Religious liberty II

1917 was a very significant year in World History. Pope Benedict XV was imploring the world for peace. The United States had just entered World War I, Lenin was ascending to power in Russia and in Mexico a new constitution was drafted which set the stage for an era of persecution that lasted more than two decades. In April of 1917, Mexican bishops living in San Antonio prepared a letter of protest, affirming that the new constitution "destroys the most sacred rights of the Catholic Church, of Mexican society, and of Christian individuals." Sound familiar? The Catholic Bishops in the US are saying the same thing about the HHS mandate. Warren Carroll, a reknowned historian and founder of Christendom College has written a book titled 1917: Red Banners/White mantle. This is what he has to say: " That evening Woodrow Wilson stood before a wildly cheering Congress to bring the United States of America into the war that was destroying the world. His justification was twofold: first, that Germany had already made war on the United States by its submarines (the American merchantman Aztec had been torpedoed off Ushant, at the tip of France, only the day before); secondly, to 'make the world safe for democracy' and more, to impose democracy on the world. The American political system was to be the standard of right and justice. There was in Woodrow Wilson a deep need to include more than considerations of immediate practical and military necessity in calling for U.S. entry into the war-a need to proclaim for that entry some transcendent purpose, some universal and noble goal. But such a purpose and goal was precisely what this ghastly war had always lacked. Wilson's attempt to invent one was to have immensely destructive consequences, especially for those nations and peoples whose traditions did not harmonize with what Americans regarded as 'democracy.' Yet he acted, then, in the utmost good faith, summing up the agony of his decisions and the visualization of the good he dreamed of flowing from it, toward the end of his address:'It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilizations itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest out hearts-for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.' The principal historical consequence of WWI was to be the establishment, as far into the future as human eyes can see, of the most fearful, pervasive, far-flung tyranny in the history of mankind-a tyrrany so gigantic and so evil that, in the end, only the Mother of God in person can conquer it." Pope Benedict XV was imploring the world for peace but to no avail. Here are his words from May 5, 1917. Here are his words as recorded in Warren Carroll's book: " To Mary, then, who is the Mother of Mercy and omnipotent by grace, let loving and devout appeal fo up from every corner of the earth-from noble temples and tiniest chapels, from royal palaces and mansions of the rich as from the poorest hut-from every place wherein a faithful soul finds shelter-from blood-drenched plains and seas. Let it bear to her the anguished cry of mothers and wives, the wailing of innocent little ones, the sighs of every generous heart: that her most tender and benign solicitude may be moved and the peace we ask for be obtained for our agitated world." Eight days later she appeared on Sunday May 13, 1917. Here are Carroll's words: "It was a glorious spring day in the heart of Portugal. Lucia and Jacinta and Francisco, having been to Mass at the little parish church at Fatima, had taken their sheep to pasture in the grassy depression among the hills called the Cova da Iria. As they played happily, there came out of the cloudless, deep blue sky a brilliant flash of light-and then, in a few minutes, another. There was no thunder, only the flashes. The children, frightened, were running away, when they stopped short upon seeing before them, atop a small evergreen tree about three feet tall, a ball of light, within which stood a Lady clad in white which Lucia later described as 'more brilliant than the sun dispensing light. It was 'not sad, not happy, but serious' Her hands were joined in prayer; a rosary was suspended from her right hand. The children were within two yards of her. 'Don't be afraid' she said.'I won't hurt you.' Her voice was low, musical, gentle. They would never forget the lovely sound of it.' 'Where does your Excellency come from?' asked Lucia, greatly daring. 