Comments on: Beginning the Season of Lent

By: Carlos

Carlos — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 04:16:24 +0000

I love the Charismatic Movement within our own Church. Are there any Latino or even English speaking groups? I think it should be made possible to click the pictures to look at larger image of it.

By: Henry Stevens

Henry Stevens — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:20:02 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
This is my first post but perhaps not my last. The men of God of the St. James Society in Peru reminded me of a time years ago when our pastor, Xavier Morras, of St. Juliana Church, WPB, FL took vacation time to visit a seminary classmates who was serving in an area of Central or South America. His enthusiasm and Holy excitement was quite noticeable on his return to us. It occurred to me that a program that followed a similar pattern, that encouraged our US Diocesan priests to spend 6 months or so in service to these areas would go a long way toward renewing the faith here in America. Certainly many lay members of the Church might take the opportunity to join the priest friends in service as well. Consider it! Henry Stevens, Diocese of Palm Beach, FL

By: Robert Ssempa

Robert Ssempa — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:13:58 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean
Thank you for this good and inspiring work.
I am a diocesan lay leader, and your work always inspire and encourage me .
God bless you
Robert Ssempa
Kampala Archdiocese – UGANDA

By: Rosemary S.

Rosemary S. — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 21:04:09 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
I personally liked seeing you and the priests of the St. James Society in your casual dress. It is not priestly garb that draws people to God, but the goodness from within a person that radiates out to bring us nearer to God.
God bless. Rosemary

By: alan jeffrey dompas

alan jeffrey dompas — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:12:48 +0000

Your eminence,

I am a Catholic from Indonesia, 49 father of 3 grown up sons and a lawyer as my wife. I found your website by providence. It fascinates me that you find time and effort to show your reflections through bloggers. My prayers are with you and your apostolate as a Bishop.

Semper Reformanda
Jeffrey Dompas

By: Joan L.

Joan L. — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:00:50 +0000

As for the blogger who wrote about praying for Catholic/Christian children in public schools–we need to start realizing that good Catholic schools are the preferable way to form the whole child. And not only pray, but pay for that education!

I am paying $3500 per child (a bargain!) and I would pay more if I had to because of the spiritual formation my kids are receiving! (Even though we don’t make a lot of money – but we don’t go on vacation, we drive old cars, etc.) Ofcourse they are at a school run by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, so my kids are being formed spiritually and intellectually by very holy (and smart) Sisters. Recently, my third grader took part in a play about Dominic Savio with enough spiritual wisdom to mull over for a year! And the children in this school are really getting the idea that they are called to be saints!

I do believe, as Catholics, we need to immerse our kids in the faith-whatever way we can. Then send them out to the world to discern and decipher how to respond to secular culture. If we have done our job well, they will be able to transform, through love, that very culture we send them out to. However, if they are educated and immersed in secular culture from an early age, they may not know how to seek truth in their own lives or that there is a truth to be sought.

By: N. Gianino

N. Gianino — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 19:43:27 +0000

Thank you Cardinal Sean for your blog site. May wife and I are residents in Berlin, NH. I went to St. Joseph’s Parochial School in the old West End of Boston, taught by the wonderful Sisters of Notre Dame. This is my second marriage, my first wife having left this earth 10 years ago. My wife is going through RCIA at the present time, with my sponsership. Sunday we had a beautiful service – “The Rite of Election” at the Cathedral in Manchester, NH presided over by Bishop McCormack. The most wonderful part of this was that there were hundreds being received into the church, and most of them were young people. I ask you for your prayers for my wife Nancy during her journey into the fullness of the Church. Thank you, and God Bless You.
Nat Gianino

By: Pastor Dave Poedel

Pastor Dave Poedel — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:16:30 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean:

As a Lutheran Pastor in Phoenix, I enjoy your blog…good to see your closeness to the saints in your diocese.

