Saint Joseph - Spouse of Mary

"Joseph [was] the husband of Mary,
and of her was born Jesus,who is called Christ!"(Mt 1:16)

It was into the custody of St. Joseph that God entrusted the mysteries of the salvation of mankind, that is, His Incarnate Son and the Blessed Virgin Mother of God (cf. Collect to Mass of St. Joseph).  The entire plan of Redemption is founded on the mystery of the Incarnation.  In this mystery, "Joseph of Nazareth ‘shared’ like no other human being except Mary, the Mother of the Incarnate Word. He shared in it with her; he was involved in the same salvific event; he was the guardian of the same love, through the power of which the eternal Father ‘predestined us to be His adopted sons through Jesus Christ’ (Eph 1:5)"(Redemptoris Custos).

We must recognize the virtue and moral excellence of St. Joseph in the light of his eloquent response to God in the midst of his great trial.  Divine grace disposed him to respond perfectly to the holy Angel’s words, which enlightened him concerning God’s hidden plan.  Whereas in truth St. Joseph, the "Light of the Patriarchs", towers among the great figures in the history of salvation, the grandeur of his dignity and mission often escape notice due to his profound humility and silence which were so interior and supernatural.

Reviewing Pope John Paul II’s Redemptoris Custos on the Person and Mission of St. Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church, we come to contemplate Joseph’s dignity as the spouse of Mary according to the plan of God.  To know St. Joseph better will help us to better love and venerate him, and so to recognize and realize our own identity and vocation in the plan of redemption (cf. RC, 1).

The Gospel Portrait of Joseph’s Marriage

"Even before the ‘mystery hidden since the ages past in God’ (Eph 3:9) began to be fulfilled, the Gospels set before us the image of the husband and the wife.  According to Jewish custom, marriage took place in two stages: first, the legal, or true marriage was celebrated, and then, only after a certain period of time, the husband brought the wife into his own house.  Thus, before he lived with Mary, Joseph was already her ‘husband’.  Mary, however, preserved her deep desire to make a total gift of herself exclusively to God" (RC, 18; emphasis added).

St. Joseph's Dream by Gaetano Gandolfi, 1790

These facts are recounted by both St. Matthew (1:18) and St. Luke (1:26-27); in each an Angel bears the message.  These Gospels concur in affirming three essential points: 1) that Mary was (already) espoused to Joseph; 2) that Mary was a virgin; and 3) that she conceived virginally by the Holy Spirit.

Luke presents the mission of the Angel Gabriel, who announces to Mary that she is to conceive the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit (1:31-35).  St. Matthew mentions this fact in the context of Joseph’s trial – "Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit" (Mt 1:18) – which emphasizes emphatically that Joseph is not the physical father of Christ.

The singular, virginal nature of the marriage of Mary and Joseph is accentuated, on the other hand, by Luke, who reports the Blessed Virgin’s response to Gabriel’s annunciation that she was to bear a son.  Mary said: "I know not man."  Given the fact that she was already married, she can only be expressing her resolution to remain a virgin.  This was her firm intention before and after the marriage she had contracted with St. Joseph and before the visit of Gabriel.

In each Gospel, the intervening Angel charges first Mary, the mother, and then Joseph, the ‘father’, to name the Son to be born: ‘Jesus’ (Lk 1:31; Mt 1:21).  In this way the messenger of God acknowledges and confirms the dignity and the responsibility of both Mary and Joseph in relation to the Son to be born.  As the Holy Father expresses it, the Angel "turns to Joseph, entrusting to him the responsibilities of an earthly father with regard to Mary’s Son" (RC, 3).

The parallel between the two Gospels also includes the moral qualities of Mary and Joseph.  Just as Mary responded immediately with humble obedience to the words of Gabriel: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to Thy word" (Lk 1:38); so, too, did Joseph respond in prompt obedience and docile faith to the words the Angel had spoken to him in a dream: immediately upon awakening "he received his wife into his house" (Mt 1:24).  Acting "in this way he showed a readiness of will, like Mary’s, with regard to what God asked of him through the Angel" (RC, 3).  The Evangelists thus show St. Joseph to be worthily associated to Mary in this mystery of salvation.

