To Help Make A Movie, Part Deux!

Ian Higgins writes,

Hi Frank,

I just wanted to personally thank you and all your readers who have so kindly donated and shown their support for our movie “All That Remains”. It has been overwhelming to witness such support in such a short space of time.

Because I Asked, I Prayed, And You Helped This Pro-Life Cause

Dr. Nagai and his children praying. 

Thank you YIMCatholic Readers! On the last day of this past August, I shared a post about helping to make the movie All That Remains. When completed, it will be a docu-drama about the life of Dr. Takashi Nagai, survivor of the aftermath of the atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki. I called it "rattling the tin cup" for a good cause, and I shared the post with you all. I threw a few shekels in myself and prayed that others would respond too.

To Find Peacefulness of Soul, Be Confident in the Mercy of the Lord

What follows are a few thoughts on Christian peace of the soul by my friend John C.H. Wu. They are from the chapter in his book "The Interior Carmel" that reflect upon the beatitude "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." How soon we forget this calling of ours! Not only our vocation as peacemakers, but our destiny to become the adopted children of God.

Because God Became Human To Save Us All

The title of this post says it all. Why bother becoming a Christian unless you believe this? "God became human to save us all." And if you do believe it, why not practice the ancient faith of the earliest Christians? The one that, despite criticisms attempting to prove the opposite, has developed since Christ ascended to heaven, and yet has not done so at the expense of Biblical truth.

A Tale of the Laity and Priestly Scandal, Circa 1400 AD

This is Part III of a recently started series about on-going personal conversion. Part I started us off with thoughts from a vision of St. Catherine of Siena. Part II continued with words of a Franciscan friar giving an intelligence brief on our adversary. What follows is either miraculous or not depending on how you view things.

Quote of the Week

In recollection, news and vain gossip have no appeal, nor do we like to hear anything that does not advise us to withdraw further into our hearts...for their (the recollected) only wish is to see God with their hearts.

—Fray Francisco de Osuna (1492 - 1540 AD)

For Thoughts on Our Adversary by Fray Francisco de Osuna

No, this isn't about Uncle Sam, patriotism, or anything like that. This is part two of a series on the work of on-going personal conversion that I started yesterday. Milk drinkers beware, because meat and potatoes are coming your way.  Bring your knives and forks and spoons. Napkins are optional.

For the Adoro Te Devote By St. Thomas Aquinas

-Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Today we celebrate the Body of Christ. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a chant that is beautiful in Latin, and beautifully translated into English by Gerald Manly Hopkins, S.J. (poet extraordinaire).

For Bernard of Clairvaux's Bible Reading Program to Make Sense of the World

—Feast of St. John of Egypt

Back in October of last year, I shared thoughts written by a Doctor of the Church with you. It was from a homily St. Bernard of Clairvaux had written and preached to the brothers in his order about one of the books in the Old Testament. As I was re-reading the homily today, these words of truth leapt off the screen,

there are two evils that comprise the only, or at least the main, enemies of the soul: a misguided love of the world and an excessive love of self...

For Stuff My Abba Macarius Says

—Feast of St. Ludger 

I've mentioned in the past that my patron is St. Macarius the Great. He was a Desert Father who lived between the years 300 - 390 AD. He went into the desert when he was thirty years old, became a priest when he was 40 years old, was accused of adultery, and when he was proved innocent, he fled and headed to a place in the Egyptian desert called Scetis.

I probably went right by Scetis once or twice and never even knew it when I took a trip up to the battlefield at El Alamein when I was stationed in Cairo.

Because of the Note Sewn In Blaise Pascal's Coat

Feast of St. Polycarp  

My buddy Blaise Pascal is a lot like me. That is, excepting the obvious fact that he was a mathematical genius, inventor of a calculator etc., and though I enjoy mathematics, I am a mere admirer of genius in this and many other departments. No, I mean that just like me, he needed something to constantly remind him of why he remains a Christian.

Something that he could turn to for reminding him why he left his earlier life and pursuits and decided to give his all to Christ and His Church. Something he could turn to that would remind him of his calling, when he was in "the world" but away from his Bible, his breviary, or his rosary.

