Face of Pro-Life #56 – Corinn Dahm speaks with public school teacher John Martin ( 60min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In this episode, Corinn speaks with New London (CT) public school teacher John Martin about his experience working in the secularized school environment.   John also gives the historical background of the humanist/anti-christian legacy that was the backbone for our nation’s public schools, beginning with the founder of modern public education and signer of the humanist manifesto, John Dewey (of the Dewey decimal system fame).  John’s knowledge and personal testimony make for a very interesting episode.

Ave Maria!

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http://www.archdioceseofcolombo.com/news.php?id=851

In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire.  The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes.  Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.

In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles.  In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.

These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement.  They then went on to destroy his house and farms.

Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.

Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.

It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.

Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.

These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people.  Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.

Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community.  They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephant soon follow and get the job done.

The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs.  In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”

With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. “The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. “There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They came rom Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa.

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Homily #131226n ( 08min) Play – Fr. Angelo comments on the seeming paradox of how the  liturgical celebration of Christmas is extended through an entire week, the  Octave of Christmas, but the individual days are dedicated to martyrs. It seems strange that the day following Christmas, today, is dedicated to the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen. However, as Father shows us, sacrifice and Christmas are intimately linked, Christ came into this world to sacrifice Himself for our salvation, and the liturgy is showing us we are to imitate His example of self-sacrifice as the 37 Christians killed yesterday in Iraq did. (story here)
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Stephen – The Protomartyr – Feast – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: act 6:8-10, 7, 54-59
Resp: psa 31:3-4, 6, 7, 8, 17, 21
Gsp: mat 10:17-22

Audio (MP3)

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Peter’s witness to the Sanhedrin underlines an important principle of the Christian social order: Divine Law supersedes human law. He points out that the witness of the Church is not merely human, but inspired by the Holy Spirit: “We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Peter’s testimony draws the wrath of the Sanhedrin upon him and the Apostles, but the Gospel underscores again the hierarchy of concerns in the Christian moral order: “Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.” Wisely, then, does Peter proclaim: “We must obey God rather than men.”

Ave Maria!

Mass: Thursday 2nd Week of Easter – Wkdy

Readings: 
1st: Act 5:27-33
Resp: Ps 34:2, 9, 17-18, 19-20 0
Gsp: Jn 3:31-36

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St. Rita of Cascia united her love to that of Christ by contemplating his Passion. Christ endured his Passion, and Our Lady suffered with him at the foot of the cross, for the salvation of all men,  even those whose kill God’s people, thinking they’re worshiping Him. We must seek to learn to love our persecutors, by contemplating the Trinitarian love of God, the Passion of Christ, and the Compassion of the Mother.

The President of the United States, recently in Saudi Arabia, had something to say about the twisted understanding of God that leads some to kill Christians: “Every time a terrorist murders an innocent person and falsely invokes the name of God, it should be an insult to every person of faith. Terrorists do not worship God. They worship death.” And yet, many today are of the mind that it is good to kill Christians.

Only in the Passion of Christ can we see the Trinitarian love which saves us, and which will enable us to love our persecutors, as Jesus loves them.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Rita of Cascia – Opt Mem
Readings: Monday 6th Week of Easter
1st: Act 16:11-15
Resp: Ps 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9 0
Gsp: Jn 15:26-16:4

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“Passion of the Christ” star Jim Caviezel told CNA that he relied on scripture, daily Mass and the rosary to portray holiness on the big screen in “Paul, the Apostle of Christ.”

The film, which premieres March 23, depicts the persecution of the early Christians in Rome under Emperor Nero, along with an imprisoned Saint Paul conveying a message of hope at the end of his life.

“I thought that that was one of the greatest parts of the script,” Caviezel told CNA. “Here is a beat up old man in prison, facing execution. How can this man be a light to the world?”

“But it’s often through our struggles, our trials, our tragedies that triumph comes,” the Catholic actor said.

Caviezel plays the role of Saint Luke, who regularly visits Paul in prison to document his story while composing the Acts of the Apostles. The audience sees Luke serving the early Christian community in Rome as a physician, spiritual leader and writer.“

He [Luke] mentioned the Virgin Mary more than any other writer,” reflected Caviezel on portraying the Gospel evangelist, “I use the rosary to focus, to pray.”

