergoing surgery on his neck, he was confined to his home for a
few months and we brought Holy Communion to him every Sunday. We would ask him to unite his cross with the
Lord’s cross and offer it all up as a dynamic prayer for the Church, his loved
ones, and for our country. God knows how
much our country needs prayer. Offering
up one’s sufferings is a most effective prayer.
It gives meaning to suffering and makes it productive. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> St. Mother Teresa relied on such redemptive
suffering for the astounding success of her order, matching a sick invalid
person (other person) with each one of her active nuns all over the world to
offer up his/her sufferings for the work of each nun. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> In that way Oscar was as effective for the
Church or more so in his old age than when he was a vigorous young man. In his day; he was an avid hunter and
fisherman.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmcez65ZdBCsVnQ6oWFLDIJNZo9nTTMQF3OP_YHkiE5jsIDkhVJcDyDaZV-Ae3rAFbtqewd76ssPtbgeGO0VjhRTasMG8HTtzysswvyvAuUZGl54NkJYX1c9OEvC5hT_nKNLw6ie-Gkn_O-_U_0Oy2JREl2zL72Wivo5XDIWnsLeNhiTFF-kT53N02WcH/s326/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20the%20Hunter.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="270" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmcez65ZdBCsVnQ6oWFLDIJNZo9nTTMQF3OP_YHkiE5jsIDkhVJcDyDaZV-Ae3rAFbtqewd76ssPtbgeGO0VjhRTasMG8HTtzysswvyvAuUZGl54NkJYX1c9OEvC5hT_nKNLw6ie-Gkn_O-_U_0Oy2JREl2zL72Wivo5XDIWnsLeNhiTFF-kT53N02WcH/w433-h523/Bastiani%20-%20Oscar%20the%20Hunter.JPG" width="433" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Oscar Bastiani enjoyed hunting and fishing in his spare
time. The photo on the right shows a
young Oscar after a hunt with the wild turkey he bagged. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> We love you, Oscar and we’ll miss you. Thank you for all that you have done for
us. Good-bye until we’re all together
again in eternity for a glorious reunion.
Let’s make sure that we all get there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-71081401242540171692023-08-06T20:22:00.015-07:002023-08-17T11:36:10.364-07:00(283) YOU ALSO CAN MAKE A NATIONAL IMPACT.........The 1968 Expropriation By Peru of Standard Oil's International Petroleum Company Subsidiary, Peru's Economic Development, and American Policy<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxVsQ5h1-fSVWZym1QdrPEcBMelRG8sdOe_mCNhN_RXrjoJgVzKp--GOGWDpsKTwRCYj_yo52d8fCrTsUJ5rHo4UF8Pz815uIzXzNqiAIfdvf-2Q4TvMZCsS7tQABLS_kCIjO8yGiUPbL3eVCLuGmcc2pVTiGZce38d5Hq-_5F8DWqTsk6-ulFZSGJgGr/s300/1969%20IPC%20Plant%20in%20Peru.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxVsQ5h1-fSVWZym1QdrPEcBMelRG8sdOe_mCNhN_RXrjoJgVzKp--GOGWDpsKTwRCYj_yo52d8fCrTsUJ5rHo4UF8Pz815uIzXzNqiAIfdvf-2Q4TvMZCsS7tQABLS_kCIjO8yGiUPbL3eVCLuGmcc2pVTiGZce38d5Hq-_5F8DWqTsk6-ulFZSGJgGr/w513-h385/1969%20IPC%20Plant%20in%20Peru.jpg" width="513" /></a></div><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Standard Oil's Subsidiarity, the International Petroleum Company in Talara, Peru in 1968</span></b></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the
1968-69 Academic year I took a leave of absence my from my teaching in Peru to
work on a Master's Degree in Business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was only 29 years old with a possible career ahead of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peru had expropriated the assets of Standard
Oil's subsidiary in Peru, the International Petroleum Company (IPC).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the United States would apply the
Hickenlooper Amendment, suspending all aid, Peru would be thrown into a severe
recession. The poor would suffer the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were daily articles in the national press on the situation, not to
mention the prominent news magazines of the day. …..Time, Newsweek, U.S. New
& World Report, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">I had to do
something.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Writing a term paper on the
subject was not enough.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Even though I
was only a graduate student, I had to do more than that.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Thus I sent in the article below to the
Washington Post, the most prominent daily in Washington with a circulation of
over 500,000 and read by the important figures in the Nixon Administration.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">My initial submission
presented both sides of the controversy, but the editor restricted me to a maximum
of 500 words. I had no choice, but to
give only the Peruvian side. It was a challenge to say a lot with a few words while being accurate and fair to both sides. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>A copy of the published article is
below.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">We'll see what influence the
article had if any and what eventually happened.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">This article does show what just one person
can do......perhaps very little or who knows?.......perhaps very significant.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyrchucvAl1Q7rNsQoLxOFBMmDKdsfWl1M45-Rl4ebEOl98_4dPS64xjcNDqkdbwx1pC54zxKkZPxap3P-5ZiprGDGz2numT7acjlhuOFFv4W0CRCvnsC9VS9m6eOo84oaqmzQWOdiclWAqsNlxN5EaEmkqA-iJ5G42WV79DrYs6sPKAOEmXVIl_v_FDq/s1080/1969%20IPC%20Peru%20My%20Article%20in%20Washington%20Post.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1080" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyrchucvAl1Q7rNsQoLxOFBMmDKdsfWl1M45-Rl4ebEOl98_4dPS64xjcNDqkdbwx1pC54zxKkZPxap3P-5ZiprGDGz2numT7acjlhuOFFv4W0CRCvnsC9VS9m6eOo84oaqmzQWOdiclWAqsNlxN5EaEmkqA-iJ5G42WV79DrYs6sPKAOEmXVIl_v_FDq/w671-h485/1969%20IPC%20Peru%20My%20Article%20in%20Washington%20Post.jpg" width="671" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><p></p><p class="Standard"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">ANOTHER SIDE OF THE PERU EXPROPRIATION<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Published on the op-ed page of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Washington Post July 29, 1969<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;">As a
North American professor on leave from the Universidad de Santa Maria, may I
introduce another side to the U.S.-Peru controversy?</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Through
a 1922 contract and arbitration award made under ambiguous circumstances, the
International Petroleum Co. obtained a very favorable tax deal.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Although kind in giving information, IPC
would not divulge past profits and taxes paid figures.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">International Petroleum, which Peruvians can
hardly pronounce (a Spanish name would have been a less conspicuous target),
symbolizes exploitation.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>IPC was
the only company in Latin America to insist on subsoil ownership, which
traditionally belongs to the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
Peru demanded back taxes and the disputed land, IPC had U.S. support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to an article in the May 17 New
Yorker, the Johnson Administration denied $150 million in promised aid as
pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fund shortage led to a
monetary devaluation, which contributed to Belaunde's overthrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aid denied to Peru is probably enough to
compensate IPC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus Latins perceive aid
as a means of keeping them in line.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Business
Week of February 15 quoted an industrialist:</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">“IPC ran its operation like a private fiefdom”.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The way their PR Director treated my 45
students during our visit supports IPC's reputation of arrogant public
relations.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Why have some 200 U.S.
companies had little or no difficulty in Peru?</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">IPC's 1925 refinery is outmoded.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It possesses only one major distillation
tower and still uses the old thermal cracking process.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The refinery's assets should be almost
completely depreciated.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">According
to the London Sunday Times, State Department and Standard Oil officials
privately admit that the properties are insignificant.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Standard's assets still increased 11% to $17
billion while its $14 billion sales were over three times the national product
of Peru.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Over the years Standard has
taken enough money out of Peru to more than compensate its investment.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">During
the Roosevelt Administration's “Good Neighbor Policy”, Standard Oil got into
trouble three times and expected the U.S. to bail it out.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Instead it was forced to accept token
compensation.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The
Hickenlooper Amendment places American policy at the mercy of any company whose
actions could provoke expropriation and whose obstinacy, encouraged by U.S. protection,
could prevent a settlement.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The embassy
made no significant effort to investigate the facts, audit IPC records, act as
an impartial mediator, or pressure IPC into a settlement.</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Presently,
Peru has a recession because American companies suspended investment and credit
until the situation is settled.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The
Hickenlooper Amendment could cause a depression, if applied as scheduled on
August 6.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Thus our generous “aid” would
bring a nation to its knees.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">With such
dominance and dependence Latins feel controlled from the United States.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Latins
would see the Alliance For Progress as a farce, were its ideals of development
and social reform to take second place to U.S. Business interests.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Tragically, the helpless poor would suffer
the most.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By declaring the dispute a
special case and deducting token compensation from past aid suspended, we can
give Peru and ourselves a way out.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Unless
businesses follow the axiom of David Rockefeller and his Council For Latin
America,</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">“Citizens first, businessmen
second”, there will be repetitions of IPC.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><o:p> </o:p><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">What Ultimately Happened</span></b></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The Hickenlooper Amendment was never
applied neither on August 6 the deadline or ever again.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Peru did pay token compensation a few months
later and there was a reduction in aid for the time being.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">However, relations eventually returned to
normal.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The Peruvian Embassy was so
happy with the article that it sent me a letter of thanks in Spanish.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>What influence did my article have?</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">I don't know, but I like to think that it
might have had an effect upon U.S. policy.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">In any event when something must be done, it is better to try and fail
than to not try at all.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> For more
detail see the article published by the ADST (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training)</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://adst.org/2020/07/an-expropriation-saga-in-peru/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">https://adst.org/2020/07/an-expropriation-saga-in-peru/</a><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Also </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Paul%20Sebastian/Downloads/11_1_77%20(3).pdf" style="font-size: 24pt;">file:///C:/Users/Paul%20Sebastian/Downloads/11_1_77%20(3).pdf</a><span style="font-size: 24pt;">
- The Hickenlooper Amendments: Peru’s Seizure of International Petroleum
Company as a Test Case</span></p><p class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 302.35pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <span> </span><b>The
Peruvian Debt Crisis in the mid 1970s</b>.
A few years later in the mid 1970s another difficulty arose. Peru overextended itself in drawing a large
amount of loans for its economic development.
It was too much for Peru to keep up with the debt service requirements. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 302.35pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
would try to help countries with severe debt problems with advice and imposing
very stringent austerity measures (less spending on government programs to help
the poor, less food subsidies for the people, higher internal interest rates, measures
to stop inflation, etc,) to put the country’s national finances in order.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Although the IMF would
grant an emergency loan to stabilize the national currency, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">the remedy was perhaps worse than the problem
itself.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">That would throw Peru into a
severe recession since credit from the international banks and new private
investment dried up until the country would agree to the austerity program.</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 302.35pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Again we had to do something.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">I wrote up an appeal for leniency with
refinancing and collected over 25 signatures of American business people and
missionaries supporting Peru.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> We sent it to the IMF and the U.S. Government. </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The
nationally circulated El Comercio I believe or La Prensa of Lima, the capital featured our efforts on the front page.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Eventually, the crisis eased
somewhat, but it would probably be presumptuous to believe we had a significant
role.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">In any event we may have made a
positive contribution.</span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 302.35pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span></span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Risk</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">. In 1978 I was asked to comment in
a radio interview on a Time Magazine article reprinted by La Prensa regarding the
arms buildup along the border between Peru and Chile while both countries were
in a severe economic crisis.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">I mainly voiced
Church teaching, but I probably looked like a Don Quixote chasing windmills.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Risky with a military dictatorship in power?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Of course. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span></p><p class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 302.35pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> </span>But it was necessary to say something
regarding an important moral issue when presented the opportunity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">I thought that I could get away with it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Wrong!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">Both the interviewer and the interviewee (me) ended up in jail for a
week.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">“You can’t win em all”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">We did make some impact, however.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">The details will be the subject of a later
blog article.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-50751671449834820962023-07-04T20:20:00.017-07:002023-07-10T19:40:22.346-07:00(282) AN UNFORGETTABLE EASTER VIGIL…… Our Son-in-Law Is Received Into the Catholic Church<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tt1dnU4GCXCV8XMM_jWwsZdjQ4FsFlAppA0aktGnHbPdviRdoOn46klkOwg-XrMcQfANZ7VQIgMtyoEescYviw2Xpijnuz1IF3MkK1X1a31JIjRR1mfr-nNEpL5F1U07f7-XG3fceJtElv-TWOFdYegy_diiGHYaGkyi_CI70hdanySIw7MS9ZkbqYtt/s403/Naomi%20&%20the%20Baby%20Catholic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="302" height="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Tt1dnU4GCXCV8XMM_jWwsZdjQ4FsFlAppA0aktGnHbPdviRdoOn46klkOwg-XrMcQfANZ7VQIgMtyoEescYviw2Xpijnuz1IF3MkK1X1a31JIjRR1mfr-nNEpL5F1U07f7-XG3fceJtElv-TWOFdYegy_diiGHYaGkyi_CI70hdanySIw7MS9ZkbqYtt/w464-h619/Naomi%20&%20the%20Baby%20Catholic.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">A
new Catholic and his sponsor, a cradle Catholic, John and Naomi Faro<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While our daughter Naomi was working as a Labor and Delivery
Nurse at the University of Cincinnati Hospital and her boyfriend, John Faro was
a medical student at the University of Cincinnati Medical School, she brought
her beaux home for dinner a number of times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After all, they both grew up in Gallia County and graduated from the
same Gallia Academy High School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At one dinner I told John: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">“We
are not asking you to become Catholic”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were already going to Sunday Mass every week together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We do not want you
to become Catholic because of Naomi because too often the family is happy, but
the convert drifts away not long after the marriage itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re only asking you to learn about the Catholic
Faith because you should know the elements of the faith of your possible spouse
and children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, we want you to become
Catholic, but only if you are convinced of the truth of the Catholic Church.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, entry into the Church must be
his decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">They were married at
St. Mary’s Church in Cincinnati by my brother Deacon John V. Sebastian on
December 28, 2020 in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic during the semester
break during his third year of medical school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the whole story go to A COVID WEDDING…..NAOMI MARIE SEBASTIAN + JOHN
FARO: Two Gallia County Rural Ohio Residents Who Discovered Each Other in the
Big City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/12/273-naomi-marie-sebastian-john-faro-two.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2022/12/273-naomi-marie-sebastian-john-faro-two.html</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>John’s third and fourth year of Medical School quickly passed,
but the schedule was much too tight with clinicals to permit weekly instruction
in the faith as part of an RCIA (Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults)
class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John definitely was interested in
learning about the faith and becoming Catholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our pastor of St. Louis Church Gallipolis agreed to give him a one on
one tutorial before graduation, but the schedule was again much too tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John graduated from the University of
Cincinnati Medical School as an M.D. on May 1, 2022. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Finally, John had his break whilc a resident doctor at the
Kettering Hospital in Dayton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
regularly assisted at Mass at the nearby Wright State University Newman
Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The RCIA program every Sunday
over the 2022-23 academic year fit their schedule and John was on track to be
received into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil 2023.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He raved about his instructor Nicholas Kovatch,
one of the Campus Ministers and the Chaplain, </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Fr.
Tim Fahey. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Until the Easter Vigil</span> John was
free to back out and reject entry into the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The result was the most
exciting Easter</b> Vigil our family ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our son-in-law, John Faro was received into the Catholic Church on April
8, 2023.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Easter Vigil was such a
momentous occasion for us that John-Paul, Elizabeth, and Juan Pablito flew in
from Dallas; Joseph drove in from Atlanta where he works as a software
developer for Microsoft; Stephanie, Daniel, and Anselmito drove from Front
Royal, Virginia where Daniel teaches literature at Christendom College.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our entire family on the Sebastian side were present for the
long Easter Vigil Mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The liturgy
began in darkness without any of the solemn smells and bells which ceased after
the Gloria on Holy Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Paschal
Candle was lit in anticipation of the glorious Resurrection of Christ, the
light of the world as He had promised. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the same time the flame was passed on to each individual holding a small
candle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The light of the world became
evident among so many lit candles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
special liturgy continued with a selection of seven readings from the Old Testament
(Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Baruch, and Ezekiel) followed by St. Paul’s Epistle
to the Romans and the Gospel of Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The readings pointed to the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since John and the three
other Catechumens were already validly baptized in other faiths with the proper
form, the Baptism ritual was omitted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the renewal of the Baptismal promises were included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, the sacrament of Confirmation is
only administered by the local Bishop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But a priest may administer this sacrament during the formal reception
into the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the following photo John
with Naomi at his side receives the sacrament of Confirmation in the Faith which
is really a deepening of the Sacrament of Baptism and the Holy Spirit is formally
invoked to help the receiver to live and defend the faith even to the point of
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Dr. John Faro chose as his
Confirmation name, Giuseppe</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> as a model to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Dr. Giuseppe Moscati is known as the
doctor of the poor, a saintly doctor of the late 19th and early 20th
century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re so proud of John for
choosing as his Confirmation name Guisseppi (Moscati), the saint who was a medical
doctor and devoted his life to follow in the footsteps of the great
healer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can access this inspiring
Italian movie with English subtitles at </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kac3OHtQ6Mg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kac3OHtQ6Mg</span></a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> under the
title of “</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">St.
Giuseppe Moscati: Doctor to the Poor</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His name translates to Joseph.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Rv0NOI8LwcvOLxxa5REPYC4EgkLgEZUhiY0lPQnh3wc68AekW8jMdQmKOuPloiYY0o9lZ7DTjKpJPGgX18SekmgOsTOS6i_nFRtfgZWe-waG9GwLRJmkjD7Cteud-zP_YoBcsSUoZNx_L_VNuy7IjH656_9j4ba5DsHUxdLd4u7lHpuD-x_BVNiQdXmJ/s4032/John%20Faro%20Catholic%20(5).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="689" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Rv0NOI8LwcvOLxxa5REPYC4EgkLgEZUhiY0lPQnh3wc68AekW8jMdQmKOuPloiYY0o9lZ7DTjKpJPGgX18SekmgOsTOS6i_nFRtfgZWe-waG9GwLRJmkjD7Cteud-zP_YoBcsSUoZNx_L_VNuy7IjH656_9j4ba5DsHUxdLd4u7lHpuD-x_BVNiQdXmJ/w518-h689/John%20Faro%20Catholic%20(5).JPG" width="518" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">John
Faro receives the sacrament of Confirmation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The beauty of the Mass
is really miraculous</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> in which the Last Supper (the Consecration of the
bread and wine into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ Himself) and
the sacrifice of Calvary are made present and brought to us in a mysterious unbloody
way as we offer Christ in the Eucharist to the Father.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">As the Jews would consume the unblemished lamb
of sacrifice, we consume the undefiled Lamb of God, Body and Blood, Soul and
Divinity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Thus John Faro received his
first Holy Communion under both species, together with his wife, Naomi and us too
moments later.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmvON58x9_tGrKOeEVEJtK25VzH0dnpPj2XwUBOPhcruQO-rjUcHJ38MsuLvvdKWBckYlqZH-YjcpNJ51WMJ_dp0qY_hWEdQSsA7GqPf6PkBoIKyEFH2tezvyuA1GWE0iqNSIljfbIVqzeBnjrMHYz4j1Pbc6Qi14QF_0PyziJPR1SV9UvWVk83PGS0UC/s4032/John%20Faro%20Catholic%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmvON58x9_tGrKOeEVEJtK25VzH0dnpPj2XwUBOPhcruQO-rjUcHJ38MsuLvvdKWBckYlqZH-YjcpNJ51WMJ_dp0qY_hWEdQSsA7GqPf6PkBoIKyEFH2tezvyuA1GWE0iqNSIljfbIVqzeBnjrMHYz4j1Pbc6Qi14QF_0PyziJPR1SV9UvWVk83PGS0UC/w461-h614/John%20Faro%20Catholic%20(2).JPG" width="461" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">John
Faro receives his First Holy Communion under both species.</span></b></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> For a few moments the communicant is in close contact with the
almighty infinite God who loves us so much as to make this possible along with
the accompanying graces, i.e., food for the journey to eternity. How awesome is that? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">In
the Gospel of John Chapter 6, our Lord explicitly stressed that the Eucharist (Holy
Communion) is essential to salvation: “Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I
say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you
do not have life within you. Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the
last day. For my flesh is true food, and
my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have
life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life
because of me. This is the bread that
came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats
this bread will live forever" (John 6:54-59).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Is any of this beyond God?
Of course not. He can do all
things. For a scientifically
investigated physical miracle 13 centuries old or sign by God of the
authenticity of the Eucharist as the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus
Christ, go to (281) LANCIANO: THE FIRST AND MOST PROMINENT MIRACLE OF THE
EUCHARIST<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2023/06/281-lanciano-first-and-most-prominent.html">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2023/06/281-lanciano-first-and-most-prominent.html</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1324), the Eucharist is the source, the center, and the summit of Catholic life especially in regard to the liturgy (the Mass). Without the Eucharist, there would be no sacrifice and no communion in the deepest sense with the infinite God. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Believe
it or not; we</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">all managed to sleep in
that one bedroom </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>apartment</b>………11 people
including two babies…….couch, air mattress, and floor where John & Naomi
slept. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The two families occupied the
bedroom with their babies.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We were going
to get an air b & b as we did with the wedding, but Naomi and John opted
for this arrangement and we had a great time together.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jaga brought enough food to feed an
army. The whole bunch of us worked it off the next afternoon with a long walk.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On Easter morning we all went to Mass together for an encore.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Easter Monday was also momentous because the Catholic Newman Center of Wright State University had
a Eucharistic procession all over campus.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The students were curious, but respectful.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We believe that John Faro will be a faithful
Catholic for the rest of his days as he follows Jesus Christ, the Great Healer.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazrHptjotFtXdKDthP9wgRa7qERcQub9csmgx4amYIglXNWrCqy2BHxbZqk4lyipvsFyVL2PmILFoeQ2Qic8pXnfsxWUBr2BH4_cw-nFJ9iVDXFZdaeFh2MdAvzyHnqf3QX9fuA7r77tNSdpuIUGTUlrTo-fEbDLs2h3PncomoLHyHaQAenmJ82NptaYs/s1560/John's%20Reception%20Into%20the%20Church%20at%20St.%20John%20Bosco%20Chapel%20Wright%20State%20U.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="1170" height="688" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazrHptjotFtXdKDthP9wgRa7qERcQub9csmgx4amYIglXNWrCqy2BHxbZqk4lyipvsFyVL2PmILFoeQ2Qic8pXnfsxWUBr2BH4_cw-nFJ9iVDXFZdaeFh2MdAvzyHnqf3QX9fuA7r77tNSdpuIUGTUlrTo-fEbDLs2h3PncomoLHyHaQAenmJ82NptaYs/w515-h688/John's%20Reception%20Into%20the%20Church%20at%20St.%20John%20Bosco%20Chapel%20Wright%20State%20U.jpg" width="515" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Our gang
jubilant from left to right: Joseph and John-Paul Sebastian together with his
wife Elizabeth and son Juan Pablito, Naomi and Dr. John Faro (the new Catholic),
Jaga and Paul Sebastian followed by Stephanie, her son Anselmito, and her husband Daniel
Spiotta.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> <b>During
the rest of Easter Week</b> we had both grandsons and their mothers at our
home. More good times. On Easter Friday, Joseph took Elizabeth and
Juan Pablito back to Dayton for the flight back to Dallas. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span> </span><span> </span>Meanwhile we took Stephanie & Anselmito
back to Front Royal in time for the dedication of the magnificent neogothic
chapel of Christendom College. It fits
so beautifully with the mission of the college.
In the middle ages western Europe had a rather unified Christian culture
before the Reformation. Today since its
founding in 1988, Christendom College has the mission of “restoring all things
in Christ” in our secularized western culture.
For the video of the dedication of Christ the King Chapel by the Bishop
of Arlington go to </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://chapel.christendom.edu/2023/04/17/ewtn-broadcast-dedication-of-christ-the-king-chapel/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">https://chapel.christendom.edu/2023/04/17/ewtn-broadcast-dedication-of-christ-the-king-chapel/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">
. Jaga baby sat for our grandson,
Anselmito while I watched on EWTN with some 25 students at the old chapel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><br /></span></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-56645747943537460152023-06-11T20:18:00.007-07:002023-06-13T20:11:05.087-07:00(281) LANCIANO: THE FIRST AND MOST PROMINENT MIRACLE OF THE EUCHARIST<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVKLIZOYjJBz7O3yuSuPZzkelO1rGrvle18yw5A6iTHB_yCRZCABh6WRjDTLAzUgz6PoaDYau3ewzutph0B_1L9onVk2zPZIC0-g6oIW1mCTd3ED0aUS3Vzxu84mDoe6dYWQB3fRb6UMajL2LF2kgP2e6mGj2r4fRjMoxibD5QHEITaBKuEzJdwBw5Q/s915/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="915" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVKLIZOYjJBz7O3yuSuPZzkelO1rGrvle18yw5A6iTHB_yCRZCABh6WRjDTLAzUgz6PoaDYau3ewzutph0B_1L9onVk2zPZIC0-g6oIW1mCTd3ED0aUS3Vzxu84mDoe6dYWQB3fRb6UMajL2LF2kgP2e6mGj2r4fRjMoxibD5QHEITaBKuEzJdwBw5Q/w589-h182/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(5).jpg" width="589" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9j_ESZZXIcgMkA-GF5dzdjssCFPoNOXwCEhlNRlmyyP7Bx2FTQ6EUJQenLxnZOHeiVEgo1Jlb17lWpbG7Xcw2VEPKzgS2tRs9cMyGWiUB8b-_D1k7oi6NYAtPhXTd5J3oIcoT4wBLw-ifmZVN8R-dzmD2CFCZULdgooipPf7U6IEnW_iyaWYdWHk3w/s261/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="261" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9j_ESZZXIcgMkA-GF5dzdjssCFPoNOXwCEhlNRlmyyP7Bx2FTQ6EUJQenLxnZOHeiVEgo1Jlb17lWpbG7Xcw2VEPKzgS2tRs9cMyGWiUB8b-_D1k7oi6NYAtPhXTd5J3oIcoT4wBLw-ifmZVN8R-dzmD2CFCZULdgooipPf7U6IEnW_iyaWYdWHk3w/w552-h408/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(3).jpg" width="552" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span><span> </span>During the Covid-19 Pandemic of
2020 we were deprived of the Eucharist ---the source, the center, and the
summit of Catholic belief and practice, so central to the life and mission of
the Church---- from March 16 until the great feast of Pentecost on May 31. This hiatus made us appreciate what we were
missing. In fact many felt a deep
longing for the Eucharist. However,
others drifted away, often not returning. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>Today we are in a crisis of belief and the Episcopate of the United
States has undertaken a campaign to revive our most basic belief, the
Eucharist, the true presence of Christ Himself.
Today we celebrate the <b><i>Feast of Corpus Christi</i></b> (Body of
Christ) 2023 traditionally the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but for
convenience observed in most dioceses on the following Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Awesomeness of the
Mass. </span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the Consecration Christ Himself through the priest (persona
Christi representing Christ Himself) changes ordinary bread and wine in a
mysterious way as He did at the Last Supper to His body and blood, soul and
divinity. Therefore, the priest repeats
the very words of Christ, “THIS IS MY BODY; THIS IS MY BLOOD; DO THIS IN MEMORY
OF ME”. This we call the Eucharist, whom
we adore as God Himself. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thus we believe that the Eucharist is NOT a mere symbol,
but IS our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, the Second Person of the Holy
Trinity. Nevertheless, the Eucharist
retains all the physical and chemical properties of bread. That’s the mystery, but anything is possible
for God.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A few minutes later, Jesus Christ in the person of the priest,
offers the Eucharist to God as Jesus did at Calvary in reparation for all the
sins of the world past, present, and future so that we can enter Heaven if we
faithfully follow Him.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thus the
sacrifice of Calvary is made present and brought to us in a mysterious way
which we call the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Just as the Jewish high priest offered in the
temple an unblemished lamb to God and the people would then consume it…..we
offer Christ Himself as the Lamb of God in the Eucharist to God the
Father.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Then we consume the Lamb of God,
the Eucharist in Holy Communion and we have the Body and Blood, Soul and
Divinity of Jesus Christ within us for a few precious moments to adore and
cherish as we are filled with His love and graces.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thus missing out on the Eucharist by not
assisting at Mass on Sunday is a big loss.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Awesome, Mind Boggling,
Difficult to Comprehend</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. We believe because Christ said so and nothing
is impossible for God. “Do this in
commemoration of me.” The Eucharist is
God’s greatest gift to us on this side of eternity……Himself. Let us not deprive ourselves of it by missing
Mass on Sunday. Many a convert began to explore our Catholic Faith because of hunger for the Eucharist.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This belief is so strong to a good and faithful knight that he
would give his life to defend the King of the Universe ever present in the
Eucharist against any possible desecration, which has occurred more than once
in modern history.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even after reading
John 6 and the Holy Thursday Gospel</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">accounts, the Eucharist is still a leap of faith and difficult to
imagine even though absolutely nothing is beyond the power of Almighty
God.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>For us who are so weak
in faith</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, the Good Lord has
helped us over the centuries and even in recent years with over 100 documented Miracles
of the Eucharist……34 in Italy, 20 in Spain, 12 in France, 9 in Germany, also in
the Netherlands. Portugal, Argentina (1992, 1994, 1996), Mexico (2006), Venezuela
(1991), India (2001), and Poland (2008 & 2013) among others. They reinforce the faith of the believers and
help the doubters. These miracles are
optional for Catholics to believe or reject.
However, the Church considers most of them to be worthy of belief.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBEI43jv2jUdG-DILukv3BdmE8A6lrixWgW1g_bBvMOzCfQou0RpV3Ou4vMtp6qkND09bz98_T7hsgACSPmy4fPLEZmrYsfkcq19YW82VAwgjr94dHQ36nI_YV8szH9-fp145W4kM4T0E3e4KcnbCXVlewHlcBu_96LR2_NfvQZPxhmISuTowvrErYw/s420/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="280" height="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBEI43jv2jUdG-DILukv3BdmE8A6lrixWgW1g_bBvMOzCfQou0RpV3Ou4vMtp6qkND09bz98_T7hsgACSPmy4fPLEZmrYsfkcq19YW82VAwgjr94dHQ36nI_YV8szH9-fp145W4kM4T0E3e4KcnbCXVlewHlcBu_96LR2_NfvQZPxhmISuTowvrErYw/w471-h709/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(4).jpg" width="471" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The reliquary with
close-ups of the flesh and coagulated blood of Jesus Christ.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The first and most famous Eucharistic
miracle occurred in Lanciano, Italy near Siena in central Italy in the year 750
A.D.</b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">A priest was struggling with
doubts over the authenticity of the Eucharist.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">One day as he consecrated the bread and wine into the body and blood of
Christ, the host turned into human flesh and the wine turned into human blood
in the presence of the congregation.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">For
over 1250 years the human flesh and blood has not decomposed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPxz9GdCd2LFCNAYA-Mg8YSaxhK0YULRg83BlyDwSfybjvrMvPT-vZOy98xmJocnkWmaIHGdkq_VB5GmBmSpYjmZt9DuGRnU3b3hVo0pkU4U-LXvjp_7WusKIk-kA-rrHq-_VJmqGJ0OjZYWfFM_VnNjTQeie-fgvOr-xRm-Bbg5IrjQJvklZnyRqoA/s229/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="229" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPxz9GdCd2LFCNAYA-Mg8YSaxhK0YULRg83BlyDwSfybjvrMvPT-vZOy98xmJocnkWmaIHGdkq_VB5GmBmSpYjmZt9DuGRnU3b3hVo0pkU4U-LXvjp_7WusKIk-kA-rrHq-_VJmqGJ0OjZYWfFM_VnNjTQeie-fgvOr-xRm-Bbg5IrjQJvklZnyRqoA/w630-h606/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(2).jpg" width="630" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The flesh consists of part
of his heart muscle, namely the myocardium, i.e., the left ventricle. The
arteries and veins can be easily identified, as well as a double, slender
branch of the vagus nerve.</span></b></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to investigations, the most recent in 1970-71 and 1981
by medical professors of the University of Siena-Italy, the flesh is part of
the human heart and the blood type AB matches the blood on the Holy Shroud of
Turin and other Eucharistic miracles.
The Lanciano results are very consistent with scientific investigations
of other Eucharistic miracles where the sacred host turned into flesh. Scientists also concluded that the heart
muscle was in great agony. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Furthermore,
they initially found with the crude scales of the 8th Century that one piece of flesh or several
pieces of flesh together all weighed the same, indicating that even a fragment of the
Eucharist is the entire Body of Christ.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV8Uhj7zsVLkK8n8VcpbuXZoYip-0TZnv-XnWSJEqwIeTJCz0mgPPw21NWGIXeQj_Pt2k6kxZxZpHIknDMAFYZKQcPXqbdgcCzFg2BgINRXzwgPj6DjMM5kluzSnQ5zmZLEg7Q3GRDJ3KjUCIz7ZlL5ifdRaWj5Q_4dip8oWJQs52tOFGc3SffLlOeA/s700/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="700" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV8Uhj7zsVLkK8n8VcpbuXZoYip-0TZnv-XnWSJEqwIeTJCz0mgPPw21NWGIXeQj_Pt2k6kxZxZpHIknDMAFYZKQcPXqbdgcCzFg2BgINRXzwgPj6DjMM5kluzSnQ5zmZLEg7Q3GRDJ3KjUCIz7ZlL5ifdRaWj5Q_4dip8oWJQs52tOFGc3SffLlOeA/w547-h359/Lanciano%20Eucharistic%20Miracle%20(7).jpg" width="547" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The blood is coagulated into five equal parts
and weight, corresponding to the five wounds of Christ. For a medical analysis by Dr. Edoardo Linoli,
a professor of anatomy, pathological histology, chemistry, & clinical
microscopy and former head of the Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy at the
Hospital of Arezzo, go to </span></b><a href="http://www.zenit.org/article-12933?l=english"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.zenit.org/article-12933?l=english</span></b></a><b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. There has been no deterioration for almost 13
centuries.</span></b><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The name of the town where the Eucharistic
miracle occurred was changed to Lanciano to call to mind the lance which the
centurion used to pierce the heart of Jesus without breaking a bone in
fulfillment of Bible prophecy. It is so
appropriate that the consecrated host miraculously turned into heart muscle to
reflect the Sacred Heart of Jesus which exudes such intense love and mercy for
each one of us. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span><span> </span>May we reciprocate by
intensely loving our Lord with our whole mind and our whole soul above all
things, while making every effort to follow His teachings through His Mystical
Body, the Church, live a virtuous life, and avoid sin which offends Him. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">When one receives Holy Communion, Christ comes into his/her heart,
i.e. His very person in a real way.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It
is communion with the infinite……Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person
of the Holy Trinity.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It can even be said
that since the three persons of the Holy Trinity are inseparable, we also
receive the Father and the Holy Spirit.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">At the same time all who receive the Eucharist at a given liturgy are in
communion with each other since all eat at the same table (the altar or communion rail) of the same loaf of
bread so to speak.</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b>The
following videos</b> and articles are fascinating</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=dKc74WJXBfk"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=dKc74WJXBfk</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> – (7.01 min)
Miracles of the Eucharist – a great overview.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oogJ-cdi7yI"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oogJ-cdi7yI</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> – (3:02)
Scientific Evidence of Eucharistic Miracles – presentation by three Polish
experts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxi_U5JN8wM"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxi_U5JN8wM</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> – (7:42 min) 6
Incredible Eucharistic Miracles</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.catholicdoors.com/misc/eucharisticmiracles.htm"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.catholicdoors.com/misc/eucharisticmiracles.htm</span></a><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> for descriptions of over 100 of them since
the 4th Century. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-true-presence-eucharistic-miracles-over-the-centuries-for-corpus-christ" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-true-presence-eucharistic-miracles-over-the-centuries-for-corpus-christ</span></a><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"> - The True Presence:
Eucharistic Miracles Over the Centuries for Corpus Christi</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://churchpop.com/2015/06/28/5-extraordinary-eucharistic-miracles-with-pictures/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">https://churchpop.com/2015/06/28/5-extraordinary-eucharistic-miracles-with-pictures/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> - 5
Extraordinary Eucharistic Miracles that Left Physical Evidence (With Pictures!)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://dowym.com/voices/5-incredible-eucharistic-miracles-from-the-last-25-years/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">https://dowym.com/voices/5-incredible-eucharistic-miracles-from-the-last-25-years/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> - 5 Incredible
Eucharistic Miracles from the last 25 Years.
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Bob and Penny Lord
have visited many sites, wrote books, filmed many sites and produced many
television programs on EWTN and DVDs.
They can be purchased at </span><a href="http://www.bobandpennylord.com/miracles-of-the-eucharist.htm"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.bobandpennylord.com/miracles-of-the-eucharist.htm</span></a><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b>Appendix</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><b>A Pastor's Corpus Christi Homily</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><i><span> </span></i></span></span><i style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 32px;">Fr. Thomas Hamm, t</i><i style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 32px;">he pastor of St. Louis Church Gallipolis, Ohio, connects his every homily to the Eucharist at least in a small way at the conclusion. Let us add his Corpus Christi Sunday homily of June 11, 2023. It was very well done. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> When the Chosen People were journeying to the Promised Land,
it was only natural that God would provide them with food for
the journey. He gave them the manna, the “bread from heaven”
which despite its origin was ordinary food meant for the
sustaining of natural life. We too are on a journey. Our true home is in
heaven and once again God provides us with food for the journey.
God gives us the true “Bread from Heaven”, not ordinary food,
but extraordinary food meant for sustaining supernatural life.
He gives us the Most Holy Eucharist.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Our journey is not a journey to a land flowing with milk and
honey. Our journey is a journey to eternal life, a very
participation in the life of the Most Blessed Trinity. Thus, the food God gives
us must itself contain that divine life. God must feed us with
Himself. Anything else would be only ordinary food; ordinary food
that when we consume it, becomes part of us. The divine food God gives
us instead makes us like God. It divinizes us. It does not
become part us, we become in a sense, part of God.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Thus, today we celebrate this wondrous mystery of the Body
and Blood of Christ. In particular, we celebrate the true
presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist when He take our humble gifts
of bread and wine and transforms them into His on Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity. As Saint Paul tells us we participate in the body
and blood of Christ. We make communion with Jesus, Himself, which we
can only do if He is present in the holy food we consume. Paul
also tells us that we become one in Christ by consuming of the one
loaf, which again is impossible unless the one loaf is Christ.
Further, Paul uses other examples in First Corinthians that show his
belief that the Eucharist is the true presence of Christ which should lay to
rest the arguments that the first Christians did not believe in the
real presence of Christ.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Of course, our Lord's own discourse and the reaction of the
crowd should leave no doubt that Jesus was serious when He told us
that we must eat His flesh and drink his blood. As scripture commentators make clear, when Jesus’ words shocked the crowd with visions of cannibalism and consuming blood, Christ did
not back down. He did not tell them that He was only speaking
figuratively. In fact, the original Greek made it clear, that Jesus not
only told them they had to eat His flesh, but they had to chew and
gnaw it as animals would. But Jesus also made it clear that those who consumed His flesh and blood would live forever. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Thus, God provides the precise food for the journey. If it
is to be an earthly journey, then it will be ordinary food. But if it is
the journey to eternal life, then it must be food that itself is
eternal. Today we honor Christ present in the Most Blesses Sacrament. We
celebrate that because of His true presence we can participate in His
one, perfect sacrifice. And we celebrate that because we partake
of Him who makes us one with Himself, we become more perfectly one with all those partaking of His Body and Blood, Soul and
Divinity with us. True Presence, true Sacrifice, true Communion, what
more could we desire as we journey to be with Him for all
eternity.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-88081242572394025022023-06-04T20:59:00.014-07:002023-06-08T20:08:52.798-07:00(280) THE MYSTERY OF GOD: A Review of a Series of Videos By Bishop Robert Barron<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0M_Kl_H1DO9ZC0p-uyHEeIma-THk-e-SFlrEdn6tYGy1uZ8FMJp2eOhhsegz-1hOlilaUA8_235YEb0FJzHResP6zGn6icjHihZ8bRSprSq5rgsDqfV3p8D-KRaseCr6KiZfoEGtlh87JKLPtCq8zClyE7WCNC7w-ZIdqa894uhm9rghECs6mX2apg/s375/Senor%20de%20los%20Milagros%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="236" height="717" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0M_Kl_H1DO9ZC0p-uyHEeIma-THk-e-SFlrEdn6tYGy1uZ8FMJp2eOhhsegz-1hOlilaUA8_235YEb0FJzHResP6zGn6icjHihZ8bRSprSq5rgsDqfV3p8D-KRaseCr6KiZfoEGtlh87JKLPtCq8zClyE7WCNC7w-ZIdqa894uhm9rghECs6mX2apg/w449-h717/Senor%20de%20los%20Milagros%20(3).jpg" width="449" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Our Lord of the Miracles (“El Señor de los Milagros”) became a great devotion in Peru after the great earthquake of October 20, 1687 destroyed the Lima church but the mural remained intact. The painting vividly shows that God is love, i.e., Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for each one of us. It also shows the Holy Trinity…….the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, it shows the dual nature of Christ as both divine and human. We invoke this image when we make the Sign of the Cross, really a profession of faith and also a prayer. </span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">“The juxtaposition of Trinity and cross is by no means accidental. For the cross is the moment when the tensive unity of the three divine persons is on most vivid display.” </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Mary is present as her heart is pierced by a sword. Mary Magdalene is there as a faithful disciple. See</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><a href="http://lordofmiraclesbrotherhoodraleighnc.weebly.com/history-of-the-lord-of-miracles.html"><b>http://lordofmiraclesbrotherhoodraleighnc.weebly.com/history-of-the-lord-of-miracles.html</b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">With Christmas, Holy
Week, Easter, the Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, and
living with Christ during the rest of the liturgical year, we must become awestruck
on occasion at the mystery of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is particularly the case in regard to Pentecost and Trinity Sunday 2023, which
we celebrate today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Bishop Robert Barron
and His Word on Fire apostolate published an excellent series of DVDs on “The Mystery
of God". Thus I would like to share the highlights with the readers
of my blog articles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote it all up when we presented it to the
Catholic Newman Club at the University of Rio Grande a couple of years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The highlights
include: 1) What We Mean By God; 2) St. Thomas Aquinas & the Paths to God; 3)
the Divine Attributes; 4)Providence & the Problem of Evil; 5) Exploring the
Trinity; and 6) the God Who is Love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Atheism and What We Mean By “God”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are lots of views about God.
Some see him as a mythical fairy in the sky, others as the Supreme Being. Some
consider him a threat to our freedom. But for Christians, God is not one being
among many. He's not a competitor to our flourishing. God is that than which
nothing greater can be thought, the strange and unique source of being itself.
Before discussing anything about God we must become clear about one question:
who is God?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: black;">In this episode Fr.
Barron reviews the views of such atheists as Hitchens, Feuerbach, Marx, Freud,
Sartre, etc. as well as mythological beliefs in the ancient gods and contrasts
them with the beliefs of Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They look upon God as fantasy, a threat to freedom, an opiate for one’s
misery to feel better about life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can get more insights on Fr. Barron’s website, </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.mysteryofgod.com/"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">www.mysteryofgod.com</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus
Christ</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The true God is not
one being among many, not a competitor to our flourishing, not invasive or
intrusive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is one over whom nothing
greater can be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christianity is so
distinctive because it believes that God became one of us as Jesus Christ,
i.e., taking on our human nature in the Incarnation…….having two natures come
together…..being truly divine and truly human, yet maintaining the integrity of
each nature without any mixing of the divine and the creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God took on our human nature to be an icon of
His person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After centuries of debate
this was resolved and defined in the year 451 at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Council of Chalcedon</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We find our deepest identity in God because
we are created according to His image and likeness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Catholic intellectual traditions</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> about God are very rich, but we must do a much better job of
presenting the Christian view of God in the New Evangelization (to be done by
all of us).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St. Thomas Aquinas</i></b>
brought out that God is not a being as such; He is being itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the source of finite existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St. Anselm</i></b> said that God plus the
world is not greater than God, while Zeus plus the world would be greater than
Zeus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The true God is greater than
anything we could possibly imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
atheist will never be able to find God as a being in the world because God is
other than the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is everywhere
in the world because everything depends upon God in a causal dependence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything in the universe depends upon His
power of being; God is the unique source of being itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Augustine brought out:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“God is closer to me than I am to
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet He is higher than anything I
can imagine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God does not compete with the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The closer that God comes to the world, the
more He allows it to be itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the basis for Christian humanism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is
beyond human comprehension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The glory of
God is a human being fully alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God appeared
to Moses in the burning bush which was not consumed and that made him
radiant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God makes people more radiant,
more beautiful, more luminous while not consuming them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God does not come invasively or
competitively, but gently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His presence
makes the world radiant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The burning
bush has the fullest expression in the Incarnation without ceasing to be God,
nor undermining the creature He becomes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The God of the burning bush is the true God.</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">2. </span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">St. Thomas Aquinas and
the Paths to God</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><b style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <i>In the thirteenth
century, St. Thomas Aquinas composed his famous five paths to God. His proofs
don't depend on the Bible or divine revelation. They simply start from the
world around us—trees, birds, buildings, and even ourselves. Thomas noticed
that none of these things have to exist. But if that's the case, there must be
some cause behind them, something grounding their existence. For Thomas and all
Christians since, we know this source of all being by its ancient name—God.</i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“The Paths to God” was formulated by St. Thomas Aquinas as five
arguments without the use of the Bible or revelation, using the world around
us. He said that nothing in this world
contains in itself the reason for its own existence. Things are, but don’t have to be or
exist. Everything in this world is
contingent or dependent upon something else, a cause. And that cause is contingent upon a set of
other causes which in turn is contingent upon even more causes. Finally one must come to a reality whose
nature is “to be”…….Ipsum esse – the sheer act of being itself or to be in itself…….in
other words, God. That’s why in Exodus
3:14, God identified Himself to Moses as “I am who I am” And Christ could say
to the Jews: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC32XY_d25qKdD0RCN3UcXcbNjInkc1DhYdKzutA_PqLQGN-bN8-iE7XKDlsgZjAVYSitvUMIsamvHf88CUbd9k1snnSPxbFgu2dBoGW8tWxm6iUepQllMkhJg244KWAmubdBc5O-gh6BwRbBMA5U2L2V_2ogu_DwTFKl_rX8sJDfCxwZnyIQRYXXdtA/s297/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20(1894-1966).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC32XY_d25qKdD0RCN3UcXcbNjInkc1DhYdKzutA_PqLQGN-bN8-iE7XKDlsgZjAVYSitvUMIsamvHf88CUbd9k1snnSPxbFgu2dBoGW8tWxm6iUepQllMkhJg244KWAmubdBc5O-gh6BwRbBMA5U2L2V_2ogu_DwTFKl_rX8sJDfCxwZnyIQRYXXdtA/w562-h322/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20(1894-1966).jpg" width="562" /></a></div> <br /><b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Fr. Georges Lemaître,
Father of the Big Bang Theory giving a scientific lecture.</span></b><span style="text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Big Bang</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. For
example, this summary of Bishop Barron’s talk is contingent upon me…….my doing
it. I am contingent upon being a college
professor, which is contingent upon my education, which is contingent upon my
parents, who are caused by their parents, etc., etc. They are all contingent or dependent upon
matter, which goes back to the “Big Bang” that originated at a point. The
theory of the origin of our expanding universe with the “Big Bang”, now
commonly accepted, was formulated by a Belgian Catholic priest, <b><i>Fr.
Georges Lemaître</i></b> in 1927 (see </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVdBRSBlpyOTGQevxamqN10sNcV6-mlDOT2n9tqRbGj6AHp2890loTsL0ZcIZijKzsEWDm1P2mEgXtcm8QnXjjEuhpmlBQ1z21wXkKexwKEPr9t-KBmlGGmAUMSg-_HGsfm4GzKC1k5Li8g9HtT1S0grjEKpmYj4Y_ykR2c1VPRezUTT-dO4HqwmAFA/s328/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20Quote%20Big%20Bang%20is%20his..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="328" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVdBRSBlpyOTGQevxamqN10sNcV6-mlDOT2n9tqRbGj6AHp2890loTsL0ZcIZijKzsEWDm1P2mEgXtcm8QnXjjEuhpmlBQ1z21wXkKexwKEPr9t-KBmlGGmAUMSg-_HGsfm4GzKC1k5Li8g9HtT1S0grjEKpmYj4Y_ykR2c1VPRezUTT-dO4HqwmAFA/w605-h284/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20Quote%20Big%20Bang%20is%20his..jpg" width="605" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He saw the big bang as a creation like event and saw no conflict
between science and theology although he avoided mixing up the two.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1efs4fVEomgeNPqW21iJWY05t8eLbX0gujTqpOal_JA6x211hnbbZFvtE7AIY5bfA4vxGZrYullYT6Iwn5jAFCQFHsBT8W_GOvAm2Q3pb2nF2pYc48CFbqoTlAhG448rgRmE6c07Ocy0Z3GC4-_dbYp3MVVSFB-fAx8EJMj5CaLfKlN5TyV32bc7OSQ/s185/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20&%20Albert%20Einstein.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="185" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1efs4fVEomgeNPqW21iJWY05t8eLbX0gujTqpOal_JA6x211hnbbZFvtE7AIY5bfA4vxGZrYullYT6Iwn5jAFCQFHsBT8W_GOvAm2Q3pb2nF2pYc48CFbqoTlAhG448rgRmE6c07Ocy0Z3GC4-_dbYp3MVVSFB-fAx8EJMj5CaLfKlN5TyV32bc7OSQ/w570-h379/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20&%20Albert%20Einstein.jpg" width="570" /></a><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Did
you know that the originator of the Big Bang Theory was a Catholic Priest and a
contemporary of Albert Einstein, the originator of the Theory of
Relativity? Fr. Georges </span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Lemaître</span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
is pictured with Einstein above. Faith
and reason, faith and science are very compatible with no contradiction…….truth
is truth under the dominion of God, the creator of all things. Any apparent contradiction is due to human
error and lack of understanding. The
Church has been very hospitable to Science in the many colleges and
universities it has founded over the centuries. </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Albert
Einstein, a contemporary of Fr. Lemaitre, is considered to be a genius and an
atheist, was awestruck by the great order in the universe.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Thus he believed in an intelligent designer
of the universe, who planned it all.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He
said: “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, a spirit vastly
superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers
must feel humble”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">It stated the same in
other words that there is a great designer of the universe, “in comparison to
whom, I am insignificant.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">However, he
did not believe in a personal God.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xpjtRN75cqe0q9nhEJ1P7lz6Bs3NiqIhFdpImDp1i3ZNKv2kDxnae-Scx0848RkZaqObLhepqrGGgoCfSFY_TYLUYaaiG1UyFOKIyUk-yA0wGXf0GJZkuxBSs4gZe5V8brjb8SQpG_ihG-3OsUU_ddi195IAF5D2AGjRh49eeYwMCE5oqjXHyNGlkQ/s236/Einstein%20&%20God.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="236" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xpjtRN75cqe0q9nhEJ1P7lz6Bs3NiqIhFdpImDp1i3ZNKv2kDxnae-Scx0848RkZaqObLhepqrGGgoCfSFY_TYLUYaaiG1UyFOKIyUk-yA0wGXf0GJZkuxBSs4gZe5V8brjb8SQpG_ihG-3OsUU_ddi195IAF5D2AGjRh49eeYwMCE5oqjXHyNGlkQ/w555-h346/Einstein%20&%20God.jpg" width="555" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"> Matter</b> is contingent
on being itself, who is God. Matter
could have different forms and can be shaped into innumerable forms that we use
in our everyday lives. When the atheist
goes through the chain of contingent causes from object to person to matter, he
will eventually have to stop and throw up his hands and say: “That’s the way it
is”, thinking that it just popped out into being. The believer will continue to the “uncaused
cause”……..God……a reality not contingent on anything, whose nature is to
be. By reason, any being would
eventually have to be contingent upon being itself…….God.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The
Human Mind. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">According to Bernard
Lonergan and Karl Rahner, Jesuit theologians, both born in 1904 and died in
1984, postulated that the human mind asks questions, gathers knowledge, and
ultimately seeks God, the glorious mystery.
