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Americas

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Synod 2023

Israel- Palestine War

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Persecution

Vinaya Joseph

Pope Francis navigated through a challenging yet impactful year in 2023. Despite facing health challenges, including knee pain and respiratory issues, he maintained a rigorous travel schedule, visiting various countries and participating in significant events. The Synod on Synodality held a central place in the year, reflecting the Pope's commitment to fostering a more inclusive and participatory Church. The creation of new cardinals and addressing controversial issues within the Church added complexity to his leadership. The Argentine pope's determination to address global concerns, such as climate change, and his vision for a more synodal and missionary Church remained evident, shaping his distinctive legacy. Turning 87 on December 17, he held the distinction of being the oldest reigning pope in the past 120 years. Pope Leo XIII, who passed away at the age of 93 in 1903, was the last pope to serve at such an advanced age. The year 2023 began with the mourning of Pope Benedict XVI, who passed away on December 31, 2022. On January 5, Pope Francis led his predecessor's funeral, deviating from the customary eulogy format dictated by liturgical norms. Instead, he delivered a homily centered around four quotations from Pope Benedict, emphasizing the Gospel in his address. Health concerns were a recurring theme in Pope Francis' year. Dealing with breathing difficulties, knee pain, and mobility challenges, he faced hospitalizations and a nine-day stay in Rome's Gemelli hospital for hernia surgery in June. The scheduled trip alongside the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland was planned for July 2022 but got canceled due to Pope Francis' severe knee pain. Despite health challenges, Pope Francis maintained his unprecedented pace of papal travel in 2023, undertaking visits to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, Hungary, Mongolia, and France. The Argentine pope engaged in major events such as World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, where he celebrated the gathering of over 1.5 million young people. Reflecting on the event, he emphasized the inclusivity of the Church, proclaiming that there is room for everyone. With these travels, Pope Francis has a total of 44 papal visits outside of Rome, surpassing the yearly rate of the original "Traveling Pope," St. John Paul II. However, he canceled a planned trip to Dubai for COP28 due to a bronchial infection. In a message read in Dubai by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis urged world leaders at COP28 to choose life over environmental destruction, declaring it a sin with dire consequences for humanity, especially the vulnerable. His urgency on climate action was echoed in his October release of "Laudate Deum," a follow-up to his 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', On Care for Our Common Home." Pope Francis aimed to influence the Church's trajectory beyond his papacy by appointing 21 new cardinals on September 30. This decision expanded the pool of cardinals eligible to participate in a papal conclave to 136, surpassing the traditional limit of 120. With these additions, Pope Francis has now selected 72% of the cardinals who hold the power to vote for his successor, notably increasing the representation from the Global South. Among the new cardinals appointed in September was Víctor Manuel Fernández, a longstanding theological collaborator and advisor to the Pope. In under six months, 61-year-old Cardinal Fernández delved into a range of contentious issues, with none more pivotal than the discussion surrounding the potential blessing of same-sex couples in non-liturgical settings. The declaration by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on December 18 was perceived by both critics and proponents as a potential gateway to alterations in Church teachings on sexuality, even though the Vatican maintained that the core doctrine remained unaltered. Another significant event was the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, where discussions included welcoming gay Catholics. Pope Francis presided over the inaugural session of the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican from October 4 to 29. The term "synodality," a novel concept for the Church, signifying "journeying together," has become a central theme during the ten-year pontificate of the Argentine Pope. The three-year Synod on Synodality process stands as the chief mechanism for translating this concept into practical implementation. Pope Francis expressed positivity about the synod's outcomes, envisioning a more synodal and missionary Church that embraces all. Meanwhile, Pope Francis has strongly criticized the contentious Synodal Way in Germany, asserting in November that it is leading the local Church "further away from the common path of the universal Church." Despite these critiques, the Pope has not taken any corrective actions to intervene. Pope Francis implemented reforms in the Diocese of Rome and the constitution of Vatican City State. Furthermore, the conclusion of a Vatican trial on December 16 resulted in a substantial prison sentence for Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who faced convictions on multiple charges including fraud, embezzlement, and abuse of office. These developments are expected to contribute to Pope Francis' legacy as a transformative figure within the Catholic Church. Pope Francis also faced intense criticism for what was perceived as preferential treatment toward Father Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit priest and artist accused of sexually abusing over 20 women. Following significant public outcry over Rupnik's acceptance into a diocese in his native Slovenia, the Pope eventually announced the lifting of the statute of limitations in the Rupnik case. In a December interview, the Pope revealed his intention to be buried not at St. Peter’s Basilica but at St. Mary Major, situated on the opposite side of Rome. This decision, if realized, would mark the first time a pope has been laid to rest at St. Mary Major since 1669. This choice underscores a pontiff unafraid to bring about change and who is mindful of how he will be remembered. The Holy Father also acknowledged ongoing health concerns but expressed improvement. He called for prayers for his well-being, emphasizing the importance of collective support for his physical health. The year concluded with Pope Francis looking forward to continued service, expressing hope for a more synodal and missionary Church in the future.

