Regarding the Proposed HHS Mandate

HHS Rule

Bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to restore the full religious exemption.  Both bills share the title of Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011 and are in committees.  The House bill is HR 1179, the Senate version is S 1467.  Senators Hatch and Lee and Representative Bishop are co-sponsors of the bills.   Please contact Sens. Hatch and Lee and your representative and ask them to move these bills out as soon as possible.  Sen. Hatch:  202.224.5251 or by email at http://www.hatch.senate.gov/ , Sen. Lee at  202.224.5444 or by email athttp://www.lee.senate.gov/   Rep. Bishop at 202.225.0453 or by email at http://www.robbishop.house.gov/ , Rep. Chaffetz at 202.225.7751 or by email at http://www.chaffetz.house.gov/ , or Rep. Matheson at 202. 225.3011 or by email at jim.matheson@mail.house.gov. For local office numbers, please check their individual websites.   

USCCB response to White House Blog on Contraceptive Mandate

Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate

You can learn more about the issue at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/index.cfm. 


[the above is copied from the website of our Diocese: http://www.utahcatholicdiocese.org/ministries/governmentliaison/hhs-rule
For other coverage on the net see, for example: http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=25591 ]

Jazz Concert at St Ambrose

This past Sunday there was an excellent concert by the Jazz Vespers Band, in support of the Pipe Organ project and with the assistance of our choir, at St Ambrose.

In preparation for the concert, several sound engineers with the band spent all afternoon tuning the sound at St Ambrose for the very different acoustic characteristics. As a result, the sound was clear and one could clearly hear the professional skill of the musicians: David S Halliday on saxophone, Courtney Smith on piano (the musical arrangements being done by these two musicians), Denson Angulo on bass, and Steve Lyman on drums. It was a good reminder that the success of an endeavor often depends on work being done 'behind the scenes.

The music was introduced and narrated by David R Halliday, who had hosted a jazz radio program in California for years. Dr Halliday's skillful, brief introductions to the jazz repertoire interwoven with quotations from the Bible, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins provided a good example of how the Church forms Christendom by engaging the secular culture. As the eastern orthodox theologian, David Bentley Hart, has pointed out it is precisely the lack of faithful engagement to generate a Christian culture that often characterizes American religiosity, to the detriment of both Church and State.

While the musician's solos drew the most applause, to this non-trained ear the foundation of the Jazz Vespers Band's excellence is built upon the tight harmony between David Halliday's saxophone and Courtney Smith's piano. I made a couple of low quality videos: here is Courtney Smith's arrangement of Let It Be and here is the band's encore performance of Just A Closer Walk With Thee (both recorded on my iPhone). Other songs performed were: Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child/Rock My Soul, Coltrane's Dear Lord, Shorter's Infant Eyes, and Hammerstein's Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise.

Reading for Spiritual Formation

If asked 'What should I read for spiritual formation, to help me to think with the Church,' there are many books one could recommend. The Bible, of course, but even there it helps to have some direction beyond the readings given for daily Mass.

Throughout the world among both laity and religious, the liturgical unity of the Catholic Church, beyond the Mass itself, is represented not in commercial hymnals but rather in The Liturgy of the Hours or, as it is alternatively known, The Divine Office. This is the basis of common worship within the Catholic Church, although its use is scattered outside the clergy. It is the one liturgical document which crosses various internal boundaries. In addition to extensive readings from the Psalms and other Scripture, the Hours includes a selection of hymns.

The four volume edition, while expensive, is more useful than one volume abridgments. There is also a fairly complete version http://universalis.com/ available online.

In a recent general audience, Pope Benedict XVI remarked: “I would like to renew my call to everyone to pray the Psalms, to become accustomed to using the Liturgy of the Hours: Lauds, Vespers, and Compline.”

The Liturgy of the Hours has designated readings for each day and for every special day in the liturgical calendar. It also includes various hymns and even an appendix of poetry.

For example, for this Thursday in the 4th week of Ordinary Time, the office of readings include 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 and an extract from the Catecheses of St Cyril of Jerusalem. The readings in the monthly cycle of the Hours include:

Psalm 44, 143:1-11, 147:1-11, 128, 129, and 144 as well as Isaiah 66:10-14, Romans 8:18-21, 1 John 3:23-24, Wisdom 1:1-2, Hebrews 12:1-2, Revelation 11:17-18, 12:10-12 and various hymns, prayers and intercessions.

However, since this Thursday falls on February 2th, the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, there are also special readings: Psalms 2, 19A, 45; Exodus 13:1-3, 11-16 and a sermon by Saint Sophronius about being receptive to the Eternal Light. Additional readings for the Hours (for example, for Morning Prayer [also called Lauds] and Evening Prayer [also called Vespers]) include readings from Isaiah, Psalms, Colossians as well as various prayers, hymns, and intersessions.

This is the first of what I hope will be weekly postings on this blog regarding the Liturgy of the Hours and I hope to hear your comments. Also, we invite you to join us in praying the Morning Office on Wednesdays at 10am, in the Vaughan Center at St Ambrose.

Stewardship Fair

Many St. Ambrose parishioners took advantage of the Stewardship Fair held last weekend. The parish had community members on hand to answer questions about events, programs and other groups the parish sponsors. Many of you made decisions about where to share your special gifts and talents with our community.

If you’re still unsure how your skills and interests best benefit the St. Ambrose community, please contact Melanie for more information.

Spirited Young Messenger

Fr Seán Coyle, a Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Society of St Columban, from Dublin, Ireland, posted this on his blog. I couldn't resist sharing it with the St. Ambrose parishioners.

Archbishop Dolan: Cardinal-Designate

The Vatican has just announced Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for nearly three years, will be named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.

“As a kid, I just wanted to be a parish priest,” the cardinal-designate said in an early morning news conference at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. “And to think that now the pope has named me a cardinal— that’s awesome.”

Archbishop Dolan called his mother after receiving the news from the Vatican’s representative in Washington on Thursday morning.

“She said it’s about time,” the archbishop said, laughing. “Only moms can say that. ”

The full list of cardinals-designate can be viewed here.

Source: New York Times

Christmas Eve Children's Mass

Traditions are a big part of the holidays and Christmas Eve is no exception. Every family has their own customs that make this a special holiday. Children are excited and full of anticipation. This is their favorite time of the year!

The Children’s Mass is a tradition for many of our St. Ambrose families. This year, like the many years before, the pews overflowed with families gathering to celebrate their faith. Children gathered at the front of the church with Father Andrzej to open a great gift—the gift of each of us to one another.

"A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!"

~ Tiny Tim