Sharing Faith

  • Was Jesus a tree hugger?

    By Linda Furge

    Opening prayer
    O God, You call us to act as Your stewards of all creation on our fragile and beautiful planet. You bless us abundantly. All that we have comes from You. Help us to live our lives simply and with gratitude and to grow ever more aware that our everyday actions have consequences that reach far beyond us. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

    Commentary
    I bet the title above got your attention! It sure caught mine and was from an article by Jim and Susan Vogt, Everyday Catholic, April 2008. Whether you are amused (or not) by their choice of words, it certainly asks a provocative question — one still very much of interest and conflict today, given the recent disclosures about data usage in the global warming debate.

    So, was Jesus a tree hugger? Well, He certainly walked a lot, ate local foods, used water from local wells and lived a simple lifestyle. Faith and earth stewardship are intricately linked from the very beginning of our Christian tradition. In the Genesis story, we read: “Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing … See, I have given to you every plant … every tree … God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” — 1:28-31 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” — 2:15

    These words give men and women a unique responsibility from God to care for the created world in which we live and to act as good stewards of its abundant resources. In this sense, stewardship means that we are to live responsibly within creation, not to act upon it as though we are outside it and unaffected by whatever happens to it.

    Tough questions
    In theory, being good stewards of creation are easy words with which we can all agree. However, this kind of stewardship may not always be so easy to put into practice. Here are some examples. We drive cars and other motor vehicles. It is a well-established fact that this behavior has a huge impact on our environment. So we make a resolution to carpool or ride public transportation. While this is an environmentally sound decision, in real life it means that time is taken away from other good choices, like spending time as a family or getting necessary chores done. For those of us living outside the city, driving is simply the only practical way we can get around!

    Growing a garden is good stewardship, saves money, gives us exercise and refreshes the soul. We once had an orchard and large garden and wanted to give away our extra produce to friends and local food kitchens. We discovered very quickly that fruits and vegetables not perfect in every way were simply thrown away — or not even accepted in the first place. When we tried to donate our extra produce, we were told food kitchens were not allowed to use fresh produce from local gardens. The only way we could ensure perfect fruit and vegetables was to use pesticides — not exactly an environmentally sound solution!

    One final example: all our children live far away; one even lived in Japan. Some of our family relatives live in Germany. Airfares are expensive, and air travel uses lots of fossil fuel. Does being good environmental stewards mean we should not drive or fly to visit those we love? Or travel to learn and appreciate other cultures when the opportunity arises?

    Think globally, act
    locally … with gratitude
    No one seems to have one “best” answer to these tough questions — but that does not absolve us from our responsibility as good earth stewards. So, what are some things we can do right now to make a difference? First, we can live our lives with gratitude for all we have received. We are fortunate to live in a “first-world” country. That, in and of itself, is something for which we should always be grateful. A profound sense of gratitude to God for the abundant resources to which we have daily access should make us ever more aware of the fact that we do not have to struggle, as many do, to simply survive.

    … with accountability
    Second, we can live knowing that we, as stewards, may be called by our Creator to account for our use of creation’s resources. While we are not solely responsible for what we do, or fail to do, with the gifts we (collectively) have received, we will be asked how well we use the abundant resources we (individually) are given. Practically speaking, I believe we will be held accountable for the food we waste while others starve, for the things we accumulate in excess while others live without the necessities of life. Jesus is pretty clear about the difficulty rich people will have getting into heaven; we are the rich people of our time.

    … with generosity
    Thirdly, we can live generously sharing our resources and gifts with others from a Christian sense of justice and love. Americans are known for their generosity. We need to continue that tradition and seek additional ways to share what we have with those less fortunate.

    … with awareness and advocacy
    Finally, we need to become advocates for responsible earth stewardship. Awareness of how our actions impact others and simplifying our lives accordingly is a good first step. There is much each of us can do to make a difference. The most fundamental motive for our actions should be the knowledge that we share in God’s creation. Living that out in our daily lives by what we do and say helps us become more whole and more holy.

    We can make a difference! We can fill our world with Christ’s spirit of love, charity, justice and peace through our actions as responsible earth stewards. As Pope Benedict says in his message for World Day of Peace 2010, “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.”

