Run For The Nuns~5K at the Carmelite Fair

Come run, walk, or jog!

Date:
Start: Sunday, September 15, 2013 @ 8:00 am (MDT)

Address:

Carmelite Monastery
5714 South Holladay Boulevard
Holladay , UT 84117
 

Registration Closing Date:
Thursday, September 12, 2013 @ 3:00 pm (MDT)

Register Here:
http://beta.active.com/holladay-ut/running/run-for-the-nuns-2013 

Carmelite Fair

Detailed information about the 2013 Carmelite Fair can be found here.

The main financial support of the monastery is the Annual Fair, which is normally held on the third Sunday in September (September 15, 2013) from 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.

The Fair has many ethnic foods such as Mexican food, Italian food, and Asian Cuisine as well as burgers and hot dogs, and ice cream. In addition to the wonderful food, every hour there is entertainment including a live auction, children's games, and various dancers.

What's the Deal with Guardian Angels?

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
 Bless this bed that I lay on.
Four corners to my bed,
Four angels ‘round my head.

One to guide, one to pray,
Two to keep me safe all day.

 So goes the modern version of an ancient English bedtime prayer. The original version, recited 100’s of years ago by children much more used to watching friends and family die, ended with the line, “Two to bear my soul away.”  

Both versions are comforting reminders of the two main responsibilities our Guardian Angels have been given: to protect and guide us during the day, and to escort us safely into the arms of our loving God at the moment of our death. 

My son has a childlike, unshakable belief in his own Guardian Angel. After living with him for 30 years, I’ve come to believe he has several on duty at all times. When he was 6 or 7, I woke up one night to the sounds of a conversation coming from, of all places, the bathroom. I got up to investigate, and while I couldn’t make out any words, I could definitely recognize Travis’ voice. I opened the door to find him sitting on the floor, teary-eyed, trying to control his sobs.

“Oh, Sweetheart, what’s the matter?” I cried.

“I” sob “had” sob “a nightmare,” he answered.  

“But who were you taking to?” I asked, checking to see if one of his brothers was hiding under the sink.

“My Guardian Angel,” he said.

He was so matter-of-fact that there could be no doubt he had either suffered a psychotic episode complete with beautiful hallucinations, or he had just experienced the blessed and consoling presence of his Guardian Angel.  

A few days later, I asked him to draw a picture of his angel. He willingly sat at the dining room table, notebook and colored pencils in hand. From the next room I heard him talking to himself, as he said, “Yes, that looks golden.”  

I assumed he was drawing her hair, as I always imagined angels had flowing blonde hair with a few glittery silver highlights. Or perhaps it was her wings that glowed. Or maybe she wore a flowing golden gown with a starry sash. 

When he showed me his picture, I was surprised to see she had medium brown hair, the outline of wings that were not colored in, and a blue gown. It was her face that was golden and glowing--a detail I find hard to imagine a child inventing.

In today’s world of science and technology, Guardian Angels seem to have been relocated to the category of imaginary friends and pleasant bedtime stories; things that are entertaining and appropriate for children, but expected to be outgrown and abandoned as we mature.

Yet St. Basil said, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd…” Notice he did not mention that they discriminate on the basis of age. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.” And St. Paul wrote, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Have you, as an adult, ever had an experience, perhaps a close call or an odds-defying incident that made you stop for just a moment to acknowledge your good luck or recognize the improbability of the amazing “coincidence?” Have you considered that you may have experienced the intervention of your Guardian Angel? 

Here’s the thing. Angels have been among us since creation, and they will be present at Christ’s return. In the meantime, we can all benefit from the mysterious and powerful help of our own Guardian angels. Perhaps it’s time to refresh in our hearts the little prayer we learned as children:
                                              

 Angel of God, my Guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here,
Ever this day be at my side
To light and guard, to rule and guide.

Summer Bible Study

A 12-week Bible study on The Letter to the Hebrews began Wednesday, 19 June in the Rectory Board Room at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Meetings are from 7:00-8:15 PM and continue to September 18th. The study is led by Deacon Scott Dodge.