St. Augustine observed: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our
heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxvOBeGW3R2FIIS9no0HyaoOzQdIXCHSdOg-Zlq_uBeAtZxSOzgXw9pQvs52Jg3B9x8Cfk0Dvv6mKiRVVek4-LjPizOvmCKzZoOdp8kTX03rPKSf2zbr5zJsfxiW-y4xhfZk-YMwOpgrI9h5PHcx7Pa00t_A9seg2xIPX9pv12a5wkXHewoNxp_uPwg/s208/St.%20Augustine%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="134" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxvOBeGW3R2FIIS9no0HyaoOzQdIXCHSdOg-Zlq_uBeAtZxSOzgXw9pQvs52Jg3B9x8Cfk0Dvv6mKiRVVek4-LjPizOvmCKzZoOdp8kTX03rPKSf2zbr5zJsfxiW-y4xhfZk-YMwOpgrI9h5PHcx7Pa00t_A9seg2xIPX9pv12a5wkXHewoNxp_uPwg/w362-h562/St.%20Augustine%20(1).jpg" width="362" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">St.
Augustine</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> The ultimate horizon
of all that can be known or can be is ipsum esse, being itself, God. The desire for God is behind every act of
knowing. God’s existence is co-known
implicitly. Nothing greater can be
thought, not simply one being among many. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><b><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">3. </span></b><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The
Divine Attributes</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><b><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><br /></span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><b><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8UJFxdfg3nXK9kDR8G6agWGdh-eofBma5s4N8zxNYKaNEU1v8D2LDbeHwcqkG9JA5Zvwm_J1VzIpVTVR1WtG20OGD_6OpI3H5EXFaLSDj8ggq_Olrboe4rB-j3YR7J_B42t_StdMWBeNDn1sx1u688huO5PPS3ldzXxHCidv7lDNrfgBL4R9vVhvvQ/s492/Trinity%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="486" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8UJFxdfg3nXK9kDR8G6agWGdh-eofBma5s4N8zxNYKaNEU1v8D2LDbeHwcqkG9JA5Zvwm_J1VzIpVTVR1WtG20OGD_6OpI3H5EXFaLSDj8ggq_Olrboe4rB-j3YR7J_B42t_StdMWBeNDn1sx1u688huO5PPS3ldzXxHCidv7lDNrfgBL4R9vVhvvQ/w597-h606/Trinity%20(2).jpg" width="597" /></a></div></b></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> What is God like? God is higher than anything we can
imagine. When Adam & Eve (Genesis 3)
committed the original sin, they tried to hide from God. God cannot be hidden from because He is
everywhere (<b><i>omnipresence</i></b>). God is
closer to me (and you) than I am to myself.
Don’t run away from God; surrender to Him in love. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">In Exodus 3 Moses encountered God in the Burning Bush that would
not be consumed. God calls Moses by name
and knows everything about the suffering of his people (<b><i>omniscience</i></b>): “<i>Remove your sandals for you are standing on
holy ground</i>.” God is in control and
intimate. When Moses asked for His name,
God answered; “I am who am” (Exodus 3:14).
To be God is to be to be. God’s
existence (to be) and essence (to be) coincide.
<b><i>Simplicity</i></b> is another divine attribute. Each one of us exists as human beings with a
name in a particular but limited way.
You can be grasped. However, God
cannot be defined even with the highest degree of abstraction. God is being itself (ipsum esse); He is <b><i>infinite
</i></b>without any limit. There is no
restriction on God’s manner of being and existence. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">God is inexhaustible and cannot be put into a category of being;
He cannot be completely described, analyzed, or characterized. God is <b><i>incomprehensible</i></b>; as the great genius
of theology said, “In Heaven I will infinitely explore the infinite God”. We will have to spend all eternity learning
about God, who is <b><i>inscrutable</i></b>, who we cannot understand. There is <b><i>no limit to His freedom</i></b>. The ascetic aspect of God is <b><i>awesome</i></b>……supremely
beautiful and sublime. To obey God is to
come fully to life and find one’s own deepest self. Disobedience is a fundamental problem
throughout salvation history…….i.e., the Bible.
Surrender to Him and you will find out who you are. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">God is <b><i>self-sufficient</i></b>. He does
not need the world. God plus the whole
world is not greater than God alone. Our
prayers of thanksgiving add nothing to God, but adds to us, making us grow in
grace. We cannot add to God’s
greatness. God gains nothing from loving
us. This shows His great love for the
world…….i.e. He wills our greatest good.
He wants us to flourish; He wants our good for its own sake. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Some of the attributes of God can be summarized in <b>Psalm 139</b>, a psalm of David,
specifically God’s <b><i>omnipresence</i></b>, being everywhere<b><i>.</i></b> He is available wherever you are; He is
unavoidable. Jonah discovered that He
could not run away from God. There is no
place to go where God is not. God
brought Jonah back to where He wanted him to be. It’s the same with us when we feel limited,
depressed, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Psalm 139 vividly shows that God is <b><i>omniscient</i></b>, knowing all
things. God knows us into being. He knows all about us, through and
through. To know ourselves as God knows
us is true self-knowledge. He knows what
we are doing and thinking. It’s not
surveillance; He just knows. We know by
observation and reading; that’s passive.
God simply knows. Things exist
because God knows. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">God is <b><i>omnipotent</i></b>, being able to do all things without limit. God won’t make a square circle because that’s
a contradiction. He presses His great
love upon the world with His creation and help.
In God’s omnipotence lies His lordliness and kingliness. He is <b><i>transcendent</i></b> beyond time, imminent, and <b><i>faithful</i></b>. Knowing God is to know ourselves.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">4. Providence and the Problem of Evil</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Why does God allow
evil? If He is all good, all knowing,
and all powerful, why is the world marked by so much pain, loss, and
suffering? The ultimate answer is the
entry of the Son of God into suffering itself…..the cross. According to Thomas Aquinas, all good in
creation comes from God. The order of
things to their end is good. The being
of creatures is good.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusCa2Csu1fNPeMxxmYO5d9ONlQsEfnZlFHdqHx3oZvOkf_UkFg1REQlK1KQWpJjyxjAqhesnJUSxnklmpGh_1AmyLp4e4767eRiVlszNfRxWV8FrmxjPWFcOvKZnbvVSoQlJ1nCYUbnTIBW02WAfPKvKgbkta0oU9090zWbukea-nBQUGA8mB8AcuAg/s600/St.%20Thomas%20Aquinas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="508" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusCa2Csu1fNPeMxxmYO5d9ONlQsEfnZlFHdqHx3oZvOkf_UkFg1REQlK1KQWpJjyxjAqhesnJUSxnklmpGh_1AmyLp4e4767eRiVlszNfRxWV8FrmxjPWFcOvKZnbvVSoQlJ1nCYUbnTIBW02WAfPKvKgbkta0oU9090zWbukea-nBQUGA8mB8AcuAg/w495-h585/St.%20Thomas%20Aquinas%20(2).jpg" width="495" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 35.45pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The great theologian, St.
Thomas Aquinas.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Providence</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. Everything is moving to some purpose by His
guiding hand. The idea of that guiding
hand, which is pre-existing in the mind of God, is called providence. God places purpose in His creatures (in
animals it’s instinct). His providence
is not only in the important, but also in the particulars…..the little things
because of God’s manner of causality that extends to all things. My causal influence is real, but
limited. Because of me, you are here
thinking about God. But I have no
influence on your being. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">But God is the act of being itself in whom all things come to be
and maintains everything in being. He
sweetly orders all things. That we’re
gathered here is part of God’s providence.
God is personally involved in every detail of creation. Everything is subject to God’s providence,
i.e., the ultimate cause. We can
attribute the weather to specific causes, but God controls all. There are many causes (ingredients) to an apple
pie, but God is the ultimate cause, in making all of these secondary causes
possible. God is involved in the
totality of things in a non-competitive way as the universal ultimate
cause. St. John Paul II stated that for
people of faith, there are no real coincidences. We are all part of God’s perfect finished
plan.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHnkPgZ8rZi84ZnkNSiLVX-xuIktURaYYAT5OxED09AYFSIacdqZ4ZT69oJ-MNM5EWbr9wwv0eJcjyE2nre2KPxhMbiacHozR-gzA10ILzv1h100_KcWdQcJEFI79lBgBcOrZ89AkZOsQtARTiaoZHd4kVDHUnUlcwm-63Oy0P4jtFIegrswePW68JA/s220/Lourdes%20-Sick%20Pilgrims.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="220" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHnkPgZ8rZi84ZnkNSiLVX-xuIktURaYYAT5OxED09AYFSIacdqZ4ZT69oJ-MNM5EWbr9wwv0eJcjyE2nre2KPxhMbiacHozR-gzA10ILzv1h100_KcWdQcJEFI79lBgBcOrZ89AkZOsQtARTiaoZHd4kVDHUnUlcwm-63Oy0P4jtFIegrswePW68JA/w595-h397/Lourdes%20-Sick%20Pilgrims.jpg" width="595" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Pilgrims come to the Lourdes Shrine in France in search of
healing. They at least obtain spiritual
healing and the presence of God. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Why does God permit evil
and suffering? </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> A wise provider tries to eliminate as many
defects as possible, but there are many defects in creation. <b><i>Evil</i></b> is the absence of the good that
ought to be there. Evil is a defect in
the good as blindness. God is omniscient
(knows that evil exists), omnipotent (can correct evil), omnibenevolent (wants
to correct evil). Yet there is an
abundance of evil. Thus atheists
conclude that God does not exist. God
does not create or cause evil. However,
we have free will to do evil. As St.
Augustine said, “<b><i>God allows evil to bring about good that would not otherwise exist</i></b>”. Without the cruelty of the tyrant, there
would be no virtue in the martyr…….no Hitler, no St. Maximillian Kolbe. God can make good come out of evil or
suffering…….virtue and heroism. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Failure can be a turning point if one learns from it. Because I lost my job, a new and better job
opened up. The Lord used a lousy
previous job as a stepping stone or training for something better. One door closes and God opens another. God permits suffering and we don’t understand
why. Read the Book of Job in the Bible
where Job undergoes every possible form of suffering. God explains it to Job in His longest speech
in the Bible (Job 38). We tend to look
at suffering from our personal perspective, not God’s. He has the overall picture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Trust and He will get you through it all, making good come out of
it. God permits suffering in our lives
for a reason that we cannot understand now.
God doesn’t explain why we might have to suffer, but His only Son became
one of us, who also had to suffer on the cross.
God often does not take our suffering away, but transforms it with His
presence as he did with Job. That is
God’s answer to the mystery of suffering.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Suffering
as a mystery</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> becomes meaningful when
we join our suffering or cross with the Lord’s cross of suffering and offer it
up to the God as a dynamic prayer for the Church, our country (God knows how
much our country needs prayer), for a better world, for our loved ones, etc. That’s a very effective form of prayer. Suffering then becomes productive and thus
easier to take. Patients that can
spiritualize their suffering do better in hospitals. God may permit suffering and use it to
develop virtue and make us better people.
When we suffer, we tend to go to God and thus become closer to Him. There’s an old saying: “Just as the fire
purifies gold, so also does the fire of suffering purify us.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoListParagraph" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">5.</span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Exploring the Trinity<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHetvti3EJwq81SvodCa4i2hzR3HQGfZDt760NivA6DppBYKqpEKLUUMT90TKZ-jyQXEF6uqCJCLvrq_cAKGP95ZTy3XzyGx-bh3F6Hi3JAi8_f6XnQU5qyioy6hEpBHViXrAL8h_WWf2KsXfd74ooDclyBVArAK1XFnYJA5LRx-K6bEbM4SKrUbuX4g/s1400/Trinity%20Image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHetvti3EJwq81SvodCa4i2hzR3HQGfZDt760NivA6DppBYKqpEKLUUMT90TKZ-jyQXEF6uqCJCLvrq_cAKGP95ZTy3XzyGx-bh3F6Hi3JAi8_f6XnQU5qyioy6hEpBHViXrAL8h_WWf2KsXfd74ooDclyBVArAK1XFnYJA5LRx-K6bEbM4SKrUbuX4g/w576-h576/Trinity%20Image.jpg" width="576" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Christianity not only claims that God loves us and love is one of His attributes.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">It asserts that GOD IS LOVE.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">In the Old Testament God reveals Himself as I am who am……being itself.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">In the New Testament God goes a giant step further in revealing Himself……that He is love within the unity of the monotheistic God.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">But love must be shared.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">From all eternity the infinite love of the Father begets His Son.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">That intense shared love between the Father and the Son is the Holy Spirit.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">That is the Holy Trinity…….an interaction among the lover (the Father), the beloved (His only begotten son), and shared love between them in the Holy Spirit……a union of three persons, but one God.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">The Holy Spirit is the love that connects the Father and the Son.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlnOtV1ZUBgNUvvT0qqoyb53S7AWwYPeoxBUncMnJ5vpu-rY_jzX0tK2SnKcJD-TVAZVZIN69S4XB51Zz4boLVX54aejpFN6njNYaRFloB5Pn9Y3x-ZqPULPdifqrYAEZ8XvI0QpXmZpdpDFRZT8_lodgkXciiT2vCR7KjcOu-wScsVjWktzpNdiYoA/s810/Romans%205-5%20Hope%20and%20Love.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="810" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlnOtV1ZUBgNUvvT0qqoyb53S7AWwYPeoxBUncMnJ5vpu-rY_jzX0tK2SnKcJD-TVAZVZIN69S4XB51Zz4boLVX54aejpFN6njNYaRFloB5Pn9Y3x-ZqPULPdifqrYAEZ8XvI0QpXmZpdpDFRZT8_lodgkXciiT2vCR7KjcOu-wScsVjWktzpNdiYoA/w587-h327/Romans%205-5%20Hope%20and%20Love.png" width="587" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Christ was sent by His Father, but so were the prophets who speak
for God. Christ is not only a prophet, but
speaks and acts in the very person of God.
“<b><i>Your sins are forgiven</i></b>” (only God can forgive sins). “<b><i>You heard it said in the Torah</i></b> (the
court of final appeal, the ultimate expression), <b><i>but I say</i></b>……” (He spoke
with authority). “<b><i>Heaven and Earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away</i></b>”.
Only God can make such statements.
“<b><i>You have here something greater than the temple</i></b>” (which is the
abode of God and nothing is more sacred in Jewish belief). Only God can say that. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Christ’s resurrection
from the dead is a ratification</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> that He is who He said He was……the Son of God……an electric charge
that runs through the entire New Testament.
St. Paul, well versed in the Old Testament and trained in Jewish
tradition, was enthralled by the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord (God) and was
willing to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim and share that revelation
and even die for it. The other apostles
were willing to do the same. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Wd77GjqDsaKJxFsWdtRn_h1XATOgNyzceigsmgMN4_ilDhFAJTmO4NrAvd0sR-gXok-BVqkRpRpBwaSOntXLp9G7cHjWFJ-y7xSSQAr7VOqW8ID8fDG7EbTJEzOmUagu7skbusFMgFyGnU96XlC5dFhLL6bAiJ0zNeLl1qjZRzHBjQ47QYIEb_t_Fg/s1000/Sepulchre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="1000" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Wd77GjqDsaKJxFsWdtRn_h1XATOgNyzceigsmgMN4_ilDhFAJTmO4NrAvd0sR-gXok-BVqkRpRpBwaSOntXLp9G7cHjWFJ-y7xSSQAr7VOqW8ID8fDG7EbTJEzOmUagu7skbusFMgFyGnU96XlC5dFhLL6bAiJ0zNeLl1qjZRzHBjQ47QYIEb_t_Fg/w605-h193/Sepulchre.jpg" width="605" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">God, the non-contingent source of contingency, so loved the world
that He sent His Son, who Himself is divine so that we can find love in His
name. God sent Him into our human
condition, which included suffering, sin, even death. Although God, He humbled Himself and became a
servant, a being in the likeness of men.
The apostles were shocked when Christ washed their feet because even a
slave was not expected to do that. Then
Christ offers His body and blood, soul and divinity to take into ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Passion</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus takes upon
Himself the sins of the world and the suffering due to sin. He enters into the experience of the sinner
as savior. Then God, the judge is being
judged first by the high priest, Caiaphas and then by the Roman procurator,
Pontius Pilate. Thus Jesus enters into
our dysfunction. On the cross, Christ’s
suffering was not only physical, but also psychological in experiencing the
feeling of being abandoned by His Father.
Crucifixion was considered horrific in the Roman Empire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The beauty of the Incarnation is that the Son of God goes down
into our limitations, down into our sin, our suffering, and into our
death. Holy Saturday is the bottom of
the trajectory of the incarnation where the Son of God’s body is but a cadaver
in a tomb. Christ shows his solidarity
with the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">In the Resurrection</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> the Father draws His Son back to Himself
through the love and power of the Holy Spirit.
We also come back to the Father with Him. This love of the Holy Spirit gathers the whole
world including us back into the divine life.
Christ went all the way down into the depths to bring everyone of us
back, even those who have wondered far away, through the love of the Holy
Spirit. We can all be drawn back into
the love of God through the power of the Trinitarian love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">We don’t pray to God out
there somewhere.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">We pray to God in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit so that we may be gathered
into the love of the Holy Spirit…….i.e., the spiritual life.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">That’s what prayer, the Mass, and the
Christian life is all about.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">The
flexibility of the God of love is found in the monotheism and unity of God in
the Old Testament and the diversity of God in the Trinity who is love in the
New Testament.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> 6. The God Who is Love</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Qkv4M_TmpSKeyKF_Y1rngac8VSjzr-XnWHMar8188wUqDm-4ucD93-tckFem7YtVrwNUvfUZhyYsh3H9BOFLS-F6pV66d-qbJKRcVugGYBhih0D3P_9ZXuzJxy5oSI9oRtHQP4QOd1_MpJsirIeMOwVYmcrSiFCPyacZUbAlwdBv_orL7030Pn9NA/s493/Senor%20de%20los%20Milagros%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="417" height="651" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6Qkv4M_TmpSKeyKF_Y1rngac8VSjzr-XnWHMar8188wUqDm-4ucD93-tckFem7YtVrwNUvfUZhyYsh3H9BOFLS-F6pV66d-qbJKRcVugGYBhih0D3P_9ZXuzJxy5oSI9oRtHQP4QOd1_MpJsirIeMOwVYmcrSiFCPyacZUbAlwdBv_orL7030Pn9NA/w552-h651/Senor%20de%20los%20Milagros%20(2).jpg" width="552" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">The image of “El Señor
de los Milagros” (Lord of the Miracles) within the Holy Trinity in procession in Lima, Peru in the month of October. </span></b></b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">According to Genesis
1:26, each one of us is created according to the image and likeness of
God. Christ came down to become one of
us and sacrifice Himself to make reparation for the sins of the world. This sacrifice opened the gates of Heaven to
us and draws us back to God through Trinitarian love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">St. Augustine: Analogy of the Trinity</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The intense love of the Father begets the
Son.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The self-knowledge of the Father is
the Son, a perfect replication of the Father.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Father and the Son see perfection in each other, resulting in great
mutual love.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">This great mutual love is
the Holy Spirit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">They breathe forth the
Holy Spirit or holy breath to each other so to speak.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">There is a constant interaction among the
lover (the Father), the beloved (the Son), and love (the Holy Spirit).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">This gives great unity and yet diversity with
three persons, but one God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">St. Thomas Aquinas</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> refined St. Augustine’s Analogy and added
greater precision, emphasizing the unity and simplicity of God.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He overcame the apparent contradiction
between unity & simplicity and diversity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">All is so perfect that it does not compromise the perfect unity of God
in three persons.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">That is </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><i>one God</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> and one essence.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>There are </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>three persons</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>two
processions</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Son proceeds
from the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son
together.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They are not three separate
beings, not really persons as we know it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">St. Thomas Aquinas called it a subsistent relation (not dependent upon
space and time).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The relations
themselves are active generation and are subsistent since God is love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">here are </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>four relations</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">: the Father is the
relationship to the Son (active generation); the Son is the relationship to the
Father (passive generation by acceptance); the Holy Spirit is the relationship
between the Father and the Son (active spiration); the Father and the Son is the
relationship to the Holy Spirit (passive spiration).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The overall relationality is subsistent in
the Trinity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In sum we have one God, two
processions, three persons, and four imminent relations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Joseph
Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This great theologian added to our understanding with his three
theses. 1) The Trinity is absolute with
one essence, but three persons……a paradox.
God has the perfection of both unity and plurality. 2) The three persons look at each other and
speak to each other……..The looker (the Father), the looked at (the Son), and
the look (Holy Spirit). 3) The divine
absoluteness of the relative. The
Trinity is self-contained and God is love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The
Christian doctrine of God can be summed up in the Sign of the Cross</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. God is
a family of relationships, a play of lover, beloved, and love. Relationality goes to the level of the
absolute. God is love. In making the sign of the cross, let’s
remember the power of the cross, the ultimate act of love; that God is love, a
Trinitarian play of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in love. That’s the message with which we go to a
hungry world to draw people back to God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span> </span>A
Brief Summary</b>. Christianity not only claims that God loves us and love is
one of His attributes. It asserts that
GOD IS LOVE. In the Old Testament God
reveals Himself as “I am who am”……being itself.
In the New Testament God goes a giant step further in revealing
Himself……that He is love within the unity of the monotheistic God. But love must be shared. From all eternity the infinite love of the
Father begets His Son. That intense
shared love between the Father and the Son is the Holy Spirit. That is the Holy Trinity…….an interaction
among the lover (the Father), the beloved (His only begotten son), and shared
love between them in the Holy Spirit……a union of three persons, but one
God. The Holy Spirit is the love that
connects the Father and the Son. See </span><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://catholicism.org/the-relations-in-the-blessed-trinity.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://catholicism.org/the-relations-in-the-blessed-trinity.html</span></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-67636631295459405282023-05-18T13:51:00.022-07:002023-05-24T19:52:07.954-07:00(279) Seeing That “THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD” (Psalm 19:1) Through the James Webb Space Telescope<p style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>On Christmas Eve 1968 we saw live on television Apollo 8 circling
the moon (see </span><span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/12/21/50-years-ago-apollo-8-astronauts-saved-1968-genesis-reading/2301420002/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/12/21/50-years-ago-apollo-8-astronauts-saved-1968-genesis-reading/2301420002/</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">). In awe the three astronauts
wondered what to say to the people on earth. Finally Bill Anders, one of the three astronauts quoted Genesis
1:2-3 of the Bible. </span><i><b>"In the
beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”, and there
was light." And God saw the light, that
it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness"</b>. </i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><span> </span>Today we can go back in time and see through the James Webb
Space telescope the first stars and and galaxies that God created ("Let there be light") some 200-400 million light years after
the Big Bang, a short period in cosmic terms. </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </b></span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: left;"> </b></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxBzIUfsPwpqd_3qezGqxO-Mgdo57qvMOLr7ZRUF8dxNKJRgEHckmhjh9zH9TtvToNon9Quh5FfK23JCiYPZB_vN_0Df6cl2nawH8ZxzPr0UdqjDRilnKdD-ZcEf1KvOAFYJwNzPemXzzK7oMahmjY4kG4sRmzcmZgCce85myLsgRcooe-Donf_14vg/s500/Star%20Cluster%20from%20New%202022%20James%20Webb%20Telescope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="500" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxBzIUfsPwpqd_3qezGqxO-Mgdo57qvMOLr7ZRUF8dxNKJRgEHckmhjh9zH9TtvToNon9Quh5FfK23JCiYPZB_vN_0Df6cl2nawH8ZxzPr0UdqjDRilnKdD-ZcEf1KvOAFYJwNzPemXzzK7oMahmjY4kG4sRmzcmZgCce85myLsgRcooe-Donf_14vg/w595-h461/Star%20Cluster%20from%20New%202022%20James%20Webb%20Telescope.jpg" width="595" /></a></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">For years the
Hubble Space Telescope was state of the art in viewing the heavens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the telescope was in orbit around the
earth in outer space, it was free of random lights and other
interferrence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2021 the more modern
James Webb Space Telescope was launched a million miles into space, now the
largest and most powerful space telescope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the first photographs released this past summer (2022) is the above
star cluster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It covers an area of the
sky the size of a speck of dust placed at arm length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This image peers at thousands of galaxies 4.6
billion light years distant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The James
Webb Space Telescope has the ability to explore stars 13.6 billion light years away,
close to the time of the Big Bang (See the Appendix).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
recall that a light year is the distance that light travels in one year at a
speed of 186,000 miles per second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">It is
estimated that there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe and there are
typically 100 billion stars in each galaxy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our own Milky Way Galaxy is just one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means over 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
stars in the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our sun is one of
them, just an average star, not very big and not very small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It warms our earth through thermonuclear
reactions involving the fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium, equivalent to thousands
of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>devastating hydrogen bomb explosions
per second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could some of these stars
have solar systems with planets having life like our earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How awesome and immense is the universe that
God created!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some fascinating images
and description go to www.youtube.com and search for James Webb Space Telescope
60 Minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See also</span></b></p>
<p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/columbia/2023/april/in-the-beginning.html"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/columbia/2023/april/in-the-beginning.html</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Michael Menzel was a deputy program manager at Lockheed
Martin for the Hubble servicing missions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Northrop Grumman won the “Next Generation
Space Telescope” in 1997, they asked Menzel to work for them. That led to NASA
when the project manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center asked him to be the
lead systems engineer in 2004. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
listen to him share some of his knowledge and insights.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwGQ7NlY1o7OidxK24VYILl86CyxMXbG3ROF4WeSDsdwFCyquDAFa2wopYQ3ECLkec62HHJN2j7vVXIAJltk6xdLZRGzYOC2qMlBb18N-lWN0BZEfiVfqy-Ht148K-MxLgq1j8QXm8bbRVztnGA2X3UR4lxgs3UipWsI5v9Z1WvQHnkepF4gStjXNwg/s500/Brother%20Knight%20Michael%20Menzel%20Head%20Systems%20Engineer%20JWST.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="500" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwGQ7NlY1o7OidxK24VYILl86CyxMXbG3ROF4WeSDsdwFCyquDAFa2wopYQ3ECLkec62HHJN2j7vVXIAJltk6xdLZRGzYOC2qMlBb18N-lWN0BZEfiVfqy-Ht148K-MxLgq1j8QXm8bbRVztnGA2X3UR4lxgs3UipWsI5v9Z1WvQHnkepF4gStjXNwg/w578-h448/Brother%20Knight%20Michael%20Menzel%20Head%20Systems%20Engineer%20JWST.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Michael Menzel, a
member of the Knights of Columbus since 2012.
He is the lead systems engineer in the development and placement of the
new James Webb Space telescope over the last 25 years, a $10 billion
project. Following in the footsteps of
Fr. Georges Lemaitre S.J., the originator of the Big Bang Theory in 1931,
Brother Knight Michael Menzel will give us some insights into the </b></span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>compatibility</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b> of Science and Theology as recorded in the April issue of “Columbia”, the
Knights of Columbus national magazine.</b></span><b><o:p style="font-size: 16pt;"></o:p></b></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span> </span>As successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope
“has four specific goals</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. The first is to see the very
first stars and galaxies. The Big Bang happened about 13.8 billion years ago, what
is considered to be the age of the universe.
And maybe somewhere between 200 and 400 million years after that, the
first stars turned on ("Let there be light"), which in cosmic time is pretty quick. The second goal is
to see how galaxies, these vast cities of stars in space, evolve over cosmic
time. The third goal is to see how stars are born in our own Milky Way galaxy.
And the fourth goal is to see how solar systems are born and form. All four
goals really dictate a telescope that’s six times bigger than Hubble and that
can see infrared light.”</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">“There were five main challenges</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, but I’ll describe the three that you’re probably most
familiar with. First, the telescope stands about as tall as a three-story
building, and the sunshield is about as big as a tennis court. So challenge
number one was fitting that into a rocket whose fairing, or nose cone, is only
5 meters in diameter. We had to fold this thing up, and then once it’s on
orbit, rebuild the observatory and telescope robotically, unfolding what are 50
of the most complex deployments ever attempted.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The second challenge is that half of the
observatory has to operate at temperatures only 55 degrees above absolute zero;
it’s cryogenic. Three metric tons of telescope has to cool down to minus 370
degrees Fahrenheit. And to do it, we had to build a big sun shield that’s like
a big umbrella. It gets illuminated by about 200,000 watts of solar radiation,
and it can only allow .02 watts through. A heat leak could really do us damage.
I tell folks that if it were suntan lotion, it would have an SPF of 10 million.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The third big challenge for me was this
observatory was not testable on the ground. So, we had to test it in parts and
assemble a big mathematical model to predict what its performance would be like
on orbit. As engineers, we like to test the as-built device. Well, we couldn’t
do that for James Webb.”</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span> </span>“It had to be right the first time</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, and we were all very aware of that. This was exacerbated by
the fact that deploying things in space is always a risky business. Right after the launch (in French Guiana December
25, 2021), there were reporters all over the place. They were interviewing me
and the program managers — “How do you feel? How do you feel?” Well, we’re all sitting there acting very low
key. I said, “Hey, look, it was a good day.” The launch was one thing, but I
knew that we were really tempting fate with 50 very complex deployments ahead
of us. Half of them were very precise, the ones that deployed and rebuilt the
telescope. The ones with the sunshield didn’t have to be as precise, but they
were actually harder, because we were dealing with five layers of
indeterministic material. Predicting how those floppity layers would act in
zero G was nerve-racking.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">But we prepared for the worst, and there
were only some very minor anomalies. We finished the deployments on Jan. 8, and
we were all ecstatic. We were relieved. It was a good moment.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Right now, the telescope is twice as good as
it was required to be. That’s in part due to the way we engineered it, and in
part due to luck. See, we allowed margin for things that could go wrong, for
what we nicknamed “unknown unknowns.” Well, we lucked out, and none of those
terrible things happened.”</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span> </span></span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Discoveries</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">. “We don’t know a lot about
the first stars and galaxies, but they’re probably emitting a lot of blue
light. That short-wave light has been traveling through a universe that has
been expanding for over 13 billion years, and by the time that light gets to
us, it’s stretched out like a Slinky. You need an infrared telescope to see it,
and James Webb is uniquely qualified for this.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>The astronomers are coming out with their
first papers soon. But they have already told me that these very early galaxies
that we’ve seen so far have been much, much bigger than anybody had
anticipated. And rather than being made of mostly hydrogen and helium, they
have a lot of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen — heavier elements that we didn’t expect
to see. So one of the big surprises is that whatever’s going on in the early
universe, it’s happening much quicker than we had thought.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">During and after the launch, people asked
me what my hopes are for this mission. I had three, and I think they’re all
coming to fruition. One, I wanted to make sure that we saw the first galaxies
in the universe. Second was that Webb would detect the first biomarkers on an
exoplanet. Now, nothing has been published yet, and I have less inside
information on that one, but I’ve seen enough data to know that we have a
really good chance of doing that in the next couple of years. The third thing
was that I hoped James Webb would find something that no one expected, that no
one even thought to ask the question for — and what I just told you about the
first galaxies easily qualifies.”</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">The Relationship Between Science and Faith</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.<b> “</b>First, both religion and science are
looking for the truth. It’s the methods that are different. Obviously, faith
involves some introspection and a look into spiritual truths. Science looks for
truth in the form of reproducible evidence. I see no conflict between the two
at all.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Some of my colleagues are agnostics or
atheists, and I respect that — they’re intelligent men and women — but I get a
kick out of the one or two who will say, “We can prove there is no God.” That’s
so laughable it isn’t funny. You absolutely couldn’t prove that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">And every once in a while, I run into the
other extreme. Over the course of my career, I’ve run into folks that will take
everything in the Bible literally, and God bless them. But they will come on
and attack me, saying the universe is 10,000 years old, something like that. I
usually listen politely and give the standard answer. But at a NASA event near
Wall Street, one guy just kept telling me I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Now, I’ve
read the Bible back and forth four or five times, and I finally said, “OK, you
take the Bible literally?” “Yeah, I do.” “Ever read the Second Letter of St.
Peter, chapter three?” “Yeah.” “A day to God is like 1,000 years, and 1,000
years is like a day to God.” I started doing the math and got the world to
billions of years old. He was getting so mad at me, and he finally said, “Well,
you can’t take that literally!”</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbPMOh_Y4GGxa-hHYLEKRbVV_G_SDnOVAMkWNNoL5FCBwQt_H6U5UGTY7N1DtRzeIOMnWhtF71KQEbVLzh9xHx9adYmul3MKhW4ts3GBsRO9p7jxDJDELQstSRYj3rfIv9gYTC7BzBaEs-Y9-H3e3O6MNhIGSXQbbK4Sx5goeoDEhuo8e6THZE0EsZw/s1092/Farthest%20Known%20Galaxy%20in%20Universe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1092" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbPMOh_Y4GGxa-hHYLEKRbVV_G_SDnOVAMkWNNoL5FCBwQt_H6U5UGTY7N1DtRzeIOMnWhtF71KQEbVLzh9xHx9adYmul3MKhW4ts3GBsRO9p7jxDJDELQstSRYj3rfIv9gYTC7BzBaEs-Y9-H3e3O6MNhIGSXQbbK4Sx5goeoDEhuo8e6THZE0EsZw/w603-h584/Farthest%20Known%20Galaxy%20in%20Universe.jpg" width="603" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">The most distant known galaxy (in the square upper left), 32 billion light years away</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkXW2dX_ZCw8wsLB8iwxtSOJ_7QqNVC0OdfPB3ARDQIlqZAt6Z9O6_nsHi1CfRlKEVLHaxqVX9-qEM1HDEjK9LE5-wYTmauvGNhXZsRuF-wuVTp09oghMIZPMUX57t9TQdO21k6sujyzHu2OLoqCR58WTPznHitz5nWmPyvUBRVbn4AbnUPxzkhmG6w/s400/First%20Black%20Hole%20Photo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkXW2dX_ZCw8wsLB8iwxtSOJ_7QqNVC0OdfPB3ARDQIlqZAt6Z9O6_nsHi1CfRlKEVLHaxqVX9-qEM1HDEjK9LE5-wYTmauvGNhXZsRuF-wuVTp09oghMIZPMUX57t9TQdO21k6sujyzHu2OLoqCR58WTPznHitz5nWmPyvUBRVbn4AbnUPxzkhmG6w/w579-h326/First%20Black%20Hole%20Photo.png" width="579" /></a></div><div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">The first photo of
a black hole as it attracts everything including light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus the Black Hole itself, which is
extremely dense, neither emits nor reflects light and is black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The matter surrounding the black hole does
give off light as it is sucked into the Black Hole by its tremendous gravity.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Some Added Tidbits</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">. Galaxy HD1 13.5
billion light years away may contain a supermassive black hole about 100
million times the mass of our Sun. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="textbody" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">The earth rotates at 1000 miles per hour at the equator. The
moon at a distance of 238,900 miles speeds around the earth at 2,264
mph. At the same time the earth travels around the sun (333,000
times the mass of the earth and 1.3 million times the volume with a surface temperature
9930 °F and 93 million miles away) at a speed of 67,000 mph. It takes the light
from the sun 93 million miles away 8.3 minutes at 186,000 miles per second to reach the
earth. We can then say that the sun is 8.3 light minutes from
us. The closest star to us, Alpha Centauri, is 4.35 light years
away. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="textbody" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> The sun is 333,000 times the mass of the earth and
1.3 million times the volume with a surface temperature of 9930 °F to keep us warm. </span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">It’s all thermonuclear
reactions by the fusion of hydrogen to helium like thousands of hydrogen bombs
going off per second.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As we said above, the sun is a simple medium star,
just one of 100 billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy and there are about 100
billion galaxies in the universe. So that means we have over 10
billion trillion or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 </span><span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">(i.e. 10^22) </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">stars in the
universe. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;">The radius of the universe is estimated to be 43 billion light years. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The most distant known galaxy, as shown in the
above photo, is 32 billion light years away.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;">It formed about 320 million years after the Big Bang. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The age of the universe is about 13.6 billion light years since the Big
Bang.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">These figures are beyond our imagination
and shows the immensity of our universe and the domain of an infinite God.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Other worlds inhabited by intelligent beings
are certainly within His creative power.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">What marvels shall we see in Heaven?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Appendix</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">The Big Bang Theory</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHPZPSBQm89aox18niAg-ZUZT3DbMIATTEkNDn-xQQi15bCpukZzvXGHuPE1ShN0cA8jt2eFpuMvDD942mTBmNL223WU5JVr9LlwW__J6JWYyVFpC3LYcNIjub3kte453BWP6qXnYwRA24eAIQaiiq9EYe7K47zs-QeP_ShcaBwTD_5OBtsSMbJp_9w/s328/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20Quote%20Big%20Bang%20is%20his..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="328" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHPZPSBQm89aox18niAg-ZUZT3DbMIATTEkNDn-xQQi15bCpukZzvXGHuPE1ShN0cA8jt2eFpuMvDD942mTBmNL223WU5JVr9LlwW__J6JWYyVFpC3LYcNIjub3kte453BWP6qXnYwRA24eAIQaiiq9EYe7K47zs-QeP_ShcaBwTD_5OBtsSMbJp_9w/w612-h287/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20Quote%20Big%20Bang%20is%20his..jpg" width="612" /></a></b></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span> </span>As
a college professor, I am contingent upon my education, which is contingent
upon my parents, who are caused by their parents, etc., etc. They are all contingent or dependent upon
matter, which goes back to the “Big Bang” that originated at a point. The theory
of the origin of our expanding universe with the “Big Bang”, now commonly
accepted, was formulated by a Belgian Catholic priest, Fr. Georges Lemaître in
1927 (see </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;">. He saw the big bang as a creation like event
and saw no conflict between science and theology although he avoided mixing the two.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><br /></span></div><div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f0J53bgDL0sSeK2zrS58HM7Ne_G2qhD_q88XjauM164lC7-fgTzy4CXp6EHmk2-irSmeFgIbWZZgBHXJlpHjzOgHKw3OIWQefbtUc6sYQmxTZOzp_WrCEOmfsum1qmcLK1SJprRyHcqWSmWlTeBsqm6jcly_L5j3koWVFoKITMvzKovHvNskz8drrw/s185/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20&%20Albert%20Einstein.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="185" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f0J53bgDL0sSeK2zrS58HM7Ne_G2qhD_q88XjauM164lC7-fgTzy4CXp6EHmk2-irSmeFgIbWZZgBHXJlpHjzOgHKw3OIWQefbtUc6sYQmxTZOzp_WrCEOmfsum1qmcLK1SJprRyHcqWSmWlTeBsqm6jcly_L5j3koWVFoKITMvzKovHvNskz8drrw/w427-h284/Fr.%20Georges%20Lema%C3%AEtre%20&%20Albert%20Einstein.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Fr. Lemaitre with Albert Einstein. Although incredulous at first, Einstein
accepted the Big Bang Theory.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; tab-stops: 178.2pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Albert Einstein, considered to be a genius
and an atheist, was awestruck by the great order in the universe. Thus he believed in an intelligent designer
of the universe, who planned it all. He
said: “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, a spirit vastly
superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers
must feel humble”. It stated the same in
other words that there is a great designer of the universe, “in comparison to
whom, I am insignificant.” However, he
did not believe in a personal God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; tab-stops: 178.2pt; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Matter
is contingent on being itself, who is God.
Matter could have different forms and can be shaped into innumerable
forms that we use in our everyday lives.
When the atheist goes through the chain of contingent causes from object
to person to matter, he will eventually have to stop and throw up his hands and
say: “That’s the way it is”, thinking that it just popped out into being. The believer will continue to the “uncaused
cause”……..God……a reality not contingent on anything, whose nature is to
be. By reason, any being would eventually
have to be contingent upon being itself…….God.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br /></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br /></p><br /></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-42978907279232996002023-05-04T20:16:00.006-07:002023-05-08T20:36:47.601-07:00(278) Knights of Columbus Hold Their Abbreviated Special Olympics at the Guiding Hands School and Receive More Than They Can Give<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mf2TtTQotw7d_j_s2ixIA2s8D1ff9uqlzV_lHsOKNqbsqBDIwSuB-OINgBdbz_gvF1MoEwX-elfWcvBFR00z-5hbZHwZFoqRI6bNIhEdlTpjYEU3gsPgEsKzegfa_aoROtLwpFBUKOBLE-IHdH3XxwqhTvf2jUx3j7YylYLENzzxvKULRjYzMMUoXA/s1440/Games%20Are%20On.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="687" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mf2TtTQotw7d_j_s2ixIA2s8D1ff9uqlzV_lHsOKNqbsqBDIwSuB-OINgBdbz_gvF1MoEwX-elfWcvBFR00z-5hbZHwZFoqRI6bNIhEdlTpjYEU3gsPgEsKzegfa_aoROtLwpFBUKOBLE-IHdH3XxwqhTvf2jUx3j7YylYLENzzxvKULRjYzMMUoXA/w516-h687/Games%20Are%20On.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And the games are on as opened
up by Grand Knight Matt Bokovitz</span></span></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">For well over 20 years Council 3335 of the Knights of
Columbus has sponsored an annual abbreviated Special Olympics at the Guiding
Hands School of the Gallipolis Development Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the forefront has been Jim Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though he could not be present because
of his duties as a caregiver and not in the best of health himself, he still
organized things behind the scenens…….a t-shirt for each participant and a
medal or plaque for each winner. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmB70XCeFYn_-Op0Ih4UdWTG_Q2H2RvEF3XjgJIrs77iKM1d6wfS0DOPccpdVeqkgT6GpkvSLBjiE1pQFap57H0t-0muw70RNlOS3sJ9F1UlMgjmRgkIJ7lZC6D9t0VMR7zr4mAZ1o2hAdR9ZYLflZyHeMGOi1XE9cV5tKJLhAJMTOrEUwA8_SA2Ttw/s1586/thumbnail%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1586" data-original-width="1080" height="782" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmB70XCeFYn_-Op0Ih4UdWTG_Q2H2RvEF3XjgJIrs77iKM1d6wfS0DOPccpdVeqkgT6GpkvSLBjiE1pQFap57H0t-0muw70RNlOS3sJ9F1UlMgjmRgkIJ7lZC6D9t0VMR7zr4mAZ1o2hAdR9ZYLflZyHeMGOi1XE9cV5tKJLhAJMTOrEUwA8_SA2Ttw/w532-h782/thumbnail%20(3).jpg" width="532" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">We’ll give Mike Dressel an
assist on that one.</span></b></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> Reflections on Church Teaching From Our
Experience</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">. <b> </b>Every
year the knights who participate in this annual project receive more than they
give. Each time it’s a little different
and always a heart warming experience. Without
question, God loves these little kids, a little slow developmentally, as much
as any one else. Being there, one cannot
help but appreciate the gifts that God has given to each one of us, which we
usually take for granted. That brings a
tremendous responsibility to share our gifts with those who are less gifted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> We
can see that God loves the less fortunate through us as His instruments. We learn that God loves the less gifted as
much as anyone else. He has a special
mission for everyone of us whether we are more gifted or less gifted. The less gifted give the more gifted the
opportunity to love and to share and to grow in virtue. The more gifted have a special mission to use
their great gifts to love and to serve others.
We all must help each other on the common road to eternity whether in
the family, in the parish, on the job, or in the community.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6In-WII_hA0xy1jzrl8CKf4EZ5U6_VXIUH0xLZxp6oRA6nPotUWHuiyPGPbU9GPASl-rE00Rzdo1urMwdEnd3V3dooVGwY5-gRj3rTjGL9o8Mr-ray4n_DC28rTFUFvyAaUMJKa4uWKTSz9ZcvUlBx7OQFQQ6yeCQTbFZAdNvt6eS1Ak2aqqXOptomA/s1777/thumbnail%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1777" data-original-width="1080" height="949" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6In-WII_hA0xy1jzrl8CKf4EZ5U6_VXIUH0xLZxp6oRA6nPotUWHuiyPGPbU9GPASl-rE00Rzdo1urMwdEnd3V3dooVGwY5-gRj3rTjGL9o8Mr-ray4n_DC28rTFUFvyAaUMJKa4uWKTSz9ZcvUlBx7OQFQQ6yeCQTbFZAdNvt6eS1Ak2aqqXOptomA/w576-h949/thumbnail%20(10).jpg" width="576" /></a></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">It’s GOOD! as Paul
Sebastian and Matt Bokovitz cheer him on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kids feel good about themselves as they make basket after basket,
all having a good time.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b><span> </span>All of this is traditional Church social teaching</b>. Every person has equal dignity and value
whether more gifted or less gifted, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, high
class or low class, healthy, sick, or handicapped. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40-45)”.
Through the ages this Bible passage has been the greatest motivator of
charity in the Church. Thus the Church
has a special preference for the poor.
As St. Mother Teresa said, “Whenever I bind the wounds of the abandoned
dying person, I feel that I am
binding the wounds of Christ Himself”. Clearly, the participating knights are enriched spiritually and leave with a warm feeling in their hearts. In fact one of our men has inquired in regard to volunteering his time now and then.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span><span> </span>Every person has great inherent dignity
because he or she is created according to the image and likeness of God
(Genesis 1:27).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Christ, the Son of God,
the second person of the Holy Trinity became one of us to teach us how to live
and save us from our sins through His infinite sacrifice of Himself on the
cross under excruciating agony and pain to make reparation for all of our sins
past, present, and future so that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">All we have to do is accept Him and follow
Him.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB8yB84am_mFV3fD5P-gm23Khx2GmXob1DUhnhY6uh_ujCbMGeaoK47HXiCEpW8NkR6zOp-SpdSPVfXa5cfUouUAtVdiDyOsiakgQJJ2D-ewOL16aOYv1IOZ8UmTup7tfxA-HA_ADHZqQIoWTR3WgjZof3L5MRpYZd9oCr4Fe3bPSWE8BkosqMxE47A/s1340/thumbnail%20(9).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1080" height="665" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB8yB84am_mFV3fD5P-gm23Khx2GmXob1DUhnhY6uh_ujCbMGeaoK47HXiCEpW8NkR6zOp-SpdSPVfXa5cfUouUAtVdiDyOsiakgQJJ2D-ewOL16aOYv1IOZ8UmTup7tfxA-HA_ADHZqQIoWTR3WgjZof3L5MRpYZd9oCr4Fe3bPSWE8BkosqMxE47A/w537-h665/thumbnail%20(9).jpg" width="537" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">This mini gym and
play room has atmosphere which you can see in the background. The artwork reflects Gallipolis and Gallia
County.</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <b>The Gallia County Board of
Developmental Disabilities</b> provides lifelong services if necessary to those
in need. Their programs include home
based instruction to those up to three years of age, the Guiding Hand Pre-school
classes (3-5) followed by the Guiding Hand elementary school, middle school,
and high school up to the age of 21. At
age 18 employment options are presented. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBKmBSYUbC0x4WaXVXOc_I1Y5Tlr1ft8FCS4MW07QSBBy3KvV5pcMrkyqwqPdggYRJNJJ7DOdo0LzsuOumIeUDbDrMwNtZIKrnzzMUuKjKpLjAE9xRBD4JQAmPh-Q8iWw8tSSxpZGIlfQABR6W2LHVEjqx52wHiucJPS7rxKizAXiciWGiE1BVNN5vQ/s1440/thumbnail%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBKmBSYUbC0x4WaXVXOc_I1Y5Tlr1ft8FCS4MW07QSBBy3KvV5pcMrkyqwqPdggYRJNJJ7DOdo0LzsuOumIeUDbDrMwNtZIKrnzzMUuKjKpLjAE9xRBD4JQAmPh-Q8iWw8tSSxpZGIlfQABR6W2LHVEjqx52wHiucJPS7rxKizAXiciWGiE1BVNN5vQ/w598-h796/thumbnail%20(6).jpg" width="598" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">One of the
standouts poses with his plaque of victory.
At the same time the camera captures a gem of wisdom in the background left
over from Valentine’s Day, ”All you need is LOVE!”. That says it all for everyday of the
year. May we put that into practice
always…….to humbly accept the love of others while communicating love to all. That would make the world a lot different,
wouldn’t it? Maybe these kids can teach
us a little about changing the world…….from what it is, to how it should be. It starts with each one of us.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>Each class, limited to 8 students has a
teacher and an aide. The curriculum
includes speech therapy, physical therapy, functional academics, daily living
skills, physical education, art, and music as well as behaviorial, social, and
emoitional support. One may obtain more
detail about the work of the Gallia County Board of Developmental Disabilities
by going to </span><a href="http://www.galliadd.com/" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">www.galliadd.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and/or to the GalliaCoDD Facebook page. Our thanks to Tessa Martin and the director,
Laura Johnson for the photos and their help with this project. </span></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudKq_SXyA00dpGIoWlKdq9EBpGa-70J3k1-j01iJvOBJXUjwENQfk5lLQAh4tMA2xkIilAdIenKdDKsdXxA13zJRgBPca53deN1XLQVLxCqrBK5aGqKSd3r6AU9G_jyp9QynpHrhgUte-ljc-jhaiRpKppnxEtvVCXmkJfQrAzyvbNSmUVhpE02ZnjQ/s1438/thumbnail%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1080" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudKq_SXyA00dpGIoWlKdq9EBpGa-70J3k1-j01iJvOBJXUjwENQfk5lLQAh4tMA2xkIilAdIenKdDKsdXxA13zJRgBPca53deN1XLQVLxCqrBK5aGqKSd3r6AU9G_jyp9QynpHrhgUte-ljc-jhaiRpKppnxEtvVCXmkJfQrAzyvbNSmUVhpE02ZnjQ/w576-h768/thumbnail%20(7).jpg" width="576" /></a></div><div style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">The staff of the
Gallia County Board of Developmental Disabilities is certainly doing its part with their loving patience and teaching.
The goal is to develop each person under their care to be as independent
and functional as possible whether in small or big ways…….ideally to be full
participants in the community. Society
must recognize that disabled does NOT mean unable. Every year without fail, Chris Davison is
front and center in this free throw activity.
This year is no exception.