    Posted on April 14, 2010, to:

  • Hope and suffering

    By Father William Kummer and Jennifer Kohrman

    Opening/Closing song:
    “You Are Mine” — “Gather Comprehensive” No. 649

    Opening prayer:
    Prayer for priests
    Gracious and loving God, we thank You for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience Your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for Your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
    Inspire them with the vision of Your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of Your divine grace.
    We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.
    — From the Web site: www.catholicdaughters.org

    Excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Priests:
    I also think, therefore, of the countless situations of suffering endured by many priests, either because they themselves share in the manifold human experience of pain or because they encounter misunderstanding from the very persons to whom they minister.

    Commentary from Father Bill Kummer, pastor, St. Michael, Plymouth:
    I live out the words of Pope Benedict by taking comfort in knowing the Holy Father keeps in his mind and heart the sufferings of Father Kummer and all priests. This fact surely brings comfort not only to the priests, but also to all the faithful; Benedict’s caring heart and mind bear comfort to all. Sharing humanity, the priest’s life receives no exemption from the rigors which befall all; we, too, are imperfect and must minister to the imperfect. Imperfection causes pain. Three categories of suffering are readily apparent and common for priests. One, (this we share with everyone), is physical weakness: for example, our blood pressure climbs, and the vigor of youth passes to stiffness in the morning, and our heads ache. Two, (this one is unique to priests), our failure to always understand that priestly heartaches lead us to a mystic communion with Christ. Rather than learning the lesson, I run away; I hide. The third, (the real pain), is the knowledge that even the best effort cannot ease the pain of those to whom we minister.

    All men like to fix things; we cannot “fix” everything. So we hurt in our bodies and souls. Reading the pope’s words, living the faith and experiencing hurt reinforces, in an odd way, our vocation. Did not Christ Jesus follow His vocation? He suffered that we should live. Perhaps we priests should expect nothing less. The pope does have compassion for priests, but he carefully reminds us of the unity we share with each other and with the Lord in our suffering.

    Suffering
    Suffering … the very word can make most of us cringe. Sooner or later, all of us experience suffering whether it manifests physically, emotionally or perhaps even spiritually. When I was growing up, I often heard the phrase “offer it up,” especially if I was suffering from injury or if I was performing a chore I did not particularly like.

    We live in a world full of suffering. The world just witnessed the suffering of those in Haiti following the earthquake. As Christians living in a suffering world, we must respond with compassion: “The laity of our Church are moved to act on behalf of those in need because they have come to know Christ in the depths of their own suffering.” — “Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium,” page 5, USCCB, Washington, D.C.

    Being followers of Christ does not mean that life will be easy, pain-free or conflict-free. It is in Baptism that Christians are united to Christ’s Death and Resurrection. In Mark’s Gospel, Christ said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus freely and completely entered into our human condition … enduring excruciating suffering in His Passion and Death.

    In Romans 5, we learn: “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” The Good News is that Jesus has not abandoned us — He is with us today helping us to endure our burdens.

    In his encyclical “Spe Salvi,” Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “Hence in all human suffering we are joined by One who experiences and carries that suffering with us; hence con-solatio is present in all suffering, the consolation of God’s compassionate love — and so the star of hope rises. Hope is trusting that God will fulfill His promises even during difficult struggles. Certainly, in our many sufferings and trials we always need the lesser and greater hopes too — a kind visit, the healing of internal and external wounds, a favorable resolution of a crisis, and so on.”

    Pope Benedict encourages each of us “to know that I can always continue to hope, even if in my own life, or the historical period in which I am living, there seems to be nothing left to hope for. Only the great certitude of hope that my own life and history in general, despite all failures, are held firm by the indestructible power of Love, and that this gives them their meaning and importance, only this kind of hope can then give the courage to act and to persevere.” — “Spe Salvi,” 35.

    Reflection Questions:
    • In what ways are you called to care for some segment of human need?
    • How does your life experience, including suffering, equip you to carry on Christ’s healing ministry?
    • Father Kummer states, “We cannot fix everything.” How do you personally cope with situations that cannot be fixed?
    • For what do you most hope? What kind of hope gives you “the courage to act and to persevere?”