A slight clarification, however: On Ash Wednesday, I was vested in purple chasuble, celebrating the Eucharist in my parish and administering ashes in the same manner as you did. Lent is for Lutherans too!

May the Lord of the Church bless our service to Him in proclaiming His Word and administering His blessed Sacraments!

Padre Dave

By: Dr. Jeffrey and Dr. Shirley Canniff

Dr. Jeffrey and Dr. Shirley Canniff — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:37:59 +0000

Thankyou, Cardinale Sean for all that you do and who you are in Christ Jesus. You are an incredible gift to the Church and to the Body of Christ…Here is our gift to you, an internet video (interview with David Parker and his plea to not have the homosexual agenda infiltrate the elementary school systems of America specifically the Lexington Public School System). Your encouragement towards encouraging others to do ministry relating to the issues of the day has inspired us towards a media apostulate on the internet and cable. Be blessed!

Just click on the link to go to the You Tube Site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9-8BQTX0w

By: Shirley St.John

Shirley St.John — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:10:01 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean, May I ask for your special prayers for my Great-Great neice, Abigail Casale who was born at 23 weeks, 1 lb. 7 oz. She is still in the hospital until what would have been her full term , sometime in mid April. She has miraculously made it to 3 lbs. + at this time. It looks like God is watching over her, but a few extra prayers might help. Her Mom, Dad, and 2 1/2 yr. old twin sister and brother in Duxbury would also appreciate. Thank you, God Bless and keep up the good work. Gratefully, Shirley St.John .

By: fra Jure Sarcevic

fra Jure Sarcevic — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:07:10 +0000

Thank you! E’ un blog molto bello, ricco e utile! Fra Jure S. def. generale

By: j aldrich

j aldrich — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:26:34 +0000

I would say the biggest priority to pray for this Lent is the children in Massachusetts public schools who call themselves Catholic or Christian, who will be subjected to diversity ed at kindergarten. This family stuff will not just be simple books on different families it will be a new composite of sexual trans behaviors that will cause the confessionals to be cleaned out and mass produced don’t you think?. Maybe some new private schools should be in order. I remember paying 10.00 in the parish and 20.00 out to go to a good Catholic school. Maybe if tithing were implemented more schools would be affordable again. According to the Judge last Friday who decided the David Parker/Lexington public school case, take your kid out or homeschool is the only answer to the public school sex ed question. Do we have any reaction to this nightmare in the making this lent? The fear of man bringeth a snare. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. At least the voucher system should be in place so decent people do not have to contribute to the delinquency of minors in this decision. The Judge had the nerve to say this was not a religion issue. Can you believe that. visit http://www.massresistance.org Get the whole transcript. This menche of a Jewish father Brian Camenker, and David Parker and the Wirthlins of Lexington are battleling for all parents and where is the comradary…Camenker is taking on the whole state and who will stand up and be counted in all this and back him up and unite the parents to react with righteous outrage vehemently?. This is about homogenous gender immersion and the signs are all around us. How many rapes of little folks will have to happen to wake this country up. I know the trouble is so close. God save the USA My religion is clearly against this behavior. Do you have catecumins prepared for the people to hide in? Where is the church in all this. I do not hear you?

By: Jack Scanlan

Jack Scanlan — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 22:07:36 +0000

Thanks Cardinal Sean for the blog and what you say to us. This is my first venture into belogdom. I was particularly interested in your column in the Pilot (and here) which reflected on the Book of the Prophet Jonah. I have used Jonah for years in teaching teens about God’s presistent love of his people. So often in their struggle to clarify their personal identity and figure out what the should do with their lives, they forget God has a plan for them. The story of Jonah is great in showing them how God’s persistence in guiding them is the best way for them to figure out who they are and what they will do. Using humor, I like to point out that when we get of the path he seeks for us, he may “dump us into the sea of life” (because we retain our free will) and lets us get “swallowed up” in life’s chaos ( so that we will experience what the loss of God is like) and he eventually “spits us back up” on the path he has set out for us and then “calls us” once more to follow his lead. Jonah’s final “tantrum” also reminds us that life is a process of becoming redeemed and even after we do surrender to God’s will we don’t always “get it”.