However, he somehow eluded every attempt to got him on a photo. Wait til next year!</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8nYwIhYTgc-rEaxeU_f6B5VX84HPH4KtpSGbvDJFS43b0TUNkOwrd0vgz-fjbZqNWCKd2f3_SCEQ8tKjTsaT04YmrKvSh86GDKQKvXXL3rwukknlEWHiZT0ijrBfmfCaOe8sXYhpBy5FM6G4aYDelHxoFlBg8fYN-brbHizEuDctMLK0b_TFNQ7gUw/s1219/thumbnail%20(8).jpg" style="font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1080" height="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8nYwIhYTgc-rEaxeU_f6B5VX84HPH4KtpSGbvDJFS43b0TUNkOwrd0vgz-fjbZqNWCKd2f3_SCEQ8tKjTsaT04YmrKvSh86GDKQKvXXL3rwukknlEWHiZT0ijrBfmfCaOe8sXYhpBy5FM6G4aYDelHxoFlBg8fYN-brbHizEuDctMLK0b_TFNQ7gUw/w629-h709/thumbnail%20(8).jpg" width="629" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Buddies!</b></span><br /><div style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-92140846021282779482023-04-02T19:22:00.012-07:002023-04-24T21:50:57.633-07:00(277) MEN (AND WOMEN TOO), YOU HAVE AN AWESOME MISSION…….TO PASS DOWN THE FAITH: A Review of the Movie, “To Believe”, an Inspiring True Story of Preserving the Faith During Intense Persecution in Ukraine<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB5EBzWON9fLyjfI8KAzMuRIf3D9Xmmm-xhYW49nvEGhczwoPmdF1jUKVJ0oMrzcpEogOtceSTh0mvWJ7CiisbixV4-XwI2cCcFLWaNRXe1kdHBOivq7o8PmaMLTIREnCDxl2VcD9BWsH35wwSmzt1nd2WrBDDQBcfUr3PtyF8mnHfevKV2M-OzNjmQ/s1900/To%20Believe%20Movie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1900" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB5EBzWON9fLyjfI8KAzMuRIf3D9Xmmm-xhYW49nvEGhczwoPmdF1jUKVJ0oMrzcpEogOtceSTh0mvWJ7CiisbixV4-XwI2cCcFLWaNRXe1kdHBOivq7o8PmaMLTIREnCDxl2VcD9BWsH35wwSmzt1nd2WrBDDQBcfUr3PtyF8mnHfevKV2M-OzNjmQ/w585-h215/To%20Believe%20Movie.jpg" width="585" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A scene from the very powerful must-see
movie, “To Believe”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made such a
lasting impression on me because it vividly describes the intense persecution of 1921 and
genocide that the people of the Ukraine had to endure under Russian Soviet
Communism, referred to as the notorious “Holodomor” in 1932-33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They killed over 3 million Ukrainians by mass
starvation in taking away their wheat crop for the Soviet Russian
government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Russians often call
Ukrainians Khokhols [хохол; xoxol].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's
like calling a black man "nigger".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That kind of Russian domination over the centuries is why the Ukrainian
people are fighting so fiercely to resist the Russian invasion of February 24,
2022, now having passed over a year of terror, hardship, sacrifice, courage, and
faith in the fight for national independence and freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>”Give me liberty or give
me death </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">!” The Ukrainian people have the same attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>France helped us through the Revolutionary
War in our fight for freedom and independence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some 245 years later under the leadership of the United States, the NATO
members have been providing billions of dollars in arms to help Ukraine’s fight
for its independence and freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
NATO countries are quite united.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our
country the leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties for once are
working together and cooperating in a bipartisan manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>Ukraine’s battle for survival is also our
battle because there is no stopping blatant aggression over its neighbors until
the free countries work together to preserve the world order established by the
United Nations after World War II.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, the world powers must solve their
disagreements only by negotiations and other peaceful means, NEVER by
aggression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> As promulgated by Woodrow Wilson after World War I, a people has the right to self-determination. In the same way after World War II colonies of Britain, France, the United States, and others were granted their independence......including India, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Congo, etc. </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The main
point of the movie is to show our awesome responsibility to pass down the faith
to the next generation…….our children and grandchildren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are losing our youth because we are not
passing down the faith and are poor examples of what Catholic Christians should
be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are lax in living our faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is
truly a must see movie, only 58 minutes long……for me a tear jerker, which I
watched several times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very well
done movie, produced by EWTN Ukraine, is in Ukrainian with English
subtitles. That will give you an idea of the Ukrainian culture and
language. Khrista, a Ukrainian exchange student and a regular at our 10
am Mass, could add some real insights. The movie, filmed in Ukraine, has
been shown on EWTN, our Catholic channel numerous times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Click on
the link<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://ondemand.ewtn.com/free/Home/Series/ondemand/video/en/to-believe"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://ondemand.ewtn.com/free/Home/Series/ondemand/video/en/to-believe</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Then
hover on the picture below the large one and click on the arrow that will
appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch the movie and see what
happened over 50 years later to a little boy who received the Faith during the
persecution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> In the movie, “<b><i>To Believe</i></b>”,
we follow a rural Ukrainian family, its parish family, and its pastor Fr.
Sebastian Sabudzinski over a period of about 100 years with scenes from the 1921
persecution after the 1917 Communist Revolution; the 1930s during the
Holodomor, a period of intense persecution and genocide of forced starvation
under Josef Stalin (3 million people starved to death); 1953 - more persecution
under the regime of Josef Stalin; and 2020 after Ukraine obtained its independence
following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. This is what the people of Ukraine are
fighting to preserve…..their faith, their freedom, and their independence. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Vladimir Putin, the Russian dictator has dreams
of turning back the clock to the “glory days” and restoring the Soviet empire of
the 20<sup>th</sup> Century and the Russian Empire of Czar Peter the Great and Czarina
Catherine the Great in the 18<sup>th</sup> Century. Both empires subjugated Ukraine for so many
years. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Baltic Countries, Bulgaria, Ukraine,
and the eastern third of Poland (1793-1918) among others were part of the
Russian and Soviet empires. After World
War II these countries along with East Germany, Hungary, Czech
Republic, and Slovakia were taken over by Russian Soviet Communism. In 1991 they obtained their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. For a history of the Russian Empire go to </span><span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Russian-Empire/Peters-immediate-successors"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.britannica.com/place/Russian-Empire/Peters-immediate-successors</span></a></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx2tarzBqpP5E_y8xZ3f7TiQZeXpG7Opq8E-sLoaIhSiAWHWivP-aiJJIhWyqsFVq7ODneBvi_w_sYJ6YtySAaKfGmDVZq84qJPak7o1IOrpp-bero6-3ZnsRI8HtmZprzWPc2VXmZPhsL4TubM7BpVDXFBrZGzzxsb6d7AfAamvD5vog2GBC_nshKA/s667/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="667" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx2tarzBqpP5E_y8xZ3f7TiQZeXpG7Opq8E-sLoaIhSiAWHWivP-aiJJIhWyqsFVq7ODneBvi_w_sYJ6YtySAaKfGmDVZq84qJPak7o1IOrpp-bero6-3ZnsRI8HtmZprzWPc2VXmZPhsL4TubM7BpVDXFBrZGzzxsb6d7AfAamvD5vog2GBC_nshKA/w632-h265/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(3).jpg" width="632" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The men of the village with the parish priest, Fr. Sebastian Sabudzinski are told by the Communists to renounce their faith.</span></b></div></span></span><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 21.3333px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The 1921 Persecution. </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Very dramatic is the village’s struggle to hide the sacred vessels, protect the Eucharist from desecration, and the martyrdom of the leaders of the village together with its pastor, Fr. Sabudzinski.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">He is an inspiration to the persecuted.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">As St. Paul said, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35-39).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The people of the village still found ways to pray together.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The acting is excellent. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe3zVDq72JTROmAG1e_3wQTZ1M0BBETWGIO5zOK2xjrBZgqS2g53jtiWDZuqbzPuFnW689WvX1xubg8IOL-vap-1G5SLD0b3buiAdcsBjD0FWkRqIzRjItnU0BbTCWQlkjoXZSTszYdZdFBJgDu1TdW3Om45vbqDjySu-dUZaseJgd009PxnGYCa8uQ/s600/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="600" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe3zVDq72JTROmAG1e_3wQTZ1M0BBETWGIO5zOK2xjrBZgqS2g53jtiWDZuqbzPuFnW689WvX1xubg8IOL-vap-1G5SLD0b3buiAdcsBjD0FWkRqIzRjItnU0BbTCWQlkjoXZSTszYdZdFBJgDu1TdW3Om45vbqDjySu-dUZaseJgd009PxnGYCa8uQ/w617-h305/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(1).jpg" width="617" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seven
Ukrainian priests and lay leaders are marched into a forest to be
executed. They are given one last chance
to renounce their faith. All refused;
all were shot to death in 1921. What would you
do under the circumstances?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b>During t</b></span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">he Holodomor of 1932-33</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">, the family
tried to hide its wheat crop from the Soviet Russian government.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">This was a period of forced genocidal
starvation resulting in 3 million deaths to keep the people in line and
subservient</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">to Moscow.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">For details of the Holodomor in a graphic
video go to</span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“The Holodomor: How Stalin Starved Ukraine” <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=holodomor&oq=Holodomor&aqs=chrome.0.0i433i512j69i59j0i512l4j0i433i512j0i512l3.9832j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3c6edd61,vid:lejDbulJN54">https://www.google.com/search?q=holodomor&oq=Holodomor&aqs=chrome.0.0i433i512j69i59j0i512l4j0i433i512j0i512l3.9832j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3c6edd61,vid:lejDbulJN54</a>.</span><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Peter, a member of that family, returned
to his roots in 1953 after 30 years imprisonment in the Gulag in Siberia for
helping to hide the sacred vessels of the village church from the
communists.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">At their family reunion
Peter’s wife, nearly killed in the persecution, asks her husband to stand firm
in the faith, to love, to persevere in the face of persecution, to forgive, to
hope. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Then the movie flashes back to
the persecution of 1921.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;">An old man told a little Ukrainian boy in
1953</b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">:</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">“I want you to remember what
price was paid to keep the faith. </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">There
is nothing more precious than faith in the entire world.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">If you have it in your heart, it will be your
priceless treasure that other people can tap into.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">This (a tattered Bible) is my most precious
gift that I can give you.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Promise me to
keep it.”</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">May this old man (me) and
other men of my generation and young fathers too share the same with you, our
dear youth.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Under the secularization of
America, we are already undergoing a subtle persecution that could get bloody
someday.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;">Fast forward to 2020</b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">That little boy later became a priest and
eventually an aging Bishop.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">He is shown
holding that tattered Bible during one of his homilies, teaching his flock to
“PASS DOWN THE FAITH”.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">“They paid for
their Faith with suffering and their lives.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Remember at what price the faith was preserved.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Thanks to the seeds of martyrdom, today the Catholic
Church in Ukraine flourishes (2020) and bears fruit through priests,
consecrated men and women as well as lay people who care about the future of
the Church”.</span></p></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqO3G69OtO-phmpsqUXqhwKw775stWVschjyeAWCfpbDfIWu0qLRNE5Wbui7pIqEIrxNOV21w3H5d9Kwbtf9xbDtH6nk7QZGVkUsAiFZCQUc4JJVYQv7w496ARx8Mj_QX0m2v1txP3mmdQm6Q170OkTQFxk0-40DlegixntmCwcLB7jNnbYVW3oEkLA/s896/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="896" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqO3G69OtO-phmpsqUXqhwKw775stWVschjyeAWCfpbDfIWu0qLRNE5Wbui7pIqEIrxNOV21w3H5d9Kwbtf9xbDtH6nk7QZGVkUsAiFZCQUc4JJVYQv7w496ARx8Mj_QX0m2v1txP3mmdQm6Q170OkTQFxk0-40DlegixntmCwcLB7jNnbYVW3oEkLA/w656-h435/To%20Believe%20Movie%20(2).jpg" width="656" /></a></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scenes from the movie, “To
Believe”. The photo on the lower right
depicts the Bishop telling his story of having received a tattered Bible and the
faith as a boy to pass down despite intense persecution.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The movie ends
with a commentary: “Not everything was lost during the long night of
Communism. As gold is tried with fire,
so faith is tempered in suffering and persecution. There is nothing more valuable to human life
than God. Whoever understands this truth
and testifies with his life and is ready to die when needed, may rest assured
that his life is not wasted. Now our
task is to cherish the Faith and pass this history to future generations.” Do we Americans need a persecution to set us
straight? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">May God have mercy on the people of Ukraine who are
suffering so much and may He bring good out of their travail. Ukraine will come out stronger because of
this tremendous cross, overcome the corruption inherited from Communism, and
become a great country. Sunday Mass
attendance has increased significantly in Ukraine. A Ukrainian mystic </span><span style="font-size: 32px;">prophesied</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> that Russia
will be converted through Ukraine. For
now Russia continues in its errors as Mary foretold at Fatima. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Joe Loya, the
father of a priest and a deacon, once said to his four boys in his Archie
Bunker style when they were kids.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">“God
put me here for one reason and that’s to get you guys to Heaven.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">That’s what it’s all about, men and you will
answer for how well you did in passing down the faith.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Fr. Thomas Loya, now a Byzantine Catholic
priest, pastor of Assumption Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, Illinois never
forgot those words of his father and repeated them at his funeral.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The most
important lesson from the movie, "To Believe"</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> is the tremendous responsibility of each one of
us to PASS DOWN THE FAITH to our children and grandchildren.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">If we don't do that, the generations that
follow us will be unchurched unbelievers and the American Church could fall
into a dark period of indifference and closed churches.</span></p></div></div><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-43314428903264321742023-03-19T20:25:00.012-07:002023-03-19T21:23:26.363-07:00(276) Knights of Columbus Re-consecrate the Order to Our Lady of Guadalupe<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8RhdpPRP6WaO0nhYmsO3sHNE58htPi0GKUvr7vV_PMPdrBR3gneWXRwMxCV-ojjcv_oCDMcX45VLxOV5zEczxDm_FmJ1t2b2vvlKpK9qdN5fm2vOARRHBnYXUfjyUl0yFMvsEPCAW6NSvKu-Pv1o-IokUvlyAxFio8TEzwMli3Lw0LE6-P12uq5NRg/s800/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-%20Patrick%20Kelly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8RhdpPRP6WaO0nhYmsO3sHNE58htPi0GKUvr7vV_PMPdrBR3gneWXRwMxCV-ojjcv_oCDMcX45VLxOV5zEczxDm_FmJ1t2b2vvlKpK9qdN5fm2vOARRHBnYXUfjyUl0yFMvsEPCAW6NSvKu-Pv1o-IokUvlyAxFio8TEzwMli3Lw0LE6-P12uq5NRg/w638-h359/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-%20Patrick%20Kelly.jpg" width="638" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly speaks after Mass at the
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrated by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop of
Baltimore William Lori, on February 3. Next to him is the former Supreme
Knight Carl Anderson who led the original consecration in 2001. Behind the center of the altar is the sacred
image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and on the right is an image of St. Juan Diego
to whom Mary appeared and asked him to convey her message that she wanted a
shrine built where she would give her motherly love to the people of Mexico and
all of the Americas. Photo by Tamino Petelinšek. For more detail on the image and photos go to (104) Our Lady of Guadalupe (I): Binding the
Americas Together at </span></b><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> and (105) Our Lady of Guadalupe
(II): Mary’s Message to us in the Image <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">at </span></b><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Tahoma\, Verdana\, Segoe\, sans-se"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe-ii-marys-message.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe-ii-marys-message.html</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly renewed the
consecration of the Order to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe
during a recent Board of Directors pilgrimage to Mexico City. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The renewal took place February 3 at the
conclusion of Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated by
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, postulator for St. Juan
Diego’s cause for canonization and a canon of the basilica, was among the
concelebrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read the homily of the
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori at </span><a href="https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-loris-homily-02-03-23/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-loris-homily-02-03-23/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQngdYv09Wdm2n06_u-kVs_d4JmDWIoL71FGL8hn6lLqb-cAuEGQmWye-wAmPUkyxbH-xBstg2uMyMqsVUqq57nC4itxp_DIQW6d6tODIr5r_p0iIVckhJZ0ReBXJiSXk486n9RCogT-uIq4mkumk9c-69qOQcSVLjPDXw8uPT-ASjGvZwL42UxsGlw/s800/2023%20Reconsecration%20-%20Jorge%20C.%20Estrada%20Aviles%20Reads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQngdYv09Wdm2n06_u-kVs_d4JmDWIoL71FGL8hn6lLqb-cAuEGQmWye-wAmPUkyxbH-xBstg2uMyMqsVUqq57nC4itxp_DIQW6d6tODIr5r_p0iIVckhJZ0ReBXJiSXk486n9RCogT-uIq4mkumk9c-69qOQcSVLjPDXw8uPT-ASjGvZwL42UxsGlw/w635-h357/2023%20Reconsecration%20-%20Jorge%20C.%20Estrada%20Aviles%20Reads.jpg" width="635" /></a></p><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Jorge C. Estrada
Aviles, an officer of the Knights of Columbus Mexico addresses the congregation
during the re-consecration of the order to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Behind the altar is her miraculous image that
appeared on the tilma of St. Juan Diego.</span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">On Feb. 3,
2001, Carl Anderson, Patrick Kelly’s predecessor first consecrated the Knights
of Columbus to Our Lady of Guadalupe when formally installed as the 13th supreme
knight. It was inspired in part by St. Pope
John Paul II’s 1999 apostolic exhortation <b><i>Ecclesia in America</i></b> (The Church in America <span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Church in America – at <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_22011999_ecclesia-in-america.html">https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_22011999_ecclesia-in-america.html</a>),</span> in which
the Pontiff called for greater unity across the continent and acclaimed Our
Lady of Guadalupe as “Patroness of all America (North, Central, and South) and
Star of the first and new evangelization.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">After the
Church was torn apart by the Protestant Reformation in 1517, Our Lady of
Guadalupe made up for that loss by bringing into the Church 8 million Indians between
1531 and 1538. No wonder she is also the
Patroness of the Missions, the ultimate missionary to his day. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">In brief
remarks to the Board of Directors and guests, Supreme Knight Kelly affirmed,
“Our devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has continued to grow stronger, in councils
and in parishes throughout the Order and in every country where we are
present.” After all, the Knights of
Columbus has many councils in Canada, USA, Mexico and the Philippines where Our
Lady of Guadalupe has many devotees. She
is very much part of the Mexican culture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Echoing Mary’s
words to St. Juan Diego in 1531, the Supreme Knight added: “Our Lady inspires
us and guides us in all of our efforts — especially those for the sake of the
unborn and the most vulnerable — and we take constant solace in knowing that
she is here; she who is our mother.” In
reality the miraculous image shows Mary as pregnant with the Christ child. Thus Our Lady of Guadalupe is also the
Patroness of the Unborn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwymsmwQw88swafPRfL-ooppQ2F3h_aD4_Sttfc22H6Ur06ZvgG_QjP45q5RWRH7LTg8cxQBoxupyVRfyV4yNWHfKvdGjCSHppzQpPa13hw9AtJiZHC7aSK-RJd2g_4bWwBznFd4Aie_zTVO7K028VfbBAefaNY5igPJH6oFS6GGuQnTelcbVcLta6Sw/s800/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-%20Patrick%20Kelly%20&%20Reliquary%20of%206%20Martyrs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwymsmwQw88swafPRfL-ooppQ2F3h_aD4_Sttfc22H6Ur06ZvgG_QjP45q5RWRH7LTg8cxQBoxupyVRfyV4yNWHfKvdGjCSHppzQpPa13hw9AtJiZHC7aSK-RJd2g_4bWwBznFd4Aie_zTVO7K028VfbBAefaNY5igPJH6oFS6GGuQnTelcbVcLta6Sw/w601-h338/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-%20Patrick%20Kelly%20&%20Reliquary%20of%206%20Martyrs.jpg" width="601" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Patrick Kelly,
Supreme Knight, processes with the reliquary of the six martyrs of the Cristero
War in the 1920s who were members of the Knights of Columbus. Behind him is their image. St. Pope John Paul II canonized them and 19
other martyrs of that intense persecution in the year 2000. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Following his
remarks, Supreme Knight Kelly led the congregants in reciting the Litany of the
Blessed Virgin. Archbishop Lori then recited the Prayer of Re-consecration. The
solemn re-consecration concluded with remarks by Msgr. Eduardo Chávez.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1twvF2U5dRxKhlIH_Iq3YcGWPItvefpSnI6igD29JLYwbdxGdQ70HuB5MmBA1uQj4KD1YTJGN-ys1_sItMdv5HR5U25TmyaFifHAKqAef7mMw-4PlIqxeKl8s4J-K0wZ5tlVWcCZc7nI_PVX6nCeL97_dwTc2R-E3bwhNGmtwfNR11lzz2vReAqPLA/s800/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-KofC%20Board%20of%20Directors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1twvF2U5dRxKhlIH_Iq3YcGWPItvefpSnI6igD29JLYwbdxGdQ70HuB5MmBA1uQj4KD1YTJGN-ys1_sItMdv5HR5U25TmyaFifHAKqAef7mMw-4PlIqxeKl8s4J-K0wZ5tlVWcCZc7nI_PVX6nCeL97_dwTc2R-E3bwhNGmtwfNR11lzz2vReAqPLA/w645-h364/2023%20Reconsecration%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Guadalupe%20-KofC%20Board%20of%20Directors.jpg" width="645" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">The Knights of Columbus Board of Directors stand in front
of the old Basilica constructed in 1709 and the new one on the left constructed
in 1976. Some 20 million pilgrims visit
every year, only surpassed by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Notice that the old Basilica is leaning due
to the marshy soil underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Blessed Michael
McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882. The order became part of Mexico since 1905, when Supreme Knight Edward Hearn
visited Mexico City to install officers of Guadalupe Council 1050. See a video of the re-consecration at </span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=re-consecration+of+the+knights+of+columbus+to+our+lady+of+guadalupe&oq=Re-consecration+of+the+Knights+of+Columbus+to+Our+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160l3j33i299l2.23846j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9021b811,vid:76V0RJj3-DM" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">https://www.google.com/search?q=re-consecration+of+the+knights+of+columbus+to+our+lady+of+guadalupe&oq=Re-consecration+of+the+Knights+of+Columbus+to+Our+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160l3j33i299l2.23846j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9021b811,vid:76V0RJj3-DM</span></a></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></u></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">March Newsletter Notes</span></u></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Football fans, did you know that the
Kansas City kicker, Harrison Butker, who kicked the winning field goal in the
last minute of the game, is a strong Catholic?</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> He is an altar
server at a Latin Mass parish. For an
interview, go to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDkoQzzM4IY"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDkoQzzM4IY</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> and for his talk at Benedictine College go to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoKIIMBp9cE"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoKIIMBp9cE</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">. Read about the 2023
Super Bowl’s last minute and see the kick at </span><a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/harrison-butker-on-ankle-injury-early-sb-miss-before-game-winner-that-s-what-you#:~:text=Harrison%20Butker's%2027%2Dyard,goal%20try%20of%20the%20game"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.nfl.com/news/harrison-butker-on-ankle-injury-early-sb-miss-before-game-winner-that-s-what-you#:~:text=Harrison%20Butker's%2027%2Dyard,goal%20try%20of%20the%20game</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Are You Doing for Your Marriage Today?</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
<b><i>Pray for your wife every day</i></b>. The prayer I offer is: “Dear Lord, please help me to be a good
husband. Help me to love her more. Help me to make her happy. Help me to give more of myself to her. Help me to be more sensitive to her needs,
feelings, and desires. Give me the
strength to die (to myself) for her everyday……..her needs over my needs……all in
the context of a good marriage and a holy family. Help us to be an example for other couples to
follow. St. Joseph, model of a true man
of God, husband, and father pray for us.
Mother Mary, pray for us.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Diocesan
Men's Day of Renewal</span></u></b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> <b>Saturday, March 11</b></span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> from 9 am – 3:30 pm at <b>St. Stephen’s Church; 1036 Belford St.; Caldwell, Ohio 43724</b>. <b>Boys
18 and under Free.</b> The patron of
the Men’s Conference is </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">St.
Joseph, a true man of God and a man of virtue.
Yet he was rugged and tough.
After you hear John Bergsma’s talk, you will have to agree and even
imitate him as your model. Contact your
parish representative (e-mail address) to register. Enjoy the fellowship in the car/van pool,
which leaves at 6:30 am from the Parish Hall.</span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Monthly
Business Dinner Meeting</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> - <b><i>Monday March 27 at 6:30 pm with Mass at 5:30
pm. </i></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Prayer is essential to our success. Members are urged to attend both Mass and the
meeting that follows with supper, great fellowship, decision making on future
activities, planning, and coordination. <u>The
input of every knight is most valuable</u>.
Our Council is as strong as each knight makes it. That begins with YOU! We cannot be an effective Council without the
Lord’s help and guidance together with your participation. Some of the men make great sacrifices to
attend the meetings. May all do the
same!. Talk up the meetings and get your
brother knights to attend. <b><i>The
next 4<sup>th</sup> Monday of the month Dinner Meeting will be</i></b> <b><i>on
Monday April 24 at 6:30 pm.</i></b>
Please talk it up.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><br /></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-22189517139008336872023-02-26T19:45:00.003-08:002023-02-26T20:22:51.205-08:00(275) John Bergsma to Help Men to Confront the Challenge and Grow in Manly Virtue at the 2023 Steubenville Men's Day of Renewal<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvd-ol5Zpyz4p879EzLqqkIIipwUtb5DBhJnAqYWq58Ac_D0eTk1vwUacxRyDkNsVA-kUAHehaAOsbiAQC3puXc1Efif4WsOmpeHvX6CtOKnIeNj6IvoVlfGojyWmrnyW7eE0R_N98_3eVlwED2VnSRlYp0MzYnu8iVUMDP9FtI3RfzkpL5Lt1a4IbjQ/s1620/2023%20John%20Bergsma%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1080" height="759" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvd-ol5Zpyz4p879EzLqqkIIipwUtb5DBhJnAqYWq58Ac_D0eTk1vwUacxRyDkNsVA-kUAHehaAOsbiAQC3puXc1Efif4WsOmpeHvX6CtOKnIeNj6IvoVlfGojyWmrnyW7eE0R_N98_3eVlwED2VnSRlYp0MzYnu8iVUMDP9FtI3RfzkpL5Lt1a4IbjQ/w506-h759/2023%20John%20Bergsma%20(2).jpg" width="506" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Dr. John Bergsma</span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After a two
year hiatus due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Diocese of Steubenville is
resuming its annual Men's Day of Renewal on Saturday, March 11 at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St.
Stephen’s Church; 1036 Belford St.; Caldwell, OH</i></b> off of Exit 25 on
I-77, a half hour north of Marietta or a half hour south of I-70..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Conference will be the twelfth Men’s Day
since 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doors open for Registration,
coffee, and optional prayer at 8 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
main program will begin at 9 am, continuing until 3:30 pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The patron of the Conference is St. Joseph</i></b>,
a model of virtue and a true man of God, whose intercession we count upon for
its success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The goal of the Men's Day of Renewal </span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">is the spiritual development of the
men of our diocese. That includes helping the men to take the right path before
having to face the four last things.......Death, Judgment, Heaven or Hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having spiritually strong men of faith and
character translates into more solid families, more dynamic parishes, and
better communities. This is crucial to the Church and particularly our diocese,
now and in the future. It is also critical for nurturing vocations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The theme of the Conference is</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span color="windowtext" style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Living a Virtuous Life</i>”. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To complement
the Holy Hour, the Penance Service, and Mass presided by Bishop Monforton, the
featured speaker is Dr. John Bergsma, a professor of Theology at the Franciscan
University of Steubenville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Bergsma
received his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame where he also taught
and did research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After serving as an
Evangelical pastor and growing in knowledge as a Biblical scholar, he
discovered the truth of the Catholic Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dr. Bergsma has given very well received talks at conferences throughout
the country and has many publications including books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Married with eight children, he can identify
with the problems and daily struggles facing the men who will be participating
in the Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In his morning and afternoon talks</span></b><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dr. Bergsma</b> will show that Catholic men are called with urgency to
develop manly virtue and live a truly virtuous life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This he will do by giving tips on how to
develop and grow in manly virtue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
will explain the Four Cardinal virtues, the pivot and foundation from which the
other virtues flow.……namely prudence (wisdom), justice, fortitude (courage),
and temperance (moderation and self-control).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Equipped with manly virtue, the witness of Catholic God fearing men and
leaders can be pivotal in changing the culture, putting Christ into the market
place, renewing the parish, and building the domestic church at home with an
exemplary Christian marriage as its foundation..</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As a father of eight children, John Bergsma can give valuable
pointers on making the home a school of virtue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Sacrifice</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">. The fact, that travel time may be long and distance
may be far for many, gives the conference a pilgrimage flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lent, of course, is all about sacrifice and
spiritual growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since St. Stephen’s
Church in Caldwell is near the approximate center of our far flung diocese, the
Steering Committee is hopeful that the men of Steubenville in the north and the
men of Ironton and Chesapeake in the south will be able to participate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless of distance, this mini-pilgrimage
is a Lenten sacrifice of early rising and a long trip with great fellowship in
a van or bus as the men pray together, discuss the talks and other events of
the Conference, and deepen friendships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
bag lunch is provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>It should be a great day of enjoyable
fellowship and spiritual invigoration. </b></span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">In each of annual Men’s Conferences since 2010 our men
returned reinvigorated, enthusiastic, and spiritually refreshed. Expect the same this year. It is awesome to hear the men lift up their
voices in song and be moved by the beauty and power of the faith. But mostly, through God’s grace, we will have
more good spiritually strong men for the kingdom of God as well as for the
battle against secularism and other evils that plague our society today. We
will have more men who put Christ into their professions. We will have men who
will become more knowledgeable in their faith and better prepared for a joyful
Easter and an eternal closeness to God. The
Men's Day of Renewal has grown into an annual event in our diocese, thus
fulfilling a great need.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Promotional Help Needed. </span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Many if not most men will hardly
notice the bulletin announcements, posters, and brochures, although they are
indeed important and helpful. What they
can’t miss is the one-on-one personal selling by their peers, i.e., talking it
up. The most effective form of
advertising or promotion is word of mouth.
Most effective is the witness of men who have gone to a previous
Conference, especially the parish representative that we are asking the pastor
to appoint or accept as a volunteer. </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Thus one or two men are urgently needed in each parish </span></i></b><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">to as<i>sure the success of this event</i></span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">. To ease the burden on our pastors,
we are depending upon our men to offer their assistance as <b><i>parish representatives</i></b> to
mobilize the men with good <b><i>one on one personal selling</i></b>,
register them, and organize van pools.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Word-of-mouth advertising is essential</span></i></b><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">to maximize the promotion of the Men’s Day of Renewal
throughout each parish. We ask participants of past years to tell their friends
about this awesome opportunity for spiritual renewal. If there is no parish representative in your
parish, please consider volunteering by informing your pastor and by e-mail
“Don Coen - Chair Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal” <donandmargcoen@yahoo.com>. </span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Equally important, women can be most
valuable in encouraging their husbands, sons (including teens), fathers, brothers,
boyfriends, etc., to attend. This is a very important part of the new
evangelization.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Father and son</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
can make this day an unforgettable shared experience in which they become
closer to each other. <u>Young men 18
and under will be admitted free of charg</u>e.
If the pastor accompanies the men, he would have an opportunity to know
the men better and thus solidify the parish.
<b><i>The Men’s Day of Renewal needs confessors.</i></b></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The local
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knights of Columbus</i> council</b> can
be most valuable since the spiritual formation of their men is part of their
mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are asked to mobilize their
men to attend and organize a van pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Traveling together can build friendships, solidify the Council, and provide
opportunities to tell about the Knights, thus making the Conference a
recruiting tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The men may register
individually or the parish representative may collect the registration forms
with payment and send them as a package to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roger Huck; %Men’s Day of Renewal, P.O. Box
54; Beverly, OH 45715</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
would save considerable time waiting at the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Checks for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Registration cost of $25.00 per
person</i></b> are to be made payable to the Diocese of Steubenville with
“Men's Day of Renewal” written on the memo line of the check. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
greater convenience, the men may also register on-line at <a href="https://stpaulcenter.com/diosteubmdr23">https://stpaulcenter.com/diosteubmdr23</a>
with an additional $3.00 surcharge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b> </b> </span></i><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Transportation Needs. </span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">A carpool, vanpool, or bus saves on
fuel costs and gives an opportunity for fellowship while traveling to and from
the event—especially for those traveling greater distances. Please invite other
men and assist with the organization of transportation for those attending in
your parish.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Donations Needed</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">. It is very expensive to put on a
conference of this magnitude and feature nationally known top speakers. While the Steering Committee
does its best to minimize the cost for each participant, we are seeking
donations from businesses, parish organizations, the Knights of Columbus, and
individuals. Please send donations to Roger Huck as shown above. Furthermore, we do not charge men who are
unable to pay so that no man is excluded.
Boys 18 and under are admitted free of charge.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Ads in the Program Booklet</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">. Details on placing
the ad for a business or community organization, or Knights of Columbus Council
are in the Conference Blog or call Roger Huck at 740-984-2234 or 740-336-9128 (e-mail:
huck4816@gmail.com).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">More information</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> is
available from your pastor, from Don Coen above, or Paul Sebastian at (740)
245-9404 or paulrsebastian@yahoo.com. The <b><i>Men's Conference Blog at diosteubmen.blogspot</i></b>.<b><i>com</i></b> has a wealth of promotional
materials for use at the parish level…….1) Overview, 2) Ad Form, 3) Press
Releases, 4) Possible Bulletin Blurbs, 5) Pulpit Announcements, 6) Promotional
Ideas, 7) Functions of the Parish Rep, 8) Sign-Up Sheet, 9) Sample Bulletin Insert,
and 10) a Possible Talk By One of the Men after Mass. There are also interesting articles on men’s
spirituality, past conference highlights, etc. After the Conference and throughout the year,
articles will be added to help the men keep in good spiritual shape. Clergy, Religious, and knowledgeable layman
are invited to submit articles.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Please submit your registration as
soon as possible. </span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Registration
will be accepted at the door; however, doing so in advance makes our planning
more efficient and also helps to minimize waiting at the conference entrance. </span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-size: medium;">BENEFIT SUMMARY OF WHAT THE
MEN'S CONFERENCE CAN DO FOR YOU:</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
Get you into <b><i>good spiritual shape</i></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">.<b><i> </i></b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
Have <b><i>a great day of enjoyable fellowship and spiritual invigoration </i></b>with
fellow parishioners and participants at the conference, resulting in deeper
friendships and parish cohesion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b><i>Develop
ourselves as men of character and spiritual strength </i></b>as we obtain the
graces to cope with problems and conquer problematic issues that trouble our
society. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b><i>Be
an effective spiritual leader to your family </i></b>as a better husband and
father. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b><i>Prepare
our hearts for the great feast of Easter </i></b>as we become closer to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 2.2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b><i>Become
more knowledgeable about our Catholic faith </i></b>and grow in Christian
maturity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <b><i>Become a more effective
soldier of Christ</i></b>, and help strengthen His kingdom on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Visit <a href="http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/">http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com</a>
for additional resources to help promote the Men's Day of Renewal.</span></b></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-13826535120297671282023-02-18T23:50:00.015-08:002023-03-16T22:06:02.066-07:00(274) Post Roe v. Wade: The March and Fight For Life Go On in 2023 and Beyond..........Often more intense<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9K_JaWq8rhwsrK-r7Xjk4JLvvpwJvwDo1DzKSbBNUk2zi4ZPmlRDAp09CorNrMJBvv1WwE8ZnL-hiEQ0uCaflOpSI41WgSvibvsiq_tnADbQA-C-uqnffIzaXsZ00FEQwcXObxlZ6tRouvbsKk8KFboOghPDqCZUTDH6JBUL489VH1aT5xjmNxUcJA/s4032/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="806" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9K_JaWq8rhwsrK-r7Xjk4JLvvpwJvwDo1DzKSbBNUk2zi4ZPmlRDAp09CorNrMJBvv1WwE8ZnL-hiEQ0uCaflOpSI41WgSvibvsiq_tnADbQA-C-uqnffIzaXsZ00FEQwcXObxlZ6tRouvbsKk8KFboOghPDqCZUTDH6JBUL489VH1aT5xjmNxUcJA/w606-h806/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(2).jpg" width="606" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Look at this little right
to life warrior, Lillian Stapleton, my bodyguard to keep me out of trouble as I
would talk to interesting people I met along the way. She has the most
instructive placard among the thousands who marched……detailing many of the resources
for health care and healing available for the woman who chooses life, either
overcoming the temptation to abort or recovering from the guilt and remorse of
Post Abortion Syndrome (</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://thelifeinstitute.net/learning-centre/abortion-effects/post-abortion-syndrome">https://thelifeinstitute.net/learning-centre/abortion-effects/post-abortion-syndrome</a>)</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">.........Project
Rachel, Adoption Services, Parenting Classes, Crisis Pregnancy Center, Grants
for Single Moms, Gabriel Project)……love them both: </span></b><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">baby and mother too. Not
mentioned is maternity homes for homeless mothers.</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Last
year we were thinking: “This might be
our last March For Life in Washington D.C.
After all it looked as though the notorious January 22, 1973 Roe v. Wade
Decision, legalizing abortion on demand in every state of our country, would be
repealed by the Conservative majority of today’s Supreme Court.” During that period of universal abortion
rights, over 63 million babies lost their lives. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Thank God; the repeal happened……on June 24,
2022, the feast of the Sacred Heart.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Think again. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We’re back for the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">50<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> March For Life two days before the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">50<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> anniversary of its founding by Nellie Gray.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We continue to march for life, which will continue to be the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">If anything, the battle for life is more
intense.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The
current administration through executive orders is doing all it can to promote
the so called “right to choose”, i.e., for a right of the woman to play God and
decide whether her unborn baby should live or die. The only real choice was made in the
bedroom. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The Administration is also pushing
for abortifacients to be made available in local drug stores everywhere, effectively
making the corner drug store an abortion clinic with no medical oversight. Already pro-life forces are protesting that practice in CVS and Walgreens. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The pro-abortion camp is mobilizing its
forces, especially at the state level. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Abortion states such as California, Illinois, and New York are offering
sanctuary often with all expenses paid for women who cannot obtain an abortion
in their own right to life states. Pro-abortion members of Congress are waiting for the opportunity to pass the so called "Women's Protection Act" which would codify Roe v. Wade and nullify the pro-life laws of pro-life states. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Therefore, we continue to march and carry
the banner for life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As in antebellum America when we had slave states and free
states, we now have abortion states and right to life states. National Right to Life will continue to have the
annual March For Life Washington D.C., but we’ll also have marches and
promotions at the state level. We
recently had one in Columbus. On the
same weekend as the Washington March, there was March For Life West in both Los
Angeles and liberal San Francisco. </span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxetsEClL_KWZVxDybWsUkkcG_2cud6wgVwohPa1WV5gaGwLKRnTJqzIvoVGHT9yPRUN8OzfDxmzL39VVlYiFVh1e8Ma79ZQFHDYg1EWhT_n9PXxepL1WbQF9BtYZO_2nx4SyBGvSLUYxFTY563eXcSEbNW9heLYHNoPtcU49pFEIx1Omx-0zVGJTWoQ/s703/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(10b).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="703" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxetsEClL_KWZVxDybWsUkkcG_2cud6wgVwohPa1WV5gaGwLKRnTJqzIvoVGHT9yPRUN8OzfDxmzL39VVlYiFVh1e8Ma79ZQFHDYg1EWhT_n9PXxepL1WbQF9BtYZO_2nx4SyBGvSLUYxFTY563eXcSEbNW9heLYHNoPtcU49pFEIx1Omx-0zVGJTWoQ/w630-h322/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(10b).JPG" width="630" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
gang is off the bus, a stone’s throw from the Washington Monument, and ready to
march…….from old men to babies in their strollers. Babies….that’s what this march is all about:
babies, the survival of babies in the womb.
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> In previous years we would charter a bus and use a motel in
Maryland or south of Washington. That
involved a commuter train ride to the March and another train ride to meet the
bus that would take us home. However,
the last two years were so much easier.
Tim Stapleton and his family of 8 kids befriended the Bernard family of
8 kids at Catholic Familyland just north of Steubenville…..a perfect
match. They invited us to stay in
Sterling, VA about 45 minutes west of Washington. The next morning we assisted at Mass and had
Eucharistic Adoration with Rosary. Then
we rode on buses chartered by the local Knights of Columbus council to the
March. It was great fellowship! Knights of the surrounding area worked as
marshals and provided signs. Individual councils sponsored marchers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> It was such a joy to ride in the Stapleton van to Washington
with their kids. The boys sat quietly in
the back, but little Lucia and Lillian sat beside me and chattered the whole
way…..verifying the textbook answers on the differences between little girls
and little boys. The girls wouldn’t let
me alone with their incessant questions and teasing. There was no nap time for me except when they
took a brief nap. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Returning
home I rode with the Lewis family of nine kids.
Scott was raised Baptist and now is a gung ho Catholic. Bernadette drove a good part of the way
home. Sitting beside me were Colby (9)
and Gianna (7). Except at the beginning,
they were too tired to keep me busy. We
all slept as Gianna and I took turns using each other’s heads as pillows.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7H9THKhctd0xRjgsAVixJcv-WNXh0CA__XoWJbRdBdTupqlZFQTvU6B16ssaKDAERtOHEwFVnhT-o7tuYM5Boz8Bvg4ivEzz__dzgdbb2I1emOrRZ5vQmTTpeBaaCtJjKoUWqUT2dEIHcAea4mGMjhU2kvqCmwkhpVDK9CX8reY3EaQSZQs53zBmrg/s1185/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1080" height="706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7H9THKhctd0xRjgsAVixJcv-WNXh0CA__XoWJbRdBdTupqlZFQTvU6B16ssaKDAERtOHEwFVnhT-o7tuYM5Boz8Bvg4ivEzz__dzgdbb2I1emOrRZ5vQmTTpeBaaCtJjKoUWqUT2dEIHcAea4mGMjhU2kvqCmwkhpVDK9CX8reY3EaQSZQs53zBmrg/w645-h706/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20(3).jpg" width="645" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">After
Jaga and I had our fourth kid, one colleague snickered:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“All those Catholics know how to do is have
kids”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each birth for both Chrissy and
Bernadette involved great sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With number 8, Chrissy almost lost her baby and her own life as well due
to complications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bernadette undergoes
severe postpartum anxiety with each birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both of them would even trade their own lives for the lives of their
babies without hesitation as St. Gianna (an M.D.) indeed did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of them seem to get younger and more
beautiful with each birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to boot
they home school their kids. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">At the march we waited
on the fringes of the crowd listening to the many speeches</b> of the pro-life
rally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony Dungy, Hall of Fame and former
Super Bowl coach of the Indianapolis Colts gave a beautiful talk and so
did<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays
the role of Jesus in the TV series “The Chosen”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHl_jFWVII&t=11s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHl_jFWVII&t=11s</a>
and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYY2-wf-cl0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYY2-wf-cl0</a>.
The complete texts are in the Appendix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lora Dungy gave an excellent case for
adoption instead of abortion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This March is all about babies and we certainly brought
them…….17 kids for a total of 23 counting parents and two tag alongs (Mike and
me) plus the Bernard 10 and thousands of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These kids were a fabulous witness to life
because their mothers chose life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
beautiful innocence and cuteness was a vivid testimony to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so well behaved going, marching,
and coming home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Mike
Stapleton was supposed to be my “body guard” to make sure I did not get “lost”
as I once did several years ago because of a miscommunication as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>where to meet after the March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually we were on opposite sides of the
street in front of the Supreme Court building, but did not see each other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prayed, but did consider taking a Greyhound
Bus home as a last resort, but thank God we found each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Mike got busy holding one of his
nieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So little Lucia and Lillian were
holding my hands, one on each side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Chrissy, their mother pushing a stroller with two of her babies, made
sure that all three of us were within her sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Eucharistic Adoration Lillian came to my
side like a little angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was touched.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1tM460mlD5iu64SFAwBcE6HOFdKznMRxVW55H-IGl9IIyx6yrcFfw628xsNBQC5cL0SuptH07qnTlK3ytwrqoXog75P7s9laXoOEvJ_UxIlZq5M-XZdjYGkGTXjo_4w4mfesvD10OflY9B10IAAFMTaZfei8hZNog9HAfB9pfqv2dwWqN7aYR5gaCQ/s1440/2022%20March%20For%20Life%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1tM460mlD5iu64SFAwBcE6HOFdKznMRxVW55H-IGl9IIyx6yrcFfw628xsNBQC5cL0SuptH07qnTlK3ytwrqoXog75P7s9laXoOEvJ_UxIlZq5M-XZdjYGkGTXjo_4w4mfesvD10OflY9B10IAAFMTaZfei8hZNog9HAfB9pfqv2dwWqN7aYR5gaCQ/w623-h415/2022%20March%20For%20Life%20(5).jpg" width="623" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Last
year, this year, and every year we’re on the march past the Supreme Court
building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year it was
anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year it’s gratitude
that the Supreme Court finally got it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the fight continues on the state level as a liberal administration in
Washington tries to maintain abortion via the back door by executive order and
promotion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See video links: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><a href="https://youtu.be/WweyUYD_8CY"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">https://youtu.be/WweyUYD_8CY</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">, </span></b><a href="https://youtu.be/qY_wLI-Mw5w"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">https://youtu.be/qY_wLI-Mw5w</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">, and <a href="https://youtu.be/_TStArEdOFA">https://youtu.be/_TStArEdOFA</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The same as last year</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
t<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he atmosphere was hopeful and peaceful</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year the mood was also victorious in the
battle for the Supreme Court which ruled in our favor. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we were cautious about the outcome of the
war for the hearts and minds of the people, which is by no means over and
continues on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Among
the marchers were kids from high schools and colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notre Dame sent 10 busloads; Franciscan
University of Steubenville sent eight buses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were groups from Thomas Aquinas College East, Christendom College,
Catholic U., Boston College, St. Mary’s Seminary, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were many seminarians, priests,
religious, such as the Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of Life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sister Mary Casey brought her twin Down
Syndrome sister Casey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Present
was a group of obstetricians for life.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It behooves Catholic women to patronize pro-life obstetricians when
pregnant.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They care for both mother and
baby.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The President of the Association
of Obgyn Doctors (7,000 members) revealed that she has had to treat many women
with abortion complications……both physical and mental.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">More than half of abortions are medical, not
surgical.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Medical abortions entail four
times the risk of surgical abortions.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">There
is even an Abortion Survivors Network…..those who have survived botched abortions
and now live as productive adults. There are 1,734 abortion survivors.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">St. Gianna's daughter thanked her mother for sacrificing her own life so that she may live through birth. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jean
Mancini, the President of Right to Life, advocated that we must make abortion
unthinkable.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Rick
Santorum, former senator and presidential candidate, said that with the repeal
of Roe the battle is now for the hearts and minds of people in the schools and
state capitols. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoA2Xvqxjl1NjiqkAZWaVtwio1IEgzPPhhh-EmcvuADxZ3j9EbgVwkc5808YTeOPwm76P8riYZJC1zEpfbMVboHSxE5aDd0MnUYHtJxygLJT41VFh4Nsoi2SfFiYwn1XbEdOIamZsUPex2YrChKo-9k02grhDqCEhmhrcHpyLjgInxw9iF3m6STrxtw/s800/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20Rally.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoA2Xvqxjl1NjiqkAZWaVtwio1IEgzPPhhh-EmcvuADxZ3j9EbgVwkc5808YTeOPwm76P8riYZJC1zEpfbMVboHSxE5aDd0MnUYHtJxygLJT41VFh4Nsoi2SfFiYwn1XbEdOIamZsUPex2YrChKo-9k02grhDqCEhmhrcHpyLjgInxw9iF3m6STrxtw/w597-h399/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20Rally.jpg" width="597" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The rally before the
march</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">And
of course there were counter protesters as well…..a loud group in front of the
Supreme Court building.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Another group
had a gigantic sign telling young single women that not choosing abortion
destroys their college education and careers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The many girls who chose life do not regret their decision. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">God provided and many if not most had
successful careers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Women often do
regret their abortions for the rest of their lives…..very much.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">There was a heavy police presence in case of
trouble.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuhKu0r4ZgBVKZ80OlqwDNV1HlfSkWJQAfHcTONmDBXZ5Bslx6vHggRUE5iuZF0m3C93i3cdCZkKkJNk-xwAWMnV5CbjnjJ6zBT81GkxJ2wxmWgBoB2mvkoftaXS3BqFheqdZgl-ANzqt2y92WqbLUDTsTCfpOXbHJtcCkr0BU24otjGuY32s4pEBlg/s4032/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20Wheelchair(6).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuhKu0r4ZgBVKZ80OlqwDNV1HlfSkWJQAfHcTONmDBXZ5Bslx6vHggRUE5iuZF0m3C93i3cdCZkKkJNk-xwAWMnV5CbjnjJ6zBT81GkxJ2wxmWgBoB2mvkoftaXS3BqFheqdZgl-ANzqt2y92WqbLUDTsTCfpOXbHJtcCkr0BU24otjGuY32s4pEBlg/w451-h601/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20Wheelchair(6).JPG" width="451" /></a></div><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>Touching</b> was the
presence of an army veteran above doing his part in his wheelchair. Nothing would keep that man down. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jHLry1BBPki5t3EQDhrrk03pPWQgPgo5Z4L_CQ6Lj3FUs0AIiFxsmFgo83O7KYARo9qhhDGAhIeLI2A06Ojnq4y2c53a3-6elydWjKpaKL4GaKf13MCQfy_Qb8n9y2_kpvGwEhtUsty6ojOnXnBjUemvJm8thI3OglZ-BjMc0nWFBzXk62ts_4Xdag/s4032/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20-%20Byzantine.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="699" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jHLry1BBPki5t3EQDhrrk03pPWQgPgo5Z4L_CQ6Lj3FUs0AIiFxsmFgo83O7KYARo9qhhDGAhIeLI2A06Ojnq4y2c53a3-6elydWjKpaKL4GaKf13MCQfy_Qb8n9y2_kpvGwEhtUsty6ojOnXnBjUemvJm8thI3OglZ-BjMc0nWFBzXk62ts_4Xdag/w524-h699/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20-%20Byzantine.JPG" width="524" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">I
also met an ecumenical group of Byzantine Rite Catholics and Greek Orthodox (may
they be one in the Catholic Church some day).
One of them was dispensing incense from his parish church’s censer. This was unusual for a right to life march,
but really quite appropriate. After all,
coming to his march was really a pilgrimage and people should be praying during
the march. The incense symbolizes
prayers rising up to the throne of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Before the repeal, pro-life marchers chanted: “Hey hey ho ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go”. Since that prayer was answered, today the times
have changed it to “Hey hey ho ho, <u>abortion</u> has got to go”. Who has the right to frustrate God's most awesome creation? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Let us close with the words of the recently deceased Pope
Benedict XVI; “Our life does not exist by accident; it is not an accident. My life is willed by God from eternity. I am loved; I am necessary. God has a plan specifically for me. Eternal love has created me in profundity and
awaits me.” And so it happened. Since 1973 over 63 million babies in the
United States alone were not allowed to fulfill the intent of God our creator
because parents determined it so by the so called right to choose. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">For
some excellent photos, go to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/01/20/1150276020/march-for-life-post-roe-anti-abortion-activists"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.npr.org/2023/01/20/1150276020/march-for-life-post-roe-anti-abortion-activists</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">.
Furthermore, much of the 2023 March For Life Washington, D.C. speeches and the march
itself can be found on youtube.com at<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aBVbgW3kqU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aBVbgW3kqU</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">See the appendix for
more……pro-life church bulletin blurbs, contents of placards, etc. Thanks to Chrissy Stapleton for her help in taking some great photos and she did it while pushing a stroller and keeping an eye on her other seven children. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Appendix</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 24pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.133333px;"><b>Text of Tony Dungy's Talk</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2udIlKyDjD8cZd0kTAId060wHXjOXV3D3Hsl4DGP13XxcEFvKChNKy97-d9b4nLyW1ofiPlp-gGPb0vY3S5Lids9vSDCj9b7tt4VvEyNYsxTx_DUTG6YoHjNaL75oTGVwIg6S-CQTA1P2Wyn_MmSZD_3UCrri5_j_0cxUaNEHQGH4rCwRBprLF2PZfw/s670/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20-%20Tony%20Dungy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="670" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2udIlKyDjD8cZd0kTAId060wHXjOXV3D3Hsl4DGP13XxcEFvKChNKy97-d9b4nLyW1ofiPlp-gGPb0vY3S5Lids9vSDCj9b7tt4VvEyNYsxTx_DUTG6YoHjNaL75oTGVwIg6S-CQTA1P2Wyn_MmSZD_3UCrri5_j_0cxUaNEHQGH4rCwRBprLF2PZfw/w582-h387/2023%20March%20For%20Life%20-%20Tony%20Dungy.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tony Dungy speaks at
the March for Life on Jan. 20, 2023</span></b></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Inter","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Inter","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By </span></b><a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/author/734/zelda-caldwell" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Inter","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zelda Caldwell</span></b></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Inter","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Washington
D.C., Jan 20, 2023 / 15:25 pm<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Former head coach and
NFL analyst Tony Dungy told a crowd gathered at Friday’s March for Life that
the answer to the tragedy of abortion is prayer, calling to mind Damar Hamlin’s
collapse on the football field and what happens when a nation turns to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s amazing to me
that God actually used football to shine some light on the subject of life for
all of us,” Dungy said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Buffalo Bills safety
Hamlin collapsed on the field during a Jan. 2 Monday Night Football game after
a routine hit. He then suffered cardiac arrest as players stood by in horror.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It could have been
tragic, but something miraculous happened. The team medical staff rushed out
and they got Damar’s heart started again. But you know what? That wasn’t a
miracle. The real miracle was the reaction.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The announcers on the
broadcast, what did they say? ‘All we can do is pray,’” Dungy said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“And all across the
country, people started praying,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The former football
coach, who has faced some backlash on social media for his involvement with the
March for Life, told the crowd that the country’s prayerful reaction to
Hamlin’s collapse was striking in that the NFL has actively prevented praying
on the field in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The Bills players
prayed right on the spot. Now usually when that happens, the cameras cut away
from them. Because we don’t like to see that,” Dungy said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Back when I was
coaching in the 1990s, a few Christian players got together and they said we
want to pray after the games. And we actually got a memo from the NFL office
that said, ‘Don’t let your players do that. If you do, you’ll be fined. Because
that’s not appropriate.’ Can you believe that? That’s a true story,” Dungy
said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“But three weeks ago,
everybody on that field was praying. And they continued the next week at every
stadium and the NFL teams got together and prayed and it was amazing. Well,
those prayers were answered with Damar’s recovery. Now he’s home. He’s been
released from the hospital,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dungy, who spoke at
the March for Life with his wife, Lauren, told the crowd that the nation needs
to pray for the unborn in the same way they prayed for Damar Hamlin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Every day in this
country, innocent lives are at stake. The only difference is they don’t belong
to a famous athlete. And they’re not seen on national TV. But those lives are
still important to God and in God’s eyes,” Dungy said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Psalm 139 tells us
that God is watching every one of these young bodies as they’re growing in
their mother’s womb, because he placed them there. Now we know that there are a
lot of people in this country that don’t believe, that don’t see these babies
as being important. They don’t even see them as lives,” he continued.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dungy urged the crowd
to pray for the unborn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I think we have to
take a lesson from Damar’s story. We have to pray. We need to pray with the
same fervor that we prayed with during that week. Because God answers prayer
and he will answer these prayers to save these precious unborn lives as we go
forward. So if we do our part, we will save more and more of these lives,“
Dungy said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This was Dungy’s first
appearance at the March for Life. After posting on social media that he was
excited to take part, he received more than 28,000 likes on his post. He also
received some backlash from proponents of abortion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays the
role of Jesus in the TV series “The Chosen,” <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">He </span></b><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">approached the podium to roaring cheers from the crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">“God is real
and he is completely in love with each and every one of you,” Roumie said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">“History has
been made. Life has triumphed in an extraordinary way, and the light of world,
who is Jesus Christ, the author of life, his light has burned so very brightly
within each and every one of you, irrespective of your specific beliefs,
compelling you forward for one reason or another to stand together today to
fight for the worthiest and noblest cause possible — which is to allow the
unborn the right to enter into the world, and defeat those earthly forces who
seek to destroy the very evidence of them,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #2f222a; font-size: 16pt;">Roumie's full speech can be seen </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYY2-wf-cl0" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ea1c2d;">here</span></b></a><span style="color: #2f222a;">. Seven interesting facts about the devout Catholic actor
can be found </span><a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253381/7-things-to-know-about-march-for-life-keynote-speaker-jonathan-roumie-of-the-chosen" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ea1c2d;">here</span></b></a><span style="color: #2f222a;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">Appendix
II<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pro-Life
Church Bulletin Blurbs For Public Use<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;">(</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Please consider the view of sincere pro-life people of
states being hit as oppressors of women’s rights.) </span></b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Our little
unborn innocent, defenseless, and vulnerable baby citizens in the womb also
have constitutional rights</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
What about the baby’s health?