    Closing prayer
    Lord, our God, help us to walk with You on the pathway of the beatitudes and to live out Your mission in today’s world. Bind us to all men and women so that together we may bring the Good News to the ends of the earth. Open our hearts and our communities to the needy, the afflicted and the oppressed. May we radiate the Living Christ and transform our lives in the hope of the Resurrection. This prayer we make to You, our living God, now and forever. Amen.

    — “Prayer for Mission” No. 2: adapted from the Web site: www.catholic.org/prayers

    Posted on March 24, 2010, to:

  • Immersed in the Word of God

    Opening/Closing Song:
    “How Great Thou Art” (Gather Comprehensive No. 494); “Center of My Life” (No. 598); “You Are Near” (No. 604)

    Opening Prayer:
    Prayer for Priests
    Gracious and loving God, we thank You for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience Your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for Your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
    Inspire them with the vision of Your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of Your divine grace.
    We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.
    — From the Web site: www.catholicdaughters.org

    Excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Priests:
    In today’s world, as in the troubled times of the Curé of Ars, the lives and activity of priests need to be distinguished by a determined witness to the Gospel. Lest we experience existential emptiness and the effectiveness of our ministry be compromised, we need to ask ourselves ever anew: “Are we truly pervaded by the Word of God? Is that Word truly the nourishment we live by, even more than bread and the things of this world? Do we really know that Word? Do we love it? Are we deeply engaged with this Word to the point that it really leaves a mark on our lives and shapes our thinking?”

    Commentary from Father Mark Gurtner, pastor, St. Anthony de Padua, South Bend:
    Personally, I live these words out in my life as a priest by making a Holy Hour of Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament each day. I find that the time that I spend each day before the Real Presence of Jesus, who is the living “Word of God,” melts away fear, discouragement and listlessness in the pursuit of pastoral ministry. Also, by meditating during this time on the written Word of God in the Scriptures, the Word of God comes alive with meaning, especially as I prepare for homilies.

    Also, I believe that every human is susceptible to this feeling of “existential emptiness” of which the pope speaks. This means that we can fall prey to a sense of lack of meaning and purpose in life. However, by immersing ourselves in the Word of God, this cloud of despair disperses, and we find ourselves basking in the full glow of God’s love. This ultimately is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives — being close to God.

    Renewal
    Father Gurtner’s comments speak to the need of priests to continually renew themselves in the presence of God in order to lead and nourish the people of God. They — and we — are challenged by the words of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, a doctor of the Church, who said as a very young priest: “We must begin by purifying ourselves before purifying others; we must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close to others, be sanctified to sanctify, lead by the hand and counsel prudently” — CCC, No. 1589.

    Both priests and laity have a responsibility to continually renew themselves in the presence of God. Father Gurtner spends time each day before the presence of Jesus in the tabernacle so that he may remain close to the living Word of God. We can also avail ourselves of the opportunities in many parishes for visitation or daily Mass to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

    Moments of prayer
    Another way to renew ourselves is to become more aware that God is always present to us — even when we may not be present to God. Once we understand that we can turn to God in every moment of every day, the possibilities for renewing ourselves in the Word of God are limited only by our awareness and commitment.

    Fostering a closer relationship with God can be done in myriad ways. As soon as we awaken or as we shower or drive, we can thank God for the opportunity to live another day in service to Him and others. Noticing the beauty of the seasons and giving praise to God for His wonderful creations can give rise to spontaneous prayer. As we engage in our daily work or play, we can often turn to God as our constant companion. Finally, we can end each day by quietly reflecting on the day’s events in a short examination of conscience, thanking God for whatever good was accomplished and asking forgiveness for shortcomings.

    As Father Gurtner says, immersing ourselves in God’s Word helps us realize God’s great love for us and dispels fear and anxiety in becoming determined witnesses to the Gospel. For both clergy and laity, being close to God is indeed what gives ultimate purpose and meaning to our lives!