'I am from Heaven' 'And what is it you want of me?''I come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the thirteenth day at the same hour. Then I will tell you who I am and what I want.' She promised all three of them that they would go to Heaven; but then she asked them: 'Do you wish to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings that He may please to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and to ask for the conversion of sinners?' 'Yes, we do.' 'Then you will have much to suffer. But the grace of God will be your comfort.' She opened her hands. The radiance grew, seeming to penetrate their very souls, 'making us see ourselves in God more clearly in that light than in the best of mirrors,' as Lucia described it later. So far, everything the Lady said had concerned the children personally-their calling their salvation. Now, in her last words to them this day, the Mother of God addressed the immense crisis that had brought her from Heaven: 'Say the Rosary every day, to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war.'" Our Lady of Fatima's words were prophetic. The children did suffer but eventually the war did end. Her peace plan from Heaven is a peace plan all of us should follow. The historic parallels between 1917 and 2012 are striking. Once again, the church is facing persecution. Yesterday in the New London Day there was a hostile op-ed piece attacking Bishop Cote and the Catholic church. It was rife with errors. The main contention was that church teaching on contraception was not accepted by many moral theologians and that it was a teaching that actually husts the poor. Nothing could be farther than the truth. An overwheming majority of Catholic Bishops have spoken out against the HHS mandate and interested readers may wish to do some research on the AIDS epidemic in Uganda. Visit www.catholic.com and do a search for "ABC's of an epidemic". This is an article which outlines that only abstinence, being faithful, and "C" Catholic teaching, not contraception, was effective in drastically reducing the spread of AIDS. It will open your eyes. As for hunger and poverty, the problem is not more children. The problem is greed. Most women who have abortions admit that it is financial concerns for the future that motivate their decisions. Instead of turning to God who is the "source of all good gifts" they trust in themselves. This is the problem with the contraceptive mentality. At its root it violates love because it denies the radical self-gift of one to another. In 1917 it was Freemasonry and socialist ideology which looked to seize upon class conflict to achieve its ends. Nothing has changed. There still are forces that are radically opposed to the truth proposed by the Catholic Church. If the church in the United States of America is to prosper and have a future we need to heed the words of Our Lady of Fatima who appeared to three children in the midst of similar conflict. Her words? "Pray the rosary every day, to obtain peace for the world...."

The untold story of the Mexican martyrs

1917 was a very difficult year in the world. Throughout Europe and Russia there was economic unrest and a series of anti-clerical laws swept the land. Marxism was on the rise and even Portugal experienced the unrest. In the midst of this turmoil Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917 beginning on May 13. Our Lady of Fatima is as relevant today as she was back then. She gave us the peace plan for the world which included the importance of prayer, sacrifice, and consecration to the immaculate heart of Mary. The story I will share now is borrowed from this month's Columbia magazine by the Knights of Columbus. Maria de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda is the author and the title of the article is "The Untold story of the Knights during the Cristiada." As you read the story consider the current political situation in the United States. The President through the HHS mandate is trumping religious liberty and asking Catholic institutions to violate their consciences on contraception/abortificients/ and sterilizations. Here is her story: "On an ordinary January day in 1927, as Yocundo Duran walked home in Chihuaua, Mexico, he crossed paths with Federal Gen. Miguel Valle, who was walking out of a local tavern. The general recognized Duran and had one of his soldiers detain him and ask 'Are you a Knight of Columbus?' Duran confirmed that he was a Knight and asked whether there was any evil in it. Considering this an indictment, Valle pronounced Duran a subversive Catholic and ordered him shot on the spot. Duran's body was later delivered to his family in a bricklayer's cart. Scenes like this were not uncommon in 1920's Mexico, as the Mexican