Except for rape and incest, the choice was made in the bedroom. It's all about love and responsibility. When there is no desire to participate in the
creation of a unique human being, the mother and father must face with
responsibility the consequences of taking a risk (even with so called safe sex)
in playing baby roulette, not to mention the immorality of sex outside of marriage. Society should help the mother in a crisis
pregnancy and beyond when unable to care for the child. Love the mother; love the baby. Many couples eagerly desire to adopt unwanted
babies. The repeal of Roe v Wade is the
greatest victory for human rights since the repeal of the Dred Scott Decision
which claimed slaves were only property thus legalizing slavery.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Science
says that life begins at fertilization</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> of the ovum by a sperm. Science
says that the fetus is a developing human being. Science says that the baby in the womb from
conception has the complete genetic makeup of a unique human being very
different from the body of the mother whether the baby is wanted or
unwanted. The womb is indeed part of the
mother’s body, but the unique human being housed and protected in the womb is
not Thank God that your mother chose
life or you wouldn't be around. This is
the greatest human rights issue since slavery.
<b><i>It is impossible to be a faithful Catholic and be pro-choice, a clear
contradiction of Church teaching.</i></b>
May the womb always be a loving safe haven for the unique, vulnerable,
innocent, and defenseless baby. Then
mothers will never have to live with the terrible often life long guilt of
killing her own child. Do you know a
woman who is suffering from the very common post-abortion stress syndrome or
post abortion depression? There is
healing and forgiveness. Go to <b><i>Project
Rachel</i></b> at <a href="http://hopeafterabortion.com">hopeafterabortion.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">“Truly you
have formed my innermost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> I give you thanks
that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. My soul also you knew full well; nor was my
frame unknown to you. When I was made in
secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth” (Psalm 139). As a result of the intense love between a man
and a woman, the development of a human being from fertilized ovum to birth is
so beautiful and truly miraculous. That
baby, created according to the image and likeness of God is the Lord’s most
awesome creation……among those babies are future leaders, lawyers, inventors,
scientists, engineers, technicians, builders, doctors, Olympic athletes,
writers, musicians, artists, philosophers, scholars, teachers, Nobel Prize
laureates, etc. For example, Steve Jobs,
the Apple Computer founder and pioneer in Information Technology, was
adopted. As an unborn baby, he could
very easily have been aborted. What a <b><i>gross
insult to God</i></b> to destroy and trash that magnificent creation be it
after one month or full term! Can anyone
claim a right to terminate (destroy, end) the life of her baby? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Is the Pro-Abortion
movement a pseudo religion </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">for some<b>, </b>a form of a zealous idol worship and
human sacrifice to the gods of convenience, pleasure, and an undisciplined self-autonomy
at the expense of the baby’s right to live? For the sake of a pseudo charitable concern
for the mother there is a cold, brutal destruction of a live defenseless human
baby, created according to the image and likeness of God…….His most magnificent
creation. Can’t society love both mother
and baby? Can’t society help them
both? To live and let live! Abortion is the greatest human rights issue ever,
including slavery. Then we had slave
states and free states; today we have abortion states and pro-life states after
the repeal of the notorious Roe v. Wade Decision. The battle continues. Join us for the MARCH FOR LIFE at 1 pm in
Washington. Write Chrissy Stapleton <a href="mailto:prolife4life2@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: #00FF;">prolife4life2@gmail.com</span></a> or call her at 740-645-0142. You can also watch the March For Life on
EWTN on Friday January 20 starting with speeches and testimonies at 9:30 am and
the beautiful Mass for life in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception the evening before.at 5 pm. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>A Mother
Teresa quote</b>: </span><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;">“If society allows a
mother to kill her own baby, what will prevent people from killing each
other.</span><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span face="Verdana, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt;">I will take any unwanted baby.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">The
Creation of a Unique Human Being</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">. A husband and his wife participate
actively with God as His instruments in creating His greatest work and the baby is a product of their mutual
love. How awesome is that? How magnificent and beautiful is God’s
plan for us; if only we would follow it! Otherwise, there will be very
negative natural consequences. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">A mother is never more beautiful
than when she is with child as God is knitting in her womb a magnificent highly
complex human being made to the image and likeness of God created for
eternity. Our awesome God has placed in the union of an ovum and a
sperm --that becomes a unique one-- a highly complex code to set the miraculous
process in motion in the womb, step by step, millions if not billions of often
simultaneous steps, for the creation of a new and unique human
being. It is inconceivable that man could ever create and write
probably more than a billion lines of code to create a unique human being, not
to mention an immortal soul……7.6 billion on earth. Each married
couple then waits and observes the miraculous process of creation with
awe. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Only a glob of tissue??????? and
no divine ingenious creator???? How can anyone, even the most
brilliant intellectual use twisted and even irrational reasoning to deny the
hand of God and destroy (kill) God’s ingenious handiwork, the miracle of
creation? Abortion is a grave affront against God and a blatant violation
of the 5th Commandment. Imagine one
million abortions in the United States and 63 million since the 1973 Roe v.
Wade Decision and 60 million per year worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Today is
the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><i>Day
of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. The March For Life observes the 50<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision legalizing abortion on
January 22, 1973</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">During this
time 63 million American babies were aborted (destroyed).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Imagine one million abortions in the United
States each year and 60 million per year world wide, 1.5 billion since
1980.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”
(Jeremiah 1:5).<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">For Thou didst form my inward parts;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very
well.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">My frame was not hidden from Thee,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">When I was made in secret,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">And in Thy book they were all written,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">The days that were ordained for me,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> When as yet
there was not one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> (Ps. 139:13-16)
(Catholic Version is Psalm 138:13-16)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Since today February 11 is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day
of the Sick, let us reflect a bit on the mystery and deep meaning of suffering,
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">the lot of every human being sooner or later. <b> </b>The Lord
allows trials and crosses for many reasons. Suffering and trials
only make sense from the perspective of eternity. With a positive
attitude the sick person becomes closer to God and can grow spiritually as a
preparation for eternity since their purgatory is here. Suffering
becomes a dynamic and very effective prayer when we unite our crosses with the
Lord’s cross and offer it all up to God as a dynamic prayer and a sacrifice for
the Church, the missions, for peace, for a better world, for our loved ones,
etc. This is often referred to as <b><i>redemptive suffering</i></b>,
which is very productive. That makes
suffering more meaningful, more bearable, and productive with a purpose. St. Mother Theresa attributed her great
success to thousands of sick people she asked to offer their crosses for her
and her nuns.<b> </b>DON’T LET YOUR SUFFERING GO TO WASTE!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Appendix III</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Contents of Placards at the 2023 March For Life</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Eternal life but not Pro-life?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The Post Roe Generation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Our babies’ birth moms chose life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Love them both!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Life wins!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">God is pro-life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Love life; choose life! (KofC)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Child sacrifice is not welcome here.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Abortion lies…..Abortion is not health care.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s a child, not a choice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Love will end abortion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Roe be gone!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Black babies matter!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Every baby deserves to live, no matter how small.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The choice is made when the panties slide down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Life is a human right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am the Pro-life Generation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am the Post Roe Generation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Make America Pro-life again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I demand equal protection for unborn babies!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Child sacrifice is not health care!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Elige la vida!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">100% Pro-life<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am God’s child.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Everybody is somebody’s grandchild.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 32px;"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Appendix
IV</span></b></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Miraculous Creation of a Baby in the Womb</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#3 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fetal
heartbeat begins.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hands and feet begin to form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Essential
organs begin to form.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fingers and toes are visible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eye lids are formed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week #10<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fingernails form.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week #11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
baby can kick, stretch, and hiccup.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week #12<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Reflexes and nerve cells develop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#13<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fingerprints form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The arms and legs have joints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Female babies have 2 </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">million eggs in their ovaries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#14 The body produces urine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#17 Sweat glands begin to develop.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#18 The baby can hear.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#20 The baby can feel pain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#22 The baby can survive with proper care.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Week
#31 The baby can move his/her head to the side. <o:p></o:p></span></p><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><p></p></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-65218495181487861032022-12-28T20:58:00.062-08:002023-04-24T22:16:45.896-07:00(273) The COVID WEDDING of NAOMI MARIE SEBASTIAN + JOHN FARO: Two Gallia County Rural Ohio Residents Who Discovered Each Other in the Big City<p style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhItcxSbvymZmqP3LpKznNnvZjRIptp43kEWNhti0ryr5nHf9yvszIaYumeJNvnXzYZh4VD0OWo6Did-8BisfxVdBc-3b-sb6xHgmBaSWdMvnQQ4EfDDn2Q-th93DO0yW9bOu91d2GxjKUCddAqNu4PELxLV8eRHSZ_amQw9hiFz5YXkV7nISmxRmng/s707/Wedding%20Portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="526" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhItcxSbvymZmqP3LpKznNnvZjRIptp43kEWNhti0ryr5nHf9yvszIaYumeJNvnXzYZh4VD0OWo6Did-8BisfxVdBc-3b-sb6xHgmBaSWdMvnQQ4EfDDn2Q-th93DO0yW9bOu91d2GxjKUCddAqNu4PELxLV8eRHSZ_amQw9hiFz5YXkV7nISmxRmng/w463-h622/Wedding%20Portrait.jpg" width="463" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Wedding Portrait of Naomi & John Faro December 28, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In 2017 Naomi graduated as a freshly
minted nurse from Franciscan University of Steubenville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was going to the big city…….Pittsburgh
and find herself a MAN…….no man from rural Gallia County was good enough for
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was hired for a nursing
position at Montefiore Hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicole
Baker, daughter of our wonderful neighbors next door and her close friend since
3<sup>rd</sup> grade, accompanied Naomi for her pre-employment physical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicole, called up one of her friends to join
them for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A graduate in
Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, he was doing research in
Pittsburgh before applying to med school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">This guy later followed up and kept contact with
Naomi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They became friends and then
close friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naomi wanted to bring
this guy home for a visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s this
guy from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You guessed it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gallia County of all places in this wide wide
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you can take the girl out of
Gallia County, but you can't take Gallia County out of the girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They hardly knew each other at Gallia Academy
despite being in the same senior class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was right under her nose for 18 years and had to go all the way to
Pittsburgh to discover him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. David
Faro, his father, was encouraging…… “She’s a keepher!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Indeed he did and he wouldn’t let go. May it always be that way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So Naomi brought John Faro home to
introduce him to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m not going
to let any guy date my daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
to pass a test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you a Pirate fan?”
Check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you a Penguin fan?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are you a citizen of Steeler Nation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You passed; you are welcome to date my daughter; you are welcome in this
house at any time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At dinner my wife
Jaga fell in love with John more than Naomi did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was love at first sight of her future
son-in-law.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Naomi loves to doodle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember grade school when the nuns or lay teachers would make us write lines, “I will behave; I will never pull Nicole’s
pig tails” 100 times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naomi wrote
something else 100 times…….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Naomi Marie
Faro; Naomi Marie Faro; Naomi Marie Faro.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And now guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She now is
Naomi Marie Faro!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In
the Fall of 2018</b> John was accepted at the University of Cincinnati Medical
School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naomi quit her job and looked
for another one in Cincinnati.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
the job of her dreams since grade school when she would watch births on the
Life Channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was to be a Labor &
Delivery Nurse. And that’s the position
she got…….providential!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a little
girl, she was my Naomi the mouse; then Naomi the Fish when she was a varsity
swimmer at Franciscan University; now she’s Naomi the stork and before long she
will be a baseball Mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John was a catcher and later an outfielder for Gallia Academy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
people at the hospital just assumed that John and Naomi were living
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naomi simply replied: “No
we’re not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxn9Sd7rvHYAt5DeZ5dn24MSPRQvKHAPo7yA6Qc3YqgyQjoaYBZN93d5xvpv-bj2oBBmc5Yn0LFo2hK4dUfDXpq-zYMPz70fpTKUCvG72t2pIGwrKLw5-5VKU3JoXwMKbfIwjiDgM6lzG7VlwYnOv3-ttlokCJVLEtUgxU9ZH0A-jwUZm-nfrotfSrw/s720/2013%20John%20Faro%20the%20Catcher.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="805" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxn9Sd7rvHYAt5DeZ5dn24MSPRQvKHAPo7yA6Qc3YqgyQjoaYBZN93d5xvpv-bj2oBBmc5Yn0LFo2hK4dUfDXpq-zYMPz70fpTKUCvG72t2pIGwrKLw5-5VKU3JoXwMKbfIwjiDgM6lzG7VlwYnOv3-ttlokCJVLEtUgxU9ZH0A-jwUZm-nfrotfSrw/w536-h805/2013%20John%20Faro%20the%20Catcher.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">John Faro, the Gallia Academy High School Catcher
in 2013, his senior year.</span></b></div></b><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">Naomi and John often would come for dinner; Jaga
loves to cook; and John loves Jaga’s cooking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps it’s true…… “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd16coTNn2j0UO4BTc471wqWo6iIxulPZcg7H1rBOl9qbjp1RXDozXJcVlvYhRNC6cp13mdL_EuXnl_KGst9mpB9nM5r5JIL63b8xWMyox1a6fQfBRqi69QnC9t_O9G8LJJluXCL381rbiCeXeLjZHHe2QtQ7SV7dfm7fU-SZqU8Nop803fBJ05aHWlg/s959/2020%20Naomi%20&%20John%20Faro%20%20Engagement%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="640" height="714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd16coTNn2j0UO4BTc471wqWo6iIxulPZcg7H1rBOl9qbjp1RXDozXJcVlvYhRNC6cp13mdL_EuXnl_KGst9mpB9nM5r5JIL63b8xWMyox1a6fQfBRqi69QnC9t_O9G8LJJluXCL381rbiCeXeLjZHHe2QtQ7SV7dfm7fU-SZqU8Nop803fBJ05aHWlg/w477-h714/2020%20Naomi%20&%20John%20Faro%20%20Engagement%20(3).jpg" width="477" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">And finally he proposed and she said “Yes” at
the Bob Evans Pond in Rio Grande, Ohio.
We'll have to put a monument there to mark the spot on the shores of the
Bob Evans Farm Pond.</span></b></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> Finally, --I guess some three years since
they discovered each other in Pittsburgh--, Naomi began to wonder: “When is
John going to propose?” Finally that
summer they were over at our house and took a walk. I knew something was up because a week or two
earlier this third year medical student, like a true gentleman, asked me for
Naomi’s hand. They went all the way to
the pond on the Bob Evans Farm, a recent donation to the University of Rio
Grande. They came back excited,
particularly Naomi to tell us the big news.
He finally proposed! Now we’ll
have to put a monument on the spot on the banks of the Bob Evans Farm Pond
where John proposed to Naomi and Naomi said yes on June 20, 2020.</span><o:p></o:p></p><span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> Medical School with its demanding
clinicals made a Fall 2020 or a Spring 2021 wedding impossible. However, since John had the between semesters
Christmas break, they set December 28, 2020 as the wedding date. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> John had to leave his former apartment
because the lease was up in August.
Naomi found an apartment for the both of them, but could not occupy it
since John needed a place to live and they weren’t married yet. She found a Solomonic solution. Her cousin John & Ann Sebastian
graciously allowed her to stay with them for those few months before marriage
and their daughter Kate, away at school, let Naomi occupy her room. Thank you John and Naomi for doing it the
right way and waiting. You won’t regret
it. Thank you for being counter cultural
in our oversexed society. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">They had big plans…….big wedding reception at
Rhinegeist, a Cincinnati brewery; and honeymoon in Cancún, a resort city on the
pacific coast of Mexico in the dead of winter.
However, the ugly monster, Covid-19 crawled onto the scene, eager to
destroy those big plans and dreams. Many
of those invited to the wedding did not “save the date”, December 28, 2020 for
fear of Covid. There was already a surge
that summer and another was expected during the Thanksgiving and Christmas
season. Even most of the relatives, who
attended Stephanie & Daniel’s wedding a year before in Dallas, sent their
regrets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>The
couple thus had to adapt</b> and settle for a wedding only attended by immediate
family, the wedding party, and close friends.
Naomi canceled the brewery venue and fought for a refund of the
deposit. Since the medical school
forbade any of its students to leave the country, they had to cancel the
honeymoon in Cancún, but the agency insisted on only giving them credit for
another date before his internship and residency begin. Disneyworld served as a substitute. The honeymooners did make Cancún a second honeymoon during a break before their
May 1, 2022 graduation almost 16 months after their wedding, but we're getting ahead
of ourselves. Let’s get back to December
2020.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxPG804d8pkeD23Ane0i05mJiQVMOVL1DUAZQGPfFA9T_nWeHtH5TsvCchhomGqObhp1J5NPcffNuYDZu_ZjuFHwn0DtEx-dqaQgOxwkpAZjhsGPshmaqRiy5RxCxid_kgNQeYp0mYCpxGgUn5sdKAMJRHrLndfcblIwKvDZ0os_1hION-P6N8HvR2g/s1632/IMG_1705.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxPG804d8pkeD23Ane0i05mJiQVMOVL1DUAZQGPfFA9T_nWeHtH5TsvCchhomGqObhp1J5NPcffNuYDZu_ZjuFHwn0DtEx-dqaQgOxwkpAZjhsGPshmaqRiy5RxCxid_kgNQeYp0mYCpxGgUn5sdKAMJRHrLndfcblIwKvDZ0os_1hION-P6N8HvR2g/w651-h489/IMG_1705.JPG" width="651" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The table is set for the elves on Christmas Eve. </b><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s the gourmet healthy food
dinner table, featuring Spaghetti Pie, at the Elves themed Bridal Shower
for Naomi, the future bride. </span></b></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> <b>On December 24 Stephanie, the Maid of Honor, threw a
bridal shower</b> for her sister at our home in Rio Grande on the eastern side of
the state of Ohio. With Covid dominating the world, it was just
family. Uncle John, Aunt Kathleen, and
Naomi’s cousins attended via Zoom from Chicago. Stephanie decorated our home with Elves from the movie, "A Christmas Story" as the theme.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCISIdAFxlnaPMOQE8oaBma5emJaiJx1INJ5BgdsjPpNeKsr8iAIDEZvvIB-bb_FebpZac_Zu6wCNF9uNEEOkk-tIxu9aYWu-_yXSwGEiUzMDIKOzpK8rp6F9Eu0OU6uDwbBrFqFThpglxL3D17_3328ck8ndnq6supcAfcOR1dPyPQH-U33OSxrgknA/s1632/IMG_1711.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="1224" height="758" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCISIdAFxlnaPMOQE8oaBma5emJaiJx1INJ5BgdsjPpNeKsr8iAIDEZvvIB-bb_FebpZac_Zu6wCNF9uNEEOkk-tIxu9aYWu-_yXSwGEiUzMDIKOzpK8rp6F9Eu0OU6uDwbBrFqFThpglxL3D17_3328ck8ndnq6supcAfcOR1dPyPQH-U33OSxrgknA/w568-h758/IMG_1711.JPG" width="568" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><b>These elves love each other. The love birds enjoying the Bridal Shower together and Naomi, the Queen of the Elves, is the star of the show. </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;">Here they are, two elves, the
future bride (Naomi) and groom (John) in their costumes, eating their
spaghetti pie with the wedding just a month away. </span></b></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqcoG01vadMRmzO6PNZOCZ7LRtfLc2PVkl8i8CPnHDVuZslRxekfi26PeELUIGM1QIIULp0f0bDPbjtwHf1LuJBA3M8U0nRzsRJcWHC_4---78Ctqc2R_FEyIgAqxLMB9MikC8t24KPjLIHF-sUh4qXpUaqveVooM-zhBKFEezEKuV8Ac4wZqlcfJrg/s1632/IMG_1713.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqcoG01vadMRmzO6PNZOCZ7LRtfLc2PVkl8i8CPnHDVuZslRxekfi26PeELUIGM1QIIULp0f0bDPbjtwHf1LuJBA3M8U0nRzsRJcWHC_4---78Ctqc2R_FEyIgAqxLMB9MikC8t24KPjLIHF-sUh4qXpUaqveVooM-zhBKFEezEKuV8Ac4wZqlcfJrg/w648-h486/IMG_1713.JPG" width="648" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Big brother, John-Paul and his mother, Jaga are conversing in the midst of the Bridal Shower of gifts. </b></span><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">John Faro, the groom elf, and Naomi the bride to be elf are taking it all in on the recliner. </span></span></b><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">It just happens to be Christmas Eve as well. Naomi and her three siblings grew up in this house. </b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> <b>Naomi's friends had a Bachelorette Party</b>, socializing and playing games on the night before the wedding in an Air B & B. </span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> Our family and spouses stayed at an Air B
& B that Naomi arranged. It
consisted of four bedrooms, one for each couple on the nights of December 27
& 28. It was the top floor of an old
mansion with a fridge and kitchen to cook meals.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1ludtV0mWPcDqkxI8sslRwZJBQDknDKayR6x57LyVTc3Ays6_mtWeKSTYw0_6P1-TuL40xnxpVLFxPow5OGLAAUdNZIS7xWJeqIHZqAVrRwDeELMR5JQTv-l5nEeYKvAkO3Z5FxpCG1-Ol9WLAvPbRo9FUzxGkmsIIpphf1mjgnfKDfrTkEhunfd1Q/s1600/Will%20Glass%20Slipper%20Fit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="705" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1ludtV0mWPcDqkxI8sslRwZJBQDknDKayR6x57LyVTc3Ays6_mtWeKSTYw0_6P1-TuL40xnxpVLFxPow5OGLAAUdNZIS7xWJeqIHZqAVrRwDeELMR5JQTv-l5nEeYKvAkO3Z5FxpCG1-Ol9WLAvPbRo9FUzxGkmsIIpphf1mjgnfKDfrTkEhunfd1Q/w469-h705/Will%20Glass%20Slipper%20Fit.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Getting
ready. Big sister Stephanie,
representing Prince John, administers the test.
Will the glass slipper fit?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTHkuybyK_-UXAxKpoY6zUoHy_C3p63d6wjO9RFgxij_VoGndfWZPt1-Q8UWXA3M9l7LkHAQzWpJcdVLZbe5Ai_fDl9qj8oVM9X8H6TA_9CIzv7v22ORBcpHWHFRmtQJLv3WT8bUaUZ3ufrK1UYd7MznGCrnlBG6aftY6rsF8YrvUjTRbxfO1Xd0Hzg/s1600/Mother%20Approves%20Daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="751" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTHkuybyK_-UXAxKpoY6zUoHy_C3p63d6wjO9RFgxij_VoGndfWZPt1-Q8UWXA3M9l7LkHAQzWpJcdVLZbe5Ai_fDl9qj8oVM9X8H6TA_9CIzv7v22ORBcpHWHFRmtQJLv3WT8bUaUZ3ufrK1UYd7MznGCrnlBG6aftY6rsF8YrvUjTRbxfO1Xd0Hzg/w500-h751/Mother%20Approves%20Daughter.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The
wedding day has finally arrived. The
bride is ready for the big ceremony and Mama Jaga approves as she did so many
times since the time when Naomi was a little girl. Don't they both look gorgeous? Now it's a matter of getting her to the
church on time.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhTqSBbxXVtPCLNEr1Dg6kqRQHGkSQgR2yb1_XDppzLKMdHIy5nn4Tgzb6STzOj-zh9Ad-KfE4-brg5liq3xcRKI0x1ogT_cNiyOF10tn46CO3b4Q_PlQ4m0ca9StYW4p_t1ah4Ja4me8D6r3OATu27t_H-Yim4oNNWTym9GT08Ewy8vMnm3LEDwulw/s1600/Cover%20Girl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhTqSBbxXVtPCLNEr1Dg6kqRQHGkSQgR2yb1_XDppzLKMdHIy5nn4Tgzb6STzOj-zh9Ad-KfE4-brg5liq3xcRKI0x1ogT_cNiyOF10tn46CO3b4Q_PlQ4m0ca9StYW4p_t1ah4Ja4me8D6r3OATu27t_H-Yim4oNNWTym9GT08Ewy8vMnm3LEDwulw/w519-h781/Cover%20Girl.jpg" width="519" /></a></div><br /></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Great
for the cover of Vogue Magazine!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b>The beautiful and large St. Mary’s
Church in Cincinnati was the wedding site</b> and the parish took care of the
marriage preparation although a more thorough prep and wedding rehearsal would
have been better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naomi’s favorite
uncle, Deacon John Sebastian would marry them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite being high risk for the disease, Covid or no Covid, both John
and his wife Kathleen made it from Chicago just in time ……..reminiscent of the
Broadway play, “My Fair Lady”………. “Get them to the church; get them to the
church on time”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For fear of Covid which
would have been very serious due to an underlying medical condition, Kathleen
wouldn't let me hug her as a greeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Zg4vG3mA1aBnx6wDvZWetsotefQiOeG4df4_0plJrISPYHUy0SMRbhiYU86vxTpmIOvna0wfojx_hM8XKJbcAx-GDTwRRkgszHHLL4O_lgWun2oz8wH3nJOyfsCtfoxGNYq6jQJvNrdDyPlkji0e2RWMnZjuY-O2P9Uftl3ySOeM_83j8mSmLizqQ/s1600/Father%20Bringing%20Daughter.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Zg4vG3mA1aBnx6wDvZWetsotefQiOeG4df4_0plJrISPYHUy0SMRbhiYU86vxTpmIOvna0wfojx_hM8XKJbcAx-GDTwRRkgszHHLL4O_lgWun2oz8wH3nJOyfsCtfoxGNYq6jQJvNrdDyPlkji0e2RWMnZjuY-O2P9Uftl3ySOeM_83j8mSmLizqQ/w647-h430/Father%20Bringing%20Daughter.jpg" width="647" /></a></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">A
father's last time with his daughter as a single girl. Since she was born on my birthday in 1994,
she was the best birthday gift I ever had and I was supposed to give her away.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Are you kidding me?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><p></p><p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span> </span>Now that their day had come, I was asked
to give my daughter away. Are you
kidding me? No way. I wouldn’t give my daughter away to anybody. Anyhow, she’s not mine to give. </span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MuWYElSSlfS6h-BLvgHXkB43lc0i1oNYqQyUgdPaDNgzQtXYLYK3cfhLOAMryBZJquAQzLoWudr_n7PoKZHAclLj70kArRFdfWrxPtDtaDXAmA6DUhXT97OaA_jZeVjVcM1uGZxYiIuGslqHSauIsJ4l7uixJGaDWwwwALBPYbvryxHw3c5uZWHpuA/s1600/Entrusting%20the%20Bride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MuWYElSSlfS6h-BLvgHXkB43lc0i1oNYqQyUgdPaDNgzQtXYLYK3cfhLOAMryBZJquAQzLoWudr_n7PoKZHAclLj70kArRFdfWrxPtDtaDXAmA6DUhXT97OaA_jZeVjVcM1uGZxYiIuGslqHSauIsJ4l7uixJGaDWwwwALBPYbvryxHw3c5uZWHpuA/w631-h419/Entrusting%20the%20Bride.jpg" width="631" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I deliver Naomi safe and sound to
John Faro in the presence of her Uncle John Sebastian, the masked deacon during
a nation wide surge of the Covid-19 virus. </span></b></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><span> "</span>John, I entrust Naomi to you........I
trust that you will give yourself completely to her and she will
reciprocate. I trust that you would be
willing to die for her. I trust that you
will always be faithful, you exclusively for her and she exclusively for
you. I trust that your Naomi & the
family that the Lord gives you will always be number one in your life over
career and avocations, even if you become a world renowned doctor and I think
that’s very possible. You are a
tremendously hard worker."<o:p></o:p></span></p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></b></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-byh40xgmgZyu8Sc9b5aJninWLoCKkQilIfksVXSA77CweVUh64WB8MnmneGwq3uvYrkgC8XoEERBgrVIs5lxQBF9N2RFIQMxLVFijLCRrC79azBLznH9sKVZ3RSWg74wK8AkQ2flmO2IKUgUQPXwotWkAYgCzdKbTFqkw4ncRH8kFmyaFJS6aKUORQ/s1600/Blessing%20the%20Rings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-byh40xgmgZyu8Sc9b5aJninWLoCKkQilIfksVXSA77CweVUh64WB8MnmneGwq3uvYrkgC8XoEERBgrVIs5lxQBF9N2RFIQMxLVFijLCRrC79azBLznH9sKVZ3RSWg74wK8AkQ2flmO2IKUgUQPXwotWkAYgCzdKbTFqkw4ncRH8kFmyaFJS6aKUORQ/w581-h874/Blessing%20the%20Rings.jpg" width="581" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Deacon
John Sebastian blesses the rings the couple exchanged. Each said I do and are now Mr. and Mrs. Faro.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> It
was an honor to have my younger brother and Naomi’s favorite Uncle, Deacon John
as the celebrant. Twenty years before
little Naomi loved to play “Paddy Cake” with her Uncle John. Who would have dreamed at the time that Uncle
John would someday be the celebrant at her wedding with another John? The Deacon smoothly went through the wedding
ceremony and gave a beautiful homily. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;">See the complete text in the appendix. </span></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMjMFQfJtv0FplAOxmHXN7U6ywib7rRHZaN6dI2gxxCX1ZpafCvNt1LZQ5zzn56T2oFMHW1jlcyVxpZxF9nQmw0HN3bRtNC1WjpX1ydXddirps-KiWSQJbbmOyBbV0bdd7kzQsvF3Y9rRQjF4BmXn1H0zV7dGghaU9fm6KoLytH0ecytb_z0fLkhv_Q/s1600/Now%20One%20As%20Man%20&%20Wife.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMjMFQfJtv0FplAOxmHXN7U6ywib7rRHZaN6dI2gxxCX1ZpafCvNt1LZQ5zzn56T2oFMHW1jlcyVxpZxF9nQmw0HN3bRtNC1WjpX1ydXddirps-KiWSQJbbmOyBbV0bdd7kzQsvF3Y9rRQjF4BmXn1H0zV7dGghaU9fm6KoLytH0ecytb_z0fLkhv_Q/w656-h437/Now%20One%20As%20Man%20&%20Wife.jpg" width="656" /></a></div><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Now One as Man and Wife</span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">We have been blessed with wonderful neighbors on both sides and back of us.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Naomi would</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">baby sit for the Shenks’ three cute daughters.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Mother and daughters were dying to see their babysitter get married.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Even though Naomi and John had to cut the invitations down to relatives and close friends, Amber and the girls still made it, driving three hours from the other side of the state near the Ohio River to our surprise and delight.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Thank you so much for doing that, Amber.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><pre style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b>Now Married</b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurapwfb_7o_KyrT6BhCL42ns3iueBpwX6fiL5ErcJMACbb-wioqew7LAefv1t4Pl7UrSniWlpRqJ-28-yXbMZCJ21rsdjJnoCH8NK9GDFVtpBIedKs26l7GDM-oLlFI5G8zSAn7lQN57WXX4NCYrhp5lX0erDQObPXhk7Qch4JDTnU_AuKNNv_IU6Aw/s1600/New%20Sebastian%20Family.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurapwfb_7o_KyrT6BhCL42ns3iueBpwX6fiL5ErcJMACbb-wioqew7LAefv1t4Pl7UrSniWlpRqJ-28-yXbMZCJ21rsdjJnoCH8NK9GDFVtpBIedKs26l7GDM-oLlFI5G8zSAn7lQN57WXX4NCYrhp5lX0erDQObPXhk7Qch4JDTnU_AuKNNv_IU6Aw/w659-h438/New%20Sebastian%20Family.jpg" width="659" /></a></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The Sebastian Family has increased by one with the
addition of John Faro for a total of nine. From left to right are Joseph, John-Paul and his wife Elizabeth, The bride and the groom (Naomi and John) are flanked by Paul, the father of the bride and Jaga, her mother. Daniel and his wife Stephanie are on the extreme right.</span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><b></b></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyJNvgqk1UKIYrklpjq14fgjBz8U_OfgSFqNcUTZya8hX660ah9NOK7PmacuQ9lN0PQ76W5LvACyrccOQvAYDuQchl1mTrEqmecch8K9R732KyTSjjFOwmIIwvgvnqXJdyzop8oiA4jClVE2CzzIuMlELNCAZbR5lkqFByBcR4O6UlUpxbaDHJa8aAw/s1600/New%20Faro%20Family.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyJNvgqk1UKIYrklpjq14fgjBz8U_OfgSFqNcUTZya8hX660ah9NOK7PmacuQ9lN0PQ76W5LvACyrccOQvAYDuQchl1mTrEqmecch8K9R732KyTSjjFOwmIIwvgvnqXJdyzop8oiA4jClVE2CzzIuMlELNCAZbR5lkqFByBcR4O6UlUpxbaDHJa8aAw/w655-h437/New%20Faro%20Family.jpg" width="655" /></a></b></span></span></span></div><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><b><br /><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><b style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The Faro Family has increased by one with the
addition of Naomi Sebastian Faro for a total of eight. Soon it will be nine with the addition of
Sachel now fiancé of DJ. From left to
right are DJ, Kim, Dr. David Faro and his new daughter (in-law) Naomi, the
groom John, his mother Beverly, Josh, and Jacob.</span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span><span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSlXWJ1FS2eDBHHtrGFna7_dL1Byb3wiIYQkskSKBFOM__an4gQaWqHuDDysKw7h8iuHoQxFySa-HMxvfzlp_HdMZnD35B3JarfirerjLeAEhPBPL6pN31IECSNiq7EPbEBzJQ42D1Jp9intJiuNMg0lwQDnd6mDXQCDBdjXRiEk1Rl3gJ1GxXbAqUQ/s1600/New%20Extended%20Family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSlXWJ1FS2eDBHHtrGFna7_dL1Byb3wiIYQkskSKBFOM__an4gQaWqHuDDysKw7h8iuHoQxFySa-HMxvfzlp_HdMZnD35B3JarfirerjLeAEhPBPL6pN31IECSNiq7EPbEBzJQ42D1Jp9intJiuNMg0lwQDnd6mDXQCDBdjXRiEk1Rl3gJ1GxXbAqUQ/w626-h416/New%20Extended%20Family.jpg" width="626" /></a></span></span></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">One new extended family all together. Naomi and John are the links which make the
Faros and the Sebastians one grand extended family. On the extreme right are Sachel, DJ’s fiancé then
and wife now and Allison who, since a little girl, was like a member of the
Faro family.</span></b></span></span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Internetlink"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span><span class="Internetlink"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us not forget the members of the extended families who preceded Naomi and John. Surely they have had a significant influence on the lives of both. Let us recognize them through the wedding photos of the parents of Naomi and John. </span></span></p><pre style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: 201.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span class="Internetlink"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></pre><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span><span class="Internetlink"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya__tupAr2jaudY9ZbI8NDh6iF_EX_PvCrKZRodUGiG7UcmSVvB8fX7fXGXBIMS5Py0FaWy70DS8vCNgNl8ZhwTfAN_GqxXagVijgbkHwr-so7V3qAFY-5opmi_bwJJTO0j19g7E0A9GSb7Scn9YvE1P4Dj1KyJTZayB9idPpdEgJXYfglu5oP4tHEA/s930/+1988%20Jaga%20&%20Paul.jpg" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="930" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya__tupAr2jaudY9ZbI8NDh6iF_EX_PvCrKZRodUGiG7UcmSVvB8fX7fXGXBIMS5Py0FaWy70DS8vCNgNl8ZhwTfAN_GqxXagVijgbkHwr-so7V3qAFY-5opmi_bwJJTO0j19g7E0A9GSb7Scn9YvE1P4Dj1KyJTZayB9idPpdEgJXYfglu5oP4tHEA/w632-h366/+1988%20Jaga%20&%20Paul.jpg" width="632" /></a></p><p class="Standard" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Three
people in this August 13, 1988 wedding photo of Naomi's’s parents Paul &
Jaga Sebastian are no longer with us, but were present at the wedding of John and Naomi
in spirit. Many of the invited extended
family did not attend because of a Covid surge towards the end of the year, but
were also there in spirit. From left to right
are Nicole Sebastian Peeney, Frederyka Kasprowicz Gajda (Jaga’s mother, now
deceased), John Sebastian (Paul’s younger brother), Dr. Stephanie Mihalich
Sebastian (Naomi’s grandmother, now deceased), John Victor Sebastian II, Mark
Sebastian, Jaga & Paul Sebastian, Michelle Sebastian Gleason, Frederick
Sebastian (Paul’s youngest brother who never married, now deceased), and
Kathleen Marks Sebastian (John’s wife). Josef Gajda, Jaga's father could not make it and Dr. John J.S. Sebastian, Paul's father had died nine years earlier in 1979. Among the fruits of the marriage of Paul and Jaga is the beautiful
bride, Naomi. We are looking forward to
the fruits of the marriage of Naomi and John.
Look who has the grey hair now.
Time marches on until we’re all together again for that big party in
Heaven. You’re all invited; MAKE SURE
YOU GET THERE.</span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZckIoE61x3vcBt39lPwM4wbdBHmcxczd4t7CQ6VlRI29sRgGKXkH9CguOjMVq-i05kVgMUxl6eWDJ8LpqzEy69yY1Wg57fv0gA0-ZGUP4vprzNvY-fVhLQ6XNHoi1J4LT0R8OCzyAjutoJpNplbyZKv1-5mw240e1Vuap6O2GHED1sX_2OQCA5vjOg/s12917/2020%20David%20&%20Beverly''s%20Wedding%201988%20Byrnes%20Side.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="9916" data-original-width="12917" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiZckIoE61x3vcBt39lPwM4wbdBHmcxczd4t7CQ6VlRI29sRgGKXkH9CguOjMVq-i05kVgMUxl6eWDJ8LpqzEy69yY1Wg57fv0gA0-ZGUP4vprzNvY-fVhLQ6XNHoi1J4LT0R8OCzyAjutoJpNplbyZKv1-5mw240e1Vuap6O2GHED1sX_2OQCA5vjOg/w621-h478/2020%20David%20&%20Beverly''s%20Wedding%201988%20Byrnes%20Side.jpg" width="621" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Byrnes side of the newly extended Faro family after the wedding of John's parents, Dr. David &
Beverly Faro in 1989. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the front row from left to right
are <b>Leo Leslie</b>, Ken Byrnes, Mark
Diffendal, Shirley Fleming, Michelle Raubach, Tim Byrnes II, Beverly Salamon, and
<b>Chris Faro</b>. In the back row are <b>Steve Faro</b>, Joyce (Joy) Ward, Beverly Faro, David Faro, <b>Lynn King</b>, Tim Byrnes, Sarah Faro. The names in bold are deceased. May they rest in peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span><span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZLqS4xdm5nVq_TDRTtp1rvIhazkOpP6gbg9zJB38-dg1h96L7VstSiIMH0Ck9cxykkAdX9Ij_tNw9WNuq2GUNDjJb2tC9peeSuBqLSv6e-ILJubBN1HFPVbHAEniHhD4thTeUNeqbt6Rqf8esuN2HDtOT9FjPL1qCX87zgwJ1lzEsr5kFL-YEJ9C4g/s1533/2020%20David%20&%20Beverly''s%20Wedding%201988%20Faro%20Side.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1533" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZLqS4xdm5nVq_TDRTtp1rvIhazkOpP6gbg9zJB38-dg1h96L7VstSiIMH0Ck9cxykkAdX9Ij_tNw9WNuq2GUNDjJb2tC9peeSuBqLSv6e-ILJubBN1HFPVbHAEniHhD4thTeUNeqbt6Rqf8esuN2HDtOT9FjPL1qCX87zgwJ1lzEsr5kFL-YEJ9C4g/w627-h441/2020%20David%20&%20Beverly''s%20Wedding%201988%20Faro%20Side.jpg" width="627" /></a></span></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Faro side of the newly extended Faro family after the wedding of John's parents, Dr. David &
Beverly Faro in 1989. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">In the f</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ront row from left to
right are <b>Chris Faro</b>, Kathy Faro, <b>Lorraine Ramey</b>, <b>Steve Faro</b>. The back row
includes <b>Norman Faro</b>, Dianne Faro,
Beverly Faro, David Faro, Sarah Faro. The
names in bold are deceased. May they
rest in peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiohmRJUTwRuBQOxWSdoSVNdsQI-qcqbR4CI9jnPBXMfR910X5ejXI9TlXLThxFu5qfua_FAhDCsT9vD2vPfM6-CScCVnpdD5xA8N6Gl4Bvhs2QcRh6-YEO4R9d0Z8OYoi420n_2rA2NMBfpuZ5r8thY5LfKVu0m46wr7BJ8E50GBClhlffmS4lM8ZHA/s1600/Bridemaids.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiohmRJUTwRuBQOxWSdoSVNdsQI-qcqbR4CI9jnPBXMfR910X5ejXI9TlXLThxFu5qfua_FAhDCsT9vD2vPfM6-CScCVnpdD5xA8N6Gl4Bvhs2QcRh6-YEO4R9d0Z8OYoi420n_2rA2NMBfpuZ5r8thY5LfKVu0m46wr7BJ8E50GBClhlffmS4lM8ZHA/w653-h434/Bridemaids.jpg" width="653" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Internetlink"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">The beautiful bride and her lovely bridesmaids. From left to right are </span></b></span><span class="Internetlink"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">Elizabeth Feudo Stroka, Nicole Baker Love, Kierstin Baucom, Naomi the
bride, Stephanie Sebastian Spiotta (Maid of Honor), Elizabeth Herrera
Sebastian, Martha Menefee, and Kimberly Faro.</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Internetlink"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;"><br /></span></b></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuNN202GxS3xOEKCUlb1p9HA8BMPQwCzffXVm5_3QViCxKl0q2__VDYrNwWA0fu-2k60Ds1aYRswLGmQ9EGwmhZjyasDJWfjfpXqMaqeJQH9OYfJ91w4RR8-PWsOE1vDoB3vByndoSGFTJqljA7W0a7OYF1_UItb4NR_mRE5Aq20WhU9RfJGe2IS-dw/s1600/Studs%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuNN202GxS3xOEKCUlb1p9HA8BMPQwCzffXVm5_3QViCxKl0q2__VDYrNwWA0fu-2k60Ds1aYRswLGmQ9EGwmhZjyasDJWfjfpXqMaqeJQH9OYfJ91w4RR8-PWsOE1vDoB3vByndoSGFTJqljA7W0a7OYF1_UItb4NR_mRE5Aq20WhU9RfJGe2IS-dw/w658-h439/Studs%20.jpg" width="658" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The studs ready for the draw. The groomsmen from left to right are </span><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Nathan Wiseman, Jacob
Shockey, David Faro (Best Man), the groom John Faro, Jacob Faro, Joshua
Faro, John-Paul Sebastian, and Joseph
Sebastian.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyIBF_sQKFRHRMluOjzxs4-NoJ8naC2m7KOBOTYzh_Qs2QMDRPHjQ-S1EWSkxZ-ct2v1HC-YUSkc3NWIn6mZfgjsas0I8RVAScvOWfq1UhYuRF9rG5xaaYL92mgvwsa_ommkcz5Ibh5cHhNyR23O89Lc9alnJjmPxhgGEVtYoQjTxNbGKAhqJZx_Xmw/s1600/Wedding%20Party%20Together.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyIBF_sQKFRHRMluOjzxs4-NoJ8naC2m7KOBOTYzh_Qs2QMDRPHjQ-S1EWSkxZ-ct2v1HC-YUSkc3NWIn6mZfgjsas0I8RVAScvOWfq1UhYuRF9rG5xaaYL92mgvwsa_ommkcz5Ibh5cHhNyR23O89Lc9alnJjmPxhgGEVtYoQjTxNbGKAhqJZx_Xmw/w643-h428/Wedding%20Party%20Together.jpg" width="643" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="PL" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The wedding party all
together from left to right: Nicole Baker Love, Martha Menefee, Kierstin
Baucom, Elizabeth Feudo Stroka, Elizabeth Herrera Sebastian, Stephanie
Sebastian Spiotta (Maid of Honor), Kimberly Faro, John Faro (the Groom), Naomi
Sebastian Faro (the Bride), Jacob Faro, David Faro (Best Man), Joshua
Faro, Jacob Shockey, Joseph Sebastian,
Nathan Wiseman, and John-Paul Sebastian.</span></b></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZKEactrMPyr2w9bIhQzZJLEiuIrBYYRSl9ERV39PWzAtBiKAr_kCDCc2T5uB3etWOi-b7X65Ojv2I0QWEzTKhHsfp88mGGyhZu1Dcf4RlidJRRkwHf3VuE2xJaupNDIeLb2kr8sMtSNZfVs-I4x-sZD7P0RPL1W2lzxG3zHZELtvwSFzOCz6OP6Y2A/s1600/Nicole%20Baker.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="717" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZKEactrMPyr2w9bIhQzZJLEiuIrBYYRSl9ERV39PWzAtBiKAr_kCDCc2T5uB3etWOi-b7X65Ojv2I0QWEzTKhHsfp88mGGyhZu1Dcf4RlidJRRkwHf3VuE2xJaupNDIeLb2kr8sMtSNZfVs-I4x-sZD7P0RPL1W2lzxG3zHZELtvwSFzOCz6OP6Y2A/w477-h717/Nicole%20Baker.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><p class="Standard" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Nicole Baker Love became the girl
next door when her family moved to Rio Grande in about 2003. They have been wonderful neighbors. Naomi and Nicole were about nine years old
and immediately became lifelong friends.
They would play with their dolls and play school. Nicole would be the teacher. They were enterprising too.......opening up a
lemonade stand in front of the Baker home on State Route 588. I was one of their first customers. They were very cute little girls then and
look at them now. Wow! Oh what God can do!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbu3Od28pCQxkN5SKDfL-qIY8XseXeMa-MkL1J1laOohbtufeu9MJpNG0YfbKv84z3ln4yC3yacqjl2xZlb3hvrSczoqODB1dzj9KSeChr-Zxcs6wm8O3nmEy8r6t0EGvM-u4xbJm-XGvFjFBe2UJfuFyPqVKS5IFRNazjRddySMrgM5LNaYSGLkFyA/s1600/Elizabeth%20Feudo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="688" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbu3Od28pCQxkN5SKDfL-qIY8XseXeMa-MkL1J1laOohbtufeu9MJpNG0YfbKv84z3ln4yC3yacqjl2xZlb3hvrSczoqODB1dzj9KSeChr-Zxcs6wm8O3nmEy8r6t0EGvM-u4xbJm-XGvFjFBe2UJfuFyPqVKS5IFRNazjRddySMrgM5LNaYSGLkFyA/w458-h688/Elizabeth%20Feudo.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Here
Naomi is with her roommate when students at Franciscan University of
Steubenville. Elizabeth Feudo Stroka was
adopted as a baby by the very loving Feudo family many years ago and she turned
into a real gem. Elizabeth has been a
graphic designer for the Archdiocese of Boston.</span></b></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VGJUygNZZNCsZMSnXncoY4X7_C_LbJ3nndr31YspuIPmYN8sc4quoZ8WRPej5dVY4_91jIm8276ZIcaJ8p7NT3P1D-UWXJKXgq0rLofsES6I7qW-_Dkbnfjos13_pStF1ab5F8Mw_Pgg7c9P0ovCFsuYuWEofDtqX2quR6NswR1Qxrbo5QIk7gRTzA/s1600/Jacob%20Schockey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VGJUygNZZNCsZMSnXncoY4X7_C_LbJ3nndr31YspuIPmYN8sc4quoZ8WRPej5dVY4_91jIm8276ZIcaJ8p7NT3P1D-UWXJKXgq0rLofsES6I7qW-_Dkbnfjos13_pStF1ab5F8Mw_Pgg7c9P0ovCFsuYuWEofDtqX2quR6NswR1Qxrbo5QIk7gRTzA/w653-h434/Jacob%20Schockey.jpg" width="653" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">A friend since childhood
Jacob Shockey turned down a scholarship to a pharmacy program and decided to
study for the holy ministry. Now he is
the campus minister for Kentucky Christian University. He is currently preparing to teach divinity
courses there as well. Rev. Shockey gave
the blessing before the wedding feast.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKxU7W5Y6e15PEfiAgFgE3TJhdrg-p_R3bVXWAMhIKFGg3sUTErv5Map2lGL8NfvYSnzOmUv-K_6d8S9tAuxfd2438SAGhOc8tOxH2iYQ7X0Rh98HxQUdRwOCM3eLD8gBbwRK1I-YfrclgxIWkqAmIuJ7Zgua15yYWfnjOksjbybNlgu2ct0VxD5QKA/s1600/Nathan%20Wiseman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="748" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKxU7W5Y6e15PEfiAgFgE3TJhdrg-p_R3bVXWAMhIKFGg3sUTErv5Map2lGL8NfvYSnzOmUv-K_6d8S9tAuxfd2438SAGhOc8tOxH2iYQ7X0Rh98HxQUdRwOCM3eLD8gBbwRK1I-YfrclgxIWkqAmIuJ7Zgua15yYWfnjOksjbybNlgu2ct0VxD5QKA/w498-h748/Nathan%20Wiseman.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Another
friend since childhood Nathan Wiseman worked in the Sports Information
departments of Michigan State and later Purdue.