The Guardian of the Mystery of God

By accepting Mary into his house, Joseph accepted not only his spouse, but also the mystery of her divine maternity in its totality and her divine Son (cf. RC, 3).  He thus placed himself completely at the service of the plan of the Father and the mission of His Incarnate Son.  Pope John Paul II further underscores the effect of Joseph’s consent: Joseph "responded positively to the Word of God, when this was communicated to him at that decisive moment....That which Joseph did united him, in an altogether special way to the faith of Mary.  He accepted as truth coming from God the very thing she had already accepted at the Annunciation" (RC, 4).

By his perfect obedience in faith, "he became a unique guardian of the mystery ‘hidden from ages past in God’ (cf. Eph 3:9)" (RC, 5).  Moreover, "together with Mary, Joseph is the first guardian of this divine mystery.  Together with Mary, and in relation to Mary, he shares in this final phase of God’s self-revelation in Christ, and he does so from the very beginning" (RC, 5).  Joseph not only shares in the faith of Mary, but also supports her in this faith which is the foundation for the salvation of the world, the foundation for the Church.

Joseph, Spouse and Father

To express St. Joseph’s mission towards Jesus, modern languages have had recourse to a certain terminology, which expresses some aspect of his task, but which fail to do full justice to his dignity.  In English, for example, we call St. Joseph the "foster father" of Jesus. In German they call him the "Nährvater" ("the nurturing father") of Jesus, while in Portuguese they call him "pai putativo" ("the supposed father").  The denotation of these terms is surely correct; their connotation, though, tends to weaken the understanding of his paternal mission and relegates St. Joseph to a "secondary class" of the Gospel figures.

Superficially, these terms might seem to be justified by Pope John Paul II’s statement: "As can be deduced from the Gospel texts, Joseph’s marriage to Mary is the juridical basis of his fatherhood.  It was to assure fatherly protection for Jesus that God chose Joseph to be Mary’s spouse" (RC, 7).  However, he continues forcefully to draw the conclusion: "It follows that the fatherhood of Joseph – a relationship that places him as close as possible to Christ, to whom every election and predestination is ordered (cf. Rom 8:28-29) – comes to pass through the marriage to Mary, that is, through the family" (RC, 7).

Dignity and Nature of Joseph’s Fatherhood

To this divine election, St. Joseph responded with unconditional generosity.  Pope Paul VI describes his response in the following way: "[Joseph’s] fatherhood is expressed concretely ‘in his having made his life a service, a sacrifice to the mystery of the Incarnation and to the redemptive mission connected with it; in having used the legal authority which was his over the Holy Family in order to make a total gift of self, of his life and work; in having turned his human vocation to domestic love into a superhuman oblation of self, an oblation of his heart and all his abilities into love placed at the service of the Messiah growing up in his house’" (Paul VI, Discourse, March 19, 1966; in RC, 8).  "Through the exercise of his fatherhood" for nearly 30 years St. Joseph "‘cooperated...in the great mystery of salvation,’ and is truly ‘a minister of salvation’" (St. John Chrysostom; in RC, 8).

Joseph fulfilled his duty as father of the family, sharing in the very love which the heavenly Father has for Jesus (cf. RC, 8).  He "showed Jesus, ‘by a special gift from heaven, all the natural love, all the affectionate solicitude that a father’s heart can know’" (Pius XII, radio message, 1958; in RC, 8).  Jesus, too, fulfilled his vocation and duty as Son in the Holy Family in relation to Mary and Joseph: "The Word of God was subjected to Joseph, He obeyed him and rendered to him that honor and reverence that children owe to their father" (Leo XIII, Quamquam pluries; in RC, 8).

The Holy Fathers speak here of a genuine duty of honor which Jesus owed to Joseph!  The faithful can more easily understand such an affirmation with regards to Mary, but the question rises as to whether the spousal relationship which unites Joseph and Mary is a sufficient explanation for such a duty towards Joseph. Let us see!

Joseph: Husband of Mary

The solution to this question lies in the nature of marriage as a covenant or sacred contract.  Pope John Paul II insists that the marriage of Mary and Joseph was a true marriage: "And while it is important for the Church to profess the virginal conception of Jesus, it is no less important to uphold Mary’s marriage to Joseph, because juridically Joseph’s fatherhood depends on it" (RC, 7; emphasis added).  "In the Liturgy, Mary is celebrated as ‘united to Joseph, the just man, by a bond of marital and virginal love’" (Preface to Mass of Mary of Nazareth; in RC, 20). 