government led one of the most violent anti-Catholic persecutions in the 20th century. During this period the Knights of Columbus became a symbol of all things Catholic: a hopeful sign to Mexican Catholics and a seditious organization in the eyes of government leaders. Just five years after the first Knights of Columbus council was established in 1905, the country was catapaulted into a long period of armed conflict, now called the Mexican revolution. But what started as a fight against the established autocratic order evolved into a multi-sided Civil war with each competing faction claiming legitimacy. Although Catholicism had been part of Mexico's history for nearly 400 years, the Catholic Church was perceived as hostile toward the revolution, resulting in an unstable and anti-religious social and political environment. A new constitution, which included several anti-clerical articles, was drafted in 1917, setting the stage for an era of persecution that lasted more than two decades. In April 1917, Mexican bishops living in San Antonio prepared a letter of protest, affirming that the new constitution 'destroys the most sacred rights of the Catholic Church, of Mexican Society, and of Christian individuals.' Despite these challenges, the Order in Mexico not only survived this period; it thrived. Membership grew from 400 Knights in 1918 to almost 6,ooo in 51 Councils just six years later. Between 1926 and 1929, an open rebellion took place against the government's new persecutory laws, which were formulated and strictly enforced under Mexican President Plutarco Elia Calles. Resistance to the 'Calles law' started peacefully, in the form of signed petitions, economic boycotts and demonstrations. But in August 1926, sporadic uprisings sparked the beginning of the Cristero War, or Cristiada. The rebels took their name from the Battle cry Viva Cristo Rey! (Long live Christ the King!) To the Mexican government, this pronouncement-often the last words of Cristeros before their deaths-was more than a declaration of faith; it was an act of treason. About 70 Mexican Knights were among the Cristeros who died while standing up for their faith. During this time the government seized Catholic schools and seminaries, expropriated Church property, and outlawed religious education. It closed Catholic hospitals, orphanages and homes for the elderly. It also banned public monastic orders, expelleled foreign born clergy and prohibited public worship. Priests and nuns were barred from wearing religious garments, from voting, and from criticizing the government or commenting on public affairs either in writing or in speech. if charged with a violation of the law, they were, like Duran, often denied a trial. Mexico's bishops were expelled and many of the clergy were exiled for years; those who remained or returned in secret were forced to work and minister 'underground.' Many seminarians were also exiled to Spain or the United States." To be cont. It is said that those who are ignorant of history are doome to repeat it. We are blessed to have religious liberty here in the United States. However, any and all attempts to infringe upon these sacred rights should be fought forcefully and vigorously. The HHS mandate of the ACA is such an attempt that must be forcefully fought. There is simply too much at stake.

The Franciscan Crown Rosary

Unable to have a May crowning in your parish? Not to worry. There is a wonderful tradition that goes back to the year 1442. A pious novice in the Franciscan Order was told by his novice master that he would not be able to crown the statue of Mary. Disheartened, he began to pray the rosary in front of the statue. Much to his surprise, Our Lady appeared to him with encouraging words. She told him not to be distressed but that he could honor her by praying the "seven joys of Mary." They are 1) the anunciation, 2) the visitation, 3)the birth of Jesus, 4) the adoration of the Magi, 5)the finding of Jesus in the Temple, 6)the resurrection of Jesus, and 7)Our Lady's glorious Assumption into heaven. The novice master who was observing the novice in prayer saw an angel place a crown of roses on Our Lady's head after each decade of the rosary. This is a wonderful devotion and shows how we can take our thorns and turn them into beautiful roses. For further information you can do a google search for Franciscan Crown Rosary. The rosary can be prayed on a usual five decade rosary or a specially made 7 decade rosary. Have a lot of thorns in your life? Let Mary turn those thorns into a wonderful crown of roses!

Why do Catholics crown images of Mary?