For Faith in Repose: Thomas Merton's Letter to a Young Activist

—Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

A little over a week ago, I shared a kind letter from Thomas Merton to a 6th grader. This time, I have another letter that Father Louis wrote someone. He share some advice for a "Young Activist." It too is kind, but geared toward a more mature soul.

As human beings, we are immortal souls in mortal bodies. The irony is that we feel compelled to do many things, and we are called to take actions. And yet, what the contemplatives like Father Louis help teach us is that we must pace ourselves.

For Faith in Action: Thomas Merton's Letter to a 6th Grader

—Feast of St. Catherine de Ricci 

I don't exactly remember where I found what follows, so forgive me for not providing footnotes. I was reading Jesuit Fr. Jim Martin's, recent blog post reflecting on today's gospel reading. The reading from Sirach applies as well.

The message is simple, yet paradoxically difficult, like most of the tenets of our faith. As Father Jim notes, it is simply "be kind." Simple, but my kids (and I) are still working on doing this so it is not easy!

While pondering this message,  the memory of this kind letter written by Fr. Louis (Thomas Merton) to a school child popped into my head. 

For All the Saints: Angela of Foligno

-Feast of Blessed Angela of Foligno 

The other day I shared with you the story of St. Simeon Stylites the Elder, the original "pillar-hermit." Simeon was a lay person, but he evidently was unencumbered by family responsibilities. Today, I want to introduce you to a saint for the rest of us. Her name is Angela and she lived in Foligno, Italy from 1248 until her death in the year 1309.

As I reported back when I shared Algar Thorold's essay, I stumbled upon the story of this lay Catholic mystic and stigmatic and I'm glad I did. Algar busts the myth that there are two Catholic Church's (one for the priests and religious, and one for lay people) and Angela's life shows this as well.

Because of Catholic Mysticism

—Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton 

Did you ever see the movie Field of Dreams? I ask this only because I realize that this movie hit the theaters 22 years ago come April. In a way, this modern classic is about mysticism. And when I was reading Algar Thorold's essay on Catholic Mysticism, I was reminded of one of the final scenes in the movie.

Because of Fully Baked Thoughts Like These by Algar Thorold

—Feast of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen 

I've been pretty quiet as the year 2010 wound down and the New Year approached. Here is one of the reasons why: I have been searching for treasures that I can share with you.

My final post of 2010 was on resolving to choose, or more accurately, resolving to being open to being chosen by, a patron saint for the New Year. I hope many of you took me up on that resolution because the witness of the saints is one of the reasons that continually answers the question of the title of this blog.

For All the Saints: Catherine of Siena

Fearless. Bold. Doctor of the Church. Poet. Mystic. Stigmatic. Correspondent of Popes and Royalty. Correspondent to the Faithful. Action-oriented contemplative. Saint Catherine of Siena was all these and more.

She had a vision at age 6, and decided that she would become a virgin and bride of Christ by age 7. Her parents weren't very enthused at the idea, but eventually they relented. She died on this day in 1380 at 33 years of age.  Her body was exhumed in 1430 and found to be incorrupt. She was canonized in 1461 by Pope Pius II.

For Thoughts Like These on Divine Mercy Sunday

It is the first Sunday after Easter, now known as Divine Mercy Sunday.  For the previous nine days we have been praying a novena for the Divine Mercy in preparation for this day. Today there will be services honoring the Divine Mercy image, special penance services, indulgences, etc. Why? All because some nun had visions and heard voices? Well yes, but only because the visions and voices were true to Christ and His Church. If it had been otherwise, we wouldn't be commemorating this day with such vigor and passion.

Thanks to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich

"On the day upon which the Church celebrates the feast, I had a vision of Mary's Annunciation."

At daily Adoration I have been reading slowly The Life of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the visions of German visionary and stigmatist Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824). I opened the book today (volume one of four) and found that I had reached the Annunciation, which we celebrate tomorrow. It reads:

For All the Saints: Teresa of Avila

On the trail of St. Joseph, because he is my patron and because his feast day is approaching (March 19), I stumbled across Teresa of Avila. And when I did, I sat down for a spell, and after I had sat in her presence, I didn’t want to leave. That’s what the saints will do for you—so convince you of the truth of the Christian claim that you want to spend the rest of your life at their feet.