Pope Francis

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Pope Francis navigates through a challenging yet impactful 2023

As we embark on the journey of 2024, I hope that this year will be a work of positive transformation, resiliency, and new beginnings. Let us strive to establish a society where kindness triumphs by fostering compassion, understanding, and solidarity in the face of adversity. Together, let us harness the strength of collective action to build a sustainable future, ensuring our shared efforts lead to hope, progress, and meaningful accomplishments.&nbsp; Looking forward to a year brimming with love, joy, and purpose. Cheers &amp; Happy New Year to you and your loved ones! As we enter 2024, it's essential to take a moment to review the major events that unfolded in 2023, events that have significantly shaped the global landscape and continue to resonate. Funeral of Pope Benedict XVI On January 5, 2023, Pope Benedict XVI was laid to rest. The funeral of Pope Benedict XVI was a solemn and poignant event that marked the end of an era in the Catholic Church. The ceremony, held with great reverence, drew dignitaries, religious leaders, and faithful followers from around the world to bid farewell to the pontiff. Eulogies highlighted his contributions to the Church, theological teachings, and the challenges faced during his papacy. The funeral served as a moment of reflection, honoring the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI and the impact of his papal leadership on the Catholic community. He resigned in 2013, and Pope Francis was named his successor. Quakes in Turkey and Syria On February 6, 2023, a sequence of earthquakes rocked Turkey and Syria, causing widespread devastation. The initial quake, measuring 7.8 in magnitude, struck Kahramanmaras. The impact extended to several provinces, including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Hatay. This seismic event ranked among the most significant to hit Turkey since 1939. Tragically, the toll was severe, with over 50,000 lives lost in Turkey and approximately 8,000 in Syria. The tremors reverberated beyond national borders, reaching Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, underscoring the far-reaching impact of this natural disaster. Trump indicted On March 30, 2023, former US president Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury on 31 counts of falsifying business records, making him the first current or former US president to be charged with a crime. In a surprising turn of events, Trump found himself facing legal charges, marking a significant development in the post-presidential phase of his career. The charges sent shockwaves through the political landscape. The unfolding legal proceedings are closely watched, carrying implications for the political landscape and public perception of one of the most polarizing figures in recent US history. Finland joins NATO On April 4, 2023, Finland became the 31st member nation of NATO. Finland's decision to join NATO represents a notable shift in its geopolitical stance. The move underscored Finland's commitment to strengthening its security alliances and fostering closer ties with the international community. This strategic decision is expected to have implications for regional dynamics and reflects Finland's proactive approach to safeguarding its national interests in an evolving global landscape. British coronation On May 6, 2023, King Charles III was crowned in the United Kingdom. His coronation is the first in seven decades, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The coronation represented a significant moment in the nation's history, signifying the beginning of a new chapter under King Charles III's reign. The elaborate ceremony, attended by dignitaries and witnessed by the public, was a spectacle that captured the essence of royal tradition and the enduring nature of the monarchy in the country's narrative. Titan Submersible Implodes On June 18, 2023, OceanGate’s Titan submersible imploded hours after beginning its descent into the wreck of the Titanic. The Titan submersible succumbed to immense pressure and imploded in a dramatic event that underscored the challenges and perils of deep-sea exploration. Twitter Rebrands On July 24, 2023, Elon Musk rebranded the social media site Twitter as X after merging Twitter with his company X Holdings. Alongside this change, the platform's iconic blue bird logo was replaced with the letter 'X'. Musk acquired Twitter in 2022 for a reported $44 billion at $54.20 per share, leading to its delisting from stock exchanges. The realm of social media was rife with drama as Musk's X found itself embroiled in conflicts with advertisers, staff layoffs, and debates over their moderation policies. Capitalizing on the situation, Meta introduced Threads as a potential rival but fell short of expectations after initially garnering 100 million users within the first few weeks. Maui Wildfires On August 8, 2023, the island of Maui in Hawaii was struck by a series of wildfires that devastated the historic resort town of Lahaina. The ferocious flames, fueled by dry conditions and gusty winds, rapidly spread, prompting widespread evacuations and straining firefighting efforts. The Maui wildfires not only posed a threat to lives and property but also cast a somber light on the escalating challenges associated with managing and mitigating the impact of wildfires in vulnerable ecosystems. Floods in Libya&nbsp; On September 10, 2023, a strong Mediterranean cyclone, Storm Daniel, brought catastrophic flooding to eastern Libya. The unusually heavy rains killed more than 4,000 people. The flooding prompted urgent humanitarian responses, with rescue operations and relief efforts underway to assist affected communities. The event underscored the vulnerability of regions unaccustomed to such weather extremes and highlighted the need for enhanced preparedness and resilience in the face of natural disasters. Israel-Hamas war On October 7, 2023, Hamas, a militant group, launched a devastating attack against Israel, unleashing a barrage of rockets in the early hours. The assault resulted in the tragic loss of approximately 1200 Israeli lives, with over 200 individuals being taken hostage. In response, Israel executed extensive air strikes followed by a ground invasion, leading to a grim toll of over 21,000 Palestinian deaths, with the numbers continuing to rise. During a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, around 100 hostages were released. Seeking to quell the escalating conflict, the United Nations invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter. The international community voted on a ceasefire, with 153 nations supporting the resolution, while 10 opposed it, and 23 abstained. The situation remains fluid as efforts persist to end the hostilities. Russia-Ukraine Conflict On November 18, 2023, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine reached a grim milestone in its second year, with more than 10,000 civilian deaths. The precise starting point is complex, but a significant escalation occurred when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Subsequent clashes in Eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists fueled the conflict. The situation reached a critical juncture with Russia's military intervention in Eastern Ukraine, leading to a full-scale war. The conflict drew international concern, with diplomatic efforts to broker peace facing considerable obstacles. The repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine war reverberated globally, sparking geopolitical discussions and emphasizing the urgent need for diplomatic resolutions to mitigate the human suffering and instability arising from the protracted conflict. Climate Crisis On December 12, 2023, at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, a consensus was reached for countries to transition away from fossil fuels, the first such agreement in the conference's 30-year history. Throughout this year, significant developments in the realm of climate change unfolded. 2023 claimed the dubious distinction of being the hottest year on record, surpassing projections and edging closer to breaching the critical 2-degree limit outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The impact of climate change manifested in various natural disasters, with wildfires, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and floods attributed to its influence. The year witnessed a series of significant events that shaped the global landscape across various domains. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to capture international attention, contributing to geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war added another layer of complexity to international relations. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and wildfires in various regions, underscored the ongoing challenges posed by environmental factors. Artificial Intelligence stole the spotlight in 2023, dominating the stage. However, alongside the excitement, ethical concerns surrounding AI surfaced, particularly with issues like deep fakes and the potential for misuse. Overall, 2023 was a year marked by dynamic geopolitical shifts, environmental concerns, technological advancements, and significant political developments.