Since the Council of Nicaea in 787 the church has allowed for the veneration of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints. Pope Pius XI in a papal letter noted that the practice of crowning of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be traced to the late 16thc and has become a common practice in the West. Scripturally Catholics understand Mary to be the woman of Revelation (12:1-2)-" A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." If Mary is Queen of Heaven, as Catholics believe, then certainly it is fitting that we honor her in her month. In our parish the children will present a bouquet of roses on a statue of Mary. It is a beautiful custom and a fitting way to honor our Heavenly Mother. Scott Hah, a convert to the Catholic faith, has written a wonderful book titled "Hail Holy Queen." In this book he speaks about his own misgivings about Mary as he came into the faith. Her are his words: " Some non-Catholic charge that all these Marian dogmas add up to Mary worship-idolatry pure and simple. There was a time in my life when I thought so. As a young evangelical, I even passed out tracts identifying mary with the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, whose worship is described by the prophet Jeremiah (7:18;44:15-17). Marian devotion, I believed, was nothing more than goddess worship smuggled into Christianity by long-ago pagans who feigned conversion. I was wrong, of course-first of all, in my belief that catholics 'worship' Mary. In truth, the church gives her honor and veneration as the greatest of saints, whild reserving adoration and worship for God alone. Indeed, the early Christians who were most vigorous in their Marian devotion were equally vigorous in denouncing any local remnants of goddess worship. I was wrong, too, in condemning the title 'queen of heaven'just because it was once applied to a pagan goddess. Anti-Christians use this very argument to discredit the claims of Jesus Christ. Call it the comparative-religions approach. It runs like this: many ancient pagan myths told of a 'son of a god' born of a virgin who came to earth, died, and rose from the dead; therefore the 'Jesus myth' is nothing but a late and very successful copycat. On the contrary! From great Christians like C S Lewis I learned that such parallels between Christianity and paganism are best understood as a preparation for the gospel-God's way of giving even the gentiles a hint (Lewis called these premonitions strange dreams) of a glorious future that would one day be theirs." Catholics who pray the rosary will quickly make the identification between the fifth glorious mystery (the coronation of mary) and the tradition of the May crowning. It still may be troubling to non-Catholics. A scripture passage often cited is also in the book of Revelation when the beloved disciple bows to the angel and the angel reprimands him. Revelation 19:10 says this: " I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Don't! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God. Witness to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Sounds a little like Jesus saying to the Samaritan woman " true worshippers worship in spirit and in truth" right? For those who wish to explore the subject further Catholic Convert Orestes Brownson does a wonderful detailed analysis of an understanding of the word worship. In fact his book is titled, provocativelly, saint worship. It is a good read. To summarize his thought we need to understand that since the Protestant Reformation took away any understanding of the mass as sacrifice, Christian denominations do not have a sacrifice and hence, technically speaking do not have what Catholics understand to be worship. This is where the confusion comes in. For instance, all of the liturgical prayers of the mass are directed to God, the Father. We have churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints, we have votive masses where we commemorate the blessed virgin mary and the saints, but in each and every mass (eucharistic celebration) the prayers are directed to God the Father through the Son (the priest). A priest is one who offers sacrifice. The mass is a sacrifice ( an unbloody sacramental re-presentation of what took place on Calvary) and hence is our worship. If one does not have a sacrifice to offer than any form of prayer can be interpreted as worship, hence the misunderstanding. So prayers to a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary are not worship, they are just that, prayers. Honoring the Queen of Heaven through a coronation ceremony is a wonderful way to put "flesh" on what we believe. We are fulfilling the commandment of God who tells us to honor our mother and father. Should we not also honor our heavenly Father and our heavenly Mother? Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for the unity of Christians. Pray to your son, Our Lord and King, that we may restore you to your rightful place in the lives of Christians.