There is a tendency today to consider "juridical things" as something extrinsic and insubstantial.  To apply such an idea to marriage would betray a grave miscomprehension of this most intimate of human bonds, which by its very nature is constituted by a covenant, a sacred contract.  Citing St. Augustine, the Holy Father enumerates the three essential qualities of the marriage bond: an "‘indivisible union of souls’, a ‘union of hearts’ with ‘consent’  These elements are found in an exemplary manner in the marriage of Mary and Joseph" (St. Augustine, Contra Faustum, 23; in RC, 7).

Thus, their marriage is the divinely willed foundation for the eternal covenant in Christ.  The singular dignity of St. Joseph, his fatherhood and his rights over Jesus all derive from this virginal marriage with Mary.  Pope Leo XIII articulated this truth most sublimely: "It is certain that the dignity of the Mother of God is so exalted that nothing could be more sublime; yet because Mary was united to Joseph by the bond of marriage, there can be no doubt but that Joseph approached as no other person ever could that eminent dignity whereby the Mother of God towers above all creatures.  Since marriage is the highest degree of association and friendship, involving by its very nature a communion of goods, it follows that God, by giving Joseph to the Virgin, did not give him to her only as a companion for life, a witness of her virginity and protector of her honor: He also gave Joseph to Mary in order that he might share, through the conjugal pact, in her own sublime greatness" (Leo XIII, Quamquam pluries; in RC, 20).

Mary was a gift of God to Joseph, a divine gift for his own sanctification.  Through the communion of goods proper to marriage, Joseph was granted the most sublime graces of holiness, for his pure heart was perfectly disposed to benefit and share fully in the graces of the Virgin Mary.  In their marriage, Joseph and Mary were, as was said of the first Christian community and with greater reason, "one heart and one soul" (Acts 4:32).  Hence, Joseph’s heart, too, through this spiritual union was made worthy to be the ‘father’ of Jesus.  Their communion in grace referred to all the graces of Mary, for these were given her precisely in view of the divine motherhood, which God granted her in the very context of her marriage to Joseph.

"The Son of Mary is also Joseph’s Son by virtue of the marriage bond that unites them: ‘By reason of their faithful marriage both of them deserve to be called Christ’s parents, not only his mother, but also his father, who was a parent in the same way that he was the mother’s spouse: in mind, not in the flesh’" (St. Augustine, De nuptiis PL 44, 421; in RC, 7).

Pope John Paul II explains: "Inserted directly in the mystery of the Incarnation, the Family of Nazareth has its own special mystery.  And in this mystery, as in the Incarnation, one finds a true fatherhood: the human form of the family of the Son of God, a true human family, formed by the divine mystery.  In this family, Joseph is the father: his fatherhood is not one that derives from begetting offspring; but neither is it an ‘apparent’ or merely ‘substitute’ fatherhood.  Rather, it is one that fully shares in authentic human fatherhood and the mission of a father in the family.  This is a consequence of the hypostatic union: humanity taken up into the unity of the Divine Person of the Word-Son, Jesus Christ.  Together with human nature, all that is human, and especially the family – as the first dimension of man’s existence in the world – is also taken up in Christ.  Within this context, Joseph’s human fatherhood was also ‘taken-up’ in the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation" (RC, 21; emphasis added).

This is why Mary’s words to Jesus, upon finding Him in the temple, were completely justified: "My Son,...behold your father and I have been searching for you" (Lk 2:48).

Words cannot adequately capture the depths of intimacy and union which prevailed in the Holy Family.  What was not the tenderness in the voice and in the glance of Jesus saying, "Mother" to Mary, and "Father" to St. Joseph!  What was the beauty of soul and of face of this man in whom the Son contemplated the human image of his eternal Father!  What beatitude were not Joseph’s and Mary’s when looking upon Jesus they said "Son" to the very SON of GOD!