Now he is the Manager of Digital Media and Content for the Columbus Blue
Jackets of the National Hockey League.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><b>The Reception</b></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAMpA4aaKOiXm2jAIqhh72V8GetQjLe_TLbMqj-hA73Dabagb7aI4C89SFnaWySIZg2eUHGvE3Fu4UAqFYwM1loaYm6-HB0KRnuSTDLu0cjmqk3XrnvvbFD621TZb42-4WQA5mvti7xw3pINLCcSqu1etMmd0wtL9ClJt3WuXDP_xA5uqnqzZNB7CQg/s1600/Carlo%20&%20Johnny's%20Reception%20Venue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAMpA4aaKOiXm2jAIqhh72V8GetQjLe_TLbMqj-hA73Dabagb7aI4C89SFnaWySIZg2eUHGvE3Fu4UAqFYwM1loaYm6-HB0KRnuSTDLu0cjmqk3XrnvvbFD621TZb42-4WQA5mvti7xw3pINLCcSqu1etMmd0wtL9ClJt3WuXDP_xA5uqnqzZNB7CQg/w644-h429/Carlo%20&%20Johnny's%20Reception%20Venue.jpg" width="644" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>The reception venue at Carlo & Johnny's</b> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> The
reception</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> was at Carlo & Johnny's, a more intimate setting
with family, wedding party, and close friends.
Those who attended knew most of the others. We had a great time. All in all, it was a unique and most
memorable wedding that no one among us will ever forget. For some interviews of those who attended go
to <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">
</span></p><p class="Standard" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F521644687%2Fd14266e365%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0WP7uR62O0FESy9saoP3GPpBA1d98oN_To_PqkJW70YEx7-BDYpciyYWc&h=AT3NdVxx1AIirvt5blRVgMzWbqiwqpsELTxplFnCwQy7eaJiMVr-V36HxqjIRK3JdfsPxZ4qvYzRCgVeFk1YrWkR64_xC1MpHPXYoZ4HQMeJ9Ks7mXFfL1inplSCGrUCygo"><span class="Internetlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA;">https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F521644687%2Fd14266e365%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0WP7uR62O0FESy9saoP3GPpBA1d98oN_To_PqkJW70YEx7-BDYpciyYWc&h=AT3NdVxx1AIirvt5blRVgMzWbqiwqpsELTxplFnCwQy7eaJiMVr-V36HxqjIRK3JdfsPxZ4qvYzRCgVeFk1YrWkR64_xC1MpHPXYoZ4HQMeJ9Ks7mXFfL1inplSCGrUCygo</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKUNXaAo16BnhzsviP1nDzLdFFkF5ohWzDmVgiplOFJTe5oHHdQAvAF6ofXQvwP-AAWfK7Tw0Ul4QlZjgFvifQr32wg-zK2Pgj9z9hFsK75E5kwKNDtEIrwHJ7tONXkTDaOo7zaRArpnJZG_57M-_eECADyIsc2II5nLpN6IjuHapeAyEypnvespD1g/s750/Bread%20for%20the%20Bride%20&%20Groom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKUNXaAo16BnhzsviP1nDzLdFFkF5ohWzDmVgiplOFJTe5oHHdQAvAF6ofXQvwP-AAWfK7Tw0Ul4QlZjgFvifQr32wg-zK2Pgj9z9hFsK75E5kwKNDtEIrwHJ7tONXkTDaOo7zaRArpnJZG_57M-_eECADyIsc2II5nLpN6IjuHapeAyEypnvespD1g/w709-h472/Bread%20for%20the%20Bride%20&%20Groom.jpg" width="709" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Starting
off a great mother and son-in-law relationship with a kiss during the bread and
salt ritual. She fell in love with John
before Naomi did.......just kidding.
They hit it off beautifully when Naomi first brought him home.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw3iG4HlzMHuecPwBxFNf19RXHUd09kZVMWplNnLuuaccdgwAWAw-GifJuauTCf3K1j3xzogmbXmKD9NwXB04wpJWmT4CDSNkpq18JI6u7CeuTVWPDIW27YFpYVj4_fLWx1hkFUf9KJzX3ZDO18Bu1lm-XX2MvsmEmoNJMmKX72L70ZZ83_cnfpFvUw/s750/Reception%20Kiss.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="750" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw3iG4HlzMHuecPwBxFNf19RXHUd09kZVMWplNnLuuaccdgwAWAw-GifJuauTCf3K1j3xzogmbXmKD9NwXB04wpJWmT4CDSNkpq18JI6u7CeuTVWPDIW27YFpYVj4_fLWx1hkFUf9KJzX3ZDO18Bu1lm-XX2MvsmEmoNJMmKX72L70ZZ83_cnfpFvUw/w649-h436/Reception%20Kiss.jpg" width="649" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">By popular demand. A wedding isn't a wedding without a big time kiss and here it is. May they never miss a good night kiss. May every argument end with a kiss.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjf9625MorQ5Ysvp51J82TEg73r9OyG0hVL4kQInNFkJ8OVl2ybwCmXTZaJOjNcRNMFR8iGLSjdKVIoTx5JJEFtCQgnIQgPoaRKRG8dOJexOvoFwBxSbXEKjmVx_ctpKjD58CL15pyBoDvNvOne3K_SG1VCv9x8k7P38K6GNC8EpIElMLj8OQFJjgRQ/s750/Cutting%20the%20Cake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjf9625MorQ5Ysvp51J82TEg73r9OyG0hVL4kQInNFkJ8OVl2ybwCmXTZaJOjNcRNMFR8iGLSjdKVIoTx5JJEFtCQgnIQgPoaRKRG8dOJexOvoFwBxSbXEKjmVx_ctpKjD58CL15pyBoDvNvOne3K_SG1VCv9x8k7P38K6GNC8EpIElMLj8OQFJjgRQ/w645-h428/Cutting%20the%20Cake.jpg" width="645" /></a></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 15pt; line-height: 107%;">A
wedding isn't a wedding without a tall sugary calorie filled cake and there it
is. </span></b></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-z0aQjw9F7Kpjfs1MuOl8Qq6n3P7wWFoM9rRC8igHKU5I-DmZ1brERVTl3X0TwaD7nZuEjd7fuItemlHOkHRZ-QIQb36FuLCPaaoX_HBw1dWpemTU5sVXrcALoUNCJcQlVwXcfNUzAqOpKcJs2ybm7tX-8i31ykAqhYvKI3Q6ih35Asi_UKJGa9pBQ/s750/Cake%20Battle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-z0aQjw9F7Kpjfs1MuOl8Qq6n3P7wWFoM9rRC8igHKU5I-DmZ1brERVTl3X0TwaD7nZuEjd7fuItemlHOkHRZ-QIQb36FuLCPaaoX_HBw1dWpemTU5sVXrcALoUNCJcQlVwXcfNUzAqOpKcJs2ybm7tX-8i31ykAqhYvKI3Q6ih35Asi_UKJGa9pBQ/w632-h421/Cake%20Battle.jpg" width="632" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Who
won that battle? May they constantly
feed each other physically and spiritually and give themselves completely to
each other for many, many years in constant self-giving love until death do
they part. That's what Christian
marriage is all about. It's mutual
sanctification. </span></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdmr29LPFgg4fB9cq6QCChpEh14KpP6dRtco8eQxPMQRe0B59AbqgRZBbv7uO72iE5bidz9xyVayJw8CIeXVeBwRT7ZC6VcBjT-GO8QwZTD_xKDzOJRe0QHO38KJW_ERMY8sUhEF5NJrNAb6amDMyw8j3Gz3ii6CgN7SLmLHQg9J14SLEYdXFbRw42g/s1124/Danced%20All%20Night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="750" height="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdmr29LPFgg4fB9cq6QCChpEh14KpP6dRtco8eQxPMQRe0B59AbqgRZBbv7uO72iE5bidz9xyVayJw8CIeXVeBwRT7ZC6VcBjT-GO8QwZTD_xKDzOJRe0QHO38KJW_ERMY8sUhEF5NJrNAb6amDMyw8j3Gz3ii6CgN7SLmLHQg9J14SLEYdXFbRw42g/w469-h700/Danced%20All%20Night.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">And
they could have danced all night!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyek8Ud1xdLqAcmGIjgZynX0_Y4TvWhQXhCSHdctxMWq4V-ISiL8YGjrZ2FPH8Hl0o7LDq7TmqRglwaWj5eBZ2aQloNigzyJPSh_aLP_2LGUhreWVMuJ8tVZ3tQCdGA6y0J1Sz7i1xpIbaYBYssZsj5EFP2drX0z5yXSNE_mEwhPPTjymG-CHPM9cSvg/s1600/Sheriff%20Byrnes%20&%20Daughter%20Josephine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="710" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyek8Ud1xdLqAcmGIjgZynX0_Y4TvWhQXhCSHdctxMWq4V-ISiL8YGjrZ2FPH8Hl0o7LDq7TmqRglwaWj5eBZ2aQloNigzyJPSh_aLP_2LGUhreWVMuJ8tVZ3tQCdGA6y0J1Sz7i1xpIbaYBYssZsj5EFP2drX0z5yXSNE_mEwhPPTjymG-CHPM9cSvg/w472-h710/Sheriff%20Byrnes%20&%20Daughter%20Josephine.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Sheriff
Jim Byrnes and his beautiful daughter Josephine made it all the way from
California.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></span><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="Standard"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">What
makes this wedding feast so special was the people who did come, Covid or no
Covid</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Were it not for Covid, we
would have family and friends coming from all over the country.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Still Sheriff Jim Byrnes and his lovely
daughter Josephine made it all the way from the left coast.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpuOtKqQm9cLEul5_BbbDyApfTeycSP20gVQtSrzUzH7eI5y1ijzBFmqyqYdGahY1vLd1kVBfq-z8UAP_tZf69L_9EctkIWVH5gi8cbHbFudWviA60tvkeA__lmLrbI7ayHgmYzE2EmOPYd6qgMbfUiVff66odDxDMparjGsIn1RJuO2Ibk0mn37ToA/s750/Old%20Photos%20of%20John%20&%20Naomi%20on%20the%20Big%20Screen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpuOtKqQm9cLEul5_BbbDyApfTeycSP20gVQtSrzUzH7eI5y1ijzBFmqyqYdGahY1vLd1kVBfq-z8UAP_tZf69L_9EctkIWVH5gi8cbHbFudWviA60tvkeA__lmLrbI7ayHgmYzE2EmOPYd6qgMbfUiVff66odDxDMparjGsIn1RJuO2Ibk0mn37ToA/w633-h476/Old%20Photos%20of%20John%20&%20Naomi%20on%20the%20Big%20Screen.jpg" width="633" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> We
all enjoyed some old pictures of John and Naomi on the big screen.</span></b></div><p class="Standard" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite all of the obstacles, it was a beautiful
wedding. A surprising number of people
attended, but some excused themselves from the reception because of Covid fears. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard"><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tmm4JGZ33yDeJnjYHpIV7TfBqjEL62fMfe8VhOSmj9JNt4tohyT4xaTJHbNn1gzPvbHx-WwRdGq2J2S0J4DVaU_bDju_A0Tk3BT5adUdFGxCrnVCTzd-VSMXOUnM1yRSua3SZ2yLOdYXkaYcTGHpbhkFznDOFcnO3bxOeD9UnEwxj2cHEZD-LbYKBA/s1072/Mother%20&%20Son%20Dancing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="750" height="655" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tmm4JGZ33yDeJnjYHpIV7TfBqjEL62fMfe8VhOSmj9JNt4tohyT4xaTJHbNn1gzPvbHx-WwRdGq2J2S0J4DVaU_bDju_A0Tk3BT5adUdFGxCrnVCTzd-VSMXOUnM1yRSua3SZ2yLOdYXkaYcTGHpbhkFznDOFcnO3bxOeD9UnEwxj2cHEZD-LbYKBA/w459-h655/Mother%20&%20Son%20Dancing.jpg" width="459" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Here
the mother of the groom, Beverly Faro dances with her “Johnny Boy”, his boyhood
nickname. Beverly and her husband David
were certainly instrumental in the success of their son in medical school.</span></b></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">Beverly Faro, the groom’s mother, had been fighting
cancer for two years now and WINNING! She’s here too with her husband, Dr. David Faro. That woman is unsinkable. Thank you all so much for coming! You know……with all of that fear of Covid, not
one person who attended the wedding came down with Covid. Thank you, Lord!</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>But because of Covid, many backed out. It looks like the Faro side won in
attendance. We made the best out of this
and still had a great time. Whether
25,000 people attend or only 25, Mr. and Mrs. Faro are married and that’s all
that matters! It’s going to be a great
marriage! Yes? Absolutely YES! </span></div><p></p><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">
</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%;">The fact that you are here entails some sacrifice,
some risk of bad weather, and that monster, Covid. Thank you so much for being here. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> <span> Many more would have come if they could and they are here in spirit. And we know that our deceased loved ones in the Faro, Byrnes, Gajda, and Sebastian extended families are here very much in spirit such as Grandpa & Grandma Sebastian and Dziadek & Babcia Gajda. I loved Babcia Gajda; she taught Baby Stephanie how to walk and treated us like royalty in Poland. Babcia was the ideal mother-in-law. She spoke no English and I spoke no Polish and we got along great!</span> </span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">In her old age Grandma Sebastian wanted no part of any nursing home.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">So Jaga, the bride’s mother, took care of her.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">She was happy living with us and watching her four grandchildren run around from her observation post at the kitchen table by the window.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">She died in our living room, practically in Jaga’s arms at the age of 97.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">The money she saved because of Jaga’s care is financing this wedding reception.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">Without Jaga she would have been wiped out financially in a nursing home.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">So consider Grandma Sebastian as the co-hostess of this feast along with Jaga.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Give this couple, John & Naomi Faro a lot of credit</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">
for handling adversity, and bouncing with the punches. They had to be flexible
and resilient.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">They made plans for a
big wedding and a honeymoon on the beach in Cancún, México.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Since so many relatives on both sides backed
out, Naomi and John had to cancel the original reception.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Dealing with such adversity is great training
for life.</span></p><p class="Standard" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><pre style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre><pre style="background: white; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU4oDaX-gaJnhM07galzFzCLU4oZh5ck4HIUzHE0baVyJ3MUszqeCT36xDRZxu7gwjzPOSLComsy6DnDzVPW2_sLrIF_nbYBv4CPfORTni47dB9JGvBW4Hajq7bxzYdZGgxfT2Bk7MWK_zsNzXmUrLqnKkfJKh4C1KOnQGccjPml05-mklm5Rd5uThg/s1600/Leaving%20in%20Style.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU4oDaX-gaJnhM07galzFzCLU4oZh5ck4HIUzHE0baVyJ3MUszqeCT36xDRZxu7gwjzPOSLComsy6DnDzVPW2_sLrIF_nbYBv4CPfORTni47dB9JGvBW4Hajq7bxzYdZGgxfT2Bk7MWK_zsNzXmUrLqnKkfJKh4C1KOnQGccjPml05-mklm5Rd5uThg/w629-h418/Leaving%20in%20Style.jpg" width="629" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="PL" style="font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Leaving the wedding reception in style</span></b></div></span><p></p><p class="Standard" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"> See the appendix for the complete texts of the toasts and comments with photos which will be posted shortly.</span></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> For an excellent overall video, g</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 34.24px;">o to </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 34.24px;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 34.24px;"> </span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p class="Standard"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F521633711%2Fc13457b920%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3m5-IlZjUlz7gLFMQ8COFD_NtDKLmGhNb2pnHEVW3eV41YlkPEoGYJ5iE&h=AT3NdVxx1AIirvt5blRVgMzWbqiwqpsELTxplFnCwQy7eaJiMVr-36HxqjIRK3JdfsPxZ4qvYzRCgVeFk1YrWkR64_xC1MpHPXYoZ4HQMeJ9Ks7mXFfL1inplSCGrUCygo">https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F521633711%2Fc13457b920%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3m5-IlZjUlz7gLFMQ8COFD_NtDKLmGhNb2pnHEVW3eV41YlkPEoGYJ5iE&h=AT3NdVxx1AIirvt5blRVgMzWbqiwqpsELTxplFnCwQy7eaJiMVr-36HxqjIRK3JdfsPxZ4qvYzRCgVeFk1YrWkR64_xC1MpHPXYoZ4HQMeJ9Ks7mXFfL1inplSCGrUCygo</a></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>For an album of pictures, click on</span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"></span><a href="https://olgapolo.passgallery.com/-johnnaomi/gallery"><span class="Internetlink"><span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://olgapolo.passgallery.com/-johnnaomi/gallery</span></span></span></a></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> If you haven't had enough of weddings, You might want to take another look at the weddings of our daughter Stephanie & Daniel Spiotta and our son John-Paul & Elizabeth. Go to</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">(218) Stephanie Mary Sebastian +
Daniel Joseph Spiotta: United as One in a Beautiful Traditional Yet Unique Marriage in a Latin Mass Roman Catholic
Church (A link to all wedding photos are included.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/02/218-stephanie-mary-sebastian-daniel.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/02/218-stephanie-mary-sebastian-daniel.html</span></a></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">(246) John-Paul Sebastian + Elizabeth
Herrera: A Man of Polish Heritage and a
Woman of Latin American Heritage Blend Into One. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #31849b; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2020/12/246-john-paul-sebastian-elizabeth-lee.html"><span style="color: #31849b;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2020/12/246-john-paul-sebastian-elizabeth-lee.html</span></a></span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></p><p class="Standard" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: xx-large;">Appendix I</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">A WEDDING TOAST BY THE FATHER OF THE GROOM</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span>By Dr. David J. Faro </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">During the Rehearsal Dinner at the Buca di Beppo Restaurant in Cincinnati </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 22.8267px;">December 27, 2020</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQTNm9qH1zw-TvSapCFaH7FzOGRjf65YSMP0iw37H0DgeuMgC1LmAqMznlSB75t3dutQ-Gr3T0_MHak-icFoEY0DKvPfRRSG8rWB_zCgA3fUrkuJlbJYlY5qa69k6RCiJm7M3VaALz2jc9GEoOjG8eYxkoDR2KeWvA0V3IR4Yyp2eLqX3sLWmuX0Arg/s1600/David%20&%20Beverly%20Faro%20With%20a%20New%20Daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQTNm9qH1zw-TvSapCFaH7FzOGRjf65YSMP0iw37H0DgeuMgC1LmAqMznlSB75t3dutQ-Gr3T0_MHak-icFoEY0DKvPfRRSG8rWB_zCgA3fUrkuJlbJYlY5qa69k6RCiJm7M3VaALz2jc9GEoOjG8eYxkoDR2KeWvA0V3IR4Yyp2eLqX3sLWmuX0Arg/w643-h428/David%20&%20Beverly%20Faro%20With%20a%20New%20Daughter.jpg" width="643" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Dr. David J Faro with his son John and new daughter, Naomi along with his wife Beverly.</b></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder as I stand</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are the words that I can say<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To bless this happy couple<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And to start them on their way<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What insights can I offer</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">During a year that's so bizarre<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To help them understand<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">How really fortunate they are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Every wedding day is special<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But this one's special plenty<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">It will be a mark of pride<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To say you wed in 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">When he said that love was patient<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">As he said that love was kind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">This must have been the kind of
year<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">That St. Paul had in mind<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And because you've shown so much
patience<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's a promise we can make<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The challenges of wedded life<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Will be a piece of cake<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the care you give your patients<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To the young and to the old<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">A grateful God will give to you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Twenty-twenty fold<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mexico is lovely<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The water crystal clear<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But Ohio or Orlando can be magical<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Any time of year<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And speaking of romantic<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">People think of France or Rome<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But that real special place Rio<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is a lot closer to home<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The longest-lasting marriages<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Get their light and heat<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where the mighty Allegheny <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the Monongahela meet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And your Mom and I are smiling<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Cause we're tickled through and
through<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">That fate would have you meet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the place where we met, too<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm sorry that tomorrow<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Won't be quite the big affair<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">With all those happy people<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whose affection that you share<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, I'm certain that you know this<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But I want you kids to hear it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone you love (or have loved)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is with you here in spirit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Son, I need to thank you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">For all the fun we've had<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was a gift from God<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I got to be your Dad<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To see you set yourself a goal<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To focus and believe it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To find your place in medicine<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And press on to achieve it<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I promise I'll go to the gym<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">You know my spirit's willing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But seeing you develop <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is even more fulfilling<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I know that in the next few years<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">We'll see you less and less<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Working seven days a week<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can cause a little stress<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">But here's a little benefit<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">We can be thankful for<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now that you are man and wife<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">We'll see Naomi more<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you, Dear Naomi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the happiness you've brought
him<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">For all your tender wisdom<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And everything you've taught him<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the way Naomi smiles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the way Naomi cares<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shows that she's the answer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To these parents' special prayers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">May you find the
understanding <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Which surpasses any knowing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the love that you think perfect
now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amazingly, keep growing<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">May affection keep you near us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ambition, take you far<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">May you, when the time comes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Learn what a blessing children are<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">May you always live in
gratitude <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">For how God's goodness found you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And share your love of living<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">With everyone around you<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">May your futures be rewarded<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">With countless celebrations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">And tomorrow only be the first<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of many great occasions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, stand and raise a glass with
me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dear friends who fill this room<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">To Naomi and John<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The happy bride and groom</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Appendix II</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LrLb-2D91rSSv__N4Bywy7ZUgF1X3JXwidl0eeQ24ksQtOc5okCxA8eWFBvU1fohgtWpXcgsoxDuOKQNaukvrOx365TT3AMeeXOuB5lAhjUv5XRjhCpAMMtZSa8U7PA6MzkKJ0PjJV8SPOeTkRfgdY6Rzc3EW6ZhpzySygDk9WpiW4aURwrpUtZKwg/s1600/Deacon%20John.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="776" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LrLb-2D91rSSv__N4Bywy7ZUgF1X3JXwidl0eeQ24ksQtOc5okCxA8eWFBvU1fohgtWpXcgsoxDuOKQNaukvrOx365TT3AMeeXOuB5lAhjUv5XRjhCpAMMtZSa8U7PA6MzkKJ0PjJV8SPOeTkRfgdY6Rzc3EW6ZhpzySygDk9WpiW4aURwrpUtZKwg/w517-h776/Deacon%20John.jpg" width="517" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">THE MARRIAGE HOMILY</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">By the Bride's Uncle Deacon John Sebastian<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">I want to begin by asking you to think about this question: what is marriage?</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Some say marriage is a contract. Well, that’s true enough. After this ceremony, I will sign John and Naomi’s wedding license sealing the validity of the contract. But you know the definition of a contract these days, don’t you? It’s a piece of paper that parties to the contract adhere to unless they became unhappy. Then a contract is something you get out of. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In the church, marriage is much stronger than a contract.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It’s a bond, a covenant, a solemn promise made before God and all of you.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It’s so important and profound an event that, in the Catholic Church, the wedding must take place in a consecrated church before the altar of the Lord and witnesses.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In our Christian faith, this promise, this bond between Naomi and John, is unconditional; it is non-cancellable; it is irrevocable; it is life- long.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In the Old Testament, marriage is compared to the covenant between God and His chosen people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In the New Testament, the gospels and epistles, like St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, make it perfectly clear that the bond between husband and wife is like the bond between Christ and His Church.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It will never be broken.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The love that Naomi and John have for each other is compared to the love that Our Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ Our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, have for each other and for us, for you.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">John and Naomi, as you know, this has been a very strange and sad year up to today.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The events of 2020, a polarized electorate, bitter racial tensions, and Covid</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">have been unnerving.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">But, I’ve got to tell you that there have been many years in history when events have been worse, far worse than 2020.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Let me give you an example.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">I want to tell you a true story about love, commitment, and marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Ford Callis was caught up in patriotic fervor following the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the declaration of war against Japan and Nazi Germany. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and prepared for boot camp and deployment overseas. But, before he did that, Ford asked his girlfriend, Daisy, to marry him, which she did. He promised her that he would make it through this horrible war. She promised to be faithful and pray for his safe return. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">After military training, Ford was sent to war with the 36</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Infantry Division.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">His battalion made its way to the French Alps where a substantially larger force of Nazi soldiers surrounded the battalion and began starving them out.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Following failed rescue attempts by two other battalions of the 36</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Infantry, they became known as the Lost Battalion.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">For eight days the battalion was without food and water and stuck in foxholes eating worms for food and pond water for drink. They held their positions despite constant bombardment.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Finally, Ford’s unit was liberated on the 9</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> day of the siege.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">After Ford recovered from his wounds, he came home to Daisy.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">While in his foxhole, he drew courage from his faith and his commitment to come home to Daisy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">W</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">e advance forward 75 years and Ford and Daisy are now well into their 90s.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Daisy suffers from dementia and Ford is determined to take care of her.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">One night, Ford heard Daisy scream from his bedroom, and in his haste to come to her aid, he fell out of bed, hit his head against the nightstand, broke several bones around his eye and severely injured his shoulder and chest as he fell to the floor.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">He tried to crawl to the phone as he had crawled to his foxhole as a soldier, but was unable to get there.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">He lay there for many hours until a daughter came over to see why he wasn’t answering the phone.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Ford was rushed to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center not far from his home outside Nashville.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In the ICU, physicians noted that, in addition to his injuries, Ford’s kidneys had shut down, he had a bleeding stress ulcer, and a blood clot in his leg, all of which led them to surmise that he was going to die.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It took some days, but incredibly, Ford survived.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">When Ford finally awakened in the ICU, his first sentence was “Doctor, I need you to get me home to my Daisy as soon as you can.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Because of his marriage, Ford had undergone the type of change in his soul that no personal injury or earthly event like war, could undo.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">He told his doctor, “Having someone believe in me and waiting for me back home gave me purpose.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I am more than myself because of our marriage.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I hope people won’t give up on their marriage either--even when the sparks of romance seem distant.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Ford eventually regained color and strength, and on the morning of his hospital discharge he told staffers, “You know, it takes three people to stay married: Daisy, me, and God.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">We are one, and nothing will ever change that, nothing.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was writing to his niece before her wedding.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">This is what he wrote from his Nazi prison cell: Marriage is more than your love for each other.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In your love you only see the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed in a post of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">responsibility</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> toward the world and mankind.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal—it is a mission, an office—a duty.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The story of Ford and Daisy generated lots of discussion around the hospital for a long time.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Their covenant liberated their souls and gave them a higher purpose.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">This is Christian love.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">We are at our best when we serve one another.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I will close with this line, also attributed to Bonhoeffer: “It is not your love that sustains your marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It is not your love that sustains your marriage but marriage that sustains your love.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">May God bless you, John and Naomi.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">May you be inspired by the story of Ford and Daisy to dedicate your lives to God and to each other.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Appendix III</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eCOc5NtzHmM3Cdfc-F2cvQC36b0JEIPhad71vd2QDCuQ-0EWqh_oVGYDOpwr1VZIBc6XNxvaDteVcseZ5Xxl8vg5Rzq_nWdkAP_oudurlwU_Hgd-iY-s8GRrnocozmZGmAZIvqG1kZ3U3iAfvwVVTSC75KtEAypyr06mJG47S2R6P81I7tkFN41fyw/s750/Stefcia%20Maid%20of%20Honor%20Toast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eCOc5NtzHmM3Cdfc-F2cvQC36b0JEIPhad71vd2QDCuQ-0EWqh_oVGYDOpwr1VZIBc6XNxvaDteVcseZ5Xxl8vg5Rzq_nWdkAP_oudurlwU_Hgd-iY-s8GRrnocozmZGmAZIvqG1kZ3U3iAfvwVVTSC75KtEAypyr06mJG47S2R6P81I7tkFN41fyw/w623-h469/Stefcia%20Maid%20of%20Honor%20Toast.jpg" width="623" /></a></span></span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"> MAID OF
HONOR TOAST TO NAOMI & JOHN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">By Stephanie Sebastian Spiotta, Older Sister of the Bride</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having known Naomi for 26 years,
I’ve been able to observe the development of her particular, lovable qualities,
dear to us, and indeed, dear to John.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">From a little girl Naomi was smiley,
cute, and easy to play with (except for the occasional pinch), up for just
about anything her friends and siblings wanted to do. Her distinctive and
important quirky quality that would become more pronounced later I can still
see latently in her childhood the time she voluntarily carried out John-Paul’s
idea to sign a relative’s birthday card, “P.S. I have small teeth.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Several years later her
quirkiness flowed out in her voice in an interesting and original exclamation,
the “pachow, pachow.” It was a strange, but ultimately cheerful, sound and part
of her good humor: “pachow, pachow, pachow, pachow.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">By the time Naomi was spending
time with, and gaining interest in, John, she was fully and confidently quirky
as to wonder, “Is John weird enough for me?” They soon discovered many proofs
of the precious “mutual quirkiness” which they professedly enjoy together.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">One manifestation of this kindred
quality to onlookers was notably the time Naomi and John found an adult onesie
poop costume at St. Vincent de Paul’s. They showed up to a party as the dynamic
doo-doo, ehem, duo, of poop and toilet and paper. Maybe it was a Halloween
party; I’m not clear on that detail. Maybe they’re just that quirky.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A propos of all this, I told
Naomi that I thought it would be fitting if I prepared a scatologically themed
speech. Only half joking, I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold it in, but I
wasn’t quite able to get it down on paper, was pretty wiped out by the effort,
and flushed just thinking about it. I decided not to be a party pooper and just
do my duty. You’re welcome.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Naomi, I’m so glad you’ve found
your quirky best friend, but that joy would be short-lived if John weren’t also
a good man, and a good man is hard to find: one who’s a gentleman, who is
respectful and gracious, who is happiest when those around him are happy, who
especially makes it his business to make you happy.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m glad you’ve found a family
man, someone who has been one of his mother’s greatest supports in her battle
against cancer, who thinks ahead to would yield the most time with his wife and
children as he chooses his medical specialty. Who already is getting you into
the habit of only using the back burners when cooking so your future children
won’t burn themselves. You are blessed to have John as the head of your family.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Two are better than one, but best
is when two become one in a mysterious union sanctioned by God in the holy
sacrament of matrimony. I pray that together you draw deeply from the graces
available to you in this sacrament and let the Lord knit your hearts closer and
closer your whole life’s journey.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Appendix IV</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span><span> </span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfqlCs4dCzDVneEx_8YOhCPS62tSk4UU3ZqooabC7FnJ6WaceaBmSYiMmIB0hNAVKOBpwfZzbYN6LLaxcTTb8Q8j4H9Mjm4PCcBJiGzeEt7e9hgg3Yp8BRTlCGOlBI-vDz5KtE71PpWdr7bGtG9GvfWihZBYvjakuwxqKn8hcaK2MfAlXugDLGEjmgQ/s750/DJ%20Faro%20Best%20Man%20Talk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfqlCs4dCzDVneEx_8YOhCPS62tSk4UU3ZqooabC7FnJ6WaceaBmSYiMmIB0hNAVKOBpwfZzbYN6LLaxcTTb8Q8j4H9Mjm4PCcBJiGzeEt7e9hgg3Yp8BRTlCGOlBI-vDz5KtE71PpWdr7bGtG9GvfWihZBYvjakuwxqKn8hcaK2MfAlXugDLGEjmgQ/w634-h476/DJ%20Faro%20Best%20Man%20Talk.jpg" width="634" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A WEDDING TOAST BY THE BEST MAN </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> By Dr. David J. Faro, older brother of the groom</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hi everyone! I’m Dave, John’s oldest brother,
best man, and our parents favorite son. I appreciate everyone for being here
today, and those who are here in spirit during these crazy times.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Body<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many people believe that
there is one perfect person for everyone. And while I can’t speak about
everyone, I do know about john and Naomi. Fate has brought them together, and
there couldn't be a more perfect match. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyone who knows these two
knows how much love they share for each other. They also both share
a similar sense of humor, and their laughter will surely brighten each others
lives in the coming years. In honor of that, now seems like a good a moment to
share a few of the funnier moments from John’s past. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some of you here today may
remember John by his former stage name: Debra peaches jalapeño, when
he acted as one of green elementary’s most infamous drag queens. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My favorite John story was
from back in our wrestling days in Jr.high: where he somehow managed to
convince half the team that not only was he adopted, but that he was in fact a
refugee from Bolivia. Despite not knowing a word of
Spanish. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In all
seriousness: the John hasn’t always been the hard working, ambitious
medical student he is today. John has always been quick witted, and
quicker with a laugh and a smile. And that smile has never been
brighter than it has been with Naomi. She has truly brought out the joy in
him. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We all had the opportunity
to witness that first hand last year when Naomi joined us for the holidays. It
was clear then that she felt right at home with our family, and it seemed as
clear then as it does now that they would have many holidays together ahead-of
them. </span><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks/wrap up</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #2b2b2b; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background: rgb(230, 239, 239); font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I appreciate everyone’s patience with me while I keep
you from enjoying your wine glasses this evening. Without further ado,
i’d like to propose a toast: to John and Naomi, the newly weds.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Appendix V</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PqtJ84yaYjKgXY3-bkA_uTtTC5URQAe0t1FxINXhxjzP0TodF0WCAB0ErUUClD6U6UzraoWLzRjNHm9My0KS45Ka1MXHmryan4XCtFJivYLV09AFerTuKhm9WTMx2HizG2ftARJqkdVSxOA1dBU8VW9oVGShWt5a-u1WZrtMKBEwhRJsa7YbS7cgOA/s750/Bride's%20Father%20Talk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PqtJ84yaYjKgXY3-bkA_uTtTC5URQAe0t1FxINXhxjzP0TodF0WCAB0ErUUClD6U6UzraoWLzRjNHm9My0KS45Ka1MXHmryan4XCtFJivYLV09AFerTuKhm9WTMx2HizG2ftARJqkdVSxOA1dBU8VW9oVGShWt5a-u1WZrtMKBEwhRJsa7YbS7cgOA/w628-h471/Bride's%20Father%20Talk.jpg" width="628" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Remarks by Dr. Paul R. Sebastian, Father of the Bride</span></b></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 107%;"> You know? I feel like I’m at Cana.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 107%;"> Let’s all imagine that we all are at the
wedding feast of Cana. Our Lord is here
and indeed He is and Mary is here too.
John, if we run out of wine, go to Mary and do what He tells you. When in trouble, run to Mother Mary and do
what our Lord tells you. What a great
rule for one’s life!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> In 2017 Naomi graduated as a freshly minted nurse from
Franciscan University of Steubenville.
She was going to the big city…….Pittsburgh and find herself a MAN…….nobody
from Gallia County was good enough for her.
She was hired for a nursing position at Montefiore Hospital. Nicole Baker, daughter of our wonderful
neighbors and her close friend since 3<sup>rd</sup> grade, accompanied Naomi for
her Physical. Nicole, called up one of
her friends to join them. He was doing research
in Pittsburgh before applying to med school.
This guy later followed up and kept contact with Naomi. They became friends and then close
friends. Naomi wanted to bring this guy
home for a visit. Where’s this guy
from? You guessed it! Gallia County of all places in this wide wide
world. They hardly knew each other at
Gallia Academy. Dr. David Faro, his
father, was encouraging…… “She’s a keepher!”
Keep her. And indeed he did.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> So Naomi brought John Faro home to introduce him to
us. Now I’m not going to let any guy
date my daughter. He had to pass a
test. “Are you a Pirate fan?”
Check. Are you a Penguin fan? Check.
Are you a citizen of Steeler Nation?
You passed; you are welcome to date my daughter; you are welcome in this
house at any time.” At dinner Jaga fell
in love with John more than Naomi did.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> Naomi loves to doodle.
Remember grade school when the nuns or lay teacher would make us write lines,
“I will behave; I will never pull Nicole’s pig tails” 100 times. Naomi wrote something else 100 times……. “Naomi Marie Faro; Naomi Marie Faro; Naomi
Marie Faro.” And now guess what? She now is Naomi Marie Faro! Yes!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> In the Fall of 2018 John was accepted at the University of
Cincinnati Medical School. Naomi quit
her job and looked for another one in Cincinnati. It was the job of her dreams since grade
school when she would watch births on the Life Channel. It was to be a labor & Delivery
Nurse. And that’s the position she
got…….providential. Before she was my
Naomi the mouse; then Naomi the Fish when she was a college varsity swimmer;
now she’s Naomi the stork and before long she will be a baseball Mom. The people at the hospital just assumed that
John and Naomi were living together.
Naomi simply replied: “No we’re not.”
Thank you both for doing it the right way and waiting. You won’t regret it. Thank you for being counter cultural in our
oversexed society. They often would come
for dinner; Jaga loves to cook; and John loves Jaga’s cooking.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> Finally, I guess well over a year ago, Naomi began to
wonder: “When is John going to propose?”
Finally last June, they were over at our house and took a walk. I knew something was up because a week or two
earlier John, like a true gentleman, asked me for Naomi’s hand. They went all the way to the pond on the Bob
Evans Farm, now the University of Rio Grande.
They came back excited, particularly Naomi to tell us the news. He finally proposed. Now we’ll have to put a monument on the spot
on the banks of the Bob Evans Farm Pond where John proposed to Naomi and Naomi
said yes on June 20, 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> <b>You know what makes
this wedding feast so special? You!</b> Every one of you. Were it not for Covid, we would have family
and friends coming from all over the country.
Still Sheriff Jim Byrnes and his- lovely daughter Josephine made it all
the way from the left coast. But because
of Covid, most backed out. It looks like
the Faro side won in attendance. We’re
going to make the best out of this and still have a good time. Whether 25,000 people attend or only 25, Mr.
and Mrs. Faro are married and that’s the bottom line! It’s going to be a great marriage! Yes?
Absolutely YES! Let’s hear
it. YES! The fact that you are here entails some
sacrifice and some risk of bad weather and that monster, Covid. Beverly Faro, the groom’s mother, has been
fighting cancer for two years now and is WINNING! She’s here too. That woman is unsinkable. Thank you all so much for coming! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"> <b>Many
more would have come if they could</b> and they are here in spirit. And we know that our deceased loved ones in
the Faro, Byrnes, Gajda, and Sebastian extended families are here very much in spirit
such as Grandpa & Grandma Sebastian and </span><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; line-height: 107%;">Dziadek & Babcia
Gajda. I loved Babcia Gajda; she taught
Baby Stephanie how to walk and treated us like royalty in Poland. Babcia was the ideal mother-in-law. She spoke no English and I spoke no Polish
and we got along great! In her old age Grandma
Sebastian wanted no part of any nursing home.
So Jaga, the bride’s mother, took care of her. </span></span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">She was happy living with us and watching her four grandchildren run around from her observation post at the kitchen table by the window.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">She died in our living room, practically in Jaga’s arms at the age of 97.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">The money she saved because of Jaga’s care is financing this wedding reception.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Without Jaga she would have been wiped out in a nursing home.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">So consider Grandma Sebastian as the cohostess of this feast along with Jaga.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span></span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Give this couple, John & Naomi a lot of credit for flexibility, handling adversity, and bouncing with the punches..</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">They made plans for a big wedding and a honeymoon on the beach in Cancún, México.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">So many relatives on both sides backed out that Naomi and John had to cancel the reception and fight to get their deposit back.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">They had to cancel Cancún because the Medical School would not allow John to leave the country.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Such adversity and flexibility is great training for life. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><span> Now that their day has come, I was asked to give my daughter away. Are you kidding me? No way! I wouldn't give my duaghter away to anybody. Anyhow, she's not mine to give. Yes, John, I entrust Naomi to you.......I trust that you will gave yourself completely to her and she will reciprocate. I trust that you would be willing to die for her. I trust that you will always be faithful, you exclusively for her and she exclusively for you. I trust that your Naomi and the family that the Lord gives you will always be number one in your life over career and avocations, even if you become a world renowned doctor and I think that's very possible. You are very intelligent and a tremendously hard worker. </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Family.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">May the Holy Family be your model; may your home be a true domestic church with Jesus Christ at the center of your home with daily family prayer.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">May your family culture revolve around our Lord and His Church, always faithful to God and to each other.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">May your marriage be a witness in our divorce happy society as to what a Christian marriage should be.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">May your family be a witness as to what a holy family should be, even in the face of ridicule.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">When the inevitable bumps in the road come along, tap the graces of the beautiful sacrament of Matrimony.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Keep the faith and may the Lord richly bless your marriage and future family. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;">Amen!</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: justify;"> </span></span></p><pre style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><pre style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="PL" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: PL; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></pre><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-3752351424159288592022-12-17T21:09:00.030-08:002022-12-18T23:25:05.335-08:00 (272) St. Louis Church Participates in Wreaths Across America Honoring Our Deceased Veterans on the 3rd Saturday of December <p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2smnHIXyXEuN4zkkaxX5LkVcq_RBHJNrGU8ksbeoaBBLmvvoD-3_GTpVKN-3vLpR3lrTl14l0YCNqGqsDS3_21HbybWFItrPXKEhlDSOLWb2EtsTxUUKbGiMTSchuZ3avezOk1TWd-oh-lcpq193mVZzoQCnG5SWcT7LA-fz-bNynkg4_II31Lbdi1g/s267/Emblem%20of%20Wreaths%20Across%20America.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="249" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2smnHIXyXEuN4zkkaxX5LkVcq_RBHJNrGU8ksbeoaBBLmvvoD-3_GTpVKN-3vLpR3lrTl14l0YCNqGqsDS3_21HbybWFItrPXKEhlDSOLWb2EtsTxUUKbGiMTSchuZ3avezOk1TWd-oh-lcpq193mVZzoQCnG5SWcT7LA-fz-bNynkg4_II31Lbdi1g/w387-h415/Emblem%20of%20Wreaths%20Across%20America.jpg" width="387" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> On
the <span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">3<sup>rd</sup>
</span>Saturday of December every year (in 2022 it was on December
17) in American cemeteries all over the United States and abroad civic groups and
churches lay wreaths on the graves of our deceased veterans who have served our
country. Today St. Louis Church participated
for the second consecutive year and is becoming an annual tradition in the
parish. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>The
Catholic Women’s Club (CWC) started it in our parish, namely St. Louis Church in
2021 for the first time as part of the nationwide “</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Wreaths Across America</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">”
project at the parish cemetery…….something their counterparts, the parish Knights
of Columbus council never even thought of.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The women simply picked up the ball and ran; they went out and did
it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>Thank you, dear women, particularly
the CWC president, Margo Marazon for this initiative.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She is a veteran, who served for five years active
duty as a Navy nurse. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">May our
participation in the “Wreaths Across America” become an annual tradition every
Advent in our parish.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The goals of the Wreaths Across America
movement</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> are: REMEMBER the fallen; HONOR those who served; and TEACH our
children the value of freedom.</span><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKnd77X-xKyVYHc72xrqzaNMPY5g3WF3T-DB_Zj8X20VonSvijMVyCOidoeshcl-L9tdwUJLBZuvfY4fjMt3MrYolFfT9j-vk4fWCIw8nY9kopc8376ESTyBdemp4CxJBGb4NAUo_iY3fPc-KW8xO80nrZ-Oxz9Bz9For2BW7906qe1lfmOILzUOtBQ/s5184/Gazebo%20Service.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKnd77X-xKyVYHc72xrqzaNMPY5g3WF3T-DB_Zj8X20VonSvijMVyCOidoeshcl-L9tdwUJLBZuvfY4fjMt3MrYolFfT9j-vk4fWCIw8nY9kopc8376ESTyBdemp4CxJBGb4NAUo_iY3fPc-KW8xO80nrZ-Oxz9Bz9For2BW7906qe1lfmOILzUOtBQ/w619-h412/Gazebo%20Service.JPG" width="619" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margo
Marizon, who organized this event, opened the program in her Navy uniform at
the gazebo of the parish cemetery with a welcome, a description of the Wreaths
Across America program, and an introduction of the VFW Honor Guard followed by
a moment of silence. Fr. Thomas Hamm,
pastor of St. Louis Church, then continued with a prayer.
Close to 20 parishioners and relatives of deceased veterans attended on
a cold overcast day.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzhSs_IrS7-m0ynAT4oZpLAie_uTznXJ-RSHcmRNqXKDk45RvJ3PBMgx5O-qEOPK2VN6FZ_BOsz8s6Mdi6qAGRRyyWLUCqAZs-Ayuz8NxVdgVYl0hRLKrINfU-rGeTvr-MvrjTUe26XDZF4D242janXMWiwwcVkkwLvQ3_wZ8KrrfQWyk2ZAFJPP_5w/s5184/VFW%20(14).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzhSs_IrS7-m0ynAT4oZpLAie_uTznXJ-RSHcmRNqXKDk45RvJ3PBMgx5O-qEOPK2VN6FZ_BOsz8s6Mdi6qAGRRyyWLUCqAZs-Ayuz8NxVdgVYl0hRLKrINfU-rGeTvr-MvrjTUe26XDZF4D242janXMWiwwcVkkwLvQ3_wZ8KrrfQWyk2ZAFJPP_5w/w584-h389/VFW%20(14).JPG" width="584" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
contingent of the local VFW Post 4464, led by Commander Bill Mangus, then gave
a 21 gun salute and their bugler played taps.
The VFW has provided a great service in assisting at countless
ceremonies and burials of veterans in Gallia County. Veterans in attendance saluted during this
solemn remembrance.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDQeS6mdpElAm9az74vIOV6ix68Fvfr8TONntaJ8JjWdekd60MFgNYnCrFSoYM_ksAMmmjJfK56cdnjY0bBo_nHTU7erqwprNXdMSWq0WEABchmyuWLmIPhl4dZBazxH7BOUYCv4CAn5xRdoLNLr4FMsqOWZANbif15LvpWn1jp8g7hiWBkcoT_FheQ/s5184/VFW%20(16).JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDQeS6mdpElAm9az74vIOV6ix68Fvfr8TONntaJ8JjWdekd60MFgNYnCrFSoYM_ksAMmmjJfK56cdnjY0bBo_nHTU7erqwprNXdMSWq0WEABchmyuWLmIPhl4dZBazxH7BOUYCv4CAn5xRdoLNLr4FMsqOWZANbif15LvpWn1jp8g7hiWBkcoT_FheQ/w600-h399/VFW%20(16).JPG" width="600" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>The names of our 25 deceased veterans buried
at the St. Louis Church cemetery were read by </b>Bruce Davison, an Army Vietnam
veteran and brother of one of the deceased veterans as follows. The year of death is in parenthesis. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thirteen
of them were</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> <b><i>knights</i></b>, namely James
Davison Jr.; (Army, 1989); Dr. Joseph Brady (Army WW II, 1994); Fred Edelmann
(Army, 1995); Eric Roderick (West Point Cadet, 1999); Jacques Bishop (Army,
2001); Joseph Bokovitz (Army, 2002); Gerald Gust (Air Force, 2005); Juan Gomez
Jordan (Army, 2007); Louis Ford (Coast Guard, 2008); Robert Murphy (Navy,
2018); Robert Schopis (Marines WW II, 2019); and Everett Ray King (Air Force, 2021. Patriotism is the fourth pillar of the KofC in
addition to Charity, Unity, and Fraternity, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b><i>vets honored</i></b> were: Gordon Baker (Air Force, 2011); Jerry Brown
(Army, 2011); John Churchill (Army, 1972); Donald Cox (Army WW II, 2014);
Joseph Fenderbosch (Army, 1992); Dr. Frank Ford (Army, 1967); Stephen Geremesz
(Army Air Corps WW II, 1986); Emil Janko (Army, 1992); Herbert Loomis (Marines
WWII, 2009); Richard Mershon (Navy, 1978); Donald Polcyn (Air Force, 2018);
William Prosen (Army Korea, 1991); and Franklin Richards (Army WWII, 1966). The women and families of the deceased laid
the wreaths on each grave.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuhIR1itvKTMdQQd-e5iwkE0A4vr_Ir8E_Uo8wXo6x2dr_1LNJMPLpco9YzhbJYuDOM9NyKagXjAdpSjxPxAWgCDdA5lMN-XiVDw6ENd8eXmytsiaDiklSeytVGSKqod2FoX030IJhQAnxulp3T-l5LpDF2mHnnePtcwaISk6pAT5VAWb27bO3DVuAg/s5184/Placing%20Wreaths.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuhIR1itvKTMdQQd-e5iwkE0A4vr_Ir8E_Uo8wXo6x2dr_1LNJMPLpco9YzhbJYuDOM9NyKagXjAdpSjxPxAWgCDdA5lMN-XiVDw6ENd8eXmytsiaDiklSeytVGSKqod2FoX030IJhQAnxulp3T-l5LpDF2mHnnePtcwaISk6pAT5VAWb27bO3DVuAg/w580-h386/Placing%20Wreaths.JPG" width="580" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Those in attendance lay
the wreaths on the graves of the deceased veterans at the St. Louis Church Cemetery
in Gallipolis. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our
pastor then blessed the wreaths. Those
who attended then placed the wreaths on the 25 graves of our departed veterans. All were then free to silently walk among the
graves and pray for the departed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefY5WpQHFjVt4_7S7dc7f33cHk8kV8GaIMy_Cgh75rVi3VLtfDRwTqsdJ_ezaw38Q34YI4H7BXapOpyCm1hj0bh1ylLA0oRNGzYPp7OpvgUGmNP3SV-dqdz1xZ9w9mxsBoi1vNPlNBMXFDcfUfYEz_EUMsNoX5Hqw5unFiAOAEcC-qNrr9tjUGx6FCQ/s5184/Edelmann.JPG" style="font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefY5WpQHFjVt4_7S7dc7f33cHk8kV8GaIMy_Cgh75rVi3VLtfDRwTqsdJ_ezaw38Q34YI4H7BXapOpyCm1hj0bh1ylLA0oRNGzYPp7OpvgUGmNP3SV-dqdz1xZ9w9mxsBoi1vNPlNBMXFDcfUfYEz_EUMsNoX5Hqw5unFiAOAEcC-qNrr9tjUGx6FCQ/w617-h411/Edelmann.JPG" width="617" /></a><br /><b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Typical is the grave of
Fred Edelmann, who served his country as an army soldier, a civilian engineer,
and a volunteer fireman. His legacy is
our monthly KofC Rosary before all of the Masses on the First Saturday and the
First Sunday of every month.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
are other deceased veterans who were parishioners of St. Louis Church. However, they are buried in other
cemeteries. The Catholic Women’s Club is
willing to help family members obtain wreaths to place at the graves of their
loved ones who are veterans. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>How did the “Wreaths Across America”
movement start? </b>Years ago a 12 year
old paper boy by the name of Morrill Worchester won a trip to Washington D.C.
sponsored by the Bangor Daily News of Harrington, Maine. His visit to the Arlington National Cemetery,
where 400,000 veterans mainly as well as eligible dependents and national
leaders are buried, left a deep impression upon him. Later he founded the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Worcester
Wreath Company. In 1992 the company had
a surplus of wreaths that he wanted placed on hundreds of graves at the Arlington
National Cemetery. What a wonderful way
to honor the millions of veterans who served our country and put their lives on
the line for something bigger than themselves…….to preserve the freedoms and
founding principles of the United States of America!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">With
the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arrangements were made for the wreaths
to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had
been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As plans were underway, a number of other
individuals and organizations stepped up to help.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">James Prout, owner of the local trucking
company Blue Bird Ranch, Inc., generously provided transportation all the way
to Virginia from Maine. Volunteers from the local American Legion and VFW Posts
gathered with members of the community to decorate each wreath.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier was added.</span></p></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0t4W2BP7mDtFqcI6GhLoVgVT1C0VEpxiGXuM49mvPuDwlNOORheG43-wznahhcpwLOCt_DsHZv3nQAFXA5sTXazazBlRF_d30vJP_0GBnIvY3_pWaELLDXIwM5_Ki26FwmDcHECyLKzbvdkmvQeCAZAAGhG7NXmujH68VBWSNhl9gqWdB8BuuY5-hA/s2400/Arlington%20National%20Cemetery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="2400" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0t4W2BP7mDtFqcI6GhLoVgVT1C0VEpxiGXuM49mvPuDwlNOORheG43-wznahhcpwLOCt_DsHZv3nQAFXA5sTXazazBlRF_d30vJP_0GBnIvY3_pWaELLDXIwM5_Ki26FwmDcHECyLKzbvdkmvQeCAZAAGhG7NXmujH68VBWSNhl9gqWdB8BuuY5-hA/w617-h363/Arlington%20National%20Cemetery.jpg" width="617" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It all started at Arlington National Cemetery in 2005. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> In 2005 the photo above of the tombstones at Arlington, adorned
with wreaths and covered by snow, circulated around the internet. Suddenly, the project received national
attention. Soon a movement developed to
place wreaths on graves of veterans in local cemeteries all over the
country. In 2007 the Worcester family,
along with veterans and others formed “Wreaths Across America, a non-profit
501-(c)(3) organization to spread this movement see </span><a href="https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/" style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/</span></a><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">).