The world around 2023

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Reflections 2023 - To look back on the year gone by

Sachin Jose

Aditya Prathap is a Philosophy and Political Science student at Stanford University. Initially raised in a Hindu household, Aditya’s path led him from agnosticism to atheism during his early teenage years. However, a fascinating encounter prompted him to embark on a quest to challenge Christianity, leading him to meticulously examine the historical evidence surrounding the Resurrection. To his surprise, Aditya found himself convinced by the weight of that evidence. Driven by a relentless pursuit of truth, Aditya embraced Christianity and was baptized as a non-denominational Protestant during his high school years. As his spiritual journey unfolded, he discovered the profound truth of the Catholic faith, ultimately leading to his conversion and official initiation at the 2021 Easter Vigil. Aditya describes his faith journey in an exclusive interview with SW News:Growing up in a Hindu family, how did your religious background influence your views on spirituality and the concept of God?In the form of Hinduism that my family practiced, it seemed that the Hindu’s relationship with God was far more transactional than relational. Before going to school for a test, I was reminded to pray for good grades. Before significant events in my life, I was reminded to pray for favor. This notion of God as a ‘granter of wishes’ became so reflexive that, without fail, I would pray every night before bed the following prayer: “God, give me health, wealth, and happiness.”Such a transactional relationship was not seen as a bug but a feature. The praises offered in poojas (Hindu religious ceremonies) and shlokas (prayers) were rarely uttered out of deep love for who God is, but merely for the worldly benefits He has provided. Of course, to my parents, who had grown up poor, happiness consisted in those worldly benefits. Nonetheless, I developed a vision of God as more a benevolent bureaucrat than the subsistence of Love Itself.What aspects of atheism appealed to you initially, and what made you question or challenge those beliefs later on?While I initially applauded religious skeptics for their emphasis on reason, I now realize that it is the emotional components that attracted me the most. I remember watching a video by a favorite political YouTuber of mine, in which he explained that he could not be Christian because a loving God would never allow such a horrifying terrorist attack like September 11th to happen. His argument seemed to exude compassion and internal anguish as if he deeply desired to believe in God but simply could not because of how evil God would have to be for allowing suffering.I resonated with this intense emotion, but I resonated even more with the indignation toward religion’s therapeutic deceptions. To tell people that God loves mankind seemed to me as nothing short of a self-evident and outrageous lie­–one that seemed inconsiderate and inhumane given how deeply many people suffer.In other words, although I conveyed my religious skepticism as ‘philosophical’ and ‘reasoned,’ it was merely a rationalization of the contempt I felt for God’s seeming indifference toward mankind. After all, as a Hindu, I only saw God as a provider of health, wealth, and happiness–how could I believe in God when so much of mankind suffers sickness, poverty, and depression?It was only later, when I began to research the historical evidence for Christ’s Resurrection, that I realized that Christianity is true regardless of what my emotions told me. But even this realization did not move me to repentance, for I ignored Christianity for months after I came to realize its truth.Yet, God had never abandoned me. He knew that my heart was hardened with anger toward His quiet indifference, so He revealed Himself to me as the lover of my soul. During one of the most difficult days of my life, I truly prayed for the first time while looking through random Bible verses. Psalm 138 (137 in the Douay-Rheims) came up. As I concluded the passage, “O despise not the work of thy hands”, I was overwhelmed with grace. I felt that I was being dissolved in peace Itself, yet completely lucid of my own sin. I felt insignificant in the awe-inspiring presence of the Lord of the universe, yet more significant than I had ever known, for Love Itself has extended His right hand to rescue me from the darkness.Were there any intellectual or philosophical arguments that played a significant role in your decision to embrace Catholicism?As I mentioned, it was the historical evidence for the Resurrection that convinced me of the truth of Christianity. In fact, I began reading about this subject in order to disprove Christianity to a friend. At the time, I was dating a Protestant girl whose family and friends disapproved of our relationship due to my being a non-Christian. They had tried several times to change my mind, but with every passing day, it seemed more and more obvious to me that Christianity was both philosophically idiotic and morally bigoted. So, as I grew annoyed with their efforts, I decided to research the supposed ‘evidence’ for Christianity in order to show them how deluded they were.What I found shocked me. When considering the New Testament, Roman and Jewish writings, and historical criteria for ascertaining historical events, Jesus rising bodily from the dead was the only explanation of the data that did not make absurd and strained concessions.Following my conversion of mind and the later conversion of heart, I was eventually baptized in the church that my few Christian friends attended: a non-denominational megachurch. For around a year, I was a Protestant with unequivocally negative attitudes toward Catholicism: I absorbed the views of those around me and the preachers I followed, leading me to believe that Catholics worshipped Mary, disregarded Scripture, and pursued salvation by works rather than faith in Jesus.One day, I stumbled upon a video “Paul’s Baptismal Oopsie” from LutheranSatire, a YouTube channel that teaches Lutheran theology through comedy. The contents of the video confused me: apparently, Lutherans believed that St. Paul taught baptismal regeneration—that baptism is not merely an ‘outward symbol of inward faith’ (as I had been taught) but actually washed away original sin. I thought that only Catholics believed that.So, I decided to consult the Scriptures. After several months of reading and researching, I was firmly convinced: the Scriptures teach baptismal regeneration. Acts 2:38, John 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21…the list goes on. After this, I discovered that the Lutherans also believed that the Lord’s Supper was the body and blood of the Lord. I also thought this was nonsense. Nonetheless, I went back to the Scriptures, and the evidence was clear: John 6, Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, and other verses bore witness to the truth of the Real Presence. Theologically, I was drawn to Lutheranism.Yet, I felt uneasy with myself. I had thought that the Catholics were utterly foolish to believe in baptismal regeneration and the Real Presence. It turns out that I was the one in error. So, I decided to give Catholicism the benefit of the doubt and investigate its claims.At some point, the critique of Sola Scriptura—the Protestant doctrine that Scripture is the sole doctrinal authority—emerged. To doubt Sola Scriptura seemed almost as absurd as doubting that my mother gave birth to me! As a Protestant, belief in Sola Scriptura was not taught—it was assumed as self-evidently true. I had never even heard of the Church Fathers.Once I discovered that there was no authoritative Canon of Scripture for the first three centuries of the Church, I realized that the early Christians must have derived their doctrine from something other than the Scriptures alone. It was with this that my eyes were opened to the undeniable authority of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church in history and Scripture.As a Stanford student, how has your religious journey influenced your academic pursuits or interactions with peers on campus?When I converted to Protestantism, my parents were deeply offended. I felt that I had to really be certain that Christianity was true, for the sacrifice seemed great. Likewise, when I converted to Catholicism, my Protestant friends were shocked. As I learned more apologetics to respond to both of these groups, I developed a love for theology and philosophy that inspired me to study philosophy at the university.As for my peers, Stanford hosts a very high proportion of STEM students. As a result, students are far more indifferent or apathetic than hostile toward Christianity. While this makes being a vocal Christian easier, it also makes evangelism more difficult because people simply don’t engage.How has your newfound faith influenced your values, relationships, and overall sense of purpose in life?My faith has given me true happiness. Throughout my life, I felt that in order to follow the truth, I must sacrifice everything—including joy and peace. Looking back, I now know that the Truth does not take away my peace but restores it tenfold. The joy of friendship with brethren in Christ reflects the joy of friendship with God—one that is everywhere and always filled with charity. Of course, I and others will make mistakes. But, as with the Prodigal Son, the forgiveness and reconciliation that inevitably follows is always sweeter than the bitterness is bitter. It truly is an ineffable relationship, one that I had never experienced prior to my baptism into Christ.At the end of the day, the pressures of academic and personal life pale in comparison to the glory that will be revealed to us and the peace that has been bestowed upon us. After years of seeking the truth, I now see that it was the Truth who had been seeking me—how can a soul not leap with joy before the Mercy of God!

