I recently attended a retreat where the priest warned us against the temptation to see the saints as mere pictures on holy cards or statues that decorate our churches. These icons of the saints and, more importantly, the real example of their lives are meant to call the heavenly host to mind so that we can call on their intercession and emulate their virtue in our lives. But the temptation nonetheless remains. For myself, I have realized this is in part because the saints can feel so distant. Many of them lived centuries ago, in times and settings that are vastly different from our own, while others live out piety or charity to a degree that can just feel unattainable.
This is where my blessed friend Solanus Casey comes in; he is one among many modern day saints. Born in Wisconsin in 1870, Bl. Solanus Casey grew up in a large Irish Catholic immigrant family. While technology and ways of living have changed dramatically in the 150 years since his death, Bl. Solanus Casey still rode in cars and took telephone calls. There are countless photos and even videos documenting his life as a friar. As an American, Solanus also lived and ministered in towns and cities that are familiar to us, like Detroit, Michigan, and East Harlem in New York City. The familiarity of Bl. Solanus’ life reveals an example of everyday holiness that we can apply to our own lives today in the twenty-first century. He did not face the threat of martyrdom nor did he live his religious vow of poverty more radically than required. But in his life as a Capuchin Franciscan friar, he did profoundly witness to humility and poverty of spirit in the ordinary circumstances of his life. Whether in his winding and sometimes frustrating path to religious life, bearing chronic illnesses, or performing his daily duties well, Solanus showed how we can find the entirety of our lives within God’s gracious providence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines humility as “the virtue by which a Christian acknowledges that God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride, and provides the foundation for turning to God in prayer.” These words provide a good summary of Bl. Solanus’ approach to life. He initially began his studies for the priesthood at the diocesan seminary, however four years into his studies he was asked to leave. Solanus was barely passing some of his classes, but he was doing well in others. However, he was also studying in a German-headed diocese with strong anti-Irish sentiments. Despite this disappointment, and an initial distaste for the friary, he prevailed in pursuing the priesthood and entered with the Capuchins. Even here he struggled with his studies and when he was finally ordained in 1904 it was as a “simplex priest,” which offered him fully priestly faculties but prohibited him from hearing confessions or preaching homilies for congregations. A natural reaction to these trials would be discouragement or turning back, but Fr. Solanus abandoned these things to God, maintaining his trust in God and confidence in his vocation. In many of the friaries where he was assigned, Fr. Solanus was given the job of porter, which meant greeting people and answering telephone calls at the friary. It was particularly in this role that he made up for his inability to preach homilies that he was still able to touch thousands of lives as individuals came to him for counsel and healing. As news of his miraculous prayers spread, Fr. Solanus would spend hours each day meeting with individuals seeking his assistance. It was through Solanus’ obedience to this unremarkable job that God was able to do remarkable work. Throughout the ups and downs of his religious life, Fr. Solanus’ journal entries often ended with the simple phrase, “Deo Gratias.” Solanus rejoiced in knowing “the richness of life which has come to [us] by the grace of God.” He was able to receive all in his life, the joys as well as the struggles, as the will of the Father. May we learn from Bl. Solanus Casey how to remain faithful to God in all circumstances, confident that the Lord is and will always work all things for our good. Further reading: Odell, Catherine M. (2017). Father Solanus Casey: Revised and updated. Our Sunday Visitor. **This image is from: https://www.ncregister.com/features/holy-healer-the-remarkable-life-of-father-solanus-casey**
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Parenting is a wild ride. For anyone who is a parent to small children, they can attest to the highs and lows that this responsibility can have. Children are full of joy and curiosity, they show the purest form of love, and they can be sweet and kind to others without fear or embarrassment. Children are also full of big feelings, strong wills, and lots of opinions without the ability to reason their way out of problems. It’s complicated and confusing. Even to the best-intentioned parents, it can feel overwhelming and stressful. Meanwhile, you experience the sweetest moments in between. My husband and I are parents to a 4 year-old that fits this description. We are trying and we are definitely getting it wrong sometimes, but we want what is best for little Vincent and we love him more than we knew we could.