</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>Today
3400 locations are involved across the USA and St. Louis Cemetery is one of
them.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On December 17, 2022 the faithful
of St. Louis Church joined in at our cemetery under the leadership of the
Catholic Women’s Club.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Next year they
will do the same at 2 pm on Saturday December 16.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">You
can be involved in this national movement as a volunteer, donor, or by recruiting
local civic groups and churches in your town, thus helping this movement to
grow. Your group or church can purchase
wreaths for $15 each and then mobilize the members to attend at a designated
time on the third Saturday of December. A
project chairperson could organize a program that might include prayer, a description
of the movement, a 21 gun salute from the local VFW or American Legion honor
guard, and placement on each veteran’s grave by a loved one or other persons
attending. You as an individual can
order a wreath for a loved one or friend and place it on his grave. Wreaths can be ordered in November from <a href="http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/">www.wreathsacrossamerica.org</a> for
$15 each. Click on “Sponsor a Wreath”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>Finding out the names
of the veterans at your local cemetery can be a work of love. A starting point is obtaining a list of the
men buried there from the cemetery manager or church secretary. If they don't know who were veterans, you
can check the list with relatives, friends, and local veteran organizations……American
Legion, VFW, the local affiliate of the Veterans Affairs Administration (VA),
etc.</span></p>
<span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Women, the CWC needs YOU to become a vital force
in this parish and make a difference in the parish community. Call or text its president, Margo Marazon at
740-707-2567. The same as the Knights,
the CWC needs more younger members to give balance, renewed energy, and
creative ideas. May the knights and the
CWC grow to become indispensable aids to the renewal of our parish, complementing
each other and also working together for the common good of our parish family. Thanks to Patty Hays for taking the photos and
Oscar Bastiani for his help. </span></div></span></span><p></p><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-44396872849774817382022-12-11T20:19:00.002-08:002022-12-13T20:36:07.645-08:00(271) The Frazee Family Opens Their Home and Their Hearts to Ukrainian Exchange Student Khrysta Svystovych (Христина Свистович)<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOgysX4eNJ_Ci96HV5gNozCdMCnutqz1GP-P-o6vIp-9qITc12Tx-OSivEgeuzu_2moS_nW50eZo27XlaQswJjIgNSD-1ftrebP3fDQpHG99O5OvGBCdpuwsqtI006vw3ln0We2phP41OwPD4h4hdqcxUkK0GkaOkTs2avssQBYEn3hagnDosCh12WA/s1080/Frazee%20Family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="675" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOgysX4eNJ_Ci96HV5gNozCdMCnutqz1GP-P-o6vIp-9qITc12Tx-OSivEgeuzu_2moS_nW50eZo27XlaQswJjIgNSD-1ftrebP3fDQpHG99O5OvGBCdpuwsqtI006vw3ln0We2phP41OwPD4h4hdqcxUkK0GkaOkTs2avssQBYEn3hagnDosCh12WA/w507-h675/Frazee%20Family.jpg" width="507" /></a></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Frazee family with their new
addition, Khrystyna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From top to bottom
left to right we have Theresa, the heart of the family holding Dominic (6),
followed by Cara (18) and Garrett (19), Gabriel (16) and Khrystyna (17), Caleb
(14), and finally Nathan, the head of the family.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">In two previous
articles we examined how the Knights of Columbus USA and Poland were helping
Ukraine through its ordeal of defending itself against the Russian invasion and
providing shelter for a flood of refugees.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">We know that the Polish people opened their hearts and their homes to
Ukrainian refugees.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span> </span>We have at least one
family headed by a knight in America, who did the same to a young girl from Ukraine……not exactly a refugee,
but an exchange student who could not return to her country once the war
began.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">Brother knight Nathan Frazee and his
wife Theresa invited 17 year old Khrysta Svystovych (Христина Свистович in
Ukrainian which uses the Cyrillic script) to join their family of seven in
Crown City, Ohio.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;">It took courage for
the Frazees because of the uncertainty of how their family and Khrystyna would
get along and adapt to each other.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLszYz1hcO-QwoOerZ68QfQhIwAn9gUHDc6gtLw7o-P9HZT1J-ihofgxjzJFwwaJbiblnbj0m5G8UQsgqsqwLu9P4uB9BOVmmEBlIZs8FhRTLgzARr7lM09fhSbopI_jxfm0fDfhZEEnBM4UCOEN6plMSgWLMzalLXqo-n_VTPsaft94ui5GQcpmJrzg/s1080/Khrystyna's%20Ukraine%20Family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLszYz1hcO-QwoOerZ68QfQhIwAn9gUHDc6gtLw7o-P9HZT1J-ihofgxjzJFwwaJbiblnbj0m5G8UQsgqsqwLu9P4uB9BOVmmEBlIZs8FhRTLgzARr7lM09fhSbopI_jxfm0fDfhZEEnBM4UCOEN6plMSgWLMzalLXqo-n_VTPsaft94ui5GQcpmJrzg/w624-h468/Khrystyna's%20Ukraine%20Family.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Svystovych family of eight in
traditional Ukrainian folk garb used for festive occasions. From left to right are: Myhaylo (19),
Khrystyna’s mother Tetiana with her husband Vasyl, little brother
Hryhorii/Gregory (13), little sister Veronika 16), Vasyl 15), and her oldest
brother Volodymyr (20). Missing of
course is Khrystyna on loan to the Frazee family in far off USA. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> Khrystyna has
always been fascinated by the United States and wanted to learn about its culture. Visiting America was only a dream until she
stumbled upon the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program (</span><a href="https://www.discoverflex.org/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.discoverflex.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">) that arranges and finances international exchange
programs. It was providential how
Khrystyna stumbled on the program and all the doors opened. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Khrystyna and the Frazee family are a great
match</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Crown City, Ohio and Uhnów in
western Ukraine near the Polish border close to Lviv, are both rural villages
of about the same size.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The Frazee
family and the Svystovych family are about the same size (5 kids vs. 6 kids)
and have the same Catholic faith.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Brother
Knight Nathan Frazee is a former Knights of Columbus Insurance Field Agent, but
now a butcher that serves the local beef industry.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Khrystyna’s father Vasyl does home remodeling
work in Katowice, Poland and Ukraine. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Khrystyna sees the Frazees as “a real second
family easy to adapt to”.</span></p></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz86hifsjk_mi5JQ22Yix8_A_2W3k9CuoM4QQX_7RButHstvBcWO7kn-3uSC4tHthQxPy80yB1MD2q06M2jlO8d_gFGcievUutt7Nw-1sVoHmypuFdFEXc0x1egLs3q_5IYOvrSDzeqbWx1oS6KyL-IzhjPIC84dpVCzMIXQzYRRLAZcstxwXIscKoA/s640/Gabe,%20Garrett,%20Caleb,%20Khrysta,%20Cara,%20Dominic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="477" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz86hifsjk_mi5JQ22Yix8_A_2W3k9CuoM4QQX_7RButHstvBcWO7kn-3uSC4tHthQxPy80yB1MD2q06M2jlO8d_gFGcievUutt7Nw-1sVoHmypuFdFEXc0x1egLs3q_5IYOvrSDzeqbWx1oS6KyL-IzhjPIC84dpVCzMIXQzYRRLAZcstxwXIscKoA/w637-h477/Gabe,%20Garrett,%20Caleb,%20Khrysta,%20Cara,%20Dominic.jpg" width="637" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s now 5+1 = 6……five Frazee kids
(Gabriel (16), Garrett (19), Caleb (14), and Cara (18) in front with her little
brother, Dominic (6) plus Khrysta (17), their Ukrainian sister on the extreme
right now part of her beautiful American Frazee family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>According to her
American parents, Nathan & Theresa Frazee, Khrysta has blended nicely with
their family as she participates in all of their activities…….board games,
attending sports events of her siblings. excursions to the zoo, the beach,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s sweet and wonderful to be
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Khrystyna is God loving,
intelligent, loyal, driven, and loves her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s strong in spirit and character”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span><span> </span>Khrystyna makes straight A’s in school and also
would do well in the more challenging college prep courses if allowed to do
so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Schools tend to discourage exchange
students from taking more difficult courses because of problems in adjusting to
a new language and the American culture. Khrysta believes that schools in Ukraine are
more demanding than here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scholastic sports
are not developed there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm8z-hca2uk9gf8fx4-FoxNgVIPfMm9eEX8XqMrZ6Z0-i_adamKfzdVDhM96zW6pOdN65vUuTvZqB09Xs_bdzOf4z3Jg2N1RUTAet7wbgWt9Hw5lMXIEpBmbHDxr1dzFJVW6yfzUa3JkW0s4qNplhXTbvR93PH7kpPrBZDP5_cCPsc_ObZp01bD2WrA/s640/Two%20Sisters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm8z-hca2uk9gf8fx4-FoxNgVIPfMm9eEX8XqMrZ6Z0-i_adamKfzdVDhM96zW6pOdN65vUuTvZqB09Xs_bdzOf4z3Jg2N1RUTAet7wbgWt9Hw5lMXIEpBmbHDxr1dzFJVW6yfzUa3JkW0s4qNplhXTbvR93PH7kpPrBZDP5_cCPsc_ObZp01bD2WrA/w604-h604/Two%20Sisters.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The two sisters enjoying the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> The most important family activity is
attending Mass every Sunday</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> at St. Louis Roman Catholic Church in
Gallipolis. That’s no problem for Khrystyna
because she was raised Greek Catholic.
In Ukraine the people are either Roman Catholic, Greek (Byzantine)
Catholic, or Greek Orthodox. The three
are actually quite similar. In the great
Schism of 1054, the Eastern Church broke away from Rome because of political,
economic, and doctrinal differences.
However, a large segment of the Orthodox returned in 1596 under the negotiated
Union of Brest. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span> </span>The Roman and Byzantine
rites of the Catholic Church have a unity in doctrine and sacraments under the
same Pope, but there are differences in the liturgy and customs to accommodate
the distinct cultures of Eastern and Western Europe. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span> </span>During
an intense persecution by the Soviet communist government particularly against
the Catholic Church, her grandmother had to have her father baptized in secret
or face prison. Her brother Volodymyr is
in his fourth year in the major seminary and should be ordained in 2024.</span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYOvI_nGB_O4LZEbC9v1t_PFsf0TzVMbH-6O9FZRffZhPnCClX63nT_GdYmKIQpi5yiyExp6XHfJ4ZVD151HEWLvpN-Bfy4-caSdVqLPkqNOhyDNv4RUBSobPfThZKsZ94fuRKq9Q2A6j55qpiNhq1CG_qBBmE_DjKho4CLpj5eeAGeQLudivZoh-Rw/s477/Khrysta's%20Volleyball%20Senior%20Night%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="477" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYOvI_nGB_O4LZEbC9v1t_PFsf0TzVMbH-6O9FZRffZhPnCClX63nT_GdYmKIQpi5yiyExp6XHfJ4ZVD151HEWLvpN-Bfy4-caSdVqLPkqNOhyDNv4RUBSobPfThZKsZ94fuRKq9Q2A6j55qpiNhq1CG_qBBmE_DjKho4CLpj5eeAGeQLudivZoh-Rw/w593-h537/Khrysta's%20Volleyball%20Senior%20Night%20(2).JPG" width="593" /></a></div><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the middle photo </span></b><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Khrysta (Khrystyna), the South Gallia
High School volleyball player on Senior Night, accompanied by her American
parents, brother knight Nathan Frazee and his lovely wife Theresa. </span></b><p></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Khrystyna
is one busy young lady</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">. Like other teen age girls around the world, she
likes to listen to music, shop, and read. At South Gallia High School Khrysta plays on
the volleyball team, is a cheer leader, and runs both track and cross country. Cheerleading is completely foreign to her,
but Khrysta just had to try it. Now she
leads the cheers of the fans to motivate the basketball team that includes her
American brother Gabriel who is one of their best players. </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>In addition Khrystyna plays the violin and is
learning French on her own. She already
speaks Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, and English.
On top of that she has joined the parish St. Vincent DePaul Society
which helps the poor of Gallia County and is considering volunteer work with
Holzer Hospital. She likes school and
enjoys the teachers who are closer to the students and more caring than in the
more formal European schools. </span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It takes courage for a teen ager to be an exchange student
in a foreign land…….alone, on his/her own far away from home, a new and
difficult language, a new culture, a strange family to live with.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">S/he is unsure of what to expect; so much is
strange; so much is unknown.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">S/he is on his/her
own away from the family far away from home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A big source of strength for Khrystyna was prayer and her faith.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I had to trust God”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;">After all, she was raised in a Christ centered home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 32px;"> </span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The struggle has been worth it, making her more independent
and self-reliant.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She has learned a new
language, a new culture, different ways of thinking and doing things, and made new
friends. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Khrysta is uncertain about her
career goals, but is thinking of working with the Church, perhaps as a teacher
after pursuing higher education here or abroad.</span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It’s difficult adjusting to the USA because things are so
different.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Khrystyna noted that
Americans are more casual and openly express their emotions while Ukrainians
are more reserved.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Americans eat out
more often while Ukrainians prefer their home cooking.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Their bread is much richer and more
nutritious than ours.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrEt_mdXpBS5papM-n2lxr8aXfm1WZDrXgP9_iU3URdu-6Ah54w2gHz-19S2w106Mfi3AkyCU7RFQReLs7cq2-TLQ1barkYlm2M0E5qaTFpGMJJU0W-DDciR3kWnhpxyDHQP9mW8lzVFgLq2-8ZZB1F5PtvWYSlkIaY7XyMXQuDBzaxhfR3NrO2VxYA/s614/Khrystyna%20&%20Cara%20Hug%20Goodbye%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="614" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrEt_mdXpBS5papM-n2lxr8aXfm1WZDrXgP9_iU3URdu-6Ah54w2gHz-19S2w106Mfi3AkyCU7RFQReLs7cq2-TLQ1barkYlm2M0E5qaTFpGMJJU0W-DDciR3kWnhpxyDHQP9mW8lzVFgLq2-8ZZB1F5PtvWYSlkIaY7XyMXQuDBzaxhfR3NrO2VxYA/w593-h478/Khrystyna%20&%20Cara%20Hug%20Goodbye%20(2).JPG" width="593" /></a></div><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Khrysta gives a goodbye hug to her American sister, Cara in her
dorm room as she begins her Freshman year in Biology at the Franciscan
University of Steubenville, joining her older brother Garrett, a sophomore
Business major there. Cara, the only
Frazee daughter, always wanted a sister and along came Khrysta all the way from
far off Ukraine as an exchange student……a wish come true! They were friends from day one. Khrystyna enjoys “spending time with my older
sister”. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Frazee
family perhaps has gained more than it gave</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
from taking Khrysta into their family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are learning about a different culture and how people live outside the
United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most important, they have
learned gratitude for their blessings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ukraine has been forced to fight for its very survival as an independent
and free nation and for its culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
centuries Russia has tried to dominate Ukraine as part of the Russian Empire,
first under the Czars and later under the Soviet Communists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although independent since 1991, the Russian
government without provocation or cause invaded Ukraine last February to
restore its empire of yesteryear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
the help of western arms and their own heroism as excellent soldiers, Ukraine
is winning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Russia has
destroyed much if not most of the infrastructure, leaving millions without,
electricity, light, and water for a very harsh winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even before the invasion, the Ukrainian
people have struggled with low paying jobs when available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her family would have to skimp and save to
buy what we take for granted.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">South Gallia High School certainly has benefitted from
Khrysta being one of its students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since
some of these kids have hardly traveled outside of Gallia County, Khrystyna has
brought an international perspective to the student body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a whole world out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Few if any of them will have the opportunity to
visit Ukraine, a fascinating country; but Khrysta has brought Ukraine to South Gallia
High School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s been sort of an
ambassador from her country of birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Befriending her is an enriching experience since Khrysta gives us a
taste of the Ukrainian culture and we learn a little about Ukraine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The daily headlines about war torn Ukraine
come alive and not simply something abstract going on in a far off land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Helpful to peace and international
understanding</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> is the student exchange programs.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">With prior positive experiences, it is
difficult to demonize the people of another country during an international
dispute.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">They are simply people who
think differently.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">When people become
friends, love and trust become easier to achieve than hate.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Then negotiations become easier and conflict
is reduced. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Hopefully, more American
students will have similar opportunities to study abroad.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><br /></div></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-75201812017620788282022-11-11T15:24:00.021-08:002022-11-21T20:22:53.807-08:00(270) CIVIL WAR CHAPLAIN FR. WILLIAM CORBY C.S.C.: From Notre Dame to the Battle of Gettysburg and Back<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2tOVy6RApU-Ef9HZBgG18wXVQlPcMg0wIojer2tl3KQuN0s02v3s3ze_b7FZBqhhbYiyo2VbedtZ10wgeESY_F_TQ6klM_kJcKpDMp9yYGd544qd6G_fUi2QD5I09LPDEk3_1kZxqKvdzgY31xa_b9S9q3TnLEpyFqrSm5R45IHRkVPszGWm-5MSzQ/s960/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20Absolution%20Under%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="960" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2tOVy6RApU-Ef9HZBgG18wXVQlPcMg0wIojer2tl3KQuN0s02v3s3ze_b7FZBqhhbYiyo2VbedtZ10wgeESY_F_TQ6klM_kJcKpDMp9yYGd544qd6G_fUi2QD5I09LPDEk3_1kZxqKvdzgY31xa_b9S9q3TnLEpyFqrSm5R45IHRkVPszGWm-5MSzQ/w606-h422/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20Absolution%20Under%20Fire.jpg" width="606" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">A painting by Notre
Dame alumnus and artist Henry Wood, 1891: “Absolution Under Fire”. Fr. Corby is giving general absolution to the
soldiers of the Irish Brigade in the morning of the pivotal second day of the bloody
Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. The
Church allows a priest to give general absolution when there is a high
probability of many deaths and there is no time for individual confession. However, those with mortal sin must make an
individual confession as soon as possible after the danger has passed. </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The United States in its history has had to endure many wars
since the 1776 Declaration of Independence often with noble ideals……..the
Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was fought for the right to be a free self-governing
independent country not unlike Ukraine’s current struggle with Russia; the War
of 1812; the War with Mexico (1846-48); the Civil War (1861-65) was fought to
preserve the union and for the right of African Americans to be free with all
the rights due to a citizen not unlike an unborn baby’s right to live; the War
with Spain (1898); World War I (1917-18); World War II (1941-45), the Korean
War (1950-53); Vietnam</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">War (1965-75);
the Gulf War (1991); Iraq (2003-11), and Afghanistan (2001-21).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Most of the wars were to preserve freedom in
defense against blatant aggression real or perceived.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The most tragic war and the
deadliest of all</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> was the Civil War as the people of one
nation under God ---founded on the ideals of securing the blessings of liberty,
justice, and domestic tranquility--- were killing each other in a fratricidal
war that was destroying the work of our founding fathers……</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">360,222 Union deaths
and 258,000 Confederate deaths more Americans than any other war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The North fought for the right of African
American slaves to be free and to preserve the union.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The South fought against what they perceived
as a threat to their economy and way of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Enslaving a people considered to be inferior and needing guidance was
strongly justified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Without question, slavery and racism along with abortion are the greatest blots upon the often glorious history of the United States.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Slavery
and the slave trade like sin in general produced consequences that continue to
this day……first in a bloody civil war after years of tension, then segregation,
racism, racial injustice, prejudice, resentment, crime, and violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re still enduring the consequences and
must pray for healing and wisdom to achieve justice and liberty for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Since
there were Catholics on both sides of the conflict, the minority Church maintained
a neutral stance. Students from both the North and the South attended Notre
Dame, including the children of General William Tecumsah Sherman.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At the same time the Holy Cross Fathers sent seven
priests to be chaplains in the Union Army and over 80 nuns to minister to the
sick and wounded. </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us examine how one of their priests, Fr. William Corby tried to
do his part as a priest for the common good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Church has always responded to mediate, promote peace, and care for
the spiritual needs of the faithful in war and peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It sends </span>chaplains to be with the troops on the
front, live their life, council and encourage, nurture their faith, say Mass, and administer the
sacraments. Despite murmurings from secularists, the U.S. military recognizes the need for chaplains for the morale and well being of the troops.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">William Corby (1833-97)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
was the son of an Irish immigrant and a Canadian mother in Detroit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He attended public school and at the age of
16 joined his father’s real estate business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1853 he entered Notre Dame 10 years after its founding and began
studying for the priesthood three years later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">French Fathers of the Holy Cross founded Notre
Dame that had a reputation for strict discipline and was used as a last resort
for desperate parents of rowdy boys.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Following ordination in 1860, he taught at Notre Dame and served as a
parish priest.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">When
the Civil War broke out in 1861, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">the Holy
Cross Fathers sent one third of their men to military chaplaincy.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fr. Corby wanted to do his part and joined the
predominantly Catholic 88</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> New York Infantry, one of the five
original regiments of the Irish Brigade as a chaplain for the next three years. Eventually, only one regiment remained, their number reduced from 3000 to 530. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Since the Government did not pay
chaplains at first, Fr. Corby depended upon his family for support.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">He
fought alongside his flock in many of the major battles such as Fredericksburg
where the Irish Brigade earned a fearsome reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the Battle of Antietam he rode back and
forth along the lines of the brigade, shouting absolution to the men, of whom
540 became casualties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While a chaplain,
he was also a soldier frequently involved in the midst of battle, encouraging
the men forward.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
chaplains succumbed to the rigors of military life; for a time Corby was the
only Chaplain in the Army of the Potomac.
Frequently under fire, Corby moved among casualties on the field, giving
assistance to the wounded and absolution to the dying. For days after battles,
he inhabited the field hospitals to bring comfort to men in pain."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">According
to L. F. Kohl, the editor of Corby's memoirs, “Chaplains, like officers, won
the common soldiers' respect with their bravery under fire. Father Corby's
willingness to share the hardships of the men with a light-hearted attitude and
his calm heroism in bringing spiritual and physical comfort to men in the thick
of the fighting won him the esteem and the friendship of the men he served.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fr.
Corby’s passionate style was evident in one of his homilies: </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Oh, you of a younger generation, think
of what it cost our forefathers to save our glorious inheritance of union and
liberty! If you let it slip from your hands you will deserve to be branded as
ungrateful cowards and undutiful sons. But, no! You will not fail to cherish
the prize-- it is too sacred a trust-- too dearly purchased.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His passionate style was evident in one of his homilies: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Oh, you of a younger generation, think
of what it cost our forefathers to save our glorious inheritance of union and
liberty! If you let it slip from your hands you will deserve to be branded as
ungrateful cowards and undutiful sons. But, no! You will not fail to cherish
the prize-- it is too sacred a trust-- too dearly purchased.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">(See <a href="http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/Corby,%20Rev.htm">http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/Corby,%20Rev.htm</a></span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
and “Memoirs of Chaplain Life” by very Rev. W. Corby of Notre Dame University,
Indiana.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Notre Dame, Indiana,
“Scholastic” Press, 1894.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Fr.
Corby believed that his ministry was not only for Catholics, but for every
soldier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter where he was, he
would improvise an altar to offer Mass for the men who faced death daily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to one chronicler of the time,
"Father Corby was known as the 'Fighting Chaplain"' and that "no
spot was too dangerous or too much exposed to the fire of the enemy" for
the Irish Brigade's priest. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Though
never granted, the veterans of the Irish Brigade petitioned Congress to award
Fr. Corby the Medal of Honor for his courage and devotion to his men under
fire.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fr.
Corby is best known for giving general absolution to the Irish Brigade on the pivotal
second day of the Battle of Gettysburg</b> (July 1-3, 1863) several hours before
a massive assault by Confederate forces to outflank the Union soldiers
defending Cemetery Ridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He intended
the general absolution for all soldiers in Gettysburg North and South who were
at high risk for losing their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
scene was included in the excellent 1993 feature film, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gettysburg</i></b>”, which is
considered to be an accurate portrayal of the battle which is the turning point
of the Civil War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the men he absolved that day the
casualties numbered 27 dead, 109 wounded and 62 missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">According to statista.com over the three
days of the Battle of Gettysburg, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The Union Army numbered 92,921 men with
3,155 (3.4%) dead, 14,529 (15.6%) wounded, and 5,365 (5.8%) missing or
captured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The smaller Confederate Army in
Gettysburg numbered 71,699 men with 3,903 (5.4%) dead, 18,735 (26.1%) wounded,
and 5,425 (7.6%) missing or captured.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxzskR3ukc3B-yOg3U78GcwIN9f9SOOWjlwNRY8zbK7EXtCo6FQaWTRN2zITHELWzCethHzyKGGfZUWnheVdOoFvE9ABrJcB2BD22gx-EO0u4OVNsIUfEufZzEcQzBGyC1o2QdtCaIZTLQIZtfs-6zp4ejaRAofCfr435NmzCpeGsVjTeBgbmvca5Ww/s720/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20His%20Statue%20at%20Gettysburg%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="600" height="657" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxzskR3ukc3B-yOg3U78GcwIN9f9SOOWjlwNRY8zbK7EXtCo6FQaWTRN2zITHELWzCethHzyKGGfZUWnheVdOoFvE9ABrJcB2BD22gx-EO0u4OVNsIUfEufZzEcQzBGyC1o2QdtCaIZTLQIZtfs-6zp4ejaRAofCfr435NmzCpeGsVjTeBgbmvca5Ww/w550-h657/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20His%20Statue%20at%20Gettysburg%20(2).jpg" width="550" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
8 foot statue done by Samuel Murray of Union Chaplain Fr. William Corby C.S.C. at
Gettysburg. The statue stands upon the
same rock on which the priest stood while blessing the troops on the pivotal second
day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The
battleground is a most interesting tourist attraction in south central
Pennsylvania. Dedicated in 1910, it was
the first statue of a non-general erected on the Gettysburg Battlefield.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>An eye witness account of the
absolution under fire by Colonel St. Clair Mulholland</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">. The Brigade Commander, Colonel Patrick Kelly
gave Fr. Corby permission to speak to the men.
“Each one would receive the benefit of the absolution by making a
sincere Act of Contrition, and firmly resolving to embrace the first
opportunity of confessing his sins, urging them to do their duty well, and <b><i>reminding
them of the high and sacred nature of their trust as soldiers and the noble
object for which they fought</i></b>.
The brigade was standing at “Order arms,” and as he closed his address,
every man fell on his knees, with head bowed down. Then, stretching his right
hand towards the brigade, Father Corby pronounced the words of absolution. The scene was more than impressive, it was
awe-inspiring. Nearby, stood General
Hancock, surrounded by a brilliant throng of officers, who had gathered to
witness this very unusual occurrence and while there was profound silence in
the ranks of the Second Corps, yet over to the left, out by the peach orchard
and Little Round Top, where Weed, and Vincent, and Haslett were dying, the roar
of the battle rose and swelled and reechoed through the woods. The act seemed to be in harmony with all the
surroundings. I do not think there was a
man in the brigade who did not offer up a heartfelt prayer. For some it was their last; they knelt there
in their grave-clothes — in less than half an hour many of them were numbered
with the dead of July 2.”</span></p></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Certainly,
God was with them as the Irish Brigade stopped Pickett’s Charge. The next day at great cost victory belonged
to the Army of the Potomac as General Robert E. Lee retreated with what was
left of his army.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span><span> </span></span>In
November of that same year President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg to
dedicate the National Cemetery for the fallen of that epic battle. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His speech was brief, but very deep, a speech
for the ages, full of excellent prose and poetry.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sister Flora Marie made us memorize it in the
5</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Grade.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The complete text
is in Appendix II.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5DErKyVIZGPpve3X8empJa0wArAVPFZ4XVP1UCuh7Qm9FgjkxQxnujY85JGzm4GdFNfABreIS6Fnkk9uSZx9nSf15wkNBBs2wwSCVUqkBlqc2yTpXNvu5UxjintPc86mnjFDl-KMourvRgC52_DhOgVhUbTOKiCrhlNBTTt1aNnztWpCZcFMl2o37Q/s475/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20President%20of%20Notre%20Dame.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="400" height="664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5DErKyVIZGPpve3X8empJa0wArAVPFZ4XVP1UCuh7Qm9FgjkxQxnujY85JGzm4GdFNfABreIS6Fnkk9uSZx9nSf15wkNBBs2wwSCVUqkBlqc2yTpXNvu5UxjintPc86mnjFDl-KMourvRgC52_DhOgVhUbTOKiCrhlNBTTt1aNnztWpCZcFMl2o37Q/w559-h664/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20President%20of%20Notre%20Dame.jpg" width="559" /></a></b></div><b style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">Fr. Corby is photographed as President of Notre Dame
a few years after his return to his faculty position. </span></b></div></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Back to teaching at Notre Dame</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">.
Fr. Corby later served as its president during two separate tenures: 1866 to
1872 and 1877 to 1882. At the same time
he served as provincial of the Holy Cross Fathers who founded the school. During his administration enrollment at Notre
Dame increased to more than 500 students.
In 1869 Corby opened the law school which offered a two-year course of
study. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">In
1871 he began construction of campus buildings and what is today the Basilica
of the Sacred Heart on campus. After a
fire, he rebuilt the Administration Building which is noted for its golden dome
with a statue of Mary its patron on top overlooking the campus. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thus
he is considered by many to be the second founder of Notre Dame.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Motivated
by a desire to remind Americans of the patriotic service that thousands of
Catholics had rendered to their country in the Civil War, Father Corby wrote “</span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Memoirs
of Chaplain Life</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">”, describing his Irish Brigade experiences.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Since
Notre Dame (Our Lady) was still small, Corby taught in the classroom and knew
most students and faculty members. In
1869, the entire student body and the faculty presented him with the gift of a
black horse and, when he left the presidency three years later, they presented
him with a matching carriage. He died in
1897 at age 64. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">A
video worth seeing is: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">“American Civil War
Chaplain: Fr. William Corby” at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDaavQ7OHm0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDaavQ7OHm0</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> The nickname of the Irish Brigade in which Fr.
Corby served as chaplain was adopted by Notre Dame sports teams…….namely the “<b><i>Fighting
Irish</i></b>”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="background: white; border-bottom: solid #A2A9B1 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid #A2A9B1 .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 3pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 18pt;">See also </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_for_the_Military_Services,_USA#Chaplains_in_Civil_War" title="Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military
Services, USA#Chaplains in Civil War</span></a> <span style="font-size: large;">and</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 3pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 18pt;"><b>References </b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^ </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-stones_1-0"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;">Jump
up to:</span><b><i><sup><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a</span></sup></i></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-stones_1-1"><b><i><sup><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b</span></sup></i></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/monuments-to-individuals/father-william-corby/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Father William Corby", Stone
Sentinels</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-2" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://president.nd.edu/about-the-president/history-of-the-presidency/past-presidents/"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Past Presidents // Office of the
President // University of Notre Dame"</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Retrieved May 28, 2017.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-3" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Craughwell, Thomas.</span><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/tcraughwell/when-fr.-corby-gave-general-absolution-to-530-men-at-gettysburg"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"When Fr. Corby Gave General Absolution
to 530 Men at Gettysburg", <i>National Catholic Register</i>, July 2,
2017</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-4" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/#.VtEj9-ZQBRE"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Rev. William Corby at Gettysburg"</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. www.archives.nd.edu. University of
Notre Dame Archives. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 26
February 2016. Corby's famous absolution has since been immortalized,
among other places, in Paul Wood's Absolution under Fire (1891) at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snite_Museum_of_Art" title="Snite Museum of Art"><span style="color: #0645ad;">Snite Museum of Art</span></a> and
in statues on the Gettysburg Battlefield (1910) and on Notre Dame's campus
(1911).</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-5" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="http://supporting.nd.edu/recognition-societies/the-william-corby-society/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">William Corby Society</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-6" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/Scholastic/VOL_0002/VOL_0002_ISSUE_0017.pdf"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Our Law Department"</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(PDF)</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The
Scholastic Year (Notre Dame). January 2, 1869.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-7" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>Miller, Greg. </i></span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/Scholastic/VOL_0128/VOL_0128_ISSUE_0007B.pdf"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"A Notre Dame Procession"</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(PDF)</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Scholastic
Archive. The Scholastic. Retrieved 8 December 2017.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-8" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>Hope, Arthur (1943). </i></span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/hope/hope14.htm"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame -- 100 Years: Chapter XIV</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Notre Dame, Ind. : University Press.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; mso-list: l5 level2 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Corby#cite_ref-9" title="Jump up"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">^</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <i>Miller, Greg. </i></span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/Scholastic/VOL_0128/VOL_0128_ISSUE_0007B.pdf"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"A Notre Dame Procession"</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(PDF)</span></i><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Scholastic
Archive. The Scholastic. Retrieved 8 December 2017.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05in; margin: 0.05in 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: medium;">Sources<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202122; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bergen, Doris L.
(ed.). <i>The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the
Twenty-First Century</i>. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press,
2004. </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" title="ISBN (identifier)"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-268-02175-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-268-02175-9"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0-268-02175-9</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #202122; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Corby, Fr. William,
CSC. <i>Memoirs of Chaplain Life: Three Years with the Irish Brigade in
the Army of the Potomac</i>. Edited by Lawrence F. Kohl. New York: Fordham
University Press, 1992. </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" title="ISBN (identifier)"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8232-1251-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-8232-1251-3"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #0645ad; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">0-8232-1251-3</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=0Y0LS0HhFRkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=isbn:0823212513&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7zvhUcm7PMe44AO5noCwDA&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #3366bb; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[1]</span></a></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #202122; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 19.2pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">*<span> <a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/">http://www.archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/</a></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Appendix
I<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 20pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame Archives News & Notes</span></b></a><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 20pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(</span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://notredame.photoshelter.com/page1"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in; text-transform: uppercase;">NOTRE DAME ARCHIVES PHOTO STORE</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/category/nd-history/"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">NOTRE
DAME HISTORY</span></b></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 15.0pt; margin: 15pt 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 20pt;">Rev. William Corby at Gettysburg<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in; text-transform: uppercase;">POSTED ON</span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/corby-gettysburg/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">JULY 2, 2013</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Author</span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/author/archives/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame Archives</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3_7z-lsMw-x6zzUJNmEd2CpsMSMDWl-T4MK2JvDiZ_s6AI_PFsIGuV-E14PL7O5nFFIuoNZzlYA988mSXHhxTVhAHblVn48DjXJbyNG2RdpolfGbV2c2DX1YYV-9JJHgfHjAJFSaJB4-8ye6dUK2_Rwx3FGguoLteq_-3VCl-wTLTBod-i7qg07AQg/s576/Fr.%20Corby%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="327" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3_7z-lsMw-x6zzUJNmEd2CpsMSMDWl-T4MK2JvDiZ_s6AI_PFsIGuV-E14PL7O5nFFIuoNZzlYA988mSXHhxTVhAHblVn48DjXJbyNG2RdpolfGbV2c2DX1YYV-9JJHgfHjAJFSaJB4-8ye6dUK2_Rwx3FGguoLteq_-3VCl-wTLTBod-i7qg07AQg/w277-h489/Fr.%20Corby%20(1).jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2010/the-military-at-notre-dame/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank" title="The Military at Notre Dame"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame’s military ties</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: justify;"> pre-date the Civil War, so when war broke out between the
North and the South, Notre Dame inevitably became involved in the
conflict. Students and alumni joined the ranks, on both sides of the
fighting. Members of the Congregation of Holy Cross also volunteered, but
in more peaceable jobs of chaplains and nurses. Rev. William Corby was
one of those priests who left his position at Notre Dame and joined up with the
predominately Catholic </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Brigade_%28U.S.%29" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Irish Brigade</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: justify;"> in 1861. Corby spent the next
three years as chaplain for the New York regiment.</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw7JHdUGZh_Jrq9AW7hrrPFUK8V_K72hdNQ-V8d4FOgjPKD8r0mEzYaG3tRQELBZMMFdPWZODnrgsqQx4iSBGteYQ1aIJVsbKEh669RccaedAmaODKU6dsQKiAWIXzDSgRVHZRgS-WNTIFCBvR4bNW3qq-8l4w7qN11Pk5SEq0IvcVylrUu9NalHFZw/s857/Fr.%20Corby%20(2).jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="857" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw7JHdUGZh_Jrq9AW7hrrPFUK8V_K72hdNQ-V8d4FOgjPKD8r0mEzYaG3tRQELBZMMFdPWZODnrgsqQx4iSBGteYQ1aIJVsbKEh669RccaedAmaODKU6dsQKiAWIXzDSgRVHZRgS-WNTIFCBvR4bNW3qq-8l4w7qN11Pk5SEq0IvcVylrUu9NalHFZw/w608-h484/Fr.%20Corby%20(2).jpg" width="608" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame’s Civil War
Chaplains with two officers from the Irish Brigade at the Union Army camp at
Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, Summer 1862. Sitting: Captain J. J. McCormick;
James Dillon, CSC; and William Corby, CSC. Standing: Patrick Dillon, CSC, and
Dr. Philip O’Hanlon. Photo by Alexander Gardner, official photographer of the
Army. Original glass negative is housed in the Library of Congress.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On July 1, 1863, the
Irish Brigade marched into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They spent much of
the next day getting their armament into position near Cemetery
Hill. Corby notes in his memoirs that he could see the Confederate lines
a mile away, also preparing for battle. Around 4pm, the conflict became heated.
Corby recounts, “The Third Corps were pressed back, and at this critical moment
I proposed to give a general absolution to our men, as they had absolutely no
chance to practise [sic] their religious duties during the past two or three
weeks, being constantly on the march” [Corby, page 181].</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4tRdj16M0NZdGN1elSRD2g0Pc0J45HKu19Sk3lnZOrB0y_Vy3ZklUnhZV4JzLCZu_2KxZlNTZ_y_LfSNp4EW3aTLU2b2aKhR1PprYssEZRS0fzFnBGu7bSGwWP_QGJBUtMVRc8H_p8RnWadNhEvvQkAm6i8BdZ9GpokCZww4GZ3uATb0g24h4CwXPA/s576/Fr.%20Corby%20(1).jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="327" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4tRdj16M0NZdGN1elSRD2g0Pc0J45HKu19Sk3lnZOrB0y_Vy3ZklUnhZV4JzLCZu_2KxZlNTZ_y_LfSNp4EW3aTLU2b2aKhR1PprYssEZRS0fzFnBGu7bSGwWP_QGJBUtMVRc8H_p8RnWadNhEvvQkAm6i8BdZ9GpokCZww4GZ3uATb0g24h4CwXPA/w328-h576/Fr.%20Corby%20(1).jpg" width="328" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Portrait of Rev.
William Corby, CSC, 1863<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clair_Augustine_Mulholland" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colonel St. Clair
Mulholland</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> was attached
with the Irish Brigade and later gave this account of Corby’s famous absolution
[Originally published in the Philadelphia <i>Times</i>, reprinted in </span><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/Scholastic/VOL_0013/VOL_0013_ISSUE_0030.pdf" target="_blank"><i><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; text-decoration-line: none;">Scholastic</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, April 3, 1880</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, pages 470-471]:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is yet a few
minutes to spare before starting, and the time is occupied in one of the most
impressive religious ceremonies I have ever witnessed. The Irish Brigade,
which had been commanded formerly by General Thomas Francis Meagher, and whose
green flag had been unfurled in every battle in which the Army of the Potomac
had been engaged from the first Bull Run to Appomattox, was now commanded by
Colonel Patrick Kelly, of the Eighty-eighth New York, and formed a part of this
division. The brigade stood in columns of regiments closed in mass. As
the large majority of its members were Catholics, the Chaplain of the brigade
Rev. William Corby, CSC, proposed to give a general absolution to all the men
before going into the fight. While this is customary in the armies of
Catholic countries of Europe, it was perhaps the first time it was ever
witnessed on this continent… Father Corby stood upon a large rock in
front of the brigade, addressing the men; he explained what he was about to do,
saying that each one would receive the benefit of the absolution by making a
sincere Act of Contrition, and firmly resolving to embrace the first
opportunity of confessing his sins, urging them to do their duty well, and
reminding them of the high and sacred nature of their trust as soldiers and the
noble object for which they fought. The brigade was standing at “Order
arms,” and as he closed his address, every man fell on his knees, with head
bowed down. Then, stretching his right hand towards the brigade, Father Corby
pronounced the words of absolution. The scene was more than impressive,
it was awe-inspiring. Near by, stood General Hancock, surrounded by a
brilliant throng of officers, who had gathered to witness this very unusual
occurrence and while there was profound silence in the ranks of the Second
Corps, yet over to the left, out by the peach orchard and Little Round Top,
where Weed, and Vincent, and Haslett were dying, the roar of the battle rose
and swelled and reechoed through the woods. The act seemed to be in
harmony with all the surroundings. I do not think there was a man
in the brigade who did not offer up a heartfelt prayer. For some it was
their last; they knelt there in their grave-clothes — in less than half an hour
many of them were numbered with the dead of July 2.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBdPgC0pn8n1Ua7TqAlGm-v_8WOCeVyIBPW4DB9bAlsi8r4ey3aCj3c7M4QFcls4eiRySrn8HmYEpeD78YIcp8yJjrDMqZIzVRk7s_9Tra0zmAz2TK0vgFWCsIdowkisViWEO1UvNu9CZz5DxctBT5_jxr-HGDPfPhVSkD-68gEm9Ytk7INoZynMuFA/s960/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20Absolution%20Under%20Fire.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="960" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBdPgC0pn8n1Ua7TqAlGm-v_8WOCeVyIBPW4DB9bAlsi8r4ey3aCj3c7M4QFcls4eiRySrn8HmYEpeD78YIcp8yJjrDMqZIzVRk7s_9Tra0zmAz2TK0vgFWCsIdowkisViWEO1UvNu9CZz5DxctBT5_jxr-HGDPfPhVSkD-68gEm9Ytk7INoZynMuFA/w578-h403/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20Absolution%20Under%20Fire.jpg" width="578" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paul Wood’s <i>Absolution
under Fire</i> at the <a href="http://sniteartmuseum.nd.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e64e6;">Snite Museum of Art</span></a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;">Corby continued, “That general absolution was intended for
all </span><i style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;">—</i><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><i style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;">in quantum possum</i><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><i style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;">—</i><span style="color: #222222; text-indent: 0.5in;"> not only for
our brigade, but for all, North or South, who were susceptible of it and who
were about to appear before their Judge.” A non-Catholic officer
approached Corby after the Battle of Gettysburg and echoed Mulholland’s
sentiments about the absolution: that it was one of the most powerful
prayers he had ever heard [Corby, page 184-185].</span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zam0IIJJyvWglzqQJ315AtKn708N68t_HWHec6xIH-L-U8J-xTP-5nAHm8c1dC_95rp_PBdAUHcAuTPmm1nvTtOi91zjxO3bZKLxmfpksKAM3xviFcIsq-aqzbgQZtXH9ExgmEjveHx1EtbZGzjYqAoeCaTTMsMCF4JDBs2_A2ATRheW0XgKcC9WTA/s576/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20His%20Statue%20at%20Gettysburg%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="435" height="563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zam0IIJJyvWglzqQJ315AtKn708N68t_HWHec6xIH-L-U8J-xTP-5nAHm8c1dC_95rp_PBdAUHcAuTPmm1nvTtOi91zjxO3bZKLxmfpksKAM3xviFcIsq-aqzbgQZtXH9ExgmEjveHx1EtbZGzjYqAoeCaTTMsMCF4JDBs2_A2ATRheW0XgKcC9WTA/w426-h563/Fr.%20Corby%20-%20His%20Statue%20at%20Gettysburg%20(3).jpg" width="426" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rev. William Corby,
CSC, statue at Gettysburg, c1910s</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
“Dominus noster Jesus Christus vos absolvat, et ego, auctoritate ipsius, vos
absolvo ab omni vinculo, excommunicationis interdicti, in quantum possum et vos
indigetis deinde ego absolvo vos, a pecatis vestris, in nomini Patris, et
Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen” [Corby, page 183] The Battle of
Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with casualties exceeding
57,000. Fr. Corby’s absolution of the troops stayed deeply in the
imagination of the survivors for years to come. After the war, Mulholland
remained a friend of Notre Dame until his death. In 1900, </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/history.htm" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professor Jimmy Edwards</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> invited Mulholland to Notre Dame’s
Commencement Exercises. Mulholland regretted that he was unable to attend
because he had just spent a week with veterans at Gettysburg. He was
surprised to find them still talking about the absolution: “Instead of
being forgotten it is becoming more widely known” [CEDW XI-2-c].<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Corby’s famous
absolution has since been immortalized, among other places, in Paul
Wood’s <i>Absolution under Fire</i> (1891) at the Snite Museum of Art
and in statues on the Gettysburg Battlefield (1910) and on Notre Dame’s campus
(1911).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sources:<br />
</span></i><a href="http://archive.org/details/memoirschaplain00corbuoft" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Memoirs of Chaplain
Life</span></i></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by Rev. William
Corby<br />
</span><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/Scholastic/VOL_0013/VOL_0013_ISSUE_0030.pdf" target="_blank"><i><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; text-decoration-line: none;">Scholastic</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, April 3, 1880</span></a><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></i><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/author.pl?c190006.xml+10" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CEDW XI-2-c</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: St. Clair Mulholland to Jimmy Edwards,
06/08/1900<br />
</span><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/display.pl?SBA001.HTM+10" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GSBA</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><a href="http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/display.pl?PHR177.HTM+79" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GPHR 45/3024</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Posted in </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/category/nd-history/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notre Dame History</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tagged </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/catholic-history/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Catholic History</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/civil-war/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Civil War</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/clergy/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">clergy</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/events/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">events</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/individuals/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">individuals</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/tag/military/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">military</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -15.75pt; margin-right: -15.75pt; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in -15.75pt; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: -15.75pt; margin-right: -15.75pt; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in -15.75pt; mso-outline-level: 2;"><b><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: medium;">Post navigation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/consecration-nd/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consecration of Notre Dame</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2013/rupert-mills/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #2e64e6; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rupert Mills</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The University of Notre Dame Archives is responsible for the
collection, maintenance, and preservation of the official records of the
University of Notre Dame as well as other records that document the life of the
Catholic Church and her people as lived in the American context.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/information/oklahoma.htm"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ND vs. Oklahoma 1952</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The University of Notre Dame Archives is responsible for the
collection, maintenance, and preservation of the official records of the
University of Notre Dame as well as other records that document the life of the
Catholic Church and her people as lived in the American context.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">FOLLOW
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/about/news/index.php/2017/james-farnham-edwards-interview/"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">James Farnham Edwards Interview about the
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Book Launch</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">OLDER
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/information/oklahoma.htm"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ND vs. Oklahoma 1952</span></a><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The University of Notre Dame Archives is responsible for the
collection, maintenance, and preservation of the official records of the
University of Notre Dame as well as other records that document the life of the
Catholic Church and her people as lived in the American context.</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; text-align: left;">
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://archives.nd.edu/information/oklahoma.htm"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ND vs. Oklahoma 1952</span></a></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;"> Appendix
II</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">The
Gettysburg Address by President Abraham Lincoln<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">At
the Dedication of the National Cemetery<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">November
19, 1863</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this
continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or
any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a
great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that
field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that
nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we
can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here,
have <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consecrated">consecrated</a> it,
far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor
long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It
is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be
here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored
dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not <a href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/perish">perish</a> from the
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-49630877655908927672022-10-12T19:06:00.013-07:002023-10-15T00:00:09.036-07:00(269) Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar) and Christendom College…. Did Mary have a role in the fledgling Church while still living on earth?<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1ktrzweSAKRiUeYbJbfBf6UvmBi8KiO2NWkuFhzxiaCr0_vbpx7sDSfy9J3--mNeJYYSr2ww0Qv2DYtTmDUS0507OFM0Vs6QDCX99NKMI_5dlyRB2dmZ6DIdRYGhYHlNIW1nRBPYTYyNWxe2MnpUkIO7pYn05bETrwX3rdmBUChgbuyPKmvGwjhJkw/s867/Nuestra%20Senora%20del%20Pilar%20(Bayeu).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="500" height="670" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1ktrzweSAKRiUeYbJbfBf6UvmBi8KiO2NWkuFhzxiaCr0_vbpx7sDSfy9J3--mNeJYYSr2ww0Qv2DYtTmDUS0507OFM0Vs6QDCX99NKMI_5dlyRB2dmZ6DIdRYGhYHlNIW1nRBPYTYyNWxe2MnpUkIO7pYn05bETrwX3rdmBUChgbuyPKmvGwjhJkw/w388-h670/Nuestra%20Senora%20del%20Pilar%20(Bayeu).jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">A depiction by the artist, Ramón Bayeu y Subías in 1780 of Nuestra
Señora del Pilar, the patroness of Spain and the Americas. This is the
very first apparition of Mary in history and the only known one while she was
living on earth. See</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249256/meet-our-lady-of-the-pillar-the-first-apparition-of-the-virgin-mary-in-the-history">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249256/meet-our-lady-of-the-pillar-the-first-apparition-of-the-virgin-mary-in-the-history</a>. </span></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span><span> </span>Did
Mary have a role in establishing the Church after the descent of the Holy
Spirit on the first Christian Pentecost?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">What did she do before being assumed into Heaven in about 44 AD?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Perhaps a strong tradition and devotion in
Spain, but largely unknown in the United States, might give us an idea.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">That is the Tradition of Our Lady
of the Pillar</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">. According to one story handed down,
St. James was discouraged at making little or no progress in his mission of
evangelizing Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary, Mother of the
Church and of the apostles even before the Assumption, bi-located and appeared
to St. James on a pillar in 40 AD, giving him consolation and
encouragement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other saints, such as San
Martín de Porres and St. Padre Pio, had the gift of bilocation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the very first apparition of Mary and
the only one while she was living on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">According to another version, Mary was transported by angels, who built a
pillar of marble and a small statue of her for the altar of the church she
asked St. James to build on the spot where she appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet
another tradition holds that on 2 January 40 AD, while St. James was deep in
prayer by the banks of the Ebro River, the Mother of God appeared and gave him
a column of jasper and instructed him to build a church in her honor "This
place is to be my house, and this image and column shall be the title and altar
of the temple that you shall build", promising that “it will stand from
that moment until the end of time in order that God may work miracles and
wonders through my intercession for all those who place themselves under my
patronage.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The
feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, celebrating the first apparition of Mary to
Hispanic people, is on October 12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christopher
Columbus was well aware that it was on her feast day he discovered America in
1492 and the first Mass was said in the Western Hemisphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incidentally, the name of the flagship of
Columbus was named after Mary, the “Santa María”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Little
is known about Mary from Pentecost to the Assumption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do know that she must have helped St. Luke
and St. Matthew write about the Nativity narrative in their Gospels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many details that we must
conclude that they interviewed Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
apostles must have asked Mary about the circumstances of the birth of their
Master, our Lord Jesus Christ and listened with fascination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That ten day period of waiting for the descent
of the Holy Spirit in the upper room after the Ascension was a good time for
telling them about her son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Only
Mary knew the details of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the virgin birth,
the Presentation, and the Christ child being lost in the temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that the shepherds and the Magi
shared their experience with Mary and Joseph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The 19<sup>th</sup> Century mystic Anne Catherine Emmerich shared in a
book what was revealed to her about the life of Christ and Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her life and her books are easily googled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The
tradition of Our Lady of the Pillar seems to indicate that Mary, while still
living on earth, had a role in early Christian evangelization, helping St.