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Aditya Prathap

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From Hinduism to Catholicism: A Stanford University student shares his faith journey

Connie Beckman

“Going to hell in a handbasket” means to go to one’s doom, to deteriorate quickly, to proceed on a course to disaster.” This ‘saying’ was first used during the national trauma of the American Civil War. With America dealing with the coronavirus and protests that have turned to rioting, violence and loss of innocent lives, it certainly seems America is dealing with another national trauma. And maybe it feels like we’re all in a giant handbasket on our way to you know where! It is very difficult to watch the nightly news because it breaks my heart to see so misunderstanding, mistrust, and so much violence in the world. &nbsp;The Evil One is masterful at taking good intentions and twisting them into attitudes and actions that cause harm. Today’s protesters want their voices to be heard. It is a good thing to peacefully stand against injustice. &nbsp;It is a good thing to stand up, speak up, and pray for justice and for the protection of life from the moment of conception to natural death. It is good to improve the training of our police officers. It is good to weed out potentially ‘bad cops.”&nbsp; But some of what is meant to be helpful and bring about change clearly does more harm than good. Destructive protests stand in contrast to what many faithful Christians do when they stand in a peaceful prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood praying for the mothers, fathers, babies and abortion workers. Maybe we all can learn from their example. It is easy to get discouraged when we see the mess the world is in. But how does God want us to respond to the destructive course our society seems to be on? One great way to respond is prayer. What would happen if thousands of faithful Catholics committed to praying for the conversion of hearts by using the powerful prayers of the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet? Can you and I agree to beg God’s mercy to transform hardened hearts? Can we look honestly into our own hearts and ask God to purify us of all hatred and bias? Can we together sing “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”? Let us make a commitment to go before the Blessed Sacrament asking God to heal our world. If there is any hate lurking in our hearts, let us ask the Father to fulfill the words he spoke to Ezekiel: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ez 36:26).&nbsp; And with our renewed hearts let us set out to love God and love our neighbor better than ever before. &nbsp;God is love and it is only God’s love that can perform a heart transplant for America and its people. Let’s never quit praying for those who have lost hope and don’t know that the change they seek can only come through God’s grace. May all of us who trust in Jesus Christ and know he is our only hope pray the words of the psalm: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10).