Again, thanks for being our pastor and shepherd. Jack S

By: Norman W. Vail

Norman W. Vail — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:27:17 +0000

“Acknowledging with greatful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe, in affording us, in the course of his Providence, an opportunity,…………and devoutly imploring His direction……………”.” It is the right as well as the Duty of all men in society, publickly and at stated seasons to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and preserver of the Universe.”
Your Eminence Bishop Sean:
These quotes from the first three paragraphs of the Massachusetts state constitution , probably by John Adams, indicate not only the Christian foundation for the document, but in addition, the founders’ natural law assumptions. I mention this as a preface to a question:
Why do the faithful rarely, if ever, hear any mention of the natural law from the Church’s teachers ? It seems to me to be a vital understanding as a basis for the current task of motivating all citizens of the commonwealth to correcting the marriage question, the evil of homosexual acts and “rights”, as well as other basic cultural issues.
How can this teaching be more emphasized ?

Norm Vail, a sheep bleating to his shepherd.

By: Sr Mary

Sr Mary — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:19:22 +0000

Cardinal
I am so impressed with not only your blog, but with the variety of your pastoral visits and Masses. From Opus Dei to the Charisamtic movement to your priests and decons … truly pastoral!

John, the word “blog” comes from weB LOG. Sort of an online diary for anyone who chooses to put their lives and opinions out for the world to see.

God bless you, Good Shepherd!

By: John Curti

John Curti — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:08:04 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sea`n:
I don’t know what the word Blog means. I tried looking for it in the dictonary and can’t find it. I don’t have an i-pod so I guess I have to get one and find out. Anyway I am impressed by the work you and others are doing in spreading the word of love and Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church is not just a Church down in some intersection in Marysvill, but it is a nation on this earth. This is what I see shapping up; A City On A Hill. We look to our Supreme Court to protect the right of all rights, instead the wrong of all wrongs were created there. Now we must look at ourselves as a Church to bring about justice and peace throughout the world. This calls for our support and sacrifices -John J Curti-

By: Marek z Be?chatowa

Marek z Be?chatowa — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:04:49 +0000

Drogi Kardynale naprawde ?adny blog ?wietny pomys? mia? Kardyna? ?eby za?ozyc tego bloga ciekawe kiedy kt�ry? z Polskich Kardyna?�w wpadnie na ten pomys?
Pozdrawiam i ?ycz? Powodzenia w dalszym prowadzeniu Bloga i w Dalszej pracy Duszpasterskiej z Panem Bogiem Marek z Be?chatowa z Polski

By: Fr. Roberto Mena, S.T.

Fr. Roberto Mena, S.T. — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 07:26:34 +0000

I liked that you began Lent in a mall… that is a good place to begin as a good succesor of the Apostles…

I also celebrated the Mass for the 40 Aniversary of the Charismatic Renewal in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
With my prayers for you:
Father Roberto Mena, S.T.

By: Michael Pakaluk

Michael Pakaluk — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 06:07:55 +0000

Hey, wait a second Sharon, the Cardinal is not in clerical garb in the first photo… (I don’t think you mean to correct the Cardinal??)

Who could disagree with you in general–but how do you know these men aren’t relaxing on their day off?

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 03:46:43 +0000

I am sure that these priests are doing God’s work but if they were readily recognisable as God’s men they might lead even more people to the Faith.

Clerical garb is a witness to everyone that the wearer is working for God and is set apart.

By: Michael Pakaluk

Michael Pakaluk — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:59:36 +0000

I guess I’m the only one who found the Comments button here at the end of the page.

Thanks for your post. I’m inspired by everything, but in particular by the photo of the priests of the Society of St. James–seeing the joy in their faces, but, yes, also signs of years of service to the poor, a noble crown.