Source: Paul, the Apostle of Christ movie: How the rosary helped Jim Caviezel play St. Luke

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On the occasion of the memorial of St. Gregory Grassi and companions (Jul 08, 2019), Franciscan martyrs killed in the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, Fr. Matthias explains how a false fear of God, as an impediment to freedom, actually interferes with real and lasting freedom: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

The path to real freedom entails embracing the Gospel, not rejecting it.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Gregory Grassi and companions – Opt Mem

Readings: Monday 14th Week of Ordinary Time
1st: Gen 28:10-22
Resp: Ps 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15
Gsp: Mt 9:18-26

More on the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070819.cfm

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Fr. Simon Felix Michalski gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on May 21, 2022, on the Mexican Martyrs St. Christopher Magallanes and companions from the Mexican persecution in the 1920s and he points out that the number of martyrs and persecutions is increasing in our times. He gives many statistics and accounts of Christian persecution. Finally, he explains how we are to respond, primarily with prayer.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Christopher Magallanes and companions – Opt Mem
Readings: Saturday 5th Week of Easter – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/052122.cfm
1st: act 16:1-10
Resp: psa 100:1-2, 3, 5
Gsp: joh 15:18-21

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1075&r=1806

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Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Feb 06, 2024, on the lives of Sts. Peter Baptist and Companions, martyrs of Japan, emphasizing their deep faith and the enduring impact of their martyrdom on Catholic history.

Father commemorates the first mass execution of Christians in Japan, highlighting the spread of Catholicism since St. Francis Xavier’s arrival in 1549, leading to about 300,000 converts by 1597. Despite initial successes, Christianity faced opposition from Buddhist monks and skepticism from officials, fearing ulterior motives behind missionary activities. St. Philip of Jesus, originally from Mexico City, exemplifies an unlikely saint, transitioning from a rebellious youth to a Franciscan priest. His journey took an unexpected turn when, en route to Mexico for ordination, his ship was stranded in Japan, leading to his and 25 others’ martyrdom in Nagasaki under Hideyoshi’s orders. This group included Franciscans and Japanese Jesuits like St. Paul Miki, who faithfully continued to preach until their execution. The homily underscores their unwavering faith and the powerful witness of their martyrdom, leaving a lasting legacy of Christian perseverance and sacrifice.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Sts. Peter Baptist and Companions – Mem – http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5363
Readings: Tuesday 5th Week of Ordinary Time – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020624.cfm
1st: 1ki 8:22-23, 27-30
Resp: psa 84:3-5, 10-11
Gsp: mar 7:1-13

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=607&r=1590

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Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 08, 2024, on the martyrdom of 29 Franciscan brothers in China during the Boxer Movement in the late 1800s, highlighting their courage and faith.

The Boxers, officially the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, were recruited from those suffering from disasters and blamed Western influence, particularly Christians, for their woes. In 1899, Boxers massacred Christians in Shandong province. Despite initial opposition from the Qing government, it later became supporters, especially under Governor Yuxian. Anonymous pamphlets spread lies about Western missionaries, inciting more violence.

The Franciscans, led by Bishop Gregory Grassi and Brother Andrew Bauer, attempted to protect their community, but many, including seminarians and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, were captured. Despite opportunities to flee, they chose to stay and face martyrdom. On July 9th, 1900, after a mock trial, they were executed by the Boxers. The courage and faith of these martyrs, including St. John Wang and St. Marie-Hermine Grivot, inspired many and led to a rapid growth of Christianity in China after the Boxer Rebellion.

Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyr_Saints_of_China 

00:00 – Introduction
00:16 – Boxer Movement Formation
00:40 – Anti-Christian Sentiments
01:00 – Governor Yuxian’s Role
01:26 – Boxer Support for Government
02:00 – Missionary Danger and Response
03:01 – Bishop Grassi’s Efforts
04:00 – Franciscan Sisters’ Courage
05:00 – Imprisonment of Missionaries
06:00 – Local Support and Loyalty
07:00 – Martyrdom and Aftermath

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Gregory Grassi and companions – Opt Mem – http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=7229
Readings: Monday 14th Week of Ordinary Time – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070824.cfm
1st: hos 2:16, 17-18, 21-22
Resp: psa 145:2-9
Gsp: mat 9:18-26

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=671&r=1643

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