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Africa

Europe

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With hearts renewed

Bishop Robert Barron

When I was doing full-time parish ministry, one of my favorite activities was performing Baptisms. I put the word in the plural, for I hardly ever baptized one baby at a time, but usually ten or a dozen. Typically, the quite large group of family and friends would gather in the first several pews of St. Paul of the Cross Church about 2 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, I would welcome them and do a very short description of what was about to happen, and then the happy cacophony of twelve babies crying at once would inevitably commence. I would shout my way through the prayers and the Baptisms—and a general joyfulness would obtain. Now that I’m a bishop, I have less occasion to baptize, and I do miss it. But an exception took place last week when I was delighted to welcome into the Church Hazel Rose Cummins, the daughter of Doug Cummins and his wife Erica. Doug is our Associate Producer for Word on Fire in Santa Barbara. I would like to share with all of you what I preached to the group gathered outside (it’s COVID time) of San Roque Church in Santa Barbara for the ceremony. I asked them if they had heard the story of Fr. Matthew Hood, a priest of the Detroit Archdiocese, who discovered, after watching a video of his own Baptism, that he had been invalidly baptized. The deacon who had performed the ceremony did not use the proper words, and as a result, Fr. Hood had not in fact been received into the Church. And as a consequence of this, he had not validly received First Communion, Confirmation, or priestly ordination, since all of those sacraments depend upon the legitimacy of Baptism. Now, once this was found out, the Archbishop of Detroit administered all of the relevant sacraments to Fr. Hood and the young man was able to minister as a priest. You might think, “Well, that’s a strange story with a happy ending,” but it tells us, in fact, something extremely important regarding the Church’s understanding of Baptism. We believe that through the words and gestures of the sacrament, something happens. Baptism is not simply a celebration of a new life, or even an act of praying for and offering a child to God. If that’s all it is, to paraphrase Flannery O’Connor, the heck with it. It is, rather, the visible sign of the invisible grace of incorporation into the Mystical Body of Jesus. It changes an objective state of affairs, whether we acknowledge it or not. Having said all of this, I then stressed what we might call the subjective side of Baptism. Since there were quite a few young people present, I used the well-worn parable of the eagle’s egg that tumbled out of the nest only to fall amidst a flock of chickens. When the eaglet was hatched, the only world he came to know was that of chickens, and hence he spent his first years pecking on the ground and never spreading his great wings. One day, I continued, a majestic eagle flew overhead and spotted his young confrere on the ground, acting like a chicken. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked. “Don’t you know who you are?” He then taught the eaglet how to deploy his wings and soar. So it goes in the spiritual order. Every baptized person is, objectively speaking, a child of God, divinized, and destined to be a great saint. But the problem is that most of those who have received this new identity promptly forget it and take on the beliefs and practices of the world. Following the prompts of television, movies, social media, pop stars, and secularist ideologues, we give ourselves over to the acquisition of wealth or power or material success or fame. These things aren’t bad in themselves, but considering them our highest value and running after them with all of our powers amounts to pecking on the ground like chickens. What we need, I told the little congregation gathered for Hazel’s Baptism, is a strong community of people to remind this little girl who she is. They didn’t make her a child of God; Christ did that through the mediation of Baptism. But they can indeed teach her not to settle for being some pathetic simulacrum of who she is meant to be. Everything that they teach her, everything that they encourage her to do, should be directed to the great end of becoming a saint. I have sometimes wondered what this country would be like if everyone who is baptized (which I believe is still most of the nation) lived up to his or her identity as a child of God. What if everyone who is meant to soar would, finally, stop poking around on the ground? It would be a true American revolution. ( Article originally appeared at&nbsp;WordOnFire.org&nbsp;)&nbsp;

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You’re meant to be an eagle, not a chicken: A reflection on baptism