James and probably other apostles plant the seeds of what was to later become
medieval Christendom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that Mary
was with the apostles during the first Pentecost and also received the Holy
Spirit as she did during the Annunciation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">As
mother of the Church and of the apostles, Mary probably did not have a
leadership role, but nurtured, encouraged, consoled, supported them with
prayer, and perhaps advised the apostles as they evangelized at great personal
risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She probably accompanied St. John
to gatherings of the apostles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know
from Acts that the apostles had to confront obstacles, hardships, difficulties,
frustrations, and setbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
scholars could find out more from investigating early Christian writings that
have survived and what has been passed down as tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Mary
certainly prayed for the apostles as any devout Christian mother would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would not be surprising if God granted her
the gift of knowing how they were doing hundreds of miles away as she did with
St. James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For an idea of where each
apostle evangelized go to </span><a href="https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/07/230-early-church-apostles-go-out-to.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2019/07/230-early-church-apostles-go-out-to.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are stories of more than one mother
feeling a sudden burst of pain at the moment her son was wounded in combat
during World War II on a distant continent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Over
the centuries Mary has done much of the same for the Church and her children,
all of us from Pope to everyone who goes to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the great cathedrals of medieval
Christendom are dedicated to her, particularly the magnificent Notre Dame and
Chartres in France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That medieval age
inspired the founding of Christendom College and Mary is part of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary our mother continues to nurture our
faith at numerous shrines from Guadalupe to Lourdes and from her altars in
every Catholic church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bilocates all
over the world to be with us when we call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgCH98HMULwguIShhTgjk_Y0Yac5g0SF-DOY31rUtT8Xw_qa3zZczZrbrwYM67ptpl4m3KBISoc6nEJ5EfGOJC8yFXhn8GTGYEdTfKVP4K15XBVOzzkyuou1IQZtn5IZnBKvauNiYLUnrMJkWsO0H_bciRFVtvo5ILebj58xZd85lef6y3QoQQCsEKA/s479/Nuestra%20Se%C3%B1ora%20del%20Pilar%20Basilica%20Zaragosa-Spain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="440" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgCH98HMULwguIShhTgjk_Y0Yac5g0SF-DOY31rUtT8Xw_qa3zZczZrbrwYM67ptpl4m3KBISoc6nEJ5EfGOJC8yFXhn8GTGYEdTfKVP4K15XBVOzzkyuou1IQZtn5IZnBKvauNiYLUnrMJkWsO0H_bciRFVtvo5ILebj58xZd85lef6y3QoQQCsEKA/w498-h542/Nuestra%20Se%C3%B1ora%20del%20Pilar%20Basilica%20Zaragosa-Spain.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><b><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The
great Basilica of Nuesta Señora del Pilar, a very popular national pilgrimage site
since the 13<sup>th</sup> Century, in Zaragosa, Spain.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>The Cathedral – Basilica
of Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragosa, Spain</b> (pop 675,000) in northeastern
Spain…..111 miles south of Pamplona which is on the primary route (French Way) of
the famous El Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James which extends 500
miles to Santiago de Compostela on the west coast. <span style="background: white; color: #202122;">The
venerated shrines and pilgrimage site at Zaragoza date to the Christian
Reconquest by </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_the_Battler" title="Alfonso the Battler"><span style="background: white; color: #0645ad; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration-line: none;">King Alfonso I</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> in 1118, during the medieval era of
Christendom. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The apostle St. James built a tiny chapel there as instructed by Mary. This would be the very first church dedicated
to Mary. Despite multiple destructions
and a fire, the 15 inch statue of Mary given by her to St. James and the 6 foot
pillar that she appeared on are preserved.
Over the centuries several churches were built over the site in the
Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles in that order.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73hMbwaE_r2es_4JgeWl2RVFO8ioruAsii8RMKnpG6V47AO1LHt4oTaJpkTLCrvLSgLSXfF3seO9oYTqDMdTr9J6h80ttPg8skOt6tQPK2tK-wKQo6gpwbH5_3lOnhY6AkN-EaW67k2ZroSxxT5Q_oPCZIad-xK_c6ANYcIpz5pnp6lR8BEfM5YrXnA/s500/Nuestra%20Senora%20del%20Pilar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="251" height="1022" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73hMbwaE_r2es_4JgeWl2RVFO8ioruAsii8RMKnpG6V47AO1LHt4oTaJpkTLCrvLSgLSXfF3seO9oYTqDMdTr9J6h80ttPg8skOt6tQPK2tK-wKQo6gpwbH5_3lOnhY6AkN-EaW67k2ZroSxxT5Q_oPCZIad-xK_c6ANYcIpz5pnp6lR8BEfM5YrXnA/w515-h1022/Nuestra%20Senora%20del%20Pilar.jpg" width="515" /></a></div><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">A statue of Mary on a pillar in the Cathedral-Basilica of Nuestra </span></b></span><b style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24.5333px;">Señora del Pilar in Zaragosa, Spain.</span></b></div></span></b></span><div><span style="background: white; color: #202122; line-height: 115%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The baroque Cathedral-Basilica above was begun
in 1681. In 1725 the architect Ventura
Rodríguez transformed the building into its present dimensions of 130 meters
long by 67 meters wide, with eleven cupolas and four towers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The area most visited is the eastern part
because this is where the Holy Chapel by Ventura Rodríguez (1754) houses the
venerated image of the Virgin. Around
the Holy Chapel are the vaults or domes painted with frescoes by Francisco
Goya. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Pope Calixtus III, who reigned from 1455-1458,
issued a bull encouraging pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Pillar and confirming
the name and the miraculous origin. A commission of 12 Cardinals appointed by
Pope Innocent XIII to investigate the authenticity of the tradition, confirmed
it in 1723 and the Congregation of Rites gave its stamp of approval. On 20 May 1905, Pope Pius X granted the image
a canonical coronation (the right to crown the statue).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the
Communists dropped three bombs on the shrine, but none exploded. They are on display today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Appendix<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Perhaps, the reader might be interested in what
motivated me to write this article. It
was Christendom College that aspires to restore the Christian culture of
medieval Christianity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eYTII90Mc4Fp0gWKeiGL6IvaoYEg2HPZFk8OS07JOI9FioHj9rLSLiyhAIkEvZXMpMydpSEbt0YM6N966LTmAhKOILU2UIcWDqBHfAl3WQSgW-lp1JTDRkNyBDmOtJqnGa9lXxjLPx8kOf0beoc1XPJBQ1oTZi10kgKdqJo3OVRaYFZgUXZDZPo_dA/s900/Christendom%20College%20Library.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 24pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="900" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eYTII90Mc4Fp0gWKeiGL6IvaoYEg2HPZFk8OS07JOI9FioHj9rLSLiyhAIkEvZXMpMydpSEbt0YM6N966LTmAhKOILU2UIcWDqBHfAl3WQSgW-lp1JTDRkNyBDmOtJqnGa9lXxjLPx8kOf0beoc1XPJBQ1oTZi10kgKdqJo3OVRaYFZgUXZDZPo_dA/w671-h413/Christendom%20College%20Library.webp" width="671" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The statue of Our
Lady on a pillar outside of the library at Christendom College is much taller
(about 12 feet above the base) than the 6 foot pillars and statues in Zaragosa,
Spain and other churches. However, it
can serve as a representation for devotional and educational purposes. Thus Christendom College really has its own
version of Our Lady of the Pillar, a beautiful landmark on campus.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Recently, my wife Jaga and I visited our daughter Stephanie,
our grandson Anselm, and son-in-law Daniel Spiotta, a new member of the English
and Literature faculty of Christendom College. With my background in Academia and currently professor emeritus at the
University of Rio Grande, I was very interested in exploring Christendom
College. Upon visiting the library, I
was enthralled and excited by the sight of the statue of Mary upon a pillar,
some 20 feet high. I have yet to learn
about its origin. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">The
sight of Mary on a pillar immediately brought to mind my 14 years in Arequipa,
Perú, where I was a Lay Missionary (the old Papal Volunteers or PAVLA). I often assisted at Mass and went to
confession at the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar or in English “Our
Lady of the Pillar”. During my time
there in the 1960s and 1970s it was staffed by the American Maryknoll
Fathers. There is a certain devotion to
her in Latin America and particularly in Spain, centered around her great
shrine in Zaragosa. There are also
churches dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar in St. Louis, MO, Dallas, TX,
Corpus Christi, TX, and Santa Ana, CA.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">
Relevance to Christendom College</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">. Whether donated used
or newly constructed, the acquisition of the statue of Mary on a pillar seems
to be providential because it provides a link to Spain where the concept of
Christendom College originated during a retreat that Dr. Warren Carroll, the
founder, attended there. It was in
medieval western Europe where a Christian culture prevailed and thus is known
as Christendom which had to defend itself against the invasions of Islam the
same as we are confronting the threat of secularism today and have the mission
of restoring the Christian culture we once had.
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Furthermore, the statue of Mary
on a pillar, provides a link to her before the Assumption and to the apostle
St. James in his mission of evangelizing pagan Spain. In 40 AD St. James and Mary planted the seeds
for the development of medieval Christendom after which this college is named
and has the mission of restoring Christian culture in the United States and the
world.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Read about the Miracle of Our Lady of the Pillar at <a href="https://americaneedsfatima.org/video/miracle-of-our-lady-of-the-pillar#main">https://americaneedsfatima.org/video/miracle-of-our-lady-of-the-pillar#main</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>Ideas That May Be
Considered</b>. Christendom College
might consider celebrating the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar on October 12
with her story as part of the homily at Daily Mass. The Mass could be said outside the library at
the foot of the statue, weather permitting.
A permanent plaque briefly describing the history and link to Christendom
College could be placed at the foot of the statue in front of the library. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>An annual lecture on October 12 on Our Lady
of the Pillar and her shrine might attract interest. Perhaps a student and faculty exchange
program with the University of Zaragosa as a sister university would be
feasible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> Christendom College faculty and students could do research to
develop an accurate history of Our Lady of the Pillar, her importance in
history, and her relevance to Christendom College. Perhaps research could discover at least from
tradition the role of Mary in the fledgling Church before the Assumption. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span>The Director of the Library, who grew up in
Spain, could be a big help in providing his own experience, making a
recommendation, and acquiring a few books on Christianity and Marian devotion
in medieval Spain, Our Lady of the Pillar, and the Cathedral–Basilica of Our
Lady of the Pillar as a shrine, etc.
This article is intended not as a scholarly work, but to stimulate solid
research and education. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Fr.
Daniel Gee, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, could say a Mass in Spanish
on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Fr. Thomas Szczpanczyk of the same
parish could say an annual Mass in Polish for the Feast of Our Lady of
Czestochowa or on September 11, the anniversary of the Battle of Vienna in
which Poland saved Western Civilization from Islamic conquest in 1683, giving
the students a vision of the universal Church.
There must be some Polish and Spanish speakers in the Christendom
community. Many of these ideas are in a
brainstorming mode.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">
- Our Lady of the Pillar<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249256/meet-our-lady-of-the-pillar-the-first-apparition-of-the-virgin-mary-in-the-history"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249256/meet-our-lady-of-the-pillar-the-first-apparition-of-the-virgin-mary-in-the-history</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">
- Why Our Lady of the Pillar is the patroness of Spain and the Americas<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral-Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral-Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_the_Pillar</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">
- Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaragoza"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaragoza</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
– Zaragoza</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div></div>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-67231982291609978242022-09-17T11:50:00.035-07:002023-05-17T18:45:21.254-07:00(268) The Fatima Message Applied to Today: Do We Need Another 9/11 or a Nuclear World War to Bring Us Back to God?<p style="text-align: center;"><b> AMDG</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaT4Lr1lvds3Wr_gLZCfM_xnIxMelY3AYDWNpL42kwSWpqk7aMxqzClrxrhgvcmlT7wuRvK9olHvUThcyCpDIsEOv57n0l7SPduxjAmGk2efVPdD8qlylAo0iHY5gheR6xl19VM-hgUACeKR4djDfDtZSncpLrSpboM9sxGknJoMsVIyOEO_bUdoJrw/s1200/World%20Trade%20Center%202nd%20Attack%20%20September%2011,%202001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1200" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaT4Lr1lvds3Wr_gLZCfM_xnIxMelY3AYDWNpL42kwSWpqk7aMxqzClrxrhgvcmlT7wuRvK9olHvUThcyCpDIsEOv57n0l7SPduxjAmGk2efVPdD8qlylAo0iHY5gheR6xl19VM-hgUACeKR4djDfDtZSncpLrSpboM9sxGknJoMsVIyOEO_bUdoJrw/w572-h428/World%20Trade%20Center%202nd%20Attack%20%20September%2011,%202001.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The twin towers
of the World Trade Center are hit by two commercial airplanes hijacked in mid
air by terrorists who used the planes as missiles to destroy the buildings, the
people inside, the passengers, and the terrorists themselves on a suicide
mission to protest the perceived oppression of Arabs by Israel. Exactly 2977 lives were lost in the four terrorist attacks (2,753 in the World Trade Center and the surrounding area, 184 at the Pentagon, & 40 in Shanksville, PA) plus the 19 hijackers. The survivors continue to die from Cancer because of the toxic gases they breathed. The number would have been
greater were it not for the heroism of the New York Fire Department (343 gave their lives) and the
Police. Americans were afraid and people
returned to the churches for a time and then drifted away again.
Pray for peace!</span></b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span>Throughout the history of salvation from
Biblical times to today people have a tendency to sin (concupiscence) and drift
away from God. This may be in the form
of indifference to the faith, Church teaching, and morality. </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <span> </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">God does not have to punish mankind. The natural consequences of sin (greed,
immorality, selfishness, injustice, etc.) are exploitation, oppression,
slavery, wars, and other forms of human tragedy as the terrorism of
September 11, 2001. Filled with fear,
people did come back to God after that catastrophe. The churches were packed for a while, but
again we see ourselves drifting away. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;">A cyclic pattern</b><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;">repeated itself
time and time again in the Old Testament</b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">.
When the Jews were faithful to God and His Covenant with them, they were
powerful and prosperous as under King David and much of the reign of King Solomon. However, with prosperity and power, the Jews
began to drift as though they no longer needed God. They would fall into corruption, immorality,
taking pagan wives, worshiping false gods, etc. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>Since the Jews ignored the warnings by the prophets, the Lord let them
learn the hard way by the consequences of their sins. We can recall the conquests by the Assyrians,
the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. May we learn from the mistakes of the Jews of the Old Testament and be faithful to God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span> </span><span> </span>Ten
of the twelve tribes were taken into exile by the Assyrians in 721 BC and
disappeared as did their Northern Kingdom of Israel which had previously broken
off from the Kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 14-20). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span> </span>Later Babylon conquered
Judea and forced the people into exile as slaves
in Babylon known as the </span><b style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><i>Babylonian
Captivity</i></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> from 597-538 BC, a total of 59 years until King Cyrus of
Persia freed them. Again the Jews drifted away from God and the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-large;">Seleucid Empire </span></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">conquered Judea and imposed the Greek Hellenistic culture. The Maccabean Revolt
(160-167 BC) returned the land to Jewish control. Each time the Jewish nation drifted from God, they were forced to suffer under foreign oppressors until they returned to God. The cycle repeated when the Jews would again fall into sin and national
ruin. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: center;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 24pt; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0azPZt0dOxHGD3TuUNuXUVBEA1tOOwr5IrLAm21zYDa7GiY6BeRdELA31y9FDrVT0QYAIS-Jdcn4YR4BVjjKkBWmucOiAI6X5_krPDlawUejBervOxwVB-QY8XIpa8xJpfqIbN2F7XAGmELjyZmdFZGD53Q0jnb9dtf0oPWNGk20rOqFWTQwpt2nyA/s600/Fatima%20Appearance%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="454" height="797" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0azPZt0dOxHGD3TuUNuXUVBEA1tOOwr5IrLAm21zYDa7GiY6BeRdELA31y9FDrVT0QYAIS-Jdcn4YR4BVjjKkBWmucOiAI6X5_krPDlawUejBervOxwVB-QY8XIpa8xJpfqIbN2F7XAGmELjyZmdFZGD53Q0jnb9dtf0oPWNGk20rOqFWTQwpt2nyA/w603-h797/Fatima%20Appearance%20(10).jpg" width="603" /></a></span></div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt;">An appearance of Mary at Fatima, Portugal to the
three shepherd children: Jacinta, Lucia,
and Francisco. </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">They
transmitted to the world Mary’s Fatima Message. See Blogs #186 - #195. and the Fatima Message in greater detail in the Appendix.</span></b></div></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <b>During her appearances in Fatima</b>,
Portugal in 1917 Mary warned us of a second world war much worse than the first
heralded by the Fatima Storm of January 25, 1938 (</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/01/201-fatima-storm-great-unknown-light-of.html">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/01/201-fatima-storm-great-unknown-light-of.html</a></span><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 24pt;">)</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;">. </span><span style="font-size: 32px;">Clearly, Mary is doing what the prophets of old did in speaking for God and warning the people. She is truly a prophet for our times through her many apparitions and messages. </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>Furthermore, Mary said at Fatima that the
errors of Russia would cause great suffering if the world refused to
repent. Noteworthy is the fact that she
made this warning before the October 17 Communist Revolution in Russia. If people follow the <b><i>Fatima Message</i></b>,
Russia would be converted and there would be a period of peace. Yes, Communism unexpectedly and miraculously
collapsed in Europe (1989-91), but Russia continued in its errors for the next
30 years because national conversion did not take place. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;"><span> </span>Many of the same Soviet
methods of controlling the people under a dictatorial regime and the renamed KGB as FSB continue even
though there is relative religious freedom.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">The press is largely controlled by the government.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">Any criticism of the government and its
corruption or the war in Ukraine risks a jail term.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">A number of dissidents have disappeared or mysterious died.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">The most prominent is
Alexei Navalny who recovered from a poisoning in Germany.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">Upon his return to Russia, he was tried and
confined to a prison far from Moscow.</span> </span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;">Thus Russia is again threatening world
peace</b><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> by its invasion of Ukraine since February 24, 2022 to restore the former empire of the Sovie</span><a name="Bookmark1" style="font-size: 24pt;"></a><span style="font-size: 24pt;">t Union. The tremendous cost.....about 5 million of Ukraine's 6.6 million
refugees fled the country, numerous cities leveled by shelling, over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers and at least
6,000 civilians dead, along with some 40,000 Russian soldiers killed and their arsenal of weapons being depleted. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span> </span>Western
nations, particularly the United States are helping Ukraine (over $15 billion
in aid) with weapons and intelligence. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Furthermore, the world's
supply of food, oil, and gas is greatly diminished and prices are much higher
for what is available. </span>As a result of all of this, East-West
tensions are rising dangerously. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk97rqFdBLxwI3edhtmI5YH5DuFK85_s7npFXC8GEggV3YhxDnVqfDjma3LuEJl_LIhKSMD9TFN5RETSFTWrsMi3g35oj76zSmrd0dFcDAQ7-4Uqdoooe6Am_prPallm88LwvSyEwoiGGCHQCDiQAllkAep3NK_C1hXfsj7-MxpAY1UVZg2H4kYg5Qw/s789/Nuclear%20Power%20Plant%20Ukraine.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="789" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk97rqFdBLxwI3edhtmI5YH5DuFK85_s7npFXC8GEggV3YhxDnVqfDjma3LuEJl_LIhKSMD9TFN5RETSFTWrsMi3g35oj76zSmrd0dFcDAQ7-4Uqdoooe6Am_prPallm88LwvSyEwoiGGCHQCDiQAllkAep3NK_C1hXfsj7-MxpAY1UVZg2H4kYg5Qw/w665-h389/Nuclear%20Power%20Plant%20Ukraine.webp" width="665" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">A Russian
soldier guarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe. This is the 4<sup>th</sup> of its six nuclear
reactors. Russia is using the power
plant as a shield to shell the Ukrainian soldiers who are retaliating in kind. Russia controls the plant and forces the
Ukrainian workers and engineers to operate the plant.</span></span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> The shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear
power plant in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine puts the surrounding countries in grave
danger from radioactive fallout if the nuclear reactor core should be seriously
damaged. This would be much worse than
the massive radioactive leak in the 1986 Chernobyl, Ukraine nuclear disaster. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Already an unholy alliance is forming among current or soon to be rogue nuclear
powers, namely Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. China is threatening
a copycat invasion of Taiwan; Iran would like to destroy Israel; and North
Korea is a threat to conquer South Korea. </span>If Russian would use nuclear weapons in
Ukraine as it threatened to do or attack a NATO member such as one of the Baltic states, formerly
captive nations of the former Soviet Union, a disastrous World War III would
probably result with unimaginable suffering in the world. In fact, some experts warn of the very real and gravely dangerous possibility that if Russia can't win, they would use nuclear weapons rather than accept defeat. It would</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-align: left;"> not take much to
set off World War III now or later when Russia replenishes its manpower, weapons,
ammunition, and supplies!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> Let us return to God and repent. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for peace, particularly the
Rosary every day! Let us offer our daily
crosses for the conversion of sinners including ourselves. That is in essence the </span><b style="font-size: 24pt;"><i>Fatima Message
and the road to peace</i></b><span style="font-size: 24pt;">. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"> <b>Appendix: The Pillars of the Fatima Message</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">See <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html">https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html</a><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXGGlgGItTZpB_nbF3W697ic8OkdObgoDc8RBvr6MOgpc-eCkDPs5CUCatzbIQ8UOHCduQacp4b3kiWLI_MkX6JrkkvSNNSRA3NXP7o2ZN28MLYhS7EI4rCatzlNdCQIZmv51j5OU0fYL-q_tttzTBwxZ8jXc-9boGC5CZ0y6brxQcaYfzf95RMD94A/s972/Fatima%20Statue%20(7).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="700" height="832" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXGGlgGItTZpB_nbF3W697ic8OkdObgoDc8RBvr6MOgpc-eCkDPs5CUCatzbIQ8UOHCduQacp4b3kiWLI_MkX6JrkkvSNNSRA3NXP7o2ZN28MLYhS7EI4rCatzlNdCQIZmv51j5OU0fYL-q_tttzTBwxZ8jXc-9boGC5CZ0y6brxQcaYfzf95RMD94A/w597-h832/Fatima%20Statue%20(7).jpg" width="597" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 32px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><span> </span>In celebration of the 106 the anniversary of the first appearance of Mary at Fatima, EWTN explained the Fatima Message as having five pillars.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px;">1. <b>Pray the rosary daily for peace</b> in the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px;">2. <b>Do penance and make sacrifices in reparation</b>. That is offering up of crosses that one encounters in daily life.......difficulties, illness, accident, setbacks, failures, etc.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px;">3. <b>Five First Saturdays</b>. Attend Mass and Receive Communion on the first Saturday of five consecutive months. This is in reparation for sin that has caused so many problems. It includes confession within eight days, a rosary plus a 15 minute meditation on one of the mysteries of the rosary.</span><span style="font-size: 32px;"> (See <a href="https://www.mdrevelation.org/rosary-crusade-for-peace/how-to-practice-the-five-first-saturdays-devotion/">https://www.mdrevelation.org/rosary-crusade-for-peace/how-to-practice-the-five-first-saturdays-devotion/</a>)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px; text-align: left;">4. <b>Personal Consecration to Our Lady</b>. Use the Consecration to Mary of St. Louis de Montfort at <a href="https://www.livefatima.io/consecration-to-mary-st-louis-de-montfort/">https://www.livefatima.io/consecration-to-mary-st-louis-de-montfort/</a>. The Kings of Portugal have consecrated the country to Mary since the 17th Century and the country has a long tradition of devotion to Mary. That is why Mary chose Portugal as the country in which to appear. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px; text-align: left;">5. <b>Wear the scapular</b>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px; text-align: left;"><span> I would add repentance, which is really a part of every message of Mary in all of her apparitions. It is implied in the five pillars above.</span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px; text-align: left;"><span><span> Mary is very explicit at Fatima about repentance, pray the rosary for peace, make sacrifices in reparation and for the conversion of sinners, and the five first Saturdays (made to Lucia in 1925). </span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 32px; text-align: left;">\ </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-24138440556472629872022-09-05T13:41:00.022-07:002022-12-16T20:59:09.722-08:00(267) THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR IN THE ECONOMY: A Labor Day Reflection From a Christian World View, a Simple Model of How the Economy Works<p style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOFymmz2aisJR2OYedmO9lxlvadZc-gXu9-tVqMnNpl2eKY1jojFiLZ9Rbsl1t6S4ColdwKu4-5xzcvZeBZ5mw59LsVfyDqp51GQXXZOSlgqoepJECd8r-39hqOe4SMjB49bDkNNikHxdMyaQnx3sb8zuVo8xUsu0kNYJnFPGAEbK3EM3Y_S16boFyA/s604/economy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="604" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtOFymmz2aisJR2OYedmO9lxlvadZc-gXu9-tVqMnNpl2eKY1jojFiLZ9Rbsl1t6S4ColdwKu4-5xzcvZeBZ5mw59LsVfyDqp51GQXXZOSlgqoepJECd8r-39hqOe4SMjB49bDkNNikHxdMyaQnx3sb8zuVo8xUsu0kNYJnFPGAEbK3EM3Y_S16boFyA/w584-h390/economy.jpg" width="584" /></a></p><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">All these terms make economics and the economy appear quite complex. The model below simplifies it all to its bare essentials from a Christian point of view. It all boils down to people who work, consume, buy, sell, borrow, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">save, invest, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">and pay taxes.</span></b></div></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Labor Day helps
us to appreciate the value and fruits of everybody's labor. <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your labor may produce a good</i></b> such
as a farm product, coal, electricity, a machine, a craft, etc. <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Your labor may produce a service</i></b>
such as the distribution of goods to consumers in a store, plumbing, repair, a
beautician that makes a woman feel good about herself, </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">banking that mobilizes
savings and lends it to investors to produce more.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Your product may serve hundreds if not
thousands of people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The fruits of
your work is a salary or wage which is a convenient </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>medium of exchange</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> for
trade that can buy the fruits of the labor of thousands of other
workers…..goods and services that you and your family need to live in
dignity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Money in itself has no value
(just paper), but is worth what we all (i.e. society) think it is worth as with inflation.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Part of your wage or salary goes to your
parish, charities, and governments whose workers can provide services for you
and many in the community…..police and fire protection, national defense, roads
and their maintenance, public health, education, social work, etc.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">That’s essentially the way our economy works…..a
trade of work (my product) for work (your product). </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: xx-large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><o:p><span> T</span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">hanks be to God
I have talents or skills that you don’t have; you have talents or skills that I
don’t have as we labor to meet each other’s needs.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">We exchange the fruits of our labor for the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>common
good</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> of all.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>By
labor we must serve each other with honesty and trust</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Christian worker works hard to produce a
quality good or service not simply for money, but also because somebody out
there will use his/her good or service.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></p><p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i> You
produce for others and others produce for you through the markets that use
money as a means of exchange</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>We
depend on each other</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>with our labor</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Both father and mother sacrificially provide
for and serve the family in and out of the home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">God intended all of this and love of neighbor
is key to an effective society and economy.</span></span></p>
<p class="Standard" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">We labor for each other in our jobs</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">. We do our best to produce a high quality
product because somebody out there is using the good or service we
produce. That is an act of Christian
love. What I produce you may use. What you produce I may use. With the money we earn as a medium of
exchange we buy each other’s products.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> Market Exchange<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> <b>Abilities</b> Taxes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> <b>Skills</b>
-----------------------------------> <b>Common Good</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> <b>Resources</b> Government
Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium;"> Sharing</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Every person with his abilities, skills, and resources can labor for the common good of all. while receiving recompense (money) for his/her labor, giving the worker the ability to buy (trade) for for the goods and services produced by others to satisfy his/her personal needs. Market exchange through the medium of money, taxes, government services, and sharing facilitate the process.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span> </span></span><span style="font-weight: 400; text-indent: 0px;">The essence of this article is what is written above, but let us go into greater detail and depth to obtain greater insights and understanding on how a national economy should work. </span><span><span> </span></span></span><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Two Models of the Gross Domestic Product:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: left; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><b>Circular Flows of Goods, Services, Labor, Capital, and Money in the Economy</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzvq3-m5a_c8_Q_uyTa9GfEyDNU72XSPedLuPCwGOksF5y0us90Rqyfadc8OlQY7rB5sX5SGvyXia5qJYaJXBXImpKc2iDwc9--p_df6jFBcQ4K1jrmmrwJ5Dso6tbqIHvHs6tfCpiCV2ZL6su8SnRQSfuvCHn2xiMDC5E1k5hPlnf2er_cC-LhZJ7g/s408/GDP%20Flow%20of%20Product%20&%20Production%20Factors%20(1).JPG" style="font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="408" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzvq3-m5a_c8_Q_uyTa9GfEyDNU72XSPedLuPCwGOksF5y0us90Rqyfadc8OlQY7rB5sX5SGvyXia5qJYaJXBXImpKc2iDwc9--p_df6jFBcQ4K1jrmmrwJ5Dso6tbqIHvHs6tfCpiCV2ZL6su8SnRQSfuvCHn2xiMDC5E1k5hPlnf2er_cC-LhZJ7g/w650-h371/GDP%20Flow%20of%20Product%20&%20Production%20Factors%20(1).JPG" width="650" /></a></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">A
Simple Model of the Circular Flows of Goods, Services, Labor, Capital, and
Money in the Economy. Taken from Baumol
& Blinder, <u>Economics: Principles & Policy</u> Dryden Press.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span> <span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The above diagram gives a simplified version of how a
national economy works. As previously
stated, a model is a simple representation of reality to facilitate
understanding. This model is commonly
used in Economics textbooks. Basically,
it shows the interaction between </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>Business</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> (the producers of goods
and services) and the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>Community</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> (the consumers or households)
with information flowing between them.
Business consists of farms, shops, landlords, governments as providers,
and other organizations that produce. The Community consists of individual consumers, households, renters,
stockholders and other owners of the various means of production, and governments as spenders.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The <b><i>upper loop</i></b> shows the <b><i>Product
Market</i></b>, where Business provides goods and services to the members of
the Community in return for monetary purchases.
The sum total value of all goods and services produced in a national
economy is called the <i>Gross Domestic Product </i>(GDP) according to the
following formula:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">GDP = C + I + G + (X - Z)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">where </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">C =
the total value of all goods consumed (food, clothes, <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>television sets, telephone, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">water, electricity, soap, paper,
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span>cosmetics, etc.) and services used (beautician, s</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">tores,
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>banking). </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">This is about 70% of GNP.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I = </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">investment</i><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">, </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">which
are expenditures of resources on capital <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>goods that can produce n</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;">ow or in the future</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: x-large;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;">They include <span> </span>buildings, machinery, equipment,
etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 53.25pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 53.25pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 53.25pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 53.25pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">G = government expenditures on
buildings, human resources, <span> </span>materials, vehicles, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">weapons
for the military, etc. to <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>provide services and national defense.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">X = the value of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">exports</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> of products sold to other countries.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> <span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Z = the value of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">imports</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> of products purchased from other
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>countries.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">These must be </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">subtracted
from consumption <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>since the country did not produce them.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>The lower loop</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> shows the </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>Factor Market</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">, where the
Community provides the land, labor, and capital in return for </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">remunerations </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">or
</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">compensation</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">. The more common
word is </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">income</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">. Employees receive
wages for their work; depositors and bondholders receive interest on their
savings; and owners of buildings receive rents for their use. The business and its profits belong to the
owners or stockholders, who receive part of the profits as </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">dividends</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">. The business then reinvests the remaining
profits as savings, which are called </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">retained earnings</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">. We can imagine that the investor also
receives the retained earnings and then reinvests it into the firm. The business pays part of the remunerations
as taxes to the Government as do individuals on their wages, dividends, rents
and interest received.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span> </span><span> Investment requires savings and I = S. Business borrows money from savers who sacrifice consumption in return for the payment of interest which is the cost of money. Business may borrow through the sale of interest bearing bonds or may borrow from a bank which mobilizes savings by paying interest on deposits. </span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Some individuals and entities wear two hats. A landlord has a house to rent as a business
and is a consuming member of the community.
The shop is a business while the shop owner is a consumer. Similarly the farm is a business and the farmer
is a member of the community. The beauty
salon is a business and the beautician-owner is a member of the community. Government as a spender and receiver of taxes
is classified as Community since it represents the people, while Government as
a provider of services is classified as Business. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i><span> </span><span> </span>Prices of goods and services</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> are determined
in the product market while </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>labor costs, interest rates, and stock
prices</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> are determined in the factor markets. In a Free Market System prices and rates are determined by the laws of Supply and Demand while in socialist and autocratic systems government controls apply. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>In the inner loop</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> the Community gives land, labor, and capital
in return for goods and services as the net effect. Money serves only as a convenient means of
exchange. </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i>In the</i></b><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> <b>outer
loop</b></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">, there is a flow of money between Business and the Community. The sum total value of all the goods, services,
investment, exports less imports is exactly equal to the total remunerations of
wages + interest + dividends & retained earnings. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span> </span><span> </span>In a healthy growing economy, there is a
rapid flow in both the outer and inner loops.
However, if the flow is too rapid, the economy overheats and there are
shortages of labor and capital as well as products. This results in increases in demand and
decreases in supply, causing higher prices and labor costs, i.e., inflation..</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Again we see the interaction between Business and Society or Community
in the net exchange of the resources of land labor and capital for goods and services. What makes an economy is what it produces. Each one of us acts as both a consumer and a
producer of a good or service while working in a business (often his own), a government agency,
the military, or a non-profit organization such as a church, charity, or
educational institution. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8VQFpIIxplvb9vSQwadODBLx9wHPivet57cfPKuUWc4Oy19SPwA99z0jg_KOnmKoxQ_Rdf1zSBFIny2XjYMHWe94nzW3x4BpfvK5gMbNLcvHS39IY2oIPvwiQr9LXnph95hggVKr86edi6C9ufZrTMfJvU4VzFjpgQFxMCYSV87NZMNiQuqXxlRN3w/s683/GDP%20Flow%20of%20Product%20&%20Production%20Factors%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="682" height="663" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8VQFpIIxplvb9vSQwadODBLx9wHPivet57cfPKuUWc4Oy19SPwA99z0jg_KOnmKoxQ_Rdf1zSBFIny2XjYMHWe94nzW3x4BpfvK5gMbNLcvHS39IY2oIPvwiQr9LXnph95hggVKr86edi6C9ufZrTMfJvU4VzFjpgQFxMCYSV87NZMNiQuqXxlRN3w/w663-h663/GDP%20Flow%20of%20Product%20&%20Production%20Factors%20(2).JPG" width="663" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><b>In this more detailed diagram Government (G) is considered apart from Community and Business. Government spends across the Product Market for products of Business such as vehicles, buildings, and weapons. It also spends across the Factor Market for the wages of its employees who are part of the Community. Prices in both the Product Market and the Factor Market are determined by the laws of Supply and Demand. In total Government expenditures (G) should be equal to Taxes (T). More often than not G > T and there is a deficit. The Government either borrows from the Community through the issuance of bonds or Treasury Notes or simply borrows from the Federal Reserve Bank which dutifully issues more money and the Community (Country) has a problem with inflation. More money being spent on the same amount of goods abd services causes prices to rise and thus inflation. Taken from Pride, Hughes, & Kapoor. <u>Business</u>. </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left; text-indent: 48px;"><b>Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.</b></span><b> </b></span></div><p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><b> </b>In all three models above transactions are made across the product and factor markets by the laws of Supply and Demand in the Free Market System. Businesses buy from each other across the product markets. These purchases are costs to each firm which the Community or Government consumes or invests and covers these costs in the final price of the product.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>For the economy to function efficiently there must be honesty and trust that each employee does his best to produce a quality good or service, confiding that each business or consumer will do what it agreed to do. Otherwise, conflict and lawsuits result. Again love of neighbor (the ultimate customer and fellow employees) is essential. Again the labor of each person is very important and essential in an interdependent society. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> When every person does his part, the company prospers and jobs are more secure, the investment of the stockholders of the Community are more secure for their retirement. Furthermore, the entire community prospers. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span><span> What makes a country and its economy is its people that produce. </span>The most important resource of a business is its people.....their knowledge, skills, and abilities along with their dedication. hard work, ingenuity, character, and education. It takes good people to do manual work in a labor intensive business and skilled people to develop, operate and maintain the equipment in a capital intensive curve. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span><span> </span>And there's always a need for capable manage to plan, organize, advise, lead, coordinate, and control the human, material, and financial resources of the organization be a private enterprise or a government organization. Thus each business must treat their employees well because of their value to the business and their tremendous value as persons created according to the image and likeness of God. All of this is really overview of how the economy works.......really Christianity in practice when Church social teaching is followed. Then the common good is achieved as God intended. </span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Bibliography</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: left; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Baumol, William J. & Blinder, Alan S. (1994). <b>Economics: Principles and Policy</b>. 6th. ed., New York: Dryden Press.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: left; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pride,
William M.; Robert J. Hughes; & Jack R. Kapoor (2005). <b>Business</b>, 8th ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></p><br /><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-77846235675578595562022-06-12T20:45:00.008-07:002022-06-26T22:40:42.516-07:00(266) Everett King: An Air Force Gunnery Sergeant Who Served Our Country Well and Later Triumphed Over Adversity and Disability<p style="text-align: center;"><b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mqsmGAA8FQwzfi4cpT2NGJNNCJUDcPi-94Qz1rgQ2HeTzsfH8K7EFdeMI3jOkWXn9jp9heW6OvygvdhHtQ3DVTrN54pLyiPAVeakwMq69Q_RAEeUPmCfI3QTnGj42pddPKWOOhsp76lof6K6qI-VwANkxkYJVL704t6rZFgH0IDsNMpzXKipRjAjPA/s700/King%20-%20Everett.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="454" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mqsmGAA8FQwzfi4cpT2NGJNNCJUDcPi-94Qz1rgQ2HeTzsfH8K7EFdeMI3jOkWXn9jp9heW6OvygvdhHtQ3DVTrN54pLyiPAVeakwMq69Q_RAEeUPmCfI3QTnGj42pddPKWOOhsp76lof6K6qI-VwANkxkYJVL704t6rZFgH0IDsNMpzXKipRjAjPA/w364-h560/King%20-%20Everett.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Everett King</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Brother Knight Everett
Ray King Jr, Age 68, of Gallipolis Ohio, passed away on Saturday October
16th, 2021. After graduating from Gallia Academy High School, he served 12
years in the United States Air Force, which included<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>combat missions as a gunnery sergeant on
AC-130 20 mm cannon gunships as both tail gunner and mechanic in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Viet Nam War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hard work for our country and abilities
led to promotion to the rank of Master Sergeant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a civilian he served as an auto mechanic
and started up a cleaning service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everett took pride in his Cherokee heritage.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIOqA1gomdVl0_Vuw4CJuVl1XA-mVaM-sIJy32WE0BZdfPvWdDABsvfyQrqKDL_Z2GZz510aDiB3tgmsFtxBajFOHZ24Gifj8YXrP4FIfV_9s0Y636o0VxYtraS0oZjQM6LTTk1pkRbcSQCO8COjsxrt4CD0c2Kxb2ZyzrjkQeUU8jwRxRuqYPM9B6A/s900/Gunship%20of%20Everett%20King.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIOqA1gomdVl0_Vuw4CJuVl1XA-mVaM-sIJy32WE0BZdfPvWdDABsvfyQrqKDL_Z2GZz510aDiB3tgmsFtxBajFOHZ24Gifj8YXrP4FIfV_9s0Y636o0VxYtraS0oZjQM6LTTk1pkRbcSQCO8COjsxrt4CD0c2Kxb2ZyzrjkQeUU8jwRxRuqYPM9B6A/w598-h400/Gunship%20of%20Everett%20King.jpg" width="598" /></a><b style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Gunnery Sergeant Everett King was a tail gunner on this Azreal AC-130 gunship.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">Everett was preceded in
death by his mother Barbara Mae King, his father Everett Ray King Sr., and his
six month old daughter Tracy many years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is survived by his sons Robert King, Matthew Ryan King, and Christopher
Lee King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lora June Terry took care of
him while he endured with great courage a disability that confined him to a
wheelchair.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-hyphenate: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">His funeral took place at
St. Louis Catholic Church in Gallipolis Ohio on Friday October 29.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His burial at the parish cemetery and a
reception with lunch prepared by the Catholic Women's Club (CWC) afterwards. On line condolences and remembrances may be
put on the tribute wall at </span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><a href="http://www.allenfuneralhomewv.com/obituary/Everett-KingJr"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">www.allenfuneralhomewv.com/obituary/Everett-KingJr</span></a></span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Textbody" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">As
Eucharistic Ministers, my wife Jaga and I bring Holy Communion to the sick and
the shut-ins. After a while, we become friends and get to know them. Over time
they also ministered to us.......teaching and even inspiring us. Thus we would like to not only honor Everett
King, but also share some of the things he can teach us---- especially his
courage, his faith, his resignation to God's will, and trust in His kind
providence. Every life, from the rich
and the famous to the common man, has a fascinating story to tell. Brother knight Everett King is no exception.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">Everett belonged to a
non-denominational church, but something was missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sometimes did channel surfing on his
television set and stumbled upon the Catholic television channel, EWTN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>King watched it more and more……Daily Mass,
Rosary, events, documentaries, news, interviews, panel discussion, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He particularly liked the late Mother
Angelica and her talk shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was so
impressed that he wanted to become Catholic. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">During physical therapy sessions with
Mary Ann Zerkel the conversation touched on religion.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Since he indicated an interest in the
Catholic Church, she put him in touch with our pastor, Fr. Thomas Hamm, the
celebrant of his funeral Mass.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Soon
Everett, along with his son Robert and his caregiver Lora, entered the parish
RCIA program to learn about the Catholic faith with no obligation.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">It’s recommended for cradle Catholics as well
since the typical person in the pew does not know his/her faith.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzmUkM6YUQAfAcRls34PWlsCTNTvoDYvAKa4ftUebp7u6WQH4bAbX-DP4Ep4st3pYR02CuzGlqaMMW-k8LiGeZrCR08GHG2hDXWmIzaQuPQcnmR2Dz8d8tsWsWHBcyn63ko89cb1_VgaLoewuLiieTsWBNik7Xl0FegmdrSsyFqvpT7BTFXzGo72Nxg/s900/King%20-%20Everett,%20Lora,%20&%20Robert.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzmUkM6YUQAfAcRls34PWlsCTNTvoDYvAKa4ftUebp7u6WQH4bAbX-DP4Ep4st3pYR02CuzGlqaMMW-k8LiGeZrCR08GHG2hDXWmIzaQuPQcnmR2Dz8d8tsWsWHBcyn63ko89cb1_VgaLoewuLiieTsWBNik7Xl0FegmdrSsyFqvpT7BTFXzGo72Nxg/w599-h449/King%20-%20Everett,%20Lora,%20&%20Robert.jpg" width="599" /></a><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">This photo was taken on
the day that Everett entered the church in 2014 with Lora Terry on the left and
his son brother knight Robert King behind.
Fr. Thomas Hamm, our Council Chaplain and two of the sponsors Jaga and brother
knight Paul Sebastian are also pictured.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">After several months they made the
final decision that changed his life and they were received into the Catholic
Church with joy in 2014. The three honored
former Grand Knight Bruce Davison, my wife Jaga, and me by asking us to be
their sponsors. Thus we got to know them
and their daily struggles with life……..meager income, living in a trailer
subject to flooding, handicaps, etc.
After being so active for many years Everett’s health
deteriorated……..problems with his heart, kidneys, white lung, diabetes, and bouts
of pneumonia every year. All of this
confined him to a wheelchair, but Everett carried on with faith and courage. Furthermore, when there was a heavy rain they had to get into their small car and go to higher ground because the creek behind their trailer could overflow and endanger them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Everett King did not become a
lukewarm Catholic, he became a super Catholic and an inspiration to us.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He drove Lora and Robert to the Sunday Vigil
Mass every Saturday night until Covid hit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He made it to Mass even though it was frequently a struggle.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Many of us often miss Sunday Mass with the
lamest of excuses.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Everett used a prayer
book and prayed every day, particularly the rosary, using it as a source of
strength.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He prayed a lot, especially
when under stress.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">The simplicity of his
faith was beautiful.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">After Mass he would
be refreshed and in a happy mood.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">As a new Catholic his faith in God
really improved.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He was generous and
tried to help people in any way he could…….giving advice and sharing his
experiences.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He loved to joke around and
enjoyed making people laugh.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">King was
loving and caring, scrupulously honest and very conscientious about paying his
bills.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He loved the Church and
considered the people of the parish as family.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">They, particularly our Knights of Columbus Council helped Everett and
were enriched in the process.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">The
Knights welcomed Everett and Robert with open arms as valued members.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYGIknwklFMHkP92s5haMCChx8nq7r9Xy_nVqib-MiM6MjX3D7TMrLcYEnjrDZEIn3VGEVdi1ioOTUlQTUNA4-Kvdgdz6q3q8CYhYkRzWejk6AFz8QvGlXNV5j1iuEmuhxZH32dwHL9rBt3O1Pvw1aMIAJX49SHBLfSRVozbjB5llTY-s8K955L6pzg/s640/2015%20-%201st%20Degree%20August.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYGIknwklFMHkP92s5haMCChx8nq7r9Xy_nVqib-MiM6MjX3D7TMrLcYEnjrDZEIn3VGEVdi1ioOTUlQTUNA4-Kvdgdz6q3q8CYhYkRzWejk6AFz8QvGlXNV5j1iuEmuhxZH32dwHL9rBt3O1Pvw1aMIAJX49SHBLfSRVozbjB5llTY-s8K955L6pzg/w614-h461/2015%20-%201st%20Degree%20August.JPG" width="614" /></a><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: 35.45pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 2015 Knights of Columbus induction of new members into our St. Louis Church Council 3335. Everett King and his son Robert are on the left. Next to them are Frederick Michael Edelmann, Anthony Sola, Frank Lalli, and Tyler Reynolds.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Everett’s condition got worse with
stays in the hospital, including intensive care with a ventilator to help him
breathe.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He even had to be resuscitated
after his heart stopped.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Through it all
he kept the faith and continued on with resignation to the will of God and
trust that our Lord would get him through all this and indeed He did.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Lora and Robert took care of him, sometimes
heroically.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Jonathan Ogden was a big
help in driving them to the hospital so many times.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 35.45pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Everett so much wanted to get better
and return to Mass, but it was very difficult to regain his strength.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">In the meantime he attended daily Mass on
EWTN and Sunday Mass at St. Louis Church via Facebook.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">Everett yearned for the Eucharist.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">As an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister, it
was an awesome privilege for me to bring Christ Himself and His love to Everett
in the Eucharist, i.e. Holy Communion; to pray with him; and to help him in a
little way for his encounter with God in eternity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">I was supposed to minister to Everett, but
Everett also ministered to me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">He knew
that his time on earth was short, but he faced it with courage and faith, with
patient resignation to God's will and trust in His kind providence.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">I shared with Everett the fact that
suffering can be very valuable, meaningful, and fruitful.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">If accepted in faith with trust in God,
suffering can be a wonderful preparation for eternity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Taken in the right way, the inevitable
crosses of life can make each one of us a saint.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;">Every canonized saint suffered and some even
prayed to have more crosses.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span>Many times I would say, “You can reap
great fruits with your prayers and by offering your crosses to the Lord as a
dynamic prayer for your loved ones, for the Church, and for our Country.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">God knows how much our country needs
prayers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In that way you can be most
valuable.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Indeed he was!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Everett was ready to meet his creator and is
praying for us.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thank you, Everett, for
your example and for what you taught us.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Good-by until we're all together again in eternity.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-21095031295613211232022-05-30T17:44:00.016-07:002022-07-03T23:58:31.588-07:00(265) Soldiers & Veterans From 40 Nations Make an Annual May Pilgrimage to Lourdes For Healing<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7sffuMRcmEa16qyaGyiju7VC6vn1yucF5pgJkaYrpHo54qWDgW7-cpLhrcqcSNjovwhBSgL__HYjA21zHZEZcX_gNKZCi11wV2yO5Sb120LMmoEVuifo5Ks8l7pk8w0R5tbntdImVd8wYVgY5t1phdwU_dMgIjynI07qmzRrGta8xkXrZkcC6y0A4A/s300/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(10).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="300" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7sffuMRcmEa16qyaGyiju7VC6vn1yucF5pgJkaYrpHo54qWDgW7-cpLhrcqcSNjovwhBSgL__HYjA21zHZEZcX_gNKZCi11wV2yO5Sb120LMmoEVuifo5Ks8l7pk8w0R5tbntdImVd8wYVgY5t1phdwU_dMgIjynI07qmzRrGta8xkXrZkcC6y0A4A/w404-h328/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(10).jpg" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_CsGgdWYxb-yyrDT2tLcxVGGSICCQ157kGrBCvB_ZHcW72JU6Stidws64HsaAQTfCPbWOdtOlLXhNmp-FyblKEhPU9nTMcmcyarJ897cS1ow4oQ8vFYrXaSUqB-PGMTCA1DZtyraBzxAuQEraHuz2eYy9k31kkWkd_O0wR_4nkRZkHc20BpccZOUjg/s464/Veteran%20Family%20Lourdes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="464" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_CsGgdWYxb-yyrDT2tLcxVGGSICCQ157kGrBCvB_ZHcW72JU6Stidws64HsaAQTfCPbWOdtOlLXhNmp-FyblKEhPU9nTMcmcyarJ897cS1ow4oQ8vFYrXaSUqB-PGMTCA1DZtyraBzxAuQEraHuz2eYy9k31kkWkd_O0wR_4nkRZkHc20BpccZOUjg/w540-h266/Veteran%20Family%20Lourdes.jpg" width="540" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;">“</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>We
came for physical healing, but received spiritual healing and
strength for the journey ahead.....which are more important”
(Charlie & Kim B.). A family brings their wounded veteran to Lourdes for healing.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZdvD4ZTvUWbbPudW3O4Nn-BZuF37-QEWu08d_jiCmPxPmb0MSg_Y56_zLnkkNj09jW1qURY-XK2Y2afBuBHB8k0ZpjwnJ-Cui5BvICo0mODNmuTq-Gn9etrbEd6kDg9qRSZRAuCifhSmQzraKm5TgV39DkInY8MO5OqUQTXpF0vIpECNCVffeZufow/s300/WTL_Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="300" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZdvD4ZTvUWbbPudW3O4Nn-BZuF37-QEWu08d_jiCmPxPmb0MSg_Y56_zLnkkNj09jW1qURY-XK2Y2afBuBHB8k0ZpjwnJ-Cui5BvICo0mODNmuTq-Gn9etrbEd6kDg9qRSZRAuCifhSmQzraKm5TgV39DkInY8MO5OqUQTXpF0vIpECNCVffeZufow/w482-h103/WTL_Logo.png" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_j9VlU2pAPBlbzmyAEkrpMNaFqRYvR4U591cbtxds28IbJ043pTQhsBrq78TQxp_QZkLyo5r6YQNf4ZYw6qhBlOQs2v9BTkhgl-lOVWrzlbkXc1flFDljB5ZLoInY1nz5TnhcKTgAC87kB9tjzX8tBZ6st5nsPL3ci5f8UDoIg7QPRrhFoGoFenIUtg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="223" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_j9VlU2pAPBlbzmyAEkrpMNaFqRYvR4U591cbtxds28IbJ043pTQhsBrq78TQxp_QZkLyo5r6YQNf4ZYw6qhBlOQs2v9BTkhgl-lOVWrzlbkXc1flFDljB5ZLoInY1nz5TnhcKTgAC87kB9tjzX8tBZ6st5nsPL3ci5f8UDoIg7QPRrhFoGoFenIUtg" width="237" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>The
theme of the 62nd International Military Pilgrimage (PMI) May 10-16 is </b></span></span></span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Pacem
Meam do Vobis</b></span></span></span></em><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>
(“</b></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>My
peace I give unto you”). The cross on this year’s logo was
designed in Hungary as the symbol of the 2020 International
Eucharistic Congress in Budapest. The cross was exhibited and carried
in procession. It represents our Lord Jesus Christ who gives us his
peace as well as the Eucharist, source of our peace and our
salvation. The dove carrying the olive branch symbolizes the Holy
Spirit and represents the gift of peace.</b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Armed
Forces Day was observed on May 21 and Memorial Day on May 30.</b></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span> </span>They
gave their all for our country........their limbs, their lives, their
all. Many continue to give to our country through the handicaps
they must endure for the rest of their lives. Some of the wounds
are visible and others are not, such as the mental, emotional, and
even spiritual wounds. Perhaps the most common is Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome or PTSD as a result of the trauma of intense bloody
combat. Many a Vietnam veteran sit near the door of a restaurant in
case of trouble and instinctively look for cover when a fire cracker
goes off. Flashbacks are common. Their families, particularly their
spouses and mothers, suffer too. Clearly, these veterans need a lot
of healing. We all owe them a great debt of gratitude for our
freedom. Meet Adam and let him tell his story at <a href="https://players.brightcove.net/802593642001/y6FLiIa0f_default/index.html?videoId=6293785506001">https://players.brightcove.net/802593642001/y6FLiIa0f_default/index.html?videoId=6293785506001</a>. See other testimonies at <a href="https://www.warriorstolourdes.com/wtl/en/about/testimonials.html">https://www.warriorstolourdes.com/wtl/en/about/testimonials.html</a>.</span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It
all shows the folly of war usually started by the aggression of one
side or the other due to the quest for power and empire
building....Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Putin; the list goes on. Each
looked for the glory of his country and himself as well as personal
power and his legacy. In other cases it is a reaction to preserve
the power of the empire and crush the yearning of the people for self
determination and freedom.</span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b> Wherever
there is a need, there is a knight</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">.