The Influence of Joseph upon Jesus

In his fatherhood, Joseph exercised great influence over the growth and psychological maturation of Jesus.  Is it not written: "Jesus grew in stature, in wisdom and grace before God and men" (Lk 2:52)?  The communion of hearts within the Holy Family profoundly marked Jesus in His human character development.  It belongs to the mystery of the Incarnation that it be set off in time, geography, culture, language and an individual family.  The One, who was known as the "Son of the Carpenter", was profoundly influenced by Joseph.  In this, Jesus not only is the image of His eternal Father, but also became, in a certain sense, the image of His father, St. Joseph, whose trade and human qualities He took on.  Along these lines the Holy Father reflects: "Why should the ‘fatherly’ love of Joseph not have had an influence upon the ‘filial’ love of Jesus?  And vice versa, why should the ‘filial’ love of Jesus not have had an influence upon the ‘fatherly’ love of Joseph, thus leading to a further deepening of their unique relationship" (RC, 27), a relationship which certainly reflected Jesus’ relationship to His heavenly Father in the divine order.

The Influence of Joseph upon Mary

Given the reciprocal influence between Joseph and Jesus in their loving relationship, it follows that the same must be true of Joseph and Mary.  It is not only Joseph, therefore, who benefited and was enriched through his marriage to the Virgin Mother of God, but she too benefited.  It could not be otherwise since their marriage included in an eminent manner the "indivisible union of souls" and a "union of hearts" with "consent" which constitute marriage (Summa Theol. III.29,2; in RC, 7).  They were "one heart and one soul" in the sacred alliance of marriage; they enjoyed a most perfect "communion of goods" enriching one another supernaturally and humanly.  Accordingly, not only did Joseph receive from Mary, but also the Blessed Virgin was profoundly enriched and influenced by the gifts she received from St. Joseph, her spouse.  Her love, her virtues, her Immaculate Heart were enhanced and further beautified by the holy manhood and charity of St. Joseph, her spouse.

These gifts of Joseph were divinely foreseen and contributed to the human and spiritual perfection of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God.  The Incarnation of God, namely, could not rightly take place except within the context of marriage, within the context of a family, in as much as this is an integral part of human life.  "The Savior began the work of salvation by this virginal and holy union, wherein is manifested His all-powerful will to purify and sanctify the family – that sanctuary of love and cradle of life" (P. Paul VI, Discourse 1970; in RC, 7).

Summary 

 

As we have seen, Mary was already married to Joseph at the time of the Annunciation.  The Angel Gabriel, therefore, did not make the Annunciation simply to a Virgin, but he visited her precisely as the Virgin-Spouse of Joseph.  Because she was his wife, the moment she virginally conceived of the Holy Spirit, the Child became Joseph’s, too, through the marriage bond. 

Reflecting on this, we see also that in the Gospel we, too, only ‘meet’ and come to know Joseph and Mary as already joined in marriage, as already mutually enriching one another.  Even though it be true that the sanctification of St. Joseph was inseparable from his participation in the preeminent election of Mary, this does not diminish in any way the great human and spiritual contribution he makes to Mary.  Although Eve had come forth from the side of Adam, she was nevertheless a substantial collaborator with Adam in his mission as the father of humanity.  In a similar and more sublime way, Joseph and Mary were joined having, as it were, one heart in receiving the salvific gift of the Incarnate Word of God.  "St Joseph was called by God to serve the person and mission of Jesus directly through the exercise of his fatherhood.  It is precisely in this way that, as the Church’s Liturgy teaches, he ‘cooperated in the fullness of time in the great mystery of salvation’ and is truly a ‘minister of salvation’" (cf. St. John Chrysostom, In Matth. Hom. V, 3; in RC, 8).

Joseph’s Mission in Relation to the Mystical Body of Christ

His headship over the Holy Family, his true human paternity over Jesus Christ, the Son of God, applies by extension to the whole Mystical Body of Christ.  His spousal association with Mary in her motherhood of Jesus gains for him in the order of grace an analogous participation in her maternity over the Church.  Since Mary is our spiritual mother, since our spiritual sonship is a share in Christ’s sonship, it follows that St. Joseph is, in a certain spiritual sense, also our father.  This is why the Church venerates him as the universal patron of the Church and appeals to his paternal love and care.

"Pope Leo XIII had already exhorted the Catholic world to pray for the protection of St. Joseph, Patron of the whole Church. ...[He] appealed to Joseph’s ‘fatherly love...for the Child Jesus’ and commended him as ‘the provident guardian of the divine Family,’ ‘the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by His blood.’  Since that time...the Church has implored the protection of St. Joseph on the basis of ‘that sacred bond of charity which united him to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God,’ and the Church has commended to Joseph all of her cares, including those dangers which threaten the human family. 