There is a lot of noise out there about parenting, and everyone wants to give advice and share their best practices. Whether on social media, in endless books of how-to’s, or from relatives and friends, there seems to be a never-ending amount of information to sort through and try out. One way that I have taken a pause from this noise is by learning from the saints. I have looked up to so many for various things in my life – for personal reasons or in deepening my relationship with Christ. But now as a parent, I look to what I might call “the experts” who raised the mother of our Savior, Sts. Joachim and Anne. I have drawn a few relatable comparisons between these two people, who remain supportive and hopeful to the Holy Family. Saints Joachim and Anne are the patron saints of parenting and grandparents. Having been childless for the majority of their married life, the two continued to pray for God’s favor and have hope. While Joachim retreated for prayer far from home, Anne grievously prayed for her husband’s safety in exchange for dedicating any future child’s life in service to God’s plan. The two then shared a dream and vision where an angel told them that their fervent prayer had resulted in God choosing them to conceive a “wondrous” child. When Mary was born and became of age to be presented in the Temple, they brought her and followed the plan of God. There are parallels in their hope and dedication to faith that I have seen in so many parents I know and have met, and their faith is admirable and should be celebrated. Grandparents are special. My family is lucky enough to have grandparents actively a part of my son’s life. Whether in his day-to-day childcare or in the vacation weeks spent with them, my husband and I would not be the same without their care and love in our lives and in our son’s life. A lot can be learned in the witness that the previous generation brings to our current lives; for good, bad, or otherwise, these people raised us and taught us how to love and live. Now, it is fun to see how they adore and dote on their grandchildren in ways we never quite knew was possible. The whole family unit, then, is a masterful conglomeration of love, mistakes, trying things, and showing up. Imperfectly, and unconditionally. Not everyone has this experience; I am very aware of that. But for those of us that do, in whatever small way or mix of ways families can be, it is fearfully and wonderfully made. Saint Joachim and Saint Anne were faithful examples of the hardship that parents and grandparents can face. They suffered in ways we as parents similarly suffer, but they remained resolute in their fervent prayer and unshakeable love for God and for each other. Their daughter became the Virgin Mary, and their grandson became Christ himself. Although I recognize this is a little bold, we as Catholic parents cannot deny that our little rascals could one day become the saints of future generations who love and also remain faithful to Christ. Parents, pray for courage to love. Grandparents, pray for your children and grandchildren’s hope. Stay faithful and the Lord will see your love. A Parent’s Prayer from Loyola Press Loving God, You are the giver of all we possess, the source of all of our blessings. We thank and praise you. Thank you for the gift of our children. Help us to set boundaries for them, and yet encourage them to explore. Give us the strength and courage to treat each day as a fresh start. May our children come to know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. May your Holy Spirit help them to grow in faith, hope, and love, so they may know peace, truth, and goodness. May their ears hear your voice. May their eyes see your presence in all things. May their lips proclaim your word. May their hearts be your dwelling place. May their hands do works of charity. May their feet walk in the way of Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen. In celebration of the Fourth General Congress of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, the Catholic Apostolate Center will share weekly homilies from the Congress. Homily for 24 July 2024 “We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Apostles, St. Vincent Pallotti, our Blessed Martyrs, and Blessed Elizabeth Sanna”. Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are coming to the end of the series of reflection and prayer for the Union of Catholic Apostolate in preparation for the General Congress. On coming Thursday, we start the IV General Congress of the Union with the participation of about 185 people coming from so many different countries. Hence the theme selected for today’s reflection is the conclusion of the prayer for the General Congress: “We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Apostles, St. Vincent Pallotti, our Blessed Martyrs, and Blessed Elizabeth Sanna”. We pray for the blessings of our holy patrons and saints for the success of the forthcoming Congress and for the life of the entire Union. As the main theme of the General Congress suggests, we are striving for a renewed passion for St. Vincent Pallotti and his charism. We believe that such a fresh enthusiasm must be deeply rooted in Christ. The UAC General Statute (n. 19) affirms this truth very clearly: “The specific spirituality of the Union is the following of Christ, Apostle of the Eternal Father. In faith and in charity the members of the Union are determined to remain united with the crucified Christ ever present among them (cf. Mt 18, 20); they strive to imitate his love for the Father and for all persons, seeking to live his life-style and apostolate as perfectly as possible”. Mary, Queen of Apostles and a formation in the Cenacle, under her maternal presence, play a significant part in this spiritual journey, as the General Statute states (n. 20) once again: “The members of the Union in communion with Mary, Queen of Apostles, commit themselves to prepare the way to Christ in the hearts of persons. Like the Apostles in the Cenacle they unite with her in prayer asking for the strength of the Holy Spirit (cf. acts 1, 13-14), to enable them to receive and to give the love that renews all things (Ps.104, 30). St. Vincent Pallotti is our spiritual inspiration and teacher in becoming missionary disciples of Jesus, as the General Statute indicates: “… Like St. Vincent Pallotti the members of the Union wholeheartedly allow themselves to be permeated by God’s infinite love (cf. Mk 12.30), they give themselves to a life of service and to fulfilling His will which is revealed to them above all through the Sacred Scriptures, the teachings of the Church and the signs of the times” (cf. n.18). It is important to note that Pallotti intended the Union to be at the service of the mission of Jesus Christ. Pallotti founded the Union to serve the Church, as an instrument of universal unity (cf. General Statutes n. 21). Today’s first reading speaks of the call of the Prophet Jeremiah (1, 1-10). This reading reminds us that we too are called and chosen by God even before we were born. The One who called us also gave us the necessary gifts to fulfill our mission. We all know that baptism is the foundation of Christian life. It is this Sacrament that makes us children of God with the same dignity and responsibility. Our holy Founder went even further. For Pallotti, the fact that we are all created in God’s own image and likeness makes us equal and infinitely dignified before God. Thus the Union of Catholic Apostolate becomes the communion of all the faithful. Hence the General Statute states: To be a member of the Union one is required to live out one’s baptism as a spiritual and apostolic vocation in conformity with the principles of Catholic faith (cf. 26.a). The Gospel passage, on the other hand, speaks about the Word of God and its effect on the hearts of the human persons. The response to the divine grace can vary from person to person, depending on one’s inner freedom to internalize the values of the Gospel. As I studied at the Institute of Psychology, Gregorian University, Rome, the basic Christian anthropological principle is that every human person is called to theocentric transcendence through love. His or her freedom for such a self-transcendence can be favored or limited by a number of psycho-social factors. Therefore, a good and effective formation means increasing one’s inner freedom to respond positively to the action of God’s grace and increase his capacity to internalize the values of the Gospel. The goal of formation must be to produce a fertile ground in our inner being that will produce a sixtyfold or a hundredfold of good fruits when the Word of God is sowed. This brings us to the important theme of formation of the members of the Union. If the formation has to have any lasting effect on the person, it has to be something deep, prolonged and intensive, and always open to the action of the Holy Spirit. Seminars and meetings can have some positive effects, but they can become a life-changing event only when they become experiential, increasing our inner freedom to respond to the action of divine grace. The disciples of Jesus had the personal experience of Jesus and they were accompanied by him. That made them committed disciples who gave even their lives for their Master. Hence the formation pedagogy of the members of the Union needs to follow seriously the spiritual and apostolic itinerary of St. Vincent Pallotti himself. The Daily Practical Memorandum proposed by St. Vincent was meant to be our practical, daily guide for the imitation of the entire life of Jesus Christ. Finally, following the spirit of the Church today, we realize that the right way for the Union to proceed is by participating in the Synodal journey. It fits the very nature of the Union itself. The Vademecum for the Synod on Synodality, (07.09.2021), clarifies the true nature of Synodality in these words: “The Synodal Process is first and foremost a spiritual process. It is not a mechanical data-gathering exercise or a series of meetings and debates. Synodal listening is oriented towards discernment. It requires us to learn and exercise the art of personal and communal discernment. We listen to each other, to our faith tradition, and to the signs of the times in order to discern what God is saying to all of us. Pope Francis characterizes the two interrelated goals of this process of listening: “to listen to God, so that with him we may hear the cry of his people; to listen to his people until we are in harmony with the will to which God calls us.” With these words, I invite the entire Pallottine Family to honor our Founder and celebrate his charism with renewed hope and enthusiasm. May Mary, Queen of Apostles, our blessed martyrs and Blessed Elizabeth Sanna obtain from God all the necessary graces. Amen. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam SAC UAC President ![]() What nourishes you? Food and drink, of course, are answers that speak to the physical. What about the spiritual? Do we share with others, as Eucharistic missionaries, about the spiritual food and drink that are available to us? Jesus Christ himself feeds us his Body and Blood. He offers us nourishment, “food that endures for eternal life” (John 6:27). In the United States, we just finished the National Eucharistic Congress, but continue our journey, after over two years of Eucharistic Revival, into a third one, the Year of Mission. We are sent forth, nourished by Christ, to bring others to an encounter with him in the Eucharist. When we recognize and deepen our Eucharistic identity and live a Eucharistic life, we will be moved outward “to evangelize - boldly spreading the Good News of Christ’s Eucharistic love and mercy in word and deed.” We need to accompany people into a deeper encounter with Christ in and through the Body of Christ, the Church. It is through the community of faith that we come to communion with Christ in the Eucharist. We cannot be nourished by him in the Eucharist outside of the context of the Church. The sacramental life is lived in and through the Church, not on our own. As baptized, we are part of the community of faith, nourished by it, and sent forth by it for Christ. We are called to help our brothers and sisters know this truth and live it well. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
