Ash Wednesday!

Don't forget today is Ash Wednesday! A day for fasting and abstinence.

Today's mass readings:

Reading 1 Jl 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,return to me with your whole heart,with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;Rend your hearts, not your garments,and return to the LORD, your God.For gracious and merciful is he,slow to anger, rich in kindness,and relenting in punishment.Perhaps he will again relentand leave behind him a blessing,Offerings and libationsfor the LORD, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!proclaim a fast,call an assembly;Gather the people,notify the congregation;Assemble the elders,gather the childrenand the infants at the breast;Let the bridegroom quit his roomand the bride her chamber.Between the porch and the altarlet the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people,and make not your heritage a reproach,with the nations ruling over them!Why should they say among the peoples,'Where is their God?'"
Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his landand took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17 R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.Thoroughly wash me from my guiltand of my sin cleanse me.R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.For I acknowledge my offense,and my sin is before me always:"Against you only have I sinned,and done what is evil in your sight."R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.A clean heart create for me, O God,and a steadfast spirit renew within me.Cast me not out from your presence,and your Holy Spirit take not from me.R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.Give me back the joy of your salvation,and a willing spirit sustain in me.O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading II 2 Cor 5:20-6:2
Brothers and sisters:We are ambassadors for Christ,as if God were appealing through us.We implore you on behalf of Christ,be reconciled to God.For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Working together, then,we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.For he says:
In an acceptable time I heard you,and on the day of salvation I helped you.
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18Jesus said to his disciples:"Take care not to perform righteous deedsin order that people may see them;otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.When you give alms,do not blow a trumpet before you,as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streetsto win the praise of others.Amen, I say to you,they have received their reward.But when you give alms,do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,so that your almsgiving may be secret.And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray,do not be like the hypocrites,who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street cornersso that others may see them.Amen, I say to you,they have received their reward.But when you pray, go to your inner room,close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast,do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.They neglect their appearance,so that they may appear to others to be fasting.Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.But when you fast,anoint your head and wash your face,so that you may not appear to be fasting,except to your Father who is hidden.And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

From USCCB website.

Message from EWTN

Do you love Professor Ralph Martin’s books, audiotapes and EWTN television show, “The Choices We Face?” You can learn all about the life and spiritual formation of Martin – who is a professor at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and Franciscan University of Steubenville and President of Renewal Ministries – on EWTN Global Catholic Network’s “Profiles of Faith.”

The show airs 6 p.m. ET Tuesday Feb. 24 and 6:30 a.m. ET Friday Feb. 27.

Gus Federle
Online Services
EWTN Global Catholic Network
5817 Old Leeds Road
Irondale, AL 35010

Defending Life Begins At Home

Contributor Doug writes: The fight to preserve a culture of life begins at home. I have had many recent conversations, and in some cases, arguments, with family members and fellow Catholic friends who did not know anything about Obama’s abortion record or stance, yet all voted for him and are zealous supporters. In some cases, they still expressed support for him, even after being edified of his barbaric record on abortion (such as denying medical treatment to fully born infants who survived botched abortions) in the Illinois State Senate. One person even denied his record, and called it conservative rumors spread by Rush Limbaugh. I was also recently involved at my parish in distributing to our parishioners literature and post cards to our members of Congress regarding the euphemistically dubbed “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA), our nation’s most radically insidious (and unconstitutional) pro-abortion plan yet, and to be funded on the taxpayers’ dime no less. I was again amazed at how many of my fellow Catholics were so outraged because they didn’t know about FOCA, or the pro-abortion stance of Obama and their members of Congress. Some even sorrowfully admitted to voting for these people without knowing about their records. (Sadly, I am sure there were some who were not outraged at all.)

The Catholic Church calls on its members to make and have informed consciences, yet roughly 54% of Catholics voted for Obama. As Catholics comprise roughly 1/3 of Connecticut’s population, I wonder how many also voted for Lieberman, Dodd, and our pro-abortion members of the House of Representatives. That duty doesn’t just end at Catholics. All citizens have an ethical and moral duty to be informed and principled voters, yet clearly, many, regardless of denomination, are not. No issue is more important than preserving innocent, vulnerable life.