    Reflection questions by Pope Benedict XVI:
    • Are we truly pervaded by the Word of God? Is that Word truly the nourishment we live by, even more than bread and the things of this world?
    • Do we really know that Word? Do we love it?
    • Are we deeply engaged with this Word to the point that it really leaves a mark on our lives and shapes our thinking?

    Closing prayer
    God of love and mercy, You call us to be Your people; You gift us with Your abundant grace. Make us a holy people, radiating the fullness of Your love. Form us into a community, a people who care, expressing Your compassion. Remind us day after day of our baptismal call to serve, with joy and courage. Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace and joy in Your presence. Through Jesus in Your Spirit, we make this prayer. Amen.
    — Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium, “A Prayer,” page v, © 1995, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, D.C.

    Posted on March 16, 2010, to:

  • Quiet and silent — Prayers for unity

    In this Year for Priests, we asked both a retired and an active priest to share with us their perspectives on priestly unity. Msgr. Lester died Feb. 20 and had submitted the reflection prior to his illness.

    Opening/Closing song:
    “Pan de Vida” (Gather Comprehensive, No. 848); “The Church’s One Foundation” (No. 661)
    Opening prayer:

    Prayer for Priests
    Gracious and loving God, we thank You for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience Your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for Your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

    Inspire them with the vision of Your kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of Your divine grace.
    We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.
    — From the Web site: www.catholicdaughters.org

    Excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Priests:
    May his (St. John Mary Vianney’s) example lead all priests to offer that witness of unity with their bishop, with one another and with the lay faithful, which today, as ever, is so necessary.

    Commentary from Msgr. J. William Lester, Vicar for Retired Clergy
    It is quiet, it is silent, and it is what the rubric calls “inaudible.” It is the prayer that the priest says in that moment when he pauses before he receives the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, a sacramental moment when he receives of the very Sacrifice that he has affected through the offerings of the Mass, their consecration, and now their reception.
    That silent prayer, short but full of intense adoration ends, in the following way: “Keep me faithful to Your teaching, and never let me be parted from You.” Priests from all over the world are saying that beautiful prayer, and never could each one be united with the other priests of the world in a more meaningful way.

    The unity of the priesthood is first the unity of all priests with Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer. From this unity flow all other relationships that exist so beautifully between priests everywhere. We are one with each other because we are one in Jesus Christ, at the altar, and in the precious moments of life that God gives each one of us to fulfill.

    Keep me faithful to Your teaching …
    It is the Lord who gives us the command to preach the Gospel to every nation. It is remarkable that any human being could have such a direct and challenging commission. Given first to the Apostles, this commission is still alive and working in the hearts of the members of the Church of Christ. Peter was to be the head of the Apostles. Today his direct successor is Pope Benedict XVI. He is supported by the apostolic succession of all those who have received the fullness of the priesthood, the bishops, who are united with the Holy Father in expressing the teachings of Christ throughout the world. It is the unity of the magisterium that gives validation to the teachings of Christ by all the priests, especially to the teachings of the priests who are united to the bishop in the fullness of his priesthood. He shares the unity of the priesthood with all priests who serve under, with or in company with him. It is a great unity that binds us together in fidelity to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
    … and never let me be parted from You.

    The priest moves in many directions in his daily duties. He may find himself in many diverse situations, but he always strives to have Jesus with him. To carry the Gospel into the world is no easy task, and it can occupy many diverse sides of the life and personality of the priest.

    You will find a priest almost anywhere and doing anything. He first of all must be seen as a man of prayer, and one who brings the Mass and sacraments to his people. This is his crowning glory and most important facet of his life. Never does he want to be parted from this. But he also might be a teacher, a psychologist, a physician, a golfer or he may love to shoot baskets — if he is from Indiana. But in all things, he is to be united with Jesus Christ. He finds his unity with all priests in the unity he has with Jesus Christ.

    “Ecce quam bonum, et quam jucundum, habitare fratres in unum.” (“Behold how good, how happy, to dwell, brothers in unity.”) May this be the glory of our priesthood: To dwell in unity with Jesus Christ and all our brother priests.