In celebration of the Fourth General Congress of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, the Catholic Apostolate Center will share weekly homilies from the Congress. Homily for July 17, 2024 “Guide us your people, so that we may contribute to the building of a new society, at the service of the life of every person, of hope and concrete solidarity with all in different cultures” (From the Prayer for the fourth UAC General Congress) Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Pallottine Family,
Once again, we have taken another theme for our reflection from the Prayer for the fourth UAC General Congress: “Guide us your people, so that we may contribute to the building of a new society, at the service of the life of every person, of hope and concrete solidarity with all in different cultures.” As Christians, as members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate, we are invited to build a better world. We wish to be in service of life and want to work for the integral development of every human being created in God’s own image and likeness. The members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate have an immense responsibility to be missionary disciples to work hard to build up societies and communities built on the values of the Gospel. In his book “Let us Dream. The Path to a Better Future,” written during the dark days of Covid-19 (2020), Pope Francis speaks about his dream of building a better future for humanity. The Holy Father points out the absolute importance of authentic human connectedness in every sphere of life. He believes that it is time to restore an ethics of fraternity and solidarity, regenerating the bonds of trust and belonging among people, nations and cultures. The Pope also points out four elements that can block the action of the Holy Spirit – narcissism, discouragement, pessimism and indifference. The authentic manifestations of an Easter people are joy and renewed hope. We can be discouraged very often by ongoing conflicts and violence. However, the people who changed the world are those who kindled the candle of hope and courage and not those who surrender themselves to pessimism and defeatism. Our efforts as members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate to build up a better world should not be seen as only a socio-political action. One of the modern saints of our times who set in motion a revolution of fraternal charity was the tiny woman, Saint Mother Teresa. She had faith as the foundation, hope as its driving force, and charity as its goal. She was convinced from the beginning of her work with the poor that it was God’s work that she was doing, and whatever she did for anyone she did it for Jesus. It was based on faith because she was feeding Jesus in the hungry. Every human being is a child of God, to be respected and loved as such. Each human being is an embodiment of God’s love, no matter where he comes from or what religion he belongs to. What is essential to us is our common brotherhood in the one and only Fatherhood of God. St. Vincent Pallotti too had seen the hungry Christ, the thirsty Christ, the naked Christ, the homeless Christ, the sick and imprisoned Christ everywhere (cf. Matthew 25:31-36). For Pallotti, it was the continuation of the mission of compassion, the salvific work of Jesus. That was why he prayed so ardently: “I would like to become food to feed the hungry, clothing to cover the naked, drink to quench the thirsty….” (OOCCX, 115). We are blessed to have today the presence of the participants of the Central Assembly of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters. These are members of the General Council, the Provincial Superiors and delegates from all the Provinces, Regions and Delegatures of the Congregation. Recently, I received a video from Sr. Cecile, the Principal of the Pallottine School at Masaka, Tanzania. We could see the beautiful children dressed up in their school uniform. We could also see how the entire campus was maintained with great attention for the protection of our Common Home. Those who were involved in developing the School will know how much sacrifices were made in establishing the School and in offering quality education to hundreds of children. We can have many examples of such apostolic activities done by our priests, sisters and lay members around the world. In our efforts to build up a better world, particular attention needs to be given to children and vulnerable persons. We heard in today’s Gospel: “At that time Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.” (Matthew 11:25-26) These words show the unique place the little children enjoy before God and hence we need to care for them and protect them. Giving them good education brings great rewards. Today we celebrate the memory of Blessed Elizabeth Sanna, the spiritual daughter of our Founder. This handicapped mother who was outstanding in fraternal charity and holiness of life reminds us of all the vulnerable persons around the world and who need particular attention. Recently the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life came out with a small document called “An Unlimited Joy,” based on the contributions collected during the Synod Listening Session. The question was "In a Synodal Church in mission, how can the co-responsibility of the faithful with disabilities be fostered?” A response given to this question was: “First of all, it requires attentive listening and concrete commitment on the part of every ecclesial community. In the Synodal Church everyone listens to each other and it is necessary to give conscious and qualified attention to all the faithful, without exceptions, even to those who experience disabilities, but a proactive attitude is needed on the part of everyone. In other words, our active participation in the life of the Church requires the involvement of each and every one of us.” Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Pallottine Family, we have to listen to the cry of God’s people. The Union of Catholic Apostolate, through the active and responsible participation of all its members, must continue the saving and healing mission of Jesus. Matthew 25:31-46, on the last judgment, must challenge every member. The judgment will be made on the basis of concrete love given or denied to one of the least of our brothers and sisters because Jesus himself is present in each one of them. Amen. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. UAC President There are a few guarantees in this life. Some say it is death and taxes. Purdue basketball fans, such as myself, will add Matt Painter. But there is another guarantee in life, and it is one that is as uncomfortable and taboo as death: suffering. Death, taxes, Matt Painter, and suffering. The suffering we think of most often is typically connected to death - the suffering of a cancer patient or of someone who has been in a tragic accident. This suffering is very real, but also extraordinary. I do not mean that this suffering is somehow alien to the human experience; it is deeply real and personal to those who experience it and their loved ones, but that it is truly extra (outside of the) ordinary. Ordinary suffering comes in many forms: the lack of sleep felt by new parents, the inability to pay one’s bills after being laid off, the end of a relationship that seemed to be perfect, the inexplicable change in direction from the Lord after following a path that seemed ordained by that same God. These, and countless other examples, are the suffering of the day-to-day life of the human person. There is a human tendency to compare suffering. “Well, their suffering seems so much worse than mine, so mine must be insignificant, and my response to my suffering is somehow overblown or distorted.” But this reaction is what is distorted. Suffering is, as I said at the start of this blog, guaranteed in life. That is a pretty undesirable guarantee. All we have to do is look out into the world, or just rewatch the movie of our own lives to find some sort of suffering, whether great or “small.” The question is not if we will suffer, but how we handle suffering and what it does in our lives. I am personally unable to understand how one can endure suffering without some sort of conception of God, and more specifically a personal relationship with the God who became man and who suffered and died for us. It is just that relationship that has gotten me through the traumatic death of my father just over five years ago and the daily suffering that is thrown my way. Suffering can easily make a strong person crumble, so the first thing we should do is realize that we are not strong, but weak. We are the sick that Jesus professes need a physician in the Gospel of Matthew. The physician is the only one who can prescribe the medication of grace needed to help us through our suffering. The grace is dispensed to us not through pills or syringes but through prayer. It is only through constant prayer, which is the reception of the transformative love of God, that suffering has meaning and can be endured. Sr. Ruth Burrows says in her book Essence of Prayer that God’s touch in our lives, “however lightly, means I suffer,” (Burrow, 38). Prayer opens us up to the fact that we are nothing, we are weak, we are in great need and, “it is then that I really experience that I need Jesus and everything depends on my living this out, letting go of the controls, handing them over to him and accepting to have no holiness, no achievement of my own, to be before God as nothing,” (ibid, 39). This is the bottom line of suffering. It is not gratuitous, meaningless, or completely nonsensical; it is the process of being stripped of all of our egotistical and self-seeking tendencies that leave us closed off to God’s healing touch. Patient endurance of the suffering we experience is the way that we are prepared for life with God. How do we know this? Because Jesus Christ took on human form and lived in perfect obedience as the Apostle to the Eternal Father. Jesus’ life found its highest fulfillment in obedient suffering and sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane, at the Pillar, on the road to Calvary, and on the Cross. In his suffering, Christ took on all of ours - from the suffering of a broken heart to the suffering of death - and brought them meaning. In fact, it was the signs of his suffering that he kept after his resurrection as trophies of his victory over death. It was these same signs of suffering, Jesus’ wounds, that proved the resurrection to Thomas. Our wounds, our suffering, participate in the suffering and wounds of Christ. Thomas experienced the Risen Christ in His wounds, and we too experience Him in our wounds. Suffering is a guarantee, but it does not end as pain- it leads us to victory, to intimacy with God, and brings us to God as empty vessels for him to fill with his glory.