"Even today we have many reasons to pray in a similar way: ‘Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin...graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness...and just as once you saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God’s holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity’"(Leo XIII; in RC, 31).

By St. Joseph’s prayers and intercession may we be fully incorporated

and assimilated to Jesus Christ, our Lord and God!

 Fr. William Wagner, ORC

Saint Patrick

St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints.  He is considered the Apostle of Ireland and was born in the year 387.  He died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on 17 March 461.

Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints.  After all, this is the day when everyone's Irish.

There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story.

Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick.  His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies.  As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep.  Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans.  He learned the language and practices of the people who held him. 

During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote:

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same.  I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain." 

Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast.  There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited with his family.  He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." 

He began his studies for the priesthood.  He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years.  Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland.  He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane.  One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick.  Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick. 

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many.  He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country.  Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message. 

Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonized as well). 

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years.  He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions.  After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461.  He died at Saul, where he had built the first church. 

Why a shamrock? Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and has been associated with him and the Irish since that time. 

 

Patrick was a humble, pious, gentle man, whose love and total devotion to and trust in God should be a shining example to each of us.  He feared nothing, not even death, so complete was his trust in God, and of the importance of his mission. 

Among his most famous writings is his "breastplate":

“Christ shield me this day: Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me."

US Bishops United in Fight for Religious Liberty

At their annual Administrative Meeting in Washington, the Bishops made the following statement:

United for Religious Freedom
A Statement of the Administrative Committee
of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 14, 2012

The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gathered for its March 2012 meeting, is strongly unified and intensely focused in its opposition to the various threats to religious freedom in our day. In our role as Bishops, we approach this question prayerfully and as pastors—concerned not only with the protection of the Church’s own institutions, but with the care of the souls of the individual faithful, and with the common good.

To address the broader range of religious liberty issues, we look forward to the upcoming publication of “A Statement on Religious Liberty,” a document of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. This document reflects on the history of religious liberty in our great Nation; surveys the current range of threats to this foundational principle; and states clearly the resolve of the Bishops to act strongly, in concert with our fellow citizens, in its defense. One particular religious freedom issue demands our immediate attention: the now- finalized rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would force virtually all private health plans nationwide to provide coverage of sterilization and contraception—including abortifacient drugs—subject to an exemption for “religious employers” that is arbitrarily narrow, and to an unspecified and dubious future “accommodation” for other religious organizations that are denied the exemption.

We begin, first, with thanks to all who have stood firmly with us in our vigorous opposition to this unjust and illegal mandate: to our brother bishops; to our clergy and religious; to our Catholic faithful; to the wonderful array of Catholic groups and institutions that enliven our civil society; to our ecumenical and interfaith allies; to women and men of all religions (or none at all); to legal scholars; and to civic leaders. It is your enthusiastic unity in defense of religious freedom that has made such a dramatic and positive impact in this historic public debate. With your continued help, we will not be divided, and we will continue forward as one.

Second, we wish to clarify what this debate is—and is not—about. This is not about access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive, even when it is not provided by the Church’s hand and with the Church’s funds. This is not about the religious freedom of Catholics only, but also of those who recognize that their cherished beliefs may be next on the block. This is not about the Bishops’ somehow “banning contraception,” when the U.S. Supreme Court took that issue off the table two generations ago. Indeed, this is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the Church—consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions—to act against Church teachings. This is not a matter of opposition to universal health care, which has been a concern of the Bishops’ Conference since 1919, virtually at its founding. This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing. Finally, this is not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue.

So what is it about?

An unwarranted government definition of religion. The mandate includes an extremely narrow definition of what HHS deems a “religious employer” deserving exemption—employers who, among other things, must hire and serve primarily those of their own faith. We are deeply concerned about this new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry. The introduction of this unprecedented defining of faith communities and their ministries has precipitated this struggle for religious freedom. Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry. HHS thus creates and enforces a new distinction—alien both to our Catholic tradition and to federal law—between our houses of worship and our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and universities, and others in need, of any faith community or none. Cf. Deus Caritas Est, Nos. 20-33. We are commanded both to love and to serve the Lord; laws that protect our freedom to comply with one of these commands but not the other are nothing to celebrate. Indeed, they must be rejected, for they create a “second class” of citizenship within our religious community. And if this definition is allowed to stand, it will spread throughout federal law, weakening its healthy tradition of generous respect for religious freedom and diversity. All—not just some—of our religious institutions share equally in the very same God-given, legally-recognized right not “to be forced to act in a manner contrary to [their] own beliefs.” Dignitatis Humanae, No. 2.