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Every
May the American Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) and the
Knights of Columbus organize and finance a pilgrimage to Lourdes for
active duty military and veterans in need of healing as part of the
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><i><b>International
Military Pilgrimage (PMI)</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">.
There is an application process on the website and opportunities to
help at <a href="http://www.warriorstolourdes.com/">www.warriorstolourdes.com</a>.</span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q3BvhmqUAOCRfF4lSVpVZTHxzeOHJOt_v1OFucOl8HjUf5Ds_wljVg6mML8sOS9pmKqZsMsomiqBsBPCNhpv7mSoN4NWtPW40CXOhL3uilKM5ep20XnAuNRpWOqto1mCWRXhDCCdfJrdDVEU9RZ-SXM620nwrbxeoTq4A5Yj6myTpzJ7ZjJ6k5jDwQ/s1536/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(14).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1536" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q3BvhmqUAOCRfF4lSVpVZTHxzeOHJOt_v1OFucOl8HjUf5Ds_wljVg6mML8sOS9pmKqZsMsomiqBsBPCNhpv7mSoN4NWtPW40CXOhL3uilKM5ep20XnAuNRpWOqto1mCWRXhDCCdfJrdDVEU9RZ-SXM620nwrbxeoTq4A5Yj6myTpzJ7ZjJ6k5jDwQ/w643-h302/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(14).jpg" width="643" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;">A
concelebrated Mass by many priests in the grotto at Lourdes. Notice
the military band on the left. To the right of the altar and above
the candles is the statue of the Immaculate Conception.</b></div><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">You
dear reader can even go on a virtual pilgrimage and read personal
testimonies on that same website. The Military Pilgrimage consists
of daily prayer, procession, Mass, and being bathed in the healing
waters of Lourdes, and other retreat activities. For a brief video
overview go to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSjc8NqP9E0" style="font-size: 16pt;">www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSjc8NqP9E0</a><span style="font-size: 16pt;">
and a previous military pilgrimage Mass go to
</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWAr_poQlCM" style="font-size: 16pt;">www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWAr_poQlCM</a><span style="font-size: 16pt;">.</span></p></span><p></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv23vVA6m4ICiapgP3hYyEEUdP9pjStrFyNz3YgfI3-SJ15zcLSey4rvGT-DjP2QE3P9PulvHaQp--ldQWj9sUQUpm6lkfQqqthxLYnBANb-zhmztFf9qVruv5n-swb_lSapoDMthI-xTCCijEU-pdkEJnC-M-LeLZDUGsDRq04PVlxkoeARjcCslTNw/s3200/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="3200" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv23vVA6m4ICiapgP3hYyEEUdP9pjStrFyNz3YgfI3-SJ15zcLSey4rvGT-DjP2QE3P9PulvHaQp--ldQWj9sUQUpm6lkfQqqthxLYnBANb-zhmztFf9qVruv5n-swb_lSapoDMthI-xTCCijEU-pdkEJnC-M-LeLZDUGsDRq04PVlxkoeARjcCslTNw/w617-h178/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(4).jpg" width="617" /></a></b></span></span></div><p></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Soldiers
from the Army, Navy, and Marines process/march in front of the
Basilica at Lourdes.</b></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b> History</b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">.
</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">During
World War II, members of the French military visited the site of St.
Bernadette’s apparitions, offering prayers for peace. In December
of 1944, U.S. military personnel joined British, Belgian, French, and
Russian military representatives for a Mass at the Basilica of Our
Lady of the Rosary.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span> </span>After
the War, French soldiers and their chaplains invited German soldiers
and their chaplains to gather to pray together. The purpose of this
initiative was to heal physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds and
to reconcile the past between these former adversaries by recognizing
their common identity as Christians in search of peace.</span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35DwZB6daCJNG5ZrQsf9xPnOzbMsAScgWrTvfjnAQEVc1PowrEN4fHzVG9rkvElWtIu1KVyOlx7kwAmt0rjSkilxQVfs7xcNW1HZVYtKiHTlbobDZAK02YL26NQKyOmgoBcvm7z2dQFI_1ytHjZOe7hEMbPKkBlTcHriKriOz97YHhzWQDaI7ykFaHQ/s1536/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(12).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1536" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35DwZB6daCJNG5ZrQsf9xPnOzbMsAScgWrTvfjnAQEVc1PowrEN4fHzVG9rkvElWtIu1KVyOlx7kwAmt0rjSkilxQVfs7xcNW1HZVYtKiHTlbobDZAK02YL26NQKyOmgoBcvm7z2dQFI_1ytHjZOe7hEMbPKkBlTcHriKriOz97YHhzWQDaI7ykFaHQ/w644-h302/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(12).jpg" width="644" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The
first official military pilgrimage was celebrated in 1958—13 years
after World War II and one-hundred years after the 1858 apparitions.
This year (May 10-16) marks the 62nd</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"> since then, drawing active-duty members and veterans from over 40
nations.</span></span></div></div><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsvz9GNNcbjFThePg1cUsm3_idrVr3cv2sCuAZxcLG7A6PhkAb4nL_DU7steMO_v1KSfg7ag_B4cjoDoCrmPwOZ1vWftEkHYzQtQTJImeGG2mweOrkJ2YdUPGVTqzyyurwABuUv1IlEjEobNkSvBmlZrHTpIvJwdpjpopyJGh086uQqQUjOWnPKhHxA/s690/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="690" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsvz9GNNcbjFThePg1cUsm3_idrVr3cv2sCuAZxcLG7A6PhkAb4nL_DU7steMO_v1KSfg7ag_B4cjoDoCrmPwOZ1vWftEkHYzQtQTJImeGG2mweOrkJ2YdUPGVTqzyyurwABuUv1IlEjEobNkSvBmlZrHTpIvJwdpjpopyJGh086uQqQUjOWnPKhHxA/w634-h287/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(2).jpg" width="634" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Military
of 40 countries of the free world including Ukraine participated in
the 62<sup>nd</sup> Annual International Military Pilgrimage (PMI). </b></span></span>
</p></div><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span> </span>The
Archdiocese for the Military Services</b></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">
(AMS) was created by St. Pope John Paul II to provide the Catholic
Church's full range of pastoral ministries and spiritual services to
those in the United States Armed Forces. This includes more than 220
installations in 29 countries, patients in 153 Veterans
Administration (VA) Medical Centers, and federal employees serving
outside the boundaries of the U.S. in 134 countries. The AMS is
responsible for the spiritual well-being of more than 1.8 million
Catholic men, women and children. See <a href="http://milarch.org">milarch.org</a>.</span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvViFikh4kKZKYIJQ0BQyfODClnydkiH1D3KSOn_ofB8odq8CiLS9m7uVGNiX_m77tEs0HAcCjZSg9mBJ_HiIME9CC3jTPAkvgBHX5Y8jeq54d5mHThpKm60ro8BXAok6Zrv9DElkBuK1QBWrovbWdDf3q32SrlqGnreq9JYyzO3zpSTkexVn1-ckLsw/s275/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvViFikh4kKZKYIJQ0BQyfODClnydkiH1D3KSOn_ofB8odq8CiLS9m7uVGNiX_m77tEs0HAcCjZSg9mBJ_HiIME9CC3jTPAkvgBHX5Y8jeq54d5mHThpKm60ro8BXAok6Zrv9DElkBuK1QBWrovbWdDf3q32SrlqGnreq9JYyzO3zpSTkexVn1-ckLsw/w331-h220/Warriors%20to%20Lourdes%20(6).jpg" width="331" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;">Veterans of the
Knights of Columbus and the military of different countries
process/march following an event in front of the Basilica at Lourdes.</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span> </span>The
Knights of Columbus (<a href="http://kofc.org">kofc.org</a>)</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">,
the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization, was
founded in 1882 by Father Michael McGivney, a parish priest in New
Haven, CT. It has more than 1.9 million members worldwide, including
Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, and Ukraine. The Knights
donated more than $185.7 million and more than 76.7 million hours of
service to charitable causes in 2018. Animated by its core
principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, the Knights
of Columbus has a long </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">history
of serving the military since World War I as shown in the video
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Armed
With the Faith: the Knights of Columbus and the Military</b></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">”</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
at </span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL5QMMx1FoU"><span style="font-size: x-large;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL5QMMx1FoU</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">.
</span></span></span>
</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>In
2011, the Order established a new </span></span></span><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>scholarship
program</i></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></span></span></strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">to
help fund the education of seminarians preparing to become Catholic
chaplains in the U.S.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">military.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In
2014, the Knights in partnership with the </span></span></span><a href="http://www.kofc.org/en/columbia/detail/home-again.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #114ad1;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Gary
Sinise Foundation</span></span></span></span></span></a><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">,</span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></span></span></strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">provided
funding to help complete the construction of </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>computer-equipped
custom smart homes</b></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
for severely wounded heroes.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The
Knights have printed and distributed more than 600,000 durable
Catholic prayer books titled </span></span></span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>Armed
with the Faith</b></i></span></span></span></em><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>
</b></span></span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">for
members of the US and Canadian armed forces.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today,
the Knights of Columbus has more than 1,130 volunteers regularly
serving at 130 VA medical centers. </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>
</b></span></span></span>
</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> </b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span> </span>Our
k</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">nights
have served on the front lines of every war fought by the United
States since the Order’s founding in 1882. Today, there are 67
active K of C military councils including West Point and eight Fourth
Degree military assemblies around the world. </span></span></span>
</p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Appendix</b></span></span></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><div class="kofc-info-pane kc-info-pane-center" ng-style="{'background-color': $ctrl.bgcolor}" style="background-color: white; padding-bottom: 45px; padding-top: 45px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><div class="darker" ng-class="$ctrl.theme" ng-style="{'background-color': $ctrl.bgcolor}" style="background-color: white; padding-left: 50px; padding-right: 50px; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="title"><h2 class="ng-scope" style="color: inherit; font-size: 35px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 50px; padding-right: 50px; text-transform: uppercase;">APPLICATION PROCESS</h2></ng-transclude><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="body"><div class="ng-scope" style="padding-left: 50px; padding-right: 50px; vertical-align: top;"><p style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; line-height: 44px; margin: 0px;">Applications for the 2022 May pilgrimage are now available by clicking on the "Step 1" tab here below. Please carefully read through "Who is eligible?" to find out if you qualify.</p></div></ng-transclude><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="buttons"></ng-transclude></div></div><div class="tabs" ng-transclude="tab" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); display: table; margin-bottom: 50px; vertical-align: top; width: 875px;"><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.828px;"><div class="tab active" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="color: #0055a4; cursor: default; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; transition: color 0.5s ease 0s; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="eligible" style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 90%;"><svg viewbox="0 0 49.817 99.63" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><defs><clippath id="clip-path"><rect class="cls-1" data-name="Rectangle 5" fill="#a5a5a5" height="99.63" id="Rectangle_5" width="49.817"></rect></clippath></defs><g id="eligible-svg" transform="translate(-0.01)"><g id="Layer_2_1_" transform="translate(0.01)"><g data-name="Group 44" id="Group_44"><g data-name="Group 40" id="Group_40"><g class="cls-2" data-name="Group 39" id="Group_39"><g data-name="Group 38" id="Group_38" transform="translate(-0.005 2.512)"><path class="cls-1" d="M47.4,32.755a9.116,9.116,0,0,0-9.086-9.048H18.7c-.292,0,.021-.021-5.526.562l6.6-8.055a4.135,4.135,0,0,0,.816-1.691,7.785,7.785,0,1,0,0-1.636,3.881,3.881,0,0,0-1.361-2.237,3.98,3.98,0,0,0-5.586.562L.9,26.7a3.966,3.966,0,0,0,3.484,6.461L18,31.741V95.8a4.769,4.769,0,0,0,9.539,0V59.859h1.421V95.8a4.769,4.769,0,0,0,9.539,0V32.81a.506.506,0,0,1,.507-.507.493.493,0,0,1,.507.507c.076,16.406.059,10.545.059,25.665a3.97,3.97,0,0,0,7.941,0C47.461,43.318,47.482,49.195,47.4,32.755Z" data-name="Path 172" id="Path_172" transform="translate(0.002 -5.94)"></path></g></g></g><g data-name="Group 43" id="Group_43"><g class="cls-2" data-name="Group 42" id="Group_42"><g data-name="Group 41" id="Group_41" transform="translate(52.146 2.516)"><path class="cls-1" d="M170.742,32.761a9.116,9.116,0,0,0-9.086-9.048H142.019c-.292,0,.021-.021-5.526.562l6.6-8.055a3.9,3.9,0,0,0,.8-1.691,7.763,7.763,0,1,0,0-1.632,3.881,3.881,0,0,0-1.361-2.237,3.98,3.98,0,0,0-5.586.562l-12.706,15.53a3.966,3.966,0,0,0,3.484,6.461l13.623-1.421V95.851a4.769,4.769,0,0,0,9.539,0V59.873H152.3v35.94a4.769,4.769,0,1,0,9.539,0V32.825a.506.506,0,0,1,.507-.507.493.493,0,0,1,.507.507c.076,16.406.059,10.545.059,25.665a3.97,3.97,0,0,0,7.941,0C170.822,43.323,170.839,49.2,170.742,32.761Z" data-name="Path 173" id="Path_173" transform="translate(-123.338 -5.95)"></path></g></g></g></g></g></g></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.828px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Who Is<br />Eligible</span></div><div class="arrow" style="border-left: 67px solid transparent; border-right: 67px solid transparent; border-top: 18px solid rgb(2, 42, 79); display: block; height: 0px; margin-left: 7px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; width: 0px;"></div></div></kc-tab><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.828px;"><div class="tab" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="cursor: pointer; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="step1" style="display: block;"><svg id="step1" viewbox="0 0 74.767 89.84" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M71.144,0H3.618A3.626,3.626,0,0,0,0,3.618v82.6A3.626,3.626,0,0,0,3.618,89.84H71.149a3.626,3.626,0,0,0,3.618-3.618V3.618A3.634,3.634,0,0,0,71.144,0ZM7.236,82.6V7.236h60.3V82.6Z" data-name="Path 174" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_174"></path><path d="M69.2,31.03H36.638a3.618,3.618,0,0,0,0,7.236H69.2a3.618,3.618,0,0,0,0-7.236Z" data-name="Path 175" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_175" transform="translate(-15.757 -14.807)"></path><path d="M69.2,75H36.638a3.618,3.618,0,0,0,0,7.236H69.2A3.618,3.618,0,0,0,69.2,75Z" data-name="Path 176" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_176" transform="translate(-15.757 -35.789)"></path><path d="M69.2,119.96H36.638a3.618,3.618,0,0,0,0,7.236H69.2a3.618,3.618,0,0,0,0-7.236Z" data-name="Path 177" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_177" transform="translate(-15.757 -57.243)"></path></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.828px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Step 1<br />Apply</span></div></div></kc-tab><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.828px;"><div class="tab" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="cursor: pointer; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="step2" style="display: block;"><svg id="step2" viewbox="0 0 90.182 90.19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g data-name="Group 30" id="Group_30"><path d="M62.3,5.9c-2.841-2.333-4.828-1.781-7.68,3.307A6.891,6.891,0,0,1,47.9,12.881l.016-.671a6.485,6.485,0,1,0-5.661-.016l.005.682a6.89,6.89,0,0,1-6.722-3.669C32.695,4.119,30.714,3.561,27.878,5.9,25.02,8.243,13.747,21.713,0,20.479A9.049,9.049,0,0,0,10.148,25.3s3.967,4.119,10.408,1.239c0,0,3.35,3.02,8.67.271,0,0,3.956,3.025,8.178.406a7.5,7.5,0,0,0,5.033,1.283L42.6,44.049c-.3-.06-.541-.124-.861-.189,0-.005-4.595-.99-9.466-2.36-4.687-1.223-9.834-3.215-10.592-4.249a1.189,1.189,0,0,1,.308-.179,7.791,7.791,0,0,1,1.97-.617,43.717,43.717,0,0,1,6.4-.628,28.992,28.992,0,0,1,5.58.049c.005-.146,2.69.319,3.431-2.425-.027-.016.054-.135.005-.189-.157-1.889-1.6-1.981-2.787-2.2a13.132,13.132,0,0,0-3.518-.119c-4.265.319-17.4-.747-19.051,6.17a3.394,3.394,0,0,1-.032.487c.552,6.018,13.016,8.632,22.049,10.429a12.242,12.242,0,0,0-5.358,8.356c-.314,3.761,2.674,7.344,9.617,11.349-5.271,3.729-8.735,7.236-8.454,11.474.493,3.453,3.54,8.069,9.531,10.981.016.005.022-.005.038,0h.016s-4.194-6.4-4.476-9.9c-.276-2.03.882-5.06,5.98-8.692l.146,12.789H43.1a1.93,1.93,0,1,0,3.859,0h.016l.168-12.453c4.7,3.48,5.758,6.381,5.488,8.356-.276,3.5-4.454,9.9-4.454,9.9h.011a.05.05,0,0,0,.032,0c5.991-2.912,9.044-7.523,9.525-10.976.281-4.232-3.177-7.745-8.443-11.468,6.928-4,9.92-7.593,9.617-11.355a12.2,12.2,0,0,0-5.363-8.356c9.038-1.8,21.5-4.416,22.049-10.435a3.394,3.394,0,0,1-.032-.487c-1.651-6.911-14.8-5.851-19.061-6.17A13.572,13.572,0,0,0,53,31.06c-1.191.216-2.641.308-2.793,2.2-.049.06.032.173.011.195.741,2.744,3.426,2.273,3.437,2.425a29.559,29.559,0,0,1,5.585-.049,43.616,43.616,0,0,1,6.381.622,7.889,7.889,0,0,1,1.975.622,1.049,1.049,0,0,1,.308.184c-.758,1.034-5.894,3.025-10.586,4.254-4.865,1.353-9.477,2.338-9.487,2.343-.119.022-.211.049-.33.07l.2-15.441a7.48,7.48,0,0,0,5.071-1.272c4.205,2.614,8.172-.406,8.172-.406,5.331,2.749,8.665-.271,8.665-.271,6.435,2.879,10.4-1.239,10.4-1.239a9.071,9.071,0,0,0,10.169-4.817C76.435,21.713,65.162,8.243,62.3,5.9ZM36.656,57.58c.092-1.358-.373-4.6,6.04-6.949l.146,12.854c-1.239-.785-2.522-1.591-3.821-2.419C37.3,59.993,36.494,58.554,36.656,57.58Zm13.915,3.485c-1.137.731-2.23,1.407-3.312,2.094l.162-12.323c5.856,2.338,5.418,5.423,5.515,6.754C53.093,58.554,52.292,59.993,50.571,61.065Z" data-name="Path 164" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_164"></path></g></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.828px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Step 2<br />Forms</span></div></div></kc-tab><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.828px;"><div class="tab" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="cursor: pointer; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="step3" style="display: block;"><svg viewbox="0 0 82.944 90.815" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g id="step3"><path d="M44.153,30.665A15.333,15.333,0,1,0,28.82,15.333,15.348,15.348,0,0,0,44.153,30.665Z" data-name="Path 329" fill="rgba(165, 165, 165, 0.9)" id="Path_329" transform="translate(-14.28)"></path><g data-name="Group 72" id="Group_72" transform="translate(0 35.216)"><path d="M37.436,111.207l9.636-38.556-9.586-1.66a1.356,1.356,0,0,0-1.675.832h0c-3.663,10.045-7.225,10.489-10.888.449h0a1.361,1.361,0,0,0-1.276-.893c-.086,0-5.913.757-10.106,1.3l9.889,38.526-15.136-.938V73.619A13.57,13.57,0,0,0,0,86.132V107.14a5.7,5.7,0,0,0,5.7,5.7H44.015c-.086-.671-.131-1.352-.161-2.043Z" data-name="Path 330" fill="rgba(165, 165, 165, 0.9)" id="Path_330" transform="translate(0 -70.931)"></path><path d="M103.41,76.91V95.678a22.152,22.152,0,0,1,7.568-3.95v-2.7A13.488,13.488,0,0,0,103.41,76.91Z" data-name="Path 331" fill="rgba(165, 165, 165, 0.9)" id="Path_331" transform="translate(-51.237 -73.893)"></path></g><path d="M113.016,112.46A17.336,17.336,0,1,0,130.351,129.8,17.356,17.356,0,0,0,113.016,112.46ZM123.58,126.2,112.249,137.53a2.923,2.923,0,0,1-4.127,0l-5.666-5.666a2.918,2.918,0,0,1,4.127-4.127l3.6,3.6,9.268-9.268a2.918,2.918,0,1,1,4.127,4.127Z" data-name="Path 332" fill="rgba(165, 165, 165, 0.9)" id="Path_332" transform="translate(-47.407 -56.316)"></path></g></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.828px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Step 3<br />Endorsement</span></div></div></kc-tab><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.828px;"><div class="tab" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="cursor: pointer; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="step4" style="display: block;"><svg id="step4" viewbox="0 0 83.803 90.19" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g data-name="Group 34" id="Group_34"><path d="M44.573,21.081l2.447,1.066c-1.7,1.038-2.461,2.053-2.266,3.022.2,1,1.112,1.863,2.716,2.563A14.477,14.477,0,0,0,52.795,28.8c2.076.074,5.279-.51,9.525-1.738a13.42,13.42,0,0,1,2.456-.528,2.858,2.858,0,0,1,1.428.2c.283.125,1.145.5-1.024,1.446a8.965,8.965,0,0,1-4.338.751,5.31,5.31,0,0,0-3.008.547l-1.3.83c-.57.362-.686.825-.311,1.233a3.546,3.546,0,0,0,2.178.793,23.249,23.249,0,0,0,9.455-1.1l3.3,1.441a6.084,6.084,0,0,0,4.246,0c1.173-.514,1.173-1.344,0-1.854l-3.416-1.492c1.5-.955,2.29-1.919,2.345-2.869.065-1.117-.834-2.09-2.674-2.892A13.834,13.834,0,0,0,67.2,22.514a17.906,17.906,0,0,0-4.616.209c-1.4.264-3.541.8-6.341,1.58a11.744,11.744,0,0,1-2.456.51,2.6,2.6,0,0,1-1.024-.181c-.973-.426-.158-.959.7-1.335a7.866,7.866,0,0,1,3.379-.654,4.617,4.617,0,0,0,2.841-.7l.755-.63a.724.724,0,0,0-.065-1.265,4.523,4.523,0,0,0-2.494-.649,21.736,21.736,0,0,0-6.572.913l-2.489-1.085a6.083,6.083,0,0,0-4.246,0C43.4,19.737,43.4,20.567,44.573,21.081Z" data-name="Path 169" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_169" transform="translate(-23.442 -10.111)"></path><path d="M72.786,24.208a10.721,10.721,0,0,0,.3-2.521v-2.7c0-5.39-4.023-10.317-11.332-13.877C54.984,1.817,46.029,0,36.541,0S18.1,1.817,11.328,5.117C4.023,8.672,0,13.6,0,18.989v2.7C0,27,3.916,31.865,11.031,35.41a12.046,12.046,0,0,0-.324,2.507v.491C3.8,41.946,0,46.743,0,51.98v2.7c0,3.634,1.831,7.059,5.265,9.993a10.89,10.89,0,0,0-.7,3.828v2.7c0,5.39,4.023,10.317,11.332,13.877,6.772,3.3,15.726,5.117,25.214,5.117s18.438-1.817,25.214-5.117c7.3-3.56,11.332-8.486,11.332-13.877V68.5c0-3.634-1.831-7.054-5.261-9.993a10.9,10.9,0,0,0,.7-3.833v-.491C80.007,50.65,83.8,45.853,83.8,40.62v-2.7C83.789,32.616,79.887,27.754,72.786,24.208Zm-67.678-7.5c1.057-2.693,3.94-5.3,8.259-7.407,6.15-2.994,14.382-4.644,23.174-4.644S53.565,6.308,59.716,9.3c4.32,2.1,7.2,4.718,8.259,7.407-3.74,6.5-16.732,11.244-31.438,11.244S8.848,23.211,5.108,16.709Zm0,32.986c.862-2.188,2.934-4.324,6-6.174,1.182,4.241,4.959,8.065,10.929,10.975,6.772,3.3,15.726,5.117,25.214,5.117.927,0,1.849-.023,2.762-.056a64.566,64.566,0,0,1-13.469,1.386C21.835,60.939,8.848,56.2,5.108,49.7ZM72.536,66.218C68.8,72.721,55.8,77.463,41.1,77.463c-12.774,0-24.25-3.583-29.5-8.783,6.739,3.217,15.578,4.987,24.936,4.987,9.488,0,18.438-1.817,25.214-5.117a25.1,25.1,0,0,0,8.171-5.974A10.243,10.243,0,0,1,72.536,66.218ZM47.248,46.886c-12.839,0-24.37-3.615-29.58-8.862a65.188,65.188,0,0,0,18.878,2.651c9.488,0,18.438-1.817,25.214-5.117a23.374,23.374,0,0,0,9.07-7.128c4.093,2.067,6.832,4.6,7.856,7.2C74.946,42.145,61.954,46.886,47.248,46.886Z" data-name="Path 170" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_170"></path></g></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.828px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Step 4<br />Payment</span></div></div></kc-tab><kc-tab class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: #a5a5a5; display: table-cell; font-size: 18px; width: 145.859px;"><div class="tab" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-click="$ctrl.open()" style="cursor: pointer; margin: auto; padding-top: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><ng-transclude ng-transclude-slot="icon"><kc-icon class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" icon="step5" style="display: block;"><svg id="step5" viewbox="0 0 87.958 90.444" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g data-name="Group 36" id="Group_36"><path d="M67.986,47.954V7.284H7.284V83.16H35.206a3.642,3.642,0,0,1,0,7.284H3.642A3.65,3.65,0,0,1,0,86.8V3.642A3.65,3.65,0,0,1,3.642,0H71.628A3.65,3.65,0,0,1,75.27,3.642V47.954a3.642,3.642,0,0,1-7.284,0Zm18.753,8.863a3.644,3.644,0,0,0-5.158.305L61.612,79.339,51.6,69.686a3.648,3.648,0,1,0-5.037,5.279L59.307,87.228a3.576,3.576,0,0,0,2.547,1.032h.121a3.628,3.628,0,0,0,2.547-1.216L86.981,62.038A3.662,3.662,0,0,0,86.739,56.817ZM54.628,21.243H21.853a3.642,3.642,0,1,0,0,7.284h32.78a3.642,3.642,0,1,0-.005-7.284ZM58.27,44.917a3.65,3.65,0,0,0-3.642-3.642H21.853a3.642,3.642,0,1,0,0,7.284h32.78A3.649,3.649,0,0,0,58.27,44.917ZM21.853,60.7a3.642,3.642,0,1,0,0,7.284h9.711a3.642,3.642,0,1,0,0-7.284Z" data-name="Path 171" fill="rgb(165, 165, 165)" id="Path_171"></path></g></svg></kc-icon></ng-transclude><div class="text-node" ng-transclude="title" style="display: table; height: 60px; padding-bottom: 50px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; width: 145.859px;"><span class="ng-scope" style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: bottom;">Step 5<br />Confirmation</span></div></div></kc-tab></div><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><kc-info-pane-center-column bgcolor="#ffffff" class="ng-isolate-scope" style="background-color: white; font-family: "PT Sans Narrow", Arial, serif; text-align: start;" theme="darker"></kc-info-pane-center-column><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "PT Sans Narrow", Arial, serif; text-align: start;"></span><kc-tab-accordion class="ng-isolate-scope" style="background-color: white; display: block; font-family: "PT Sans Narrow", Arial, serif; text-align: start;"><ng-transclude><kc-tabular class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="display: block; letter-spacing: 0.004em; margin: auto; width: 875px;"></kc-tabular></ng-transclude></kc-tab-accordion></p><div class="content" ng-transclude="content" style="margin-bottom: 73px; vertical-align: top;"><kc-tab-content class="ng-scope ng-isolate-scope" style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"><div class="tab-content active" ng-class="{ 'active': $ctrl.isActive() }" ng-transclude="" style="display: block; position: static; vertical-align: top;"><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Each category of eligibility is outlined here below. Please note that while expenses are covered for selected warrior pilgrims and their designated caregivers, it is not the case for their companions, pre-9/11 veterans and non military-affiliated volunteers. Exceptions may apply.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">WOUNDED, ILL OR INJURED MILITARY PERSONNEL</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes wounded, ill or injured individuals serving on active duty, honorably discharged, separated or retired from the United States Military (priority given to post-9/11 era). This category includes individuals suffering from PTSD, Moral Injury, and Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Since all pilgrims will lodge in hotels, wounded, ill or injured warriors must be able to perform all "activities of daily living" either alone or with the assistance of their designated caregiver. Applicants and their clinical providers should anticipate that professional medical or nursing services, including hospitalization, will be limited during the pilgrimage. EACH wounded, ill, or injured individual must complete and submit the full application to include the wounded, ill, or injured medical annex with physician signature.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">NON-WOUNDED, NON-ILL OR NON-INJURED MILITARY PERSONNEL</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes non-wounded, non-ill or non-injured individuals serving on active duty, honorably discharged, separated or retired from the United States Military (priority to post-9/11 era). EACH non-wounded, non-ill, or non-injured applicant must complete and submit a separate application to include the appropriate medical annex.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">DESIGNATED CAREGIVER</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Designated Caregivers, as defined by the VA and Military Services, include healthcare providers, spouses, adult relatives, significant others or friends who serve as a *certified designated caregiver for a wounded, ill or injured warrior. Services caregivers provide may include, but are not limited to, assistance with activities of daily living (i.e., personal hygiene, dressing, sitting, standing, feeding, bathing, etc.), ensuring the correct dose and timing of prescribed medications and/or providing supervision to ensure the safety of the warrior. A designated caregiver must be in good health, capable of sitting and/or standing in place for extended periods, capable of walking long distances (up and down stairs, hills and on uneven surfaces) and cannot have physical limitations that will prevent them from properly assisting the pilgrim. Designated caregivers should anticipate that professional medical or nursing services, including hospitalization, will be limited during the pilgrimage.</p><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;"><em>*A copy of your VA or Military Certification documentation must be included with your application.</em></p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">ADULT COMPANION</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes non-military spouses, adult relatives, significant others or friends serving as a travel and pilgrimage companion for a military pilgrim. A companion is NOT considered a designated caregiver. EACH companion must complete and submit a separate application to include the appropriate medical annex.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">CHILD COMPANION</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes child relatives under the age of 18 serving as a travel and pilgrimage companion for a military pilgrim. EACH child companion must complete or have completed and submit a separate application to include the appropriate medical annex.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">VOLUNTEER</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes any individual (including pre-9/11 era veterans) over the age of 14 who wishes to volunteer to physically support the movement and general care of warrior pilgrims as assigned by the Leadership Team for the Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage. A Volunteer must be in good health, capable of sitting and/or standing in place for extended periods, capable of walking long distances (up and down stairs, hills and on uneven surfaces) and pushing a wheelchair. Volunteers cannot have physical limitations that will prevent them from properly assisting our warrior pilgrims. EACH volunteer must complete and submit a separate application to include appropriate medical annex.</p><h3 class="ng-scope" style="font-size: 28px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 29px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px; text-transform: uppercase;">CHAPLAIN/DEACON</h3><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;">Includes both military (active, retired, discharged) and non-military Chaplains or Deacons who wish to attend and provide spiritual assistance for pilgrims. Non-active duty Chaplains will require a letter of good standing from their diocese or religious governing body.</p><p class="ng-scope" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 40px;"><a href="https://www.warriorstolourdes.com/wtl/en/apply/faq-application.html" style="background-color: transparent; color: #114ad1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Application FAQs</a></p></div></kc-tab-content></div></div></div></span></span></div><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3652002170393518778.post-67299744392263522292022-05-09T20:01:00.033-07:002023-05-10T23:46:12.205-07:00(264) The War Rages On in Ukraine as Refugees Keep Coming & the Knights of Columbus Keep Helping.<p style="text-align: center;"> <b>AMDG</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FkzoGLo3StkiI43E5HW7YamgZSJHAkHSvYcajRNFwk6VmVYwuVUnStIvLwjHz70cqvwh_pC4CyVwRCbpSH-K7PNfQQX27v1zs45n70eQG4FhTbvaBCPK1c4zP9f8dYlxzfF8tw8YSXNUxZkSKumqWVjrpA8BRwsLk4bTGpYHVPn0dF22G5FJD8S-9w/s1600/2022%20Ukrainian%20Refugees%20Continue%20Coming.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FkzoGLo3StkiI43E5HW7YamgZSJHAkHSvYcajRNFwk6VmVYwuVUnStIvLwjHz70cqvwh_pC4CyVwRCbpSH-K7PNfQQX27v1zs45n70eQG4FhTbvaBCPK1c4zP9f8dYlxzfF8tw8YSXNUxZkSKumqWVjrpA8BRwsLk4bTGpYHVPn0dF22G5FJD8S-9w/w591-h177/2022%20Ukrainian%20Refugees%20Continue%20Coming.jpg" width="591" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The toll 32 days after the invasion of Ukraine
by Russia on February 24: 1151 UN verified
civilian dead including at least 103 children.
Many are uncounted for as in mass graves. There are 1824 verified injured including 133
children. Out of the population of 44
million living in an area the size of Texas, some 10,000,000 people have fled from
their homes. Of this number 3.6 million
people have fled to their neighbors…..Romania (555,000), Moldova (371,000 the
largest per capita), Hungary (324,000), Russia (271,000 some had no choice),
Slovakia (257,000), and Belarus (4,900).
The United States has promised to take in 100,000. Poland alone has received 2.2 million
refugees and more are coming. The
European Union, of which they are members, is allowing refugees to live and
work for three years. Most of the
Ukrainian cities particularly Kyiv and Mariupol have been destroyed by indiscriminate
shelling, missiles, and bombs…….targeting infrastructure, residences, even
schools, hospitals, and fleeing refugees.
Such targeting of civilians is considered to be a war crime. The damage to human life and property is
horrendous. All of this is a
humanitarian disaster. The Russian
strategy is to destroy cities and bomb the people into submission, but the
people have been very resilient and determined to resist the onslaught. See </span></b><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/charity/ukraine.html"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/charity/ukraine.html</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">, <a href="https://informingamerica.com/knights-of-columbus-on-site-aiding-ukrainian-war-victims/">https://informingamerica.com/knights-of-columbus-on-site-aiding-ukrainian-war-victims/</a>,
and</span></b><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dhS0o-trLijWN1wMTHHzCXhth-_jikF"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dhS0o-trLijWN1wMTHHzCXhth-_jikF</span></b></a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">m. The following video shown on ABC gives vivid examples of what it means to be a Christian disciple in the midst of war, and how the light of the Gospel continues to shine in the darkness: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcKOmTl-Kxw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcKOmTl-Kxw</a>.</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the military side</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> it is estimated that there are some 40,000 Russian
casualties including 10,000 dead with 7 generals among them……. More deaths than
Americans in 20 years in Iraq & Afghanistan. Russian losses also include 1700 armored
vehicles, 600 tanks, 127 planes, 129 helicopters, 7 ships, 300 artillery
systems, 54 air defense systems, and 100 rocket launchers. The outnumbered Ukrainian army has lost about
1500 men dead. Putin and military
experts expected the capital Kyiv to fall within a few days, but to their
amazement the well trained Ukrainian army has outperformed the Russian army
which has done poorly in regard to skill, morale, unsecured communications,
command & control, tactics, logistics, etc.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Having
been trained by the U.S. Army including Special Forces and having modern
American equipment, the Ukrainian army has been very effective against the much
greater number of Russian troops, tanks, and aircraft to the amazement of military
experts around the world. Were it not
for Russia’s huge supply of artillery, missiles, bombs, bombs, and aircraft, the
Ukrainians would probably be winning.
The Russians have not been able to take and control any major city. See </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhrduL7efLw" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhrduL7efLw</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This
all shows that a motivated well trained army defending its homeland can hold
its own against a foe which has many more troops, much more ammunition, and
equipment. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So far the Russian invasion has
stalled and the war is a stalemate.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
free world has a stake in this war because a threat to freedom anywhere is a
threat to freedom everywhere.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The world
cannot tolerate blatant aggression by a larger country upon a smaller country.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">World peace is at stake because unhindered
aggression and oppression eventually lead to bigger wars.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In the future may sanctions by united
peaceful nations be sufficient deterrents to war and atrocities due to the
memory of their consequences, a precedent for a world at peace.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">If Ukraine loses, that may embolden China to
do the same with Taiwan.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">May all this
horrendous suffering be not in vain.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prayer has won wars. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">And
we might mention that people are praying not only in the Ukraine, but in
churches and homes all over the world…… holy hours, rosaries, and a worldwide novena
plus the consecration of Russia and
Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary led by Pope Francis in Rome on March
25, the feast of the Annunciation. It
was a really a renewal of the consecration that St. Pope John Paul II made in
union with all of the bishops of the world on March 25, 1984. In 1989 the satellite countries received
their freedom from Communism and in 1991 the Soviet Union disintegrated,
leaving only Russia. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Previously
on October 23, 2016 the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk,
at a ceremony held at Fatima consecrated the Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary. See</span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfE7shwC2fLZDEFHZNAaTVBDH4uY4NkFoX4-D88696dJ6BpyO7E_7DS1ISZlY4wgsl982QXozTKxrDX851AVQUV1gnekEr-K_xPs75vYEEBHthm6Sc1g9nCSNiM8Df0wlT0-6g1J8PjnjujCkSgke0E3V1K9W_4LrHPmWDMT0K7FEQObYxwQle5dBXQ/s500/2022%20Prayer%20Has%20Won%20Wars.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfE7shwC2fLZDEFHZNAaTVBDH4uY4NkFoX4-D88696dJ6BpyO7E_7DS1ISZlY4wgsl982QXozTKxrDX851AVQUV1gnekEr-K_xPs75vYEEBHthm6Sc1g9nCSNiM8Df0wlT0-6g1J8PjnjujCkSgke0E3V1K9W_4LrHPmWDMT0K7FEQObYxwQle5dBXQ/w618-h411/2022%20Prayer%20Has%20Won%20Wars.jpg" width="618" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner and
official representative of Pope Francis, leads an ecumenical prayer service at
the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lviv
on March 10. On the left is Major Archbishop
Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and on the
right is the Latin Rite Archbishop of Lviv, Mieczysław Mokrzycki. The latter two archbishops were among the
very first Ukrainian knights (now 1889 knights in 42 councils). Other Ukrainian knights were also present.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
the beginning of April, the Russian Army is withdrawing from Kyiv and focusing
on the eastern part of the country. This
may be an admission that Russia has been unable to take the capital, its main
objective after weeks of bombardment since the first days of the invasion that
began on February 24. However, Russia may
be simply repositioning its troops, reorganizing, replenishing losses with
fresh troops, and resupplying.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeb2TB4puSxXD4J8mjCSHw8Q0xGQCq_FMUGjFRJXZA_szVpjTwSFcIOa3dRdYIYHb5BWJzToe541F-cPhnvGP4A7pKKVeZEvrQ83aoVQ5GXzdMPHkG8aXGG0BMCRVyV6llH_rAFi7ZAR1s-06B0V34pf826WXb_DJTczVNjCBkLMjK-M0zA0kCzCgKTQ/s600/St.%20Michael%20Statue%20Overlooking%20Kyiv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeb2TB4puSxXD4J8mjCSHw8Q0xGQCq_FMUGjFRJXZA_szVpjTwSFcIOa3dRdYIYHb5BWJzToe541F-cPhnvGP4A7pKKVeZEvrQ83aoVQ5GXzdMPHkG8aXGG0BMCRVyV6llH_rAFi7ZAR1s-06B0V34pf826WXb_DJTczVNjCBkLMjK-M0zA0kCzCgKTQ/w616-h410/St.%20Michael%20Statue%20Overlooking%20Kyiv.jpg" width="616" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A closeup of the statue of St.
Michael, the Patron Saint of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It towers over
Independence Square, the name which shows the national yearning of centuries
for independence. Perhaps St. Michael's intercession was decisive in the defense of Kyiv.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Urging
all knights worldwide to participate in the novena/and consecration initiated
by Ukrainian Catholics, the Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said: “Together, we’ll ask Our Lady to intercede on
behalf of those directly impacted by the conflict, to give strength to our
Ukrainian and Polish Knights working so hard to deliver relief, and to help
bring peace and healing to the region.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
knights also participated in a Holy Hour in New Haven on February 26 and again
on Ash Wednesday March 2. Kelly underscored
the Knights’ two-part response to the humanitarian crisis — charitable support
facilitated by the Ukraine Solidarity Fund and prayer. “While the benefits of our prayers may not
be as tangible as dollars spent on food or medicine,” the supreme knight wrote,
“we trust that their effects are even more important……</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We know
from history that prayer has defeated evil many times and has won wars.”</span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> In
Poland Archbishop Waclaw Depo, the state chaplain presided at a Mass organized
by the Polish knights at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. He
also blessed rosaries to be distributed to the refugees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Despite being very much outmanned and outgunned,
the Ukrainian Army has done very well, holding its own under heavy odds against
what had been considered one of the most powerful armies in the world. Thus I cannot help but think that the
avalanche of prayer is achieving results, giving confidence to the people and
its soldiers that Ukraine can win. It
seems that God is helping Ukraine as He helped the Jews of the Old Testament.
We have the faith that Ukraine will maintain its independence, if not in the short
run, certainly in the long run. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Then may
Ukraine clean up its corruption and become an example to the world of a well
functioning democracy. May God use this
debacle to set Russia on the right course.
Already there are signs of an incipient religious revival in
Russia. PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL! See my article on World History and the Power
of the Rosary & Mary’s Intercession</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span face="Calibri, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-power-of-rosary-and-marys.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-power-of-rosary-and-marys.html</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The crisis in the
Ukraine has hit home on the other side of the Atlantic.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> There are over one
million Americans of Ukrainian descent. They
have their own Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church. It has its own Archdiocese of
Philadelphia. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> At South Gallia High
School near our home there is a beautiful Ukrainian exchange student by the
name of Khrysta Svystovych. She lives with the Frazees, a family of five children who belong to our church. In no time
she became a cheer leader. She has blended very well with her host family. Khrysta is safe
here, but is very worried about her extended family back home. She usually attends Mass every Sunday at our St. Louis
Church. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
addition our family has a number of relatives who live in the Ukraine on my
side (we visited them in 2017).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
Jaga’s side, our niece Dagmara and her husband have taken in a mother and her
15 year old son into their home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Father
had to stay behind and fight.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Their stay
is working out well.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To reach the border
they had to travel in an unheated train for something like a couple of days
with no lights for fear that the train would be shot at or shelled.</span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charity Convoys and Solidarity
Shuttles</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
The Knights in cooperation with the Semper Fidelis Foundation of
southeast Poland collected supplies at regional points and sent a “charity
convoy” of trucks filled with essential goods to Lviv, enough to fill two
warehouses for distribution In coordination with Caritas Ukraine. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The need is greatest in the east which is most
under attack and people are suffering with much anguish. It is especially
difficult for “solidarity shuttles” to distribute urgently needed supplies when
key roads are controlled by the Russians, but the Ukrainians are ingeniously
finding ways. All the work that the knights are doing to help people is
inspiring the citizens to continue on with a certain confidence in eventual
victory. </span></p><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uOVuKUBpZcQqrZxxEZoR6y7cJS-EXm_7f8f0H0Juu2NP1S7fUKhex6EcuPJfC1WfHm8Nx5hgQ6FBcO8_O9ywZ4pykzSq2x-6KegAiioI9lA0inOq8IMDEJMW_oaOKOzdNEqzrPWzj8Cr9jmRwXyUziFNGV11kq_pUw4nPga1Uyq1oM-DwG7Qz1voxA/s806/2022%20Refugees%20drinks%20from%20KofC.jpg" style="font-size: 16pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="768" height="557" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uOVuKUBpZcQqrZxxEZoR6y7cJS-EXm_7f8f0H0Juu2NP1S7fUKhex6EcuPJfC1WfHm8Nx5hgQ6FBcO8_O9ywZ4pykzSq2x-6KegAiioI9lA0inOq8IMDEJMW_oaOKOzdNEqzrPWzj8Cr9jmRwXyUziFNGV11kq_pUw4nPga1Uyq1oM-DwG7Qz1voxA/w532-h557/2022%20Refugees%20drinks%20from%20KofC.jpg" width="532" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
refugee receives a warm drink after his journey at a kiosk in the Knights of
Columbus Mercy Hut at the border town of Hrebenne.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>At
Hrebenne, a Polish border town, the Polish Knights of Columbus have taken a
major role</b> under the leadership of Marcin Wojciechowski of Council 15267,
working 15 hour days. When asked, why he volunteers, his answer was: “I just
want to help people”. That should inspire us! Others answered that their
grandparents were refugees or had to live for years under tyrannical Russian
rule. They know only too well that if Ukraine loses, Poland could be next. The
knights and their sons work outside and their wives and daughters work inside.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
knights have set up aid tents which they call “Mercy Huts” at both Budomierz
and Hrebenne. First is the opportunity for the cold refugees to get warm and
have some hot food, soup, and drink. After all, Ukraine and Poland are at about
the same latitude as Canada. The exhausted refugees, many under trauma in
traveling through dangerous areas, are provided a place to rest before being
placed with families all over Poland.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Also
very helpful are prayer tents and rosaries with rosaries provided as a gift.
Some have extended family all over Europe and the world. Knights and their
families throughout Poland are raising funds and/or helping. They have obtained
donations of clothes, toys, diapers, formula, and strollers for refugee
children.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tatiana Alexandrovna</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, an exhausted grandmother with her grandchildren exclaimed
after crossing the border: “The first thing I want to do is to sleep with my
grandchildren----not listening for every explosion. We lived in such horror; I
can't tell you. I am so grateful to the people who helped us escape and to the
Polish people who have received us.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brother knight Roman Panivnyk and
his wife Olga</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> faced a difficult choice: staying
for her parents and their country or leaving for their children. “I love my
country. I was asked many times why I didn't stay in the United States after
working there in 2003. But it was my conscious choice to come back to my
country and to contribute to its growth and development. It's heartbreaking to
find ourselves leaving it. We always knew there was the possibility of war, but
we wanted to stay there because it's our land, it's our home, and we didn't
want to flee.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Olga
added: “Roman told me that he wanted to get us over the border and if he needed
to stay, he would go back to become part of the territorial defense troops. And
he would help the Knights of Columbus in the region provide humanitarian help.
If he was allowed out of the country, he would go with us to support me and the
kids.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> “I was ready for anything. If I
would have to carry this cross alone with the kds, I would carry it. While we
neared the border, I was praying to the Lord to allow us to cross as soon as
possible because, for my kids, it was like a nightmare.......Thankfully, we
finally crossed the border on Tuesday, March 1, and Roman was allowed through
because of our three children. The first thing I did was call my parents, who
said they were praying for us.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“The
faith is something which has sustained me throughout all my life and in this
particular situation, it is the cornerstone. God is with us. When we were on
the road, I was praying the rosary the whole time. We were praying together
with the kids in the car. What is left with us after fleeing home is our faith
and love we have for each other. This is it. I believe that the Lord will
sustain us; he will guide us and protect us. We will find a way to serve the
Lord wherever we are and to serve the Ukrainian people wherever they are.”</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglyYSBNqjUSir05oPs-su5OMYVr4A8ywhDWUQo0AT744cMTeU96iSPWlzPll1A2NNl1Gn82Nzc6k7ocu_qeJPzu5p5wr-JgG5M-7taajjyStJwPZZuqvD1Hp2bDMbdp9DKmYt4wOPVghCzNLqKPCaGfh5O5RZXHr6htyKZQSxaFLjrpF6UpC509KoXQ/s417/2022%20Refugees%20Clothing%20from%20KofC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="400" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglyYSBNqjUSir05oPs-su5OMYVr4A8ywhDWUQo0AT744cMTeU96iSPWlzPll1A2NNl1Gn82Nzc6k7ocu_qeJPzu5p5wr-JgG5M-7taajjyStJwPZZuqvD1Hp2bDMbdp9DKmYt4wOPVghCzNLqKPCaGfh5O5RZXHr6htyKZQSxaFLjrpF6UpC509KoXQ/w514-h534/2022%20Refugees%20Clothing%20from%20KofC.jpg" width="514" /></a></span></div><span><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 21.3333px; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Refugees receive clothes from a Polish knight.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many
refugees, who just came with barely the clothes on their backs, receive
supplies, toiletries, nonperishable goods, etc. The Mercy Hut also serves as a
field hospital, providing medical care, medicines, and IVs in the Medical Tent.
See<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgjqlwBvypk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgjqlwBvypk</a>
and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qvXWDu8sck">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qvXWDu8sck</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b style="font-size: 21.3333px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can help too</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. The Knights of
Columbus announced Feb. 25 a commitment of $1 million for immediate
distribution to support Ukrainian refugees, including Ukrainian Knights and
their families impacted by the recent Russian invasion of their country. The
organization has also launched the <b><i>Ukraine Solidarity Fund</i></b>, an international
fundraising campaign that will match all funds raised up to an additional
$500,000. Thus each dollar donated will
be matched by another dollar. To donate,
go to </span><a href="http://www.kofc.org/" style="font-size: 21.3333px; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">www.kofc.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and click on “<u>Donate</u>” in the upper right corner of
the home page. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Knights in Poland; Knights in
Ukraine</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Beautiful is how the Polish
knights give food and help to their counterparts in Ukraine who carry out the
distribution. Establishing the Knights of Columbus in Poland began in 2005 and
marked the first major international expansion of the organization since 1905.
Today there are 5,500 strong in 110 councils in 28 dioceses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
1988 the Order launched a Marian Prayer Program featuring icons of Our Lady of
Pochayiv to commemorate the millennial anniversary of Christianity in Ukraine.
At the 123rd Supreme Convention in Chicago in 2005 Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, head
of the Greek Catholic Church and former resident of the United as a child, appealed
for the expansion of the Knights of Columbus to Ukraine. In 2009 leaders in the
US, Canada, and Poland laid the groundwork, including the formation of a team
to conduct First Degree ceremonies in Ukrainian. The initiation began in 2012
with councils in Kyiv and Lviv. Soon knights were acting as honor guards In
2013 Archbishop Shevchuk celebrated a Divine Liturgy in Kyiv to bless this
expansion of the KofC in Ukraine. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In the war with Russian speaking separatists in eastern Ukraine that began in 2014 the Knights were the first to respond to the
appeal of Pope Francis to provide humanitarian aid such as to widowed families
and soldiers with psychological trauma. They have established summer camps for
children of veterans, visited veterans hospitals, and helped orphans and
children with special needs. Today there are 2000 members in 40 local councils.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As
Archbishop Mokrzycki said, “We did not become Knights to gain fame, prestige or
money, but to serve through deeds of love for the good of the Church, that is,
for the community of people united by one faith and one baptism”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ukraine
State Deputy Yuriy Maletskiy thanked his brother Knights in Poland and
throughout the world for their generosity and solidarity. Our principles of
charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism are truly manifested during these
hostilities. Indeed, the principle of fraternity is known in adversity as never
before.” This witness of brotherhood has attracted other Catholic men even in
the midst of war.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 24pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Freedom
must always be preserved and guarded often at great cost. Freedom is not free.
Be ready and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. Don’t take freedom for granted; don’t abuse it.
We can lose it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p></div></span><p></p><span style="font-weight: 700;"></span></div><p></p>Paul Sebastianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10606503677186942021noreply@blogger.com0