    Commentary from Father Tom Shoemaker, active priest, pastor, St. Jude Parish, Fort Wayne:
    Pope Benedict XVI, in declaring this “Year for Priests,” drew upon the inspiration of St. Jean Vianney. He prayed, “May his example lead all priests to offer that witness of unity with their bishop, with one another and with the lay faithful.”
    We have had unusual opportunities this year in our diocese to reflect upon our unity with the bishop, our shepherd. Our relationship with our bishop has been highlighted in Sunday homilies and at every level of catechesis as we have experienced the retirement of Bishop John M. D’Arcy and the installation of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. We now look forward to Bishop Rhoades’ first visit to the parish and to the chrism Mass when priests will clearly repeat our promise of obedience to the new bishop.

    Our priests have worked for unity among themselves during this special year through days of continuing education and prayer focusing on St. Jean Vianney and the priesthood. In our gatherings and social times together, and especially as we laid hands and welcomed the two young men just ordained to the priesthood, we have strengthened our unity in the priesthood.

    Efforts for unity with priests and laity are the easiest to identify. We live together in our parishes. We work together in teaching, in caring for the poor, and in providing ministries in our parishes. And most important, we join together daily in the Eucharist. It is here that the Church truly is one. Christ Jesus makes us so.

    Reflection questions
    • What is our understanding of unity in the Church today?
    • What can we do to support the ministry and unity of the ordained priesthood?
    • How can we witness to Church unity in our daily lives?

    Closing prayer
    Lord, our God, help us to walk with You on the pathway of the beatitudes and to live out Your mission in today’s world. Bind us to all men and women so that together we may bring the Good News to the ends of the earth. Open our hearts and our communities to the needy, the afflicted and the oppressed. May we radiate the Living Christ and transform our lives in the hope of the Resurrection. This prayer we make to You, our living God, now and forever. Amen.
    — Prayer for Mission No. 2: adapted from the Web site: www.catholic.org/prayers

    Posted on March 9, 2010, to:

  • Loving submission

    Opening/closing song:
    “Blest are They” (Gather Comprehensive, No. 659); “We Are Called” (No. 718)

    Opening prayer
    Prayer for Priests
    Gracious and loving God, we thank You for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience Your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for Your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

    Inspire them with the vision of Your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of Your divine grace.

    We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.
    — From the Web site: www.catholicdaughters.org

    Excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Priests:
    In Jesus, person and mission tend to coincide: All Christ’s saving activity was, and is, an expression of his “filial consciousness” which from all eternity stands before the Father in an attitude of loving submission to his will. In a humble yet genuine way, every priest must aim for a similar identification.

    Commentary from Father Daryl Rybicki, pastor, Corpus Christi, South Bend
    Of the many obligations and responsibilities that a priest is asked to fulfill, perhaps the greatest challenge flows out of the vow or promise of obedience that each priest makes on the day of his ordination. Kneeling before the bishop, who wraps his hands around those of the newly-ordained, the priest hears: “Do you promise obedience and respect to me and my successors?”

    While some people may feel that the vow of celibacy or some other promise that a priest must make might be the most difficult, the promise of obedience looms large, since it involves a “dying to self” for the sake of the Gospel and the Kingdom. Jesus outlines the plan of discipleship for all believers, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For, whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.” — Mk 8: 34b–35

    The priest, in the vow of obedience, loses his life for the sake of Christ, Christ’s people and the Gospel he is called to proclaim and preach. In this sense, the priest truly acts in persona Christi (“in the person of Christ”), who humbled Himself in obedience to the Father’s will, “becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” for the salvation of all. — Phil 2:8 Like Jesus, the priest, too, must die to himself, to his own self-interests, to his own ambitions for the sake of the Gospel and the people of God.

    True humility
    In our contemporary culture, humility and obedience are not always considered virtues. In fact, they are often considered negative traits, things to be avoided. Father Daryl references the Second Letter to the Philippians, in which St. Paul beautifully defines Jesus’ humility: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” — Phil 2:4-8.

    In this Scripture passage, we see that humility can be a very positive way of living in God’s Holy Spirit. In daily life, true humility helps us be realistic about our individual strengths and weaknesses. True humility leads to:

    • Self-confidence and peace: “I know who I am, and I’m