A mandate to act against our teachings. The exemption is not merely a government foray into internal Church governance, where government has no legal competence or authority—disturbing though that may be. This error in theory has grave consequences in principle and practice. Those deemed by HHS not to be “religious employers” will be forced by government to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions. This is not only an injustice in itself, but it also undermines the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world. For decades, the Bishops have led the fight against such government incursions on conscience, particularly in the area of health care. Far from making us waver in this longstanding commitment, the unprecedented magnitude of this latest threat has only strengthened our resolve to maintain that consistent view.

A violation of personal civil rights. The HHS mandate creates still a third class, those with no conscience protection at all: individuals who, in their daily lives, strive constantly to act in accordance with their faith and moral values. They, too, face a government mandate to aid in providing “services” contrary to those values—whether in their sponsoring of, and payment for, insurance as employers; their payment of insurance premiums as employees; or as insurers themselves—without even the semblance of an exemption. This, too, is unprecedented in federal law, which has long been generous in protecting the rights of individuals not to act against their religious beliefs or moral convictions. We have consistently supported these rights, particularly in the area of protecting the dignity of all human life, and we continue to do so.

Third, we want to indicate our next steps. We will continue our vigorous efforts at education and public advocacy on the principles of religious liberty and their application in this case (and others). We will continue to accept any invitation to dialogue with the Executive Branch to protect the religious freedom that is rightly ours. We will continue to pursue legislation to restore the same level of religious freedom we have enjoyed until just recently. And we will continue to explore our options for relief from the courts, under the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws that protect religious freedom. All of these efforts will proceed concurrently, and in a manner that is mutually reinforcing.

Most importantly of all, we call upon the Catholic faithful, and all people of faith, throughout our country to join us in prayer and penance for our leaders and for the complete protection of our First Freedom—religious liberty—which is not only protected in the laws and customs of our great nation, but rooted in the teachings of our great Tradition. Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength—for without God, we can do nothing; but with God, all things are possible.

Senate Votes to DENY Religious Liberty - Violating US Constitution they Should Defend

WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Senate, by a vote of 51 - 48, defeated the effort led by Senator Roy Blunt (Missouri) to pass the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act as an amendment to pending legislation. Thirteen Catholic Senators joined the majority.

"By consenting to the disastrous HHS mandate, the U.S. Senate has taken the unprecedented step to deny our religious liberties instead of defending the Constitution," said Matt Smith, president of Catholic Advocate. "It is disappointing to witness a group of senators misled on this issue at the expense of one of our key founding principles."

The following is a list of how the 24 Catholic Senators voted on the Blunt amendment:

Senator Mark Begich (Alaska, D) - Opposed
Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska, R) - Supported
Senator Marco Rubio (Florida, R) - Supported
Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa, D) - Opposed
Senator James Risch (Idaho, R) - Supported
Senator Richard Durbin (Illinois, D) - Opposed
Senator Mary Landrieu (Louisiana, D) - Opposed
Senator David Vitter (Louisiana, R) - Supported
Senator John Kerry (Massachusetts, D) - Opposed
Senator Barbara Mikulski (Maryland, D) - Opposed
Senator Susan Collins (Maine, R) - Supported
Senator Claire McCaskill (Missouri, D) - Opposed
Senator John Hoeven (North Dakota, R) - Supported
Senator Mike Johanns (Nebraska, R) - Supported
Senator Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire, R) - Supported
Senator Robert Menendez (New Jersey, D) - Opposed
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York, D) - Opposed
Senator Bob Casey Jr. (Pennsylvania, D) - Supported
Senator Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania, R) - Supported
Senator Jack Reed (Rhode Island, D) - Opposed
Senator Pat Leahy (Vermont, D) - Opposed
Senator Maria Cantwell (Washington, D) - Opposed
Senator Patty Murray (Washington, D) - Opposed
Senator Joe Manchin III (West Virginia, D) - Supported

"Faithful Catholics should take the opportunity to thank those Senators supporting our religious liberties," added Smith. "It is our duty as laity to hold those who did not support our values accountable and vote our conscience when the time comes."