Clearly, we need to ramp up our efforts to defeat not just abortion, but euthanasia and (embryonic) stem cell research as well. But before we take on the opposition, we pro-lifers first need to better educate ourselves.

I think it was a “Doonesbury” comic strip that once classically depicted the character saying, “I have met the enemy, and it is I.” Prophetic indeed.

Edmund Burke once famously said, “All that is necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.” I would only add to that sage gem, “..and for good men to know nothing.” (You, too, ladies!)

All voters need to be more diligent and more diverse in educating themselves on current events, issues, and political candidates. In this age of the Internet, it’s now even easier. For anyone who cannot afford a computer, they can certainly afford a visit to his or her local public library, where a computer can be used for free.

How many Catholics out there have a copy of the Catechism in their homes to know what our Church teaches and requires? How many citizens have a copy of the Constitution in their homes to know what our government is intended to do and not intended to do? And again, if you can’t afford to buy a copy, these resources are also available on the Internet.

49.5 million abortions have taken place in the US since the Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973. Genocide of such magnitude is in the league of those committed by the likes of Hitler, Stalin and Mao. How many of those precious children were needlessly and cavalierly executed because far too many of their older and presumably wiser fellow citizens failed to protect them because they were out of the loop by their own fault?

Ignorance is simply no excuse, especially when lives are at stake.

-Doug-

Breaking News From EWTN

EWTN Picks Up the Ball NBC Dropped in Refusing to
Air Pro-life Commercial During Super Bowl

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – See the pro-life commercial NBC refused to air during the Super Bowl on EWTN Global Catholic Network this Sunday Feb. 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET and continuing through midnight ET.
The commercial, sponsored by Fidelis and catholicvote.com, centers around the theme: “Life: Imagine the Potential.” It will begin airing during “Faith Bowl II,” an annual Family Theatre made-for-television special, which analyzes the role that the Catholic/Christian Faith plays in professional and collegiate sports. This year, Major League Baseball’s Mark Loretta of the Los Angeles Dodgers will guest along with former professional soccer player Antonio Soave.
The commercials will continue throughout EWTN’s Sunday evening lineup, including the shows with popular series Hosts Father Benedict Groeschel and Father John Corapi, and will conclude at midnight ET.
EWTN also aired this powerful commercial several times during its extensive coverage of the March for Life; an event which has been boycotted by virtually every mainstream media outlet in the country, despite the fact that every year it is Washington, D.C.’s largest march.
The commercial can also be viewed on EWTN’s pro-life webpage, www.ewtn.com/prolife, after 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, and, of course, on http://www.catholicvote.com/.
What follows are the words that flash across the screen over a picture of an ultrasound during the must-see pro-life commercial: “This child’s future is a broken home, he will be abandoned by his father, his single mother will struggle to raise him, despite the hardships he will endure, this child will become the 1st African-American president. Life, imagine the potential.”
EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 28th year, is available in over 148 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website http://www.ewtn.com/ and publishing arm, EWTN, is the largest religious media network in the world.

Michelle Johnson
Director of Communications
EWTN Global Catholic Network
5817 Old Leeds Road
Irondale, Alabama 35210-2198 USA
(205) 795-5769 – Office
(205) 441-6248 ­– Cell
(205) 795-5781 – Fax
mjohnson@ewtn.com

Gay Marriage Revisited in 2009

The issue of homosexuality and gay marriage has come up again (first time this year- probably not the last and that's OK- we're open to repeat topics if you've got comments or questions). For more responses to this issue, please see previous posts: The Catholic Church's Opposition to Gay Marriage, Same Sex Couples and the Catholic Church, and Christians and Same Sex Marriage.

Jen D. writes: I am a devout practicing Roman Catholic and I do not believe a gay/lesbian couple being in a monogamous loving relationship who are committed to each other until they are parted by death is immoral, I believe it is a beautiful virtue to be admired. Its also a virtue these people want to adopt children that heterosexuals apparently do not want. What is right and wrong is written on the human heart -between each person and God. Also, love and commitment is always right- can never be wrong or sinful, and covers a multitude of sins. Denying gays/lesbians these human rights (marriage) breaks the moral code to love your neighbor as you love yourself. How can we (Catholics) deny anyone such a right? Love is the most important thing, who cares what sex you are, love is love.