 Fr. Xavier Dias OP

One of the basic needs of human beings is food. Above all other needs, every person wants to fulfill the need for food first. Today, when countless people are struggling against the odds for one square meal a day, kind-hearted people who feed the poor are a rare tribe. Among this noble group is a businessman-turned-lay missionary from south India. Hailing from the state of Karnataka, Naveen Lobo experienced the hand of the Lord in his life and committed his life to serving the needy. Today, he feeds three hundred hungry people every day in the city of Mysuru.His ‘Santvana Swada’ ministry to feed the poor began as a small initiative in December 2020, when the lockdown was announced. To share the happiness of the birth of Jesus, Naveen’s family used to pack some food and distribute the packets to people who are on the street every year. Particularly in December 2020, 200 food packets were made and distributed to the needy at the district hospital of Mysuru in Karnataka. This was undertaken only once a year. But his elder daughter Judith was touched by a person who was so grateful. After receiving the food packet she touched Judith’s feet as she had not eaten for the past three days.This incident made her ask her father Naveen “Are we distributing the food packets again?” This particular experience made them think of providing food twice a week. Finally, in March 2021, they began distributing food to poor people on the street every single day without fail.Cooking food for 300 is not an easy task for a family bereft of the help of any laborers. Sometimes, the thought to put an end to charity work arises when the family faces challenges such as physical ailments, financial scarcity and thinking of their own happiness. The family is a team, says Naveen and therefore they are able to carry out their ministry in difficult times, too. The husband and wife duo compensate each other in their weaknesses to keep the ministry running. One more important reason for continuing this ministry is the smiles on the faces of the poor people on the streets when they receive the food packets. They begin their ministry early in the morning as the whole family along with the children come together to dice vegetables, prepare food and pack it. Naveen says that they pray while cutting, cooking and packing the food so that what they serve becomes the true gift of God to the people.Once, Naveen was invited by a member of the Santvana community, a Catholic missionary fraternity, to north India to experience the situation over there. He made a visit and found that God was inspiring him to continue his ministry there among the poor. The primary ministry of the Santvana community is to pray and proclaim Christ to the Nations. When they prayed and discerned about giving food to the people on the street, they felt it was a call to respond to the needs of the time. Jini, Naveen’s wife, says that it was faith in the Lord and priority of ministry over work that kept them going in sharing the love of the Lord among the marginalized. Even though they had to sacrifice certain happiness and worldly&nbsp;pleasures, they continued to work for the kingdom of God by sharing what they had.Hunger can be of two types, biological hunger as well as spiritual hunger. Naveen and Jini both knew there was a need to quench both types of hunger. Therefore, they continue to proclaim Christ through their couple retreats after gaining theological knowledge through the master’s program.&nbsp; Even they take their children to the retreats because their presence means a lot. Family formation plays a crucial part in the life of children. While being busy in school they do not get much time at home for their formation. There was a concern about finance too in the family, says Jini. Therefore, they began homeschooling which would help them inculcate the Catholic faith and the Church teachings in children.

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This Indian Catholic lay missionary feeds 300 hungry stomachs every day

Rev. Dr. Roy Palatty, CMI

At the beginning of the 1960's, after a thorough analysis of different cultures, the great British historian Arnold Toynbee expressed his optimism about the victory of the European culture. He wrote that of the twenty-eight cultures he had identified, eighteen were already dead, and of the ten that still existed, nine had already visibly collapsed. Yet, one – the European – has remained. Tragically, Europe is simply not dying, but committing suicide in our present time. Several reasons could be identified for this decline. The most important reason that I would like to share here is her dreadful annihilation of God and Christian culture, and her subsequent submission to aggressive secularism. Where the reverence for the Lord is shattered, something essential in society perishes. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had earlier said that, “Europe seems to have become empty from within.” This emptiness is due to the godlessness and uncritical approach to different secular philosophies. When you are empty, it is easy for others to conquer. Reflect on the recent tragic terrorist attacks that occurred in France, for instance. Vincent Loques was one among the three people killed in Nice. Loques was a devout Catholic and had been working at the basilica for seven years. Shocked by Loques’ death, one of his friends, Frederick Lefevre, commented: “We’re a free country, we have demonstrated freedom to all countries of the world. Today, this freedom is closing in on us. Life needs to be lived for everyone.” 263 innocent people have been killed in Islamic terrorist attacks during the last five years. Earlier in the month of October, Samuel Paty, a French teacher was beheaded in a Paris suburb. Someone may take arms against the other in an emotional outburst or as an imprudent reactive step. But killing someone in the name of a god is monstrous fanaticism. There is no justification for that, no matter what god-concept that person carries. No god would ever say that you must kill your innocent neighbor. God cannot deny his own nature. If there is a god who instigates people to kill others, that god is not a god at all, but would certainly be a demon. France is considered to be the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church as she has given birth to many incredible saints and holy people. As Europe grows more secular and Islam takes root in the continent, the face of French Catholicism is evolving. To put it more allegorically, the Norte-Dame Cathedral fire (April 2019) reveals the present status of Catholicism in France. On one hand, secularized French Republic denies the Catholic roots of the country, but on the other, various jihadists persist in seeing Christianity as the core of the nation and of the whole western civilization. The jihadists want to destroy the Christian roots and its core values while the Christians no more own its roots. It is a strange phenomenon. What does the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church need to do? &nbsp;She must turn to the Lord, who is the foundation stone of the country, and profess and live her faith courageously. In his visit to France in 1980, Saint Pope John Paul II exclaimed: “France, have you been faithful to the promises of your baptism?” If she forgets her promises, someone has to remind her. Would she be reminded of her promises during these days of countless attacks and heinous crimes that has traumatized her?

European culture

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Europe, have you been faithful to the promises of your baptism? 