Our Lady, Queen and Mother

August 22 is the feast day of the Queenship of Mary. In this month dedicated to her honor it might be helpful to see why she is so significant in the life of every Christian. Edward Sri has written an article titled "Treat her like a Queen-The Biblical call to Honor Mary as Royal Mother." The article is in the book Catholic For a Reason II edited by Scott Hahn and Leon J. Suprenant, Jr. Sri notes: "You probably have seen this many times before. You're watching a big football game on national television, and some star player scores a clutch touchdown. His teammates quickly surround him jumping up and down together for a grand celebration of male bonding in the end zone. At the height of the celebration, when the TV zooms in for a close-up, you see him look into the camera and scream two words: 'Hi mom!' Youv'e got to womder: Many of these football players probably have wives or girlfriends at home watching them on TV. Why don't these guys say 'hi'to them/ Why is it that mom always seems to receive the special attention? We find a similar situation in ancient Israel. Even then, mothers were singled out for special treatment by their sons, especially in the royal household of the kingdom of Judah. Among all the ladies in the kingdom, there was no one more honored than the king's mother. Even the king's wife could not compete with the prestigious role of the mother. What made the mother of the king so special? In the Davidic monarchy, as well as other ancient kingdoms in the Near East, the king's mother held the most important office in this royal court. She influenced political, economic, and liturgical affairs in the kingdom, and she played a key part in the process of dynastic succession. What is most striking, however, is the fact that she even ruled as queen. It was not the king's wife who held the queenship, but his mother. (Just ask Raymond from the show Everyone loves Raymond!...my interjection...0) The great preeminence of the king's mother may seem odd from our modern Western perspective. Today, we generally think of a Queen as being the wife of a king. However, when we consider the fact that most ancient Near Eastern kings practiced polygamy and had large harems,the idea of a queen Mother makes a lot of sense. Think of King Solomon who had 700 wives (1 Kings 11:3). Imagine the chaos in the royal court if all 700 wives were awarded the Queenship! But since each king had only one mother, one can see the practical wisdom in bestowing the queenship upon her. This background is crucial for understanding what the bible teaches about Mary's queenship. If we searched the scriptures for a royal woman like the queens in modern western monarchies, we won't find her. Yet, once we grasp the biblical concept of Queen Mother, Mary's royal office will jump off the pages of the New Testament and call us to a profound relationship with our Queen Mother in the Kingdom of Jesus. In the Davidic Kingdom, when a new king assumed the throne, his mother was given the special title gebirah, which in Hebrew means 'great lady' or 'queen.' As Queen Mother, she possessed the second most powerful position in the kingdom-second only to the king himself. Since the Queen mother was both the wife of the previous monarch and the mother of the current king, she stood as a symbol of the king's royalty, tying him to his father's royal blood. In this sense, she guaranteed the legitimacy of the king's place in the dynastic line of succession....(On the throne the Queen mother represented the King's continuity with the past, the visible affirmation of God's ongoing plan for His people, the channel through which the Lord's dynastic promise to David was fulfilled) A number of Old Testament passages reflect the important role of the Queen mother in the Davidic Kingdom. For example, take the Books of 1 & 2 Kings. These books tell about the various monarchs who ruled over the Israelites. Strkingly, almost every time the narrative introduces a new King in Judah it mentions the Queen mother as well, highlighting her role in dynastic succession...............Probably the best example of the queen mother's importance would be that of Bathsheba, the wife of David and mother of Solomon. A number of scholars have noted the preeminence of Bathsheba's position in the kingdom once she became queen mother during Solomon's rule. Compare, on one hand, the humble attitude of Bathsheba as spouse of King David, and on the other hand, her majestic dignity when she becomes mother of the next king, Solomon. When she was simply the spouse of King David, Bathsheba approached the king like most subjects in the kingdom would: She bowed with her face to the ground and honored her husband David when she entered his royal chamber (1 Kings 1: 16-17, 31). But something different happened when her son Solomon assumed the throne and she became the queen mother. Notice the glorious reception she received when meeting with her royal son. (So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then she sat on his throne, and had a seat brought for the king's mother; and she sat on his right. Then she said, 'I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.' And the king said to her,'Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.) (1 Kings 2: 19-20) The account reveals the sovereign prerogatives of the Queen Mother. Before, when