In celebration of the Fourth General Congress of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, the Catholic Apostolate Center will share weekly homilies from the Congress. Homily for July 10, 2024 “Grant us to be instruments of peace and love, reflecting the love of Christ in every situation” The theme for our reflection and prayer today is, once again, taken from the Prayer in Preparation for the UAC General Congress. It is a very sincere prayer from our hearts: “Grant us to be instruments of peace and love, reflecting the love of Christ in every situation.” Every Pallottine is called to be an instrument of peace and love, by reflecting the love of Christ in every possible situation.
This prayer reminds of the famous prayer of the great Saint Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” It is a timeless expression of humility, love, and service to others. The prayer captures St. Francis’s commitment to peace, love and compassion, emphasizing virtues like forgiveness, understanding, and selflessness. It is also a reminder for all the members of the Union that they have to be genuinely involved in the affairs of the world. They have to be instruments of peace and love, fraternal communion and solidarity, through the exercise of forgiveness and compassion. They have to be healers and protectors of the widows and orphans. But all these things are to be done not on their own merit; they have to only reflect the love of Christ in every situation. The first reading from the book of Hosea reminds us that we can cease to be instruments of peace and love. Israel became like a luxuriant vine producing a lot of fruit. “The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; the richer his land became, the richer he made the sacred pillars. Theirs is a divided heart; now they will have to pay for it. He himself will hack down their altars and wreck their sacred pillars.” (Hosea 10:1-2) God destroyed the arrogance and the symbols of immortality. “Sow saving justice for yourselves, reap a harvest of faithful love; break up your fallow ground: it is time to seek out Yahweh until he comes to rain saving justice down on you.” (Hosea 10:12) Hence the invitation is to reap a harvest of love. In the Gospel passage of today, we see Jesus empowering the twelve disciples to reap the harvest of love, and proclaim the Kingdom of justice and love. “He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.” (Matthew 10: 1-7) Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, the source of division and conflicts. The Kingdom of God will be marked by the values of communion, justice and peace. In this context the words of Saint Pope VI in Populorum Progressio (n.76) are very appropriate: “When we fight poverty and oppose the unfair conditions of the present, we are not just promoting human well-being; we are also furthering man's spiritual and moral development, and hence we are benefiting the whole human race. For peace is not simply the absence of warfare, based on a precarious balance of power; it is fashioned by efforts directed day after day toward the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God, with a more perfect form of justice among men.” Speaking of the mission of the Union of Catholic Apostolate in cooperation with all people of good will, living images of charity itself, n.16 of the General Statute identifies a number of areas for our engagement with the world, such as: protecting the values of human life and the family, working for the promotion of justice, solidarity, peace and protection of creation, encouraging inter-religious dialogue, and caring for the poor and needy. We have innumerable examples of our commitment to the needs of the people of God in our Pallottine Family. What we do for the poor and needy will be most meritorious before God. Without genuine commitment to acts of fraternal charity, the Union will always remain just a concept without flesh and blood. I conclude with these words of hope expressed by Pope Francis in his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti: “I invite everyone to renewed hope, for hope 'speaks to us of something deeply rooted in every human heart, independently of our circumstances and historical conditioning. Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfillment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love… Hope is bold; it can look beyond personal convenience, the petty securities and compensations which limit our horizon, and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile.' Let us continue, then, to advance along the paths of hope.” (n.55) Amen. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. UAC President When I was a young adult, my mom and I would discuss politics. When the discussion got heated, mom would say, “I totally disagree with you, but I will defend to my death your right to say it.” I was baffled; annoyed that she ended the debate but also affirmed. A close read of the Declaration of Independence helps me understand the depth and significance of what my mom meant. The Declaration of Independence is 1,337 words long, written by a committee of five with Thomas Jefferson, a delegate from Virginia, as the principal author. It was 1776; the Continental Congress had convened in Philadelphia and Jefferson drafted the declaration in his boarding room. Independence is not declared until the last paragraph. As the summation of the rationale for independence, this paragraph is worthy of our attention and consideration. 1. The delegates declare they are representatives of the colonies assembled “in congress.” 2. They appeal to “the Supreme Judge of the world” for the moral rightness of their action. 3. They speak in the name, and with the authority of, “the good People of these Colonies.” 4. They declare the colonies “free and independent states” severing all ties to the King of England and “the State of Great Britain.” 5. They declare that they have all the rights of an independent state. 6. Finally, in support of this declaration, our founding fathers, “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,” mutually pledged “to each other our lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” I believe it was this mutual pledge, a pledge of life, fortune, and sacred honor, that my mom was getting at in our debates. We can disagree and debate vigorously if, and only if, we have a bond that connects us to each other deeper, and greater, than either of us. It is this mutuality that we must reclaim as citizens of the United States of America. When our founding fathers unanimously approved the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd, and then signed it on July 4, 1776, they were committing treason. They shifted their allegiance from the King of England to each other. Our founding fathers were far from perfect, but they were people of faith and principle. They had a clear, even reluctant, rationale for independence. Most of us know the beginning of the second paragraph, “We hold these truths to be self-evident…” God gives all individuals equality and the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these God-given rights, humans create governments that derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The divine “right” is given to each person, not to a king. Consequently, when a government no longer secures these rights, then it is the right of the people; “it is their duty,” to “throw off” the abusive government and create a new one. Based on these principles, the founding fathers – as if they were prosecuting a case before a world court of independent states – identified 27 charges against the King of England. They concluded this list of charges with two additional paragraphs. One where they chronicle the many ways they attempted to address these grievances directly with the King. The second is on their efforts to engage their “brethren.” So, the second paragraph is the rationale based on the rights God gives to everyone, then the 27 grievances, paragraph three chronicles their appeal to the King, fourth is an appeal to their “brethren,” and the fifth and final paragraph is the declaration of independence. What about the first paragraph? It serves as a preamble. Independence breaks the bond with one country and establishes a new one, which “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.” Respect for the “opinions of mankind” require that this new nation “declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” This review of the Declaration of Independence helped me appreciate what mom taught me fifty years ago. It has renewed my faith in the founding principles of our country – faith in God, equality, unalienable rights, the responsibility to create a government that secures those rights, and our pledge of mutuality. As Catholics we understand mutuality through the principle of solidarity which is grounded in the incarnation itself, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Pope Francis, in Fratelli Tutti (no. 66), encourages us to “rediscover our vocation as citizens” because we are “called to direct society to the pursuit of the common good.” Our bishops, in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (2023), applied this truth to our country. “The perennial role of the Church in public life is proclaiming timeless principles: the infinite worth and dignity of every human life, the common good, solidarity, and subsidiary.” Democracy is not for the faint of heart. As Catholics, we wholeheartedly embrace the challenges and the promise of democracy because we believe it is only possible through faith – in God and each other.