Devika Shah, a Cambridge University student, has traversed a remarkable path of spiritual exploration. Born into a Hindu family in London, she initially embraced atheism, drawing inspiration from renowned atheists Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. However, it was the enlightening Biblical lectures of clinical psychologist and author Jordan Peterson that sparked a profound transformation within Devika. This transformative experience led her down a new path, ultimately leading to her conversion to Catholicism. Devika describes her faith journey in an exclusive interview with SW News:Can you share your experience growing up in a Hindu family in London?London is home to a very large community of Hindus, which my family was part of. Although we went to the temple on various festivals and participated in cultural and semi-religious events, it was more for the sense of community and family tradition, rather than actual faith in Hinduism. My grandmother is quite spiritual, she prays daily and subscribes to the main beliefs of Jainism. I had a fairly secular upbringing and interacted with lots of different religious groups in school – mostly Jewish and Muslim, where I grew up. This meant I was literate in many different worldviews, but accepted secularism and liberalism as the most sensible mode of living. My parents were also born and raised in the UK which is why liberalism and secularism played such an important role in my childhood – because that is the Britain they had also grown up in.Can you elaborate on the aspects of Jordan Peterson’s Biblical series that resonated with you the most? How did they influence your decision to start reading the Bible and eventually convert to Catholicism?I initially watched parts of the Biblical series when I was about 16 or 17, and admittedly, I didn’t understand a lot of it due to its heavy emphasis on psychology and my unfamiliarity with Biblical stories. But what captured me the most is that Peterson did not simply reject the Bible as some outdated and irrelevant book, which is what I had done. Quite the opposite; he taught that Truth can be found at the deepest level in the Scriptures and that they reflect millennia of human interaction with the Divine. I had realized that whilst I was an atheist in my teenage years, I had disregarded an entire belief system and set of Scriptures without even knowing the contents of them. It wasn’t necessarily the Bible that led me to the Catholic Church. Rather, it was a moment of conversion in St Mary’s Basilica in Krakow in December 2019, that led me to think that if Christianity is real, it had to be in the Catholic Church. I remember walking in and experiencing a weight lift off my chest and feeling a deep sense of awe. Retrospectively, I know that is because I was in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. But at the time, I didn’t know what it was – I just knew I had to seriously consider the truth claims of Christianity, which is why both after this experience and after following Jordan Peterson for so long, I decided to begin reading the Bible in January 2021, during the lockdown. Essentially, it boiled down to this: I knew that if the Bible and Christianity were true, Catholicism was true, because as an atheist, it was only the Catholic Church that had captured my attention and that had pushed me over the edge to explore Christianity. The passage that ultimately led me to accept Christ was Psalm 139:13-14, where I found out that my existence had a purpose, and that God created me because He loved me.How did you navigate the process of joining RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) and preparing for baptism? Can you share any specific challenges or memorable experiences from that time?My conversion took place over lockdown, so I was joining RCIA via Zoom for a few months. This was not a totally enjoyable or fruitful experience because the only interaction that I had with fellow Christians was once a week for one hour, over a screen. Additionally, the RCIA program at this parish was watching a video series, which meant that I couldn’t really delve into my personal challenges with the faith. However, when things started opening up again, and we could meet people in person, I switched to a parish that was closer to me and started having weekly one-to-one talks with my priest, who was able to answer my most burning questions on the faith and talk through any doubts I had. This really helped my faith grow because it turned out that my priest was also a convert and therefore knew what it was like to enter the faith as an adult. He suggested I be baptized sooner, rather than later because after talking to me, he knew my faith was strong and that I was serious about entering the Church. Rather than waiting for the Easter Vigil of 2022, I was baptized on 8th September 2021, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.Do you think your conversion to Catholicism has shaped your perspective on social and moral issues? If so, how?My faith has definitely shaped my views on family, marriage, and social teaching. Before converting I was very absorbed in a more liberal worldview of marriage being more of a civil contract, which two people, regardless of gender can enter into. Of course, once realizing that marriage is actually a life-long covenant instituted by God, with the purpose of raising a family, I no longer accepted marriage as a mere civil contract. In addition, my views on family planning changed. However, interestingly, even whilst I was an atheist, I was pro-life. This is why I think the Lord used Psalm 139 to capture my attention because I already valued human life, I just did not know its purpose. I found out my purpose came from the fact that I was created by God and that because of this, I must act on my beliefs and acknowledge my duty to defend life. So, when I became a Catholic, I not only held pro-life views, but my faith encouraged me to speak about these views and take concrete measures to protect unborn babies, through volunteering and prayer.Are there any specific ways in which your faith in Catholicism has influenced your personal values, decision-making, or relationships in your daily life?My faith has impacted my relationships, especially with my family. I ask for the Lord’s forgiveness when I know I have done something wrong, which I found quite difficult to do before my conversion. And I now feel a greater sense of duty towards them, because I know the Lord placed us together for a specific plan, and that as a daughter, I am called to be faithful, obedient, and loving towards them. In daily life, I am far more conscious of trying to always speak the truth, which means I have noticed that I am more careful with the words I choose, and how I speak to others. Finally, my faith provides me with the reminder that my ultimate purpose is to glorify God, through my relationships with friends and family, my studies and work, and most importantly through imitating Christ in my daily life. I know I often fail and fall short of this calling, but I can trust in Christ’s unconditional love for me, and that it is through his Grace that I am continually made new. For this reason, I am no longer as much of a perfectionist academically as I once was, because I know my worth comes from the Lord’s love, rather than any momentary success I experience in this world.

Catholic convert

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Jordan Peterson’s Biblical lectures led this Cambridge student from atheism to Catholicism

J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.