The full Catholic Advocate Congressional Scorecard is available at scorecard.catholicadvocate.com.

The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act would have amended the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act "to permit a health plan to decline coverage of specific items and services that are contrary to the religious beliefs of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan or the purchaser or beneficiary (in the case of individual coverage) without penalty."

 

Submitted by ChristianNewsWire on Mar 1, 2012

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.

Why we receive the ashes

Following the example of the Ninevites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth.  We remember this when we are told "Remember, you are dust, and unto dust you shall return."

Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice.

The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past.  Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance.  On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year.  Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins -- just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience.  The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days' penance and sacramental absolution.  Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of devotion.  In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession.

The Ashes

The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year.  While the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts.  His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.

Fasting & Abstinence

In the Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions.  In the medieval period, Ash Wednesday was the required annual day of penitential confession occurring after fasting and the remittance of the tithe.  Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 (whose health enables them to do so) are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal.  Some Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast.  Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (mammals and fowl), as are all Fridays during Lent.   Some Catholics continue fasting throughout Lent, as was the Church's traditional requirement, concluding only after the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

HHS Rules - new "accomodation" NO accomodation

Six More Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate

1. The rule that created the uproar has not changed at all, but was finalized as is.  Friday evening, after a day of touting meaningful changes in the mandate, HHS issued a regulation finalizing the rule first issued in August 2011, “without change.”  So religious employers dedicated to serving people of other faiths are still not exempt as “religious employers.”  Indeed, the rule describes them as “non-exempt.”

2. The rule leaves open the possibility that even exempt “religious employers” will be forced to cover sterilization.  In its August 2011 comments, the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) warned that the narrow “religious employer” exemption appeared to provide no relief from the sterilization mandate—only the contraception mandate—and specifically sought clarification.  (We also noted that a sterilization mandate exists in only one state, Vermont.)  HHS provided no clarification, so the risk remains under the unchanged final rule.

3. The new “accommodation” is not a current rule, but a promise that comes due beyond the point of public accountability.  Also on Friday evening, HHS issued regulations describing the intention to develop more regulations that would apply the same mandate differently to “non-exempt, non-profit religious organizations” — the charities, schools, and hospitals that are still left out of the “religious employer” exemption.  These policies will be developed over a one-year delay in enforcement, so if they turn out badly, their impact will not be felt until August 2013, well after the election.

4. Even if the promises of “accommodation” are fulfilled entirely, religious charities, schools, and hospitals will still be forced to violate their beliefs.  If an employee of these second-class-citizen religious institutions wants coverage of contraception or sterilization, the objecting employer is still forced to pay for it as a part of the employer’s insurance plan.  There can be no additional cost to that employee, and the coverage is not a separate policy.  By process of elimination, the funds to pay for that coverage must come from the premiums of the employer and fellow employees, even those who object in conscience.

5. The “accommodation” does not even purport to help objecting insurers, for-profit religious employers, secular employers, or individuals.  In its August 2011 comments, and many times since, the USCCB identified all the stakeholders in the process whose religious freedom is threatened — all employers, insurers, and individuals, not just religious employers.  Friday’s actions emphasize that all insurers, including self-insurers, must provide the coverage to any employee who wants it.  In turn, all individuals who pay premiums have no escape from subsidizing that coverage.  And only employers that are both non-profit and religious may qualify for the “accommodation.”

6. Beware of claims, especially by partisans, that the bishops are partisan.  The bishops and their staff read regulations before evaluating them.  The bishops did not pick this fight in an election year — others did.  Bishops form their positions based on principles — here, religious liberty for all, and the life and dignity of every human person — not polls, personalities, or political parties.  Bishops are duty bound to proclaim these principles, in and out of season.

Here are USCCB's first "six things" on the HHS mandate.

 

Posted by Sr. Mary Ann Walsh at 12:16 PM

When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again...

Well, I'm off!  I'm now on my way to Maxwell Air Force Base in Mongomery, Alabama to begin my 5-weeks of Officer Training for the Air Force.  Know of my prayer for all of you - please remember me in yours!

I'm going to TRY to blog some during my time away - we'll see how much time I have...  Until my next post...  God bless us, one and all!

Fr. Bateman