Sacred Music Colloquium

The Sacred Music Colloquium is again at the Cathedral of the Madeleine this year. Public events include:

Masses, etc at the Cathedral of the Madeleine

during the Colloquium

Tuesday, June 18
8:30am: Morning prayer
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Plenary Lecture, Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth: “Life-long Learning”
5:15 pm: Mass, 11th Sunday of the Year (English; Missal Chants; SEP) [David Hughes, organist]
7:30pm: Organ Recital (Charles Cole); Compline

Wednesday, June 19
8:30am: Morning prayer
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Plenary Lecture: Archbishop Alexander K. Sample
5:15 pm: Mass (11th Sunday; OF, English, Latin and Weber propers) [Jonathan Ryan, organist]
 
Thursday, June 20
8:30am: Morning Prayer
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Plenary Session: “The Art of Effortless Singing,” Dr. MeeAe Nam
5:15 pm: Mass (EF Polyphonic Solemn Requiem)

Friday, June 21
8:30am: Morning prayer
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Plenary Lecture: “Gregorian Chant as the splendor formae 
                   of the Liturgy,” Dr. Mahrt
5:15 pm: Mass (EF Missa Cantata, St. Aloysius) [David Hughes, organist]Mass VII
7:45pm Vespers (psalmody of Friday) [Ann Labounsky, organist]
 
Saturday, June 22
8:30 a.m.: Morning prayer
2:00 p.m. – Mass (Solemn OF, Latin, Gloria, Credo;) [Jonathan Ryan, organist]

Sunday, June 23

10:00am  Lauds
11:00 a.m.: Mass (OF, 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time) [Doug O’Neill, organist]

Pope Francis' homily on the Church

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last Wednesday I stressed the deep connection between the Holy Spirit and the Church. Today I would like to start some reflections on the mystery of the Church, a mystery that we all live and of which we are part. I would like to do this, using some well-known phrases taken from the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

Today the first: the Church as Family of God
In recent months, more than once I have made reference to the parable of the prodigal son, or rather of the merciful father (cf. Lk 15:11-32). The youngest son leaves the house of his father, squanders everything, and decides to return because he realizes he made a mistake, though he no longer considers himself worthy of sonship. He thinks he might be welcomed back as a servant. Instead, the father runs to meet him, embraces him, gives him back his dignity as a son, and celebrates. This parable, like others in the Gospel, shows well the design of God for humanity.

What is this God’s plan? It is to make us all the one family of his children, in which each of you feels close to Him and feels loved by Him – feels, as in the Gospel parable, the warmth of being the family of God. In this great design, the Church finds its source. [The Church is] is not an organization founded by an agreement among [a group of] persons, but - as we were reminded many times by Pope Benedict XVI - is the work of God: it was born out of the plan of love, which realises itself progressively in history. The Church is born from the desire of God to call all people into communion with Him, to His friendship, and indeed, as His children, to partake of His own divine life. The very word “Church”, from the Greek ekklesia, means “convocation”. 

God calls us, urges us to escape from individualism, [from] the tendency to withdraw into ourselves, and calls us – convokes us – to be a part of His family. This convocation has its origin in creation itself. God created us in order that we might live in a relationship of deep friendship with Him, and even when sin had broken this relationship with God, with others and with creation, God did not abandon us. 

The whole history of salvation is the story of God seeking man, offer[ing] humanity His love, embracing mankind. He called Abraham to be the father of a multitude, chose the people of Israel to forge an alliance that embraces all nations, and sent, in the fullness of time, His Son, that His plan of love and salvation be realised in a new and everlasting covenant with humanity. When we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus gathers around him a small community that receives His word, follows Him, shares His journey, becomes His family – and with this community, He prepares and builds His Church.

Whence, then, is the Church born? It is born from the supreme act of love on the Cross, from the pierced side of Jesus from which flow blood and water, a symbol of the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. In the family of God, the Church, the lifeblood is the love of God that is realised in loving Him and others, loving all without distinction, without measure. The Church is a family that loves and is loved.

When does the Church manifest itself? We celebrated [the Church’s manifestation] two Sundays ago: the Church manifests itself when the gift of the Holy Spirit fills the hearts of the Apostles and pushes them to go out and start the journey to proclaim the Gospel, to spread the love of God.