Saint Louis has been in the news again. We were told repeatedly that protesters “clashed” over the removal of the statue of our patron saint. If you were following the news, you saw photographs of people shouting at one another. Exchanging threats. Exchanging blows. I wasn’t there on Saturday when those things were photographed. But I was there every evening for the rest of the week to say a rosary with about a hundred or so Catholics. Initially, I went there to support those who were praying at the statue. But I returned night after night because of the conversations I had on the way back to my car afterward—not with fellow Catholics, but with people who seemed to disagree with what I was doing. David On Tuesday, as I was returning to my car, I was stopped by a man who asked me, “Would you mind having a civil discussion about that statue?” How can you turn down a request like that? Why would you want to? “I wouldn’t mind a bit,” I said. “I’m not entirely sure where I stand on Louis IX as a person, because I just don’t know that much about him.&nbsp; But I do get very nervous when folks start destroying artwork, and I also figure that anger needs to be met with prayer. What do you think about the statue?” “I’m Jewish,” he said, “and I want it taken down. That king of yours was responsible for genocide against Jews. You wouldn’t approve of a statue of Hitler, would you?” “No, I wouldn’t,” I said. “How many Jews did Louis IX kill?” He paused in thought for a moment. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he said. “A friend told me that, and I just believed him.” His candor was so disarming, I started defending his position. “Well, you can’t research every detail of everything you’re told,” I answered, “but if you trust the guy who told you that, then I’ll go home tonight and look into this—I mean really look into it, not just find Catholic sources that I already agree with—and if it turns out that your friend had his facts straight, then…well…I’ll come back and help take it down myself.” He smiled. “I’m going to do that, too—go look into it, I mean. Oh!&nbsp; And by the way, my name is David.” I talked with David for about half an hour and we couldn’t seem to find anything else that we disagreed on. “It’s my birthday,” he said as we parted ways. “Happy birthday,” I said. He smiled again, and that’s the last I saw of him. Janet The next evening, as we were praying, I noticed two African-American women standing at a distance, watching us. I don’t think they were there to protest, but one of them looked angry. Or maybe she was just uncomfortable. It was hard to tell. I didn’t quite know what to say as I walked past, so I just nodded and said, quietly, “You know, black lives really do matter.” Suddenly, she didn’t look angry so much as very, very sad. She looked like she might be on the verge of tears. “Thank you,” she said, “And you know, all lives really do matter.” And then, somehow, we were smiling at one another.&nbsp; She introduced herself as Janet. “I’d hug you,” she said, “but…you know…the whole Coronavirus thing.” “I’ll take prayers instead,” I said. “You got them,” she answered, “Pray for me too." Saint Louis, King of France I had conversations like this every night, and not once did we come to blows.&nbsp; No one threatened me. I talked with an African-American man and his daughter, I talked with another Jewish man, and I talked with two gay joggers (I’m assuming they were gay because one of them wore a t-shirt that said, “I’m gay” on it). And in every case, we parted friends. Not just friendly, mind you, but friends. Now…for the record, Saint Louis did have copies of the Talmud collected and burned. He did expel Jews from France. As a twenty-first-century Catholic, I am not proud of that. The Jewish people are, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “our fathers in faith”. So, it’s hard to imagine a saint doing such a thing. And Saint Louis did lead two crusades against Muslim armies in the East. If he did those things today, I’d agree that he was, as his critics suggest, antisemitic and Islamophobic. But, given that Europe had been at war with the Saracens for six hundred years, I think he can be excused for fearing them. They were serious warriors.&nbsp; And perhaps we can find fault with Saint Louis for not establishing freedom of religion in thirteenth century France; but there was no freedom of religion anywhere in the world until the founding of Rhode Island. So, I’m not sure he could have known better. Still, for the sake of my friend, David, I’ll keep reading.&nbsp; I hope he is somewhere, reading up on Saint Louis as well. Saint Theodorus Tiro A few months ago, I was giving a retreat in Bremerton, Washington, and a big fellow with a handlebar mustache and tattoos all up and down his arms came up to me after my sermon and told me about Saint Theodorus “Tiro”—the patron saint of interreligious dialogue (or so he said).&nbsp; Theodorus joined the Roman army in 304 AD and had no sooner taken a uniform than his cohort was ambushed. Theodorus, apparently, was so brutal, so vicious, such an excellent warrior, that his fellow soldiers started referring to him as “the recruit.” (tiro in Latin). Anyhow, after several years of this, he discovered Christianity and converted. The problem was that Roman soldiers—indeed all Roman citizens—were required to offer sacrifices at the local temple. Theodorus refused. “That’s alright,” his buddies said, “Just walk past the temple, and we’ll assume you made the sacrifice.” **Wink. Wink.** Well, Theodorus walked out to the temple of Cybele, alright. And while he was there, he burned it to the ground. Now, the interesting thing about his story is that his buddies seemed genuinely sorry to have to execute him, and he seemed genuinely okay with them doing it. In so many words, his fellow soldiers apologized for having to do their job, and Theodorus understood that they were in a bit of a pinch and forgave them. “So,” says my friend with the tattoos, “he became the first true ecumenist.” Now, I can’t find any evidence that the Church sees Theodorus Tiro as a shining example of Christian ecumenism, but I do see my friend’s point: truth is truth, and there’s just no compromising on that. But for those who love the truth, even a really serious disagreement can end in friendship. “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Let us pray that, by the grace of God, every living human being will come to know the Son of God.&nbsp; But until that time comes, let us pray for the humility to remain among his little ones.