My response: Thanks for writing Jen D. and sharing your thoughts with Connecticut Catholic Corner. Let's be clear. Homosexuals are to be treated with respect and acceptance just like everyone else (see the official Catholic teaching below). The problem is, we humans don't make the rules or decide what is sin and what isn't sin. God does- and He didn't ask our opinions on it. We either accept it or reject it. It's really that simple. It was God who created humans and when he did, he made woman for man. Female for male and created them so that they could procreate. Both the Old Testament and New Testament agree that same sex sexual relationships are sinful TO GOD. That means, it hurts God when these sins are committed. Now it may not personally effect your life or my life, but when anyone sins against God, it hurts God- and that is the whole point. If someone on the other side of the world commits a sin, be it stealing, coveting, murder whatever, it won't effect me personally, but it will hurt God and as a Christian any sin that hurts God should bother us and hurt us because of our relationship with God. I don't know if you have children or not, but if someone hurts my kids, it hurts me because I love my children. God is our Father in Heaven, if one of his children hurts He hurts. Sin hurts mankind. Some sins effect us personally more than others, but all sin hurts us. And same sex relationships are no more sinful than heterosexual sins. All sexual immorality is equally wrong (read 1 Cor. 5 in your bible for more). To accept one and condemn another only makes you a hypocrite. What I mean by that, is society today (especially the media) doesn't seem to make such a big deal out of pre-marital sex or adultery- but watch out if you bring up gay marriage! Shouldn't be like that because its all sinful according to God. But humans are often the pick and choose types and currently gay marriage is the target. Decades ago it was divorce & remarriage and being shunned because you had pre-marital sex. All these sins are forgivable if we are repentant and truly sorry for offending God. He decided what was sin long ago, we have the God given free will to accept His Word or reject it. Which ever you choose to do, will decide your fate.

This is our Roman Catholic Faith:

Catholic Catechism: #2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

#2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

#2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

#2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.

Save The Date!

Come Join Us for Our

10th Annual Catholic Awareness Day
Sponsored by the Connecticut Catholic Conference

Monday, February 9, 2009, at the State Capitol
in Hartford from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.


This is the day to learn and understand the Catholic viewpoint on
important issues facing our State, learn about the legislative process and plan to meet with your State legislators.

Attend one or more of the following workshops:

· Immigration
· Life Issues
· Health Care Reform
· Parochial School Challenges

Pastors are encouraged to send groups of parishioners.
Please see your pastor if you are interested in having a group
attend from your church.

Want to meet your legislator? Plan ahead and
make an appointment!

Senate Democrats:1-800-842-1420 Senate Republicans:1-800-842-1421
House Democrats: 1-800-842-1902 House Republicans:1-800-842-1423

For more information, contact the
Connecticut Catholic Conference at 860-524-7882
or visit our website at: www.ctcatholic.org
-------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
RELEASED A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON ABORTION TRENDS AND ISSUES IN
CONNECTICUT TODAY

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
At the Legislative Office Building, Room 1C
at 1:00 p.m.

On the eve of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Connecticut Catholic Conference, as the public policy office of the Catholic Bishops of Connecticut, announced efforts to seek changes in Connecticut’s abortion laws to better protect minor teenage girls.

**this message is from the Connecticut Catholic Conference**

EWTN Launches New Pro-Life Site On Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Notice By Michelle Laque Johnson,
Director of Communications (EWTN)

EWTN has just launched a new pro-life site. Check it out at www.ewtn.com/prolife. Pro-life advocates are welcome to link to this page.

The new site will be updated daily and will include the latest pro-life video and audio segments from EWTN’s many pro-life programs, schedules of upcoming television and radio programs, and highlights from archived programs.

Among the many features of the site are a Pro-Life Forum and a Natural Family Planning Forum where people can post questions about any of the life issues and receive on-line answers. These forums are searchable so people can research answers to questions already posed.

The site also includes relevant papal documents, pro-life links, a pro-life voters’ guide and much more. There are plans for even more features to be added, so log on every day.

We hope you enjoy the new site – and will tell your friends about it!

**notice directly from EWTN**

Father John Corapi & the catechism pt 1