Even today, some say, “Christ yes, the Church no,” like those who say, “I believe in God, but in priests, no.” They say, “Christ: yes. Church: no.” Nevertheless, it is the Church that brings us Christ and that brings us to God. The Church is the great family of God's children. Of course it also has the human aspects: in those who compose it, pastors and faithful, there are flaws, imperfections, sins – the Pope has his, as well: he has lots of them; but the beautiful thing is that, when we become aware that we are sinners, we find the mercy of God. God always forgives: do not forget this. God always forgives, and He receives us in His love of forgiveness and mercy. Some people say – this is beautiful – that sin is an offence against God, but it is also an opportunity: the humiliation of realising [that one is a sinner] and that there is something [exceedingly] beautiful: the mercy of God. Let us think about this.

Let us ask ourselves today: how much do I love the Church? Do I pray for her? Do I feel myself a part of the family of the Church? What do I do to make the Church a community in which everyone feels welcomed and understood, [in which] everyone feels the mercy and love of God who renews life? Faith is a gift and an act that affects us personally, but God calls us to live our faith together, as a family: as the Church.

We ask the Lord, in a special way in this Year of the faith, that our communities, the whole Church be ever more true families that live and carry the warmth of God.

Knowledge of the Trinity

Regarding the question of whether the Trinity of divine persons can be known by natural reason, in Summa Theologica 1.32.1 Aquinas answers that:

It is impossible to attain to the knowledge of the Trinity by natural reason. For, as above explained (12, 4, 12), man cannot obtain the knowledge of God by natural reason except from creatures. Now creatures lead us to the knowledge of God, as effects do to their cause. Accordingly, by natural reason we can know of God that only which of necessity belongs to Him as the principle of things, and we have cited this fundamental principle in treating of God as above (Question 12, Article 12). Now, the creative power of God is common to the whole Trinity; and hence it belongs to the unity of the essence, and not to the distinction of the persons. Therefore, by natural reason we can know what belongs to the unity of the essence, but not what belongs to the distinction of the persons. Whoever, then, tries to prove the trinity of persons by natural reason, derogates from faith in two ways.

Firstly, as regards the dignity of faith itself, which consists in its being concerned with invisible things, that exceed human reason; wherefore the Apostle says that "faith is of things that appear not" (Hebrews 11:1), and the same Apostle says also, "We speak wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world; but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery which is hidden" (1 Corinthians 2:6-7).

Secondly, as regards the utility of drawing others to the faith. For when anyone in the endeavor to prove the faith brings forward reasons which are not cogent, he falls under the ridicule of the unbelievers: since they suppose that we stand upon such reasons, and that we believe on such grounds.

Therefore, we must not attempt to prove what is of faith, except by authority alone, to those who receive the authority; while as regards others it suffices to prove that what faith teaches is not impossible. Hence it is said by Dionysius (Div. Nom. ii): "Whoever wholly resists the word, is far off from our philosophy; whereas if he regards the truth of the word"--i.e. "the sacred word, we too follow this rule."

Catholicism Adult Formation Program

CATHOLICISM 

On 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7-8:45pm in the Social Hall of St Ambrose Catholic parish (1975 E 2300 S, Salt Lake City) and continuing through July, we will be watching the Catholicism video series and then will have small group discussions about what we've seen. There have been over 50 folks attending at each session so far; each session is fairly independent and you do not have to attend all sessions.

Fr Robert Barron's Catholicism documentary is a ten episode video series, filmed at 50 locations throughout 15 countries, presenting the history, teaching, and culture of the Catholic Church via high quality cinematography (the series has run on the BBC).

Noted author George Weigel describes the 10 hour series as “A stimulating and compelling exploration of the spiritual, moral, and intellectual riches of the Catholic world. This is the Catholic story told from inside, with knowledge, sympathy, and passion, rooted in friendship with Jesus Christ.”

Episode titles:

March 5th: Amazed and Afraid: The Revelation of God become Man

March 19th: Happy are We: The Teachings of Jesus
April 2nd: The Ineffable Mystery of God: That than which nothing greater can be 

thought
April 16th: Our Tainted Nature's Solitary Boast: Mary, the mother of God

The Indispensable Men: Peter, Paul and the missionary adventure

A Body both Suffering & Glorious: The mystical union of Christ and the Church

Word Made Flesh, True Bread of Heaven: The Church's sacrament and worship

A Vast Company of Witnesses: The communion of saints

The Fire of His Love: Prayer and the life of the Spirit

World without End: The last things

Come and See