The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic

This is a letter from Bishop David Ricken to the Catholics of the Green Bay Diocese. Please take time and read it:

January 26, 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. This blatant disregard for our religious values is difficult to reconcile with this Administration’s earlier assurance that they would provide for “robust” conscience protection for religious groups in health care reform. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, we Catholics will be compelled either to violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.

We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less.

And therefore, I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored. Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I would also recommend visitingwww.usccb.org/conscience to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation that would reverse the Administration’s decision.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DD, JCL
Bishop of Green Bay

Still doing the blog?

The short answer: nope.

The long answer: it has been a number of months since I have posted. I no longer really have the time to maintain a website, but really keystone of the decision was that a number of very spiteful and childish comments were made, and this just took the joy out of it. What makes it worse is that usually these comments were made anonymously, which is just cowardly to boot.

If I decide to start a different blog, it will be posted on the bottom of my emails, just like the address to this one was posted in the same place. So if you have my email address, please keep in contact with me that way.

May almighty God bless each of you.

Moving time is fast approaching.

Two weeks from today I will leave Rome. I will have been here for just shy of four years. I started to pack today. This has been my home for four years, so of course there is some sadness, but none-the-less, the joy of returning home is greater.

Please keep me in your prayers during this next few weeks.

Take care and God bless you all,

Deacon Bill Brunner

It every kid's favorite day of the year...

The Feast of St. William of Bourges!

Yes, I know that I can be a little biased, but hey its not like every day is your patron saints feast.

It is actually a good reminder of the Catholic custom of observing the feast your name-sake saint.

Does anyone remember doing this?

I have heard it is still the costum amoung Hispanics. I have not witnessed it in Italy. Maybe part of it is that people in general seem to be abandoning the use of saints names for their children. This is a sad thing... it weakens both the understanding of the Communion of the Saints, but also sells the kid a little short - I mean we talk about finding good role models for our young ones, why not pick out a few saints for them to model their life on?

O Emmanuel - O God with Us

English translation:
O Emmanuel (God with us), our King and our Lawgiver,
the expectation of the Gentiles and their Saviour:
Come! to save us, O Lord, our God.

O Rex Gentium - O King of the Nations

English translation:
O King of the Nations, and their desire,
the keystone [with out the keystone the whole building collapses], who makes both [both peoples, Jewish and Gentile] One:
Come! and save man,
which from clay you have made.

O Oriens

English translation:
O Eastern Morning Star,
splendor of eternal light and Sun of justice:
Come! and illuminate those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.

O oriens - this reflects the early Christian practice of all facing the same way to pray, even during Mass, to pray towards the East, the direction from which the Lord will come. They in joy prayed for his coming and showed this in their posture. This is why in the old days the priest who face the same way as the people during Mass (hence incidently he would have his back to them).

O Clavis - O Key

English translation:
O Key of David, and scepter of the House of Israel;
who opens and no one can shut;
who shuts and no one can open:
Come! and lead the prisoners from the prison [of sin],
and thos who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

O Radix - O Root

English translation:
O Root of Jesse, who stands as a sign among the people;
before whom the kings stand speechless,
whom the Gentiles shall seek,
Come! to liberate us, and do not delay!

O Adonai - O Lord!

English translation:
O Lord, and leader of the House of Israel!
who to Moses in the fire fo the bush appeared,
and to him on Sinai gave the law:
Come and redeem us with an out-stretched arm!

O Sapientia - O Wisdom!

During these last days before Christmas the Church sings and prays that the Messiah will come. We great him with these songs. At evening prayer for centuries these great "O Antiphons" were sung. Most of you are probably more familar with them than what you think - since these are the basis for the great hymn, "O Come, o come Emmanuel!" Each antiphon along with each verse of "O come, o come Emmanuel," is a specific title of Christ.

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here in Rome. It is not just that classes are off for the next three weeks. Nor is it the annual tradition of the Mexican seminarians at the Gregorian filling a pinata with candy and cigarettes for the other students to break (a fine Roman Christmas custom? - perhaps not). It is that Rome is actually frozen. Yes, frozen. This is a rare thing for southern Italy, even in the winter. Here are some pictures of the fountain in the courtyard of the North American College. It even threatens to snow. Snow! With lots of people travelling please send up a prayer that everyone will be safe and delays will not be too bad.

St. Josaphat

the incorrput body of St. Josaphat entombed in St. Peter's basilica,

the martyr of Christian Unity is buried in the basilica dedicated to the Apostle that Christ desired to unite Christians under,

"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church."

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For the unity of Christians:

Let us pray:
for all our brothers and sisters
who share our faith in Jesus Christ,
that God may gather and keep together in one Church
all those who seek the truth with sincerity.

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Almighty and eternal God,

you keep together all those you have united.

Look kindly on all who follow Jesus you Son.

We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism.

Make us one in the fullness of faith,

and keep us one in the fellowship of love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

(from the solemn petitions of Good Friday)

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On the night before he died, Christ, himself, prayed, That they might all be one. In this prayer he desired to draw all men into one Church. Today's saint, Josaphat, responded to the Lord's desire for Christian unity. This angered those who prefer to go their own way, and Josaphat was killed by a mob.

Pray for the unity of all Christians.

St. Josaphat...

...Pray for us

St. Martin's Day

Today is a double holiday for American Catholics. It is both the feast of St. Martin of Tours and Veterans Day. These two holidays are connected by more than a date. St. Martin was a Roman soldier, who converted to Christ. At the time of his conversion he laid aside his sword. He knew that he was now a soldier of Christ in the "army of peace." So he became, and still remains, a powerful symbol of the peace that we await from Christ. Since he was a powerful symbol of peace, traditionally peace treaties were signed on his feast day. This custom was maintained even at the end of World War I, which is what Veterans Day commerates.

"Let us speak frankly of those who want to kill us."

I debated whether or not to re-post this editorial to my blog.

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The violence against Christians in Iraq continues though. Christian homes are being bombed. It is a religious determined genocide.

***

After re-reading the editorial, I decided to re-post. The author refrains from stereotyping, but rather offers a frank commentary on the violence committed by Islamic-extremist against innocent Christians.

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If the situation was reversed, where let's say innocent Muslims were slaughtered in prayer by Christian extremist, we know the media machine would be all over this. But now they are silent. Where they are not silent, they are mis-leading. Most of the innocent Christians were killed before the police entered. The survivors confirm this.

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This type of violence is a most extreme violation of human dignity. Which god will praise these men for this? Which god is glorified by this act?

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This type of violence should not be hidden under the dark shadow of polite "tea talk," nor should it be hidden within the coward's den of "political correctness." It must be called in plain language what is it: sense violence committed against innocents by extremists.

***

Does the author in fact seem angry? He certainly does. For this reason I was thinking of withholding this post. But we cannot forget that in the face of such horrific injustice, anger is the appropiate response. Only a man with a cold dead pathetic heart would not get angry in response to the massacre of the innocents.

***

A brief quote from the author, "Let us speak frankly about those who want to kill us. 'Allah akbar,' (God is great!). So those Catholics on Sunday heard the jihadists shout in the church. Can there be any greater sacrilege than to kill the innocent at prayer, while shouting that God is great?"