she was just the spouse of the King, she had to bow before David. Now, as queen mother, it is the King who rose and bowed to greet her! But that's not all. After this royal greeting, King Solomon did something even more remarkable. He gave his mother Bathsheba a seat at his right hand. This was not a simple courtesy of offering his mother a chair. This action was charged with royal symbolism. In the Bible, the right hand is the ultimate place of honor. For example Psalm 110 describes how the Messiah will sit at God's right hand and rule over all nations. Similarly, the book of Hebrews portrays Christ as sitting at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all creation, exalted above all angels and saints (Heb. 1:13) As such, Solomon does not offer the Queen mother any ordinary seat. Rather, he gives her the most powerful position he could offer in the entire kingdom. Sitting at the king's right hand, the queen mother clearly has a unique share in the king's royal authority." Wow! What does this mean for us on our pilgrimmage to the heart of the Father. It means that Mary, our Queen Mother, is no mere saint among saints. If we take this biblical view we see she clearly has authority in the spiritual realm. After all, was not our salvation dependent upon the free answer of the virgin? In a marvellous homily St. Bernanrd of Clairvaux speaks about how Adam, Eve, and everyone who had died were waiting for her simple answer: what will it be? Thanks to her Fiat! salvation is now possible for all who open themselves to her Son. The deference that is shown is also telling. In the persons of the Trinity no one ranks first. I realize that boggles our modern minds which are so accustomed to paradigms of power. In the royal court, however, it is the mutual deference which defines the relationship. Also, the king loses nothing of his power in conferring some of his authority upon His mother. In fact, it increases it. It is like C S Lewis' definition of the love of friendship. He defines it as the most inclusive of loves. Lovers are face to face he says. It is an exclusive relationship. Friends, however, are side by side looking out. When they see another friend coming they say "come join us!...your presence will increase our joy and our love." This is how it is in the Communion of Saints. Dante in his Paradiso compares heaven to a yellow-petalled rose with all the saints on the petals singing their praises to God. As you come to the inner most chamber you will find Our Lady. Do not be afraid that giving honor and homage to Our Lady will somehow take away from the honor due to God Alone. She keeps nothing for herself. In honoring her you honor the Queen Mother. We know how Solomon honored his mother. We know how Jesus honored his mother when her gave her to us at the cross "Behold, your mother." Give her all your prayer intentions, your hopes, your aspirations and rest assured you have a mother and queen who will due anything to make you become ever more like her son, Jesus Christ!

The Kentucky Derby

I could not help but notice that one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby has the name "I'll have another!". Funny name. In this month dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus, it is worth remembering that the miracle at Cana was the first of Jesus' miracles. Wine has always been a symbol of joy in scripture and heaven is portrayed as the wedding feast of the lamb. If Jesus' first miracle was to change water into wine then we see here a distinctly Catholic approach to the world. We are, in the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, to use moderation in the proper ordering of goods-this includes food, drink, the arts, entertainment, etc. Curious isn't it that Jesus was accused of being a drunkard and a sinner. I think it is fair to say he knew how to have a good time. And by the way- the amount of water he changed into wine .....six stone water jars each containing 20 to 30 gallons of wine! Weddings back then were known to last for several days. Joy. One of Mary's titles is cause of our joy. St. Teresa of Avila used to say "God save us from sad faced saints". Joy and laughter is the topic of Fr. James Martin's new book Between Heaven and Mirth!. In this book he details the importance of joy and laughter in the life of a Catholic Christian. It makes one ponder the wonderful passage in Isaiah 55: "All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David." (Is 55:1-3) This passage is titled the invitation to grace. Just as Jesus changes water into wine so too does he give us his grace, freely. Romans 5:15 states, "The gift is not like the transgression. For if by one person's transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many." This is great news. Some people are caught in the trap of seeing God as a mathematician. One sin, One demerit. One act of Charity, one merit. Zero-Sum, right? No. Phil Yancey in his amazing work "What's so Amazing About Grace" highlights some wonderful stories of people who came in touch with the Amazing Grace of Jesus Christ and had their lives permanently changed. Do you want some Amazing Grace? Come to Jesus, the stone rejected by the builders who has become the cornerstone. "I'll have another!" A big amen to the God who chose the miracle of joy-changing water into wine at a wedding-as his first miracle!