In celebration of the Fourth General Congress of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, the Catholic Apostolate Center will share weekly homilies from the Congress. Homily for July 3, 2024 “Rekindle in our hearts the commitment to be tireless missionary disciples of Jesus Christ” (From the prayer for the fourth General Congress) Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Pallottine Family,
We have taken the theme for our reflection today from the prayer for the fourth General Congress: “Rekindle in our hearts the commitment to be tireless missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.” This theme is very relevant today as we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas, the Apostle of India. He was indeed a tireless missionary disciple of Jesus who expressed his total commitment to the Risen Lord through his confession “My Lord and My God.” Saint Thomas the Apostle, also known as Didymus, meaning "Twin," was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus who is best known for doubting the resurrection of Jesus and demanding to feel Jesus' wounds before being convinced (John 20:24-29). This story is the origin of the term "Doubting Thomas." After seeing Jesus alive, Thomas professed his faith in Jesus, exclaiming "My Lord and my God!" presenting one of the first clear declarations of Christ's divinity. Southern India had maritime trade with the West since ancient times. Egyptian and Roman trade with India flourished in the first century. There existed flourishing trade in spices, pearls, diamonds and silk between Rome and Southern India. According to tradition, St. Thomas landed in Kodungallur, Kerala, India in 52 A.D. It is believed that St. Thomas established the "Seven and Half Churches." Here is the beginning of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church in India. I myself come from this Church, following the Syriac liturgical tradition. The tradition holds that St. Thomas was martyred during prayer by a spearing on the “Big Hill” near Madras, and was buried in Mylapore, on the east coast of India. Ultimately, St. Thomas’ remains were transported to Ortona, Italy, where they reside today. Thus, the so called "doubting Thomas" died a martyr for his faith. He became a messenger of the Gospel to India, a missionary who shed his own blood for the Master whom he encountered on that day. His insistence on touching the Holy Wounds presented the Disciple John another opportunity to explain for all of us the implications of the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thomas's response in his beautiful encounter with the Risen Lord, "My Lord and My God" reveals the heart of prayer. It also speaks to the essence of faith. His proclamation is a call to adoration and a living communion with God. St. Thomas was not a doubter, rather he was a believer. Pope St. Gregory the Great who occupied the Chair of Peter between 590 and 604 preached a marvelous homily on this encounter between Thomas and the Risen Lord. In it he asked: "What conclusion, dear brethren, do you come to? Surely it was not by chance that this chosen disciple, was missing in the first place? Or that on his return he heard, that hearing he doubted, that doubting he touched, and that touching he believed? God's Mercy worked wonderfully, for when that doubting disciple touched his Master's wounded flesh he cured the wound of our disbelief. So this doubting disciple, who actually touched, became a witness to the reality of the resurrection." Thus St. Thomas teaches us how to become a tireless missionary disciple of Jesus. The foundation to missionary discipleship is Baptism. As Pope Francis says, “Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are 'disciples' and 'missionaries,' but rather that we are always 'missionary disciples.'” (Joy of the Gospel, n. 120) The history of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, like many other Congregations, shows that it was the missionary venture of one or two missionaries that led to the development of our charism in an entire country or even continent. Just one missionary went to Cameroun and Poland and today we have big Pallottine communities in those countries. Two German missionaries arrived in India in 1951 and today the Pallottines are a strong presence in this country. The Gospel is preached and millions of people are served. This is the story also of the entire Church. When the Union of Catholic Apostolate is composed of such missionary disciples of Jesus, who “are determined to remain united with the crucified and Risen Christ ever present among them,” (cfr. General Statute, n.19) it will truly be a spiritual, apostolic force in the Church. As members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate, we are all called to be missionary disciples of Jesus. We become a missionary to the extent we have experienced the love of God in Christ Jesus. Once we have touched the wounds of the Risen Lord, we go out as missionaries like St. Thomas the Apostle to bear witness to the power of the Resurrection and become healers of a broken humanity. I conclude with this prayer of St. Vincent Pallotti: “My Jesus, anyone who does not love you cannot live. May all the love of eternity, and if possible, all the love of infinite eternities, be mine in every moment for all eternity. For infinite eternities, be mine in every moment for all eternity. I be nothing but all the flames of love. My the passion of my Jesus and the sorrows of Mary be my book of all eternity, and fire and flames.” (OOCC X 226-227) Amen. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. UAC President |
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