Pope John Paul II, Mary, and authentic feminism

"Women's Rights!" the headlines roared in Sunday's Hartford Courant. The story detailed political speakers and activists who were speaking at a rally on Saturday. Sunday's Editorial page had another hostile op-ed piece against the Catholic Church alleging discrimination of women. In the midst of a political season where the "war on women" appears to be the phrase of "choice" (pun intended) perhaps we can re-examine just what the Pope teaches about the role of women in the church and the importance of Our Lady as the "woman" par excellence. Today is May 1. It also happens to be the first anniversary of Pope John Paul II's beatification. On August 15, 1988, Pope John Paul II released an Apostolic Letter titled "on the dignity and vocation of women". It is brilliantly written. He points out, right at the beginning, that at the center of salvation history is a woman. I guess, you may say even more dramatically, all of salvation history was dependent upon the answer of "this woman-Mary." Here are his words: "A woman is to be found at the center of this salvific event. The self-revelation of God, who is the inscrutable unity of the Trinity, is outlined in the Anunciation at Nazareth. 'Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High...''How shall this be, since I have no husband?...''The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God....For with God nothing will be impossible.' (Lk 1: 31-37. It may be easy to think of this even in the setting of the history of Israel, the chosen people of which Mary is a daughter, but it is also easy to think of it in the context of all the different ways in which humanity has always sought to answer the fundamental and definitive questions which most beset it. Don we not find in the Anunciation at Nazareth the beginning of that definitive answer by which God himself 'attempts to calm people's hearts?' It is not just a matter here of God's words revealed through the prophets; rather with this response 'the word is truly made flesh'(Jn 1:14). Hence Mary attains a union with God that exceeds all the expectations of the human spirit. It even exceeds the expectations of all Israel, in particular the daughters of this Chosen People, who, on the basis of the promise, could hope that one of their number would one day become the mother of the Messiah. Who among them, however, could have imagined that the promised Messiah would be 'the Son of the Most High'? On the basis of the Old Testament's monotheistic faith such a thing was difficult to imagine. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, who 'overshadowed' her, was Mary able to accept what is 'impossible with men, but not with God' (Mk 10:27)" Hence, Mary has been put right at the center of the human drama. Extraordinary! Hence, too, as Pope JP II notes at the end of this letter, "the church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the'feminine genius' which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations, she gives thanks for the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness." I don't think too many people have read this letter. If not they would not be so quick to throne stones at the church. Jesus was radical in his treatment of women and the church is still radical: He and the church uphold the inviolable dignity of women. As the Pope notes in the letter "It is universally admitted-even by people with a critical attitude toward the Christian message-that in the eyes of his contemporaries Christ became a promoter of women's true dignity and of the vocation corresponding to this dignity. At times this caused wonder, surprise, often to the point of scandal. 'They marvelled that he was talking with a woman.' (JN 4:27), because this behavior differed from that of his contemporaries. Even Christ's own disciples 'marvelled.' The Pharisee to whose house the sinful woman went to anoint Jesus' feet with perfumed oil 'said to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner' (Lk 7:39) Even greater dismay, or even 'holy indignation' must have filled the self-satisfied hearers of Christ's words. 'The tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you.'" (Mt 21:31)." Whether it was his conversation with the samaritan woman at the well or the woman caught in adultery Jesus always and everywhere challenged the status quo. The church still does so today. Holiness is the radical challenge to the world's view of feminism. It was a woman, a mystic, St. Catherine of Siena, who was able to make peace between the Popes in Rome and Avignon. We all know the great story of the warrior Joan of Arc. Who does not marvel at the strength of St Teresa of Avila or more recently the heroic witness of St. Gianna Beretta Molla-a doctor, an enthusiastic lover of outdoor sports, and a mother who heroically said to the doctors treating her for a tumor-"Save the child!" How about the words of another saint, St. Therese of Lisieux: "Like the prophets and doctors of the Church, I should like to enlighten souls. I should like to wander through the world, preaching your Name and raising your glorious cross in pagan lands. But it would not be enough to have only one field of mission work. I should not be satisfied unless I preached the Gospel in every quarter of the globe and even in the most remote islands. Nor should I be content to be a missionary for only a few years. I should like to have been one from the creation of the world and to continue as one till the end of time. But, above all, I long to be a martyr. From my childhood I have dreamt of martyrdom, and it is a dream which has grown more and more real in my little cell in Carmel. But I don't want to suffer just one torment. I would like to suffer them all to be satisfied. Like you, my adorable Jesus, I want to be scourged and crucified. I want to be flayed like St. Bartholomew. Like St. John, I want to be flung into boiling oil. Like St. Ignatius of Antioch, I long to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, ground into bread worthy of God. With St. Agnes and St. Cecilia, I want to offer my neck to the sword of the executioner and, like Joan of Arc, murmur the name of Jesus at the stake. My heart leaps when I think of the un-heard tortures Christians will suffer in the reign of Anti-Christ. I want to endure them all. My Jesus, fling open that book of life in which are set down the deeds of every saint. I want to perform them all for you!" Hardly sounds like the woman who has become known as the "little flower"! What about St. Margaret Cliterow, the pearl of York? She was executed in York, England for inviting Catholic priests into her home to say mass during the penal laws under Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Her only words when she refused to recant " My desire is to die as a member of the Catholic Church. My cause is God's, and it is a great comfort to me to die in His quarrel; flesh is frail, but I trust in my Lord Jesu, that He will give me strength to bear all troubles and torments which shall be laid upon me for His sake." Where did these women get their strength? They looked to Jesus. This is the source of all true liberation. It is where men discover who they are as men and women discover who they are as women. As the Second Vatican Council noted: "Jesus Christ fully reveals man to Himself." This is how Mary models for each of us Christian discipleship. I will close with the words of Fr. Dwight Longenecker, author of More Christianity: Finding the Fullness of the Faith. Fr Longenecker is a convert. Like all converts Mary can sometimes be a stumbling block. They believe that Catholics somehow diminish Jesus by praying to Mary. Here are his words: "Catholic Christianity is More Christianity, not mere Christianity. Time and again I have showed that Catholics do not believe differently than other Christians. We affirm everything other Christians affirm. We simply cannot deny some of the things they deny. When it comes to the Blessed Virgin Mary, this is especially true. All traditional Christians affirm the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We all believe he really was true God and true man. This is 'mere Christianity' if you like. Catholic Christians affirm the Incarnation too, but we also pay devotion and honor to that singular and extraordinary young girl through whom the Incarnation became possible. Because of the Incarnation we honor Mary, and by honoring Mary we praise God for the Incarnation. Without her yes to God our Lord would not have been born. As a result we not only give thanks to God for her, but we also realize that because of her submission to God's will each one of us has a Savior....In solidarity with most Christians everywhere, and in all times, Catholics are joyful in our homage to Mary. We are not ashamed to call her the Mother of God, because in that title we recognize her son as God incarnate. We delight to call her blessed because as we do we join with the Saints who also recognized her as uniquely filled with the grace of God. We ask for her prayers and call on her as our mother because Jesus himself gave her that role from the Cross. In honoring Mary we honor her son, and through her prayers and love we come to know her son better." From the time of Jesus through today the Catholic church has honored and valued the "feminine genius" of women. The Church models an "authentic feminism" which is rooted in Christ and sees true liberation as liberation from sin. Mary is the role model par excellence. In this month devoted to Mary why not take some time to get to know her better. Like all the saints, she is not some dead figure. She is truly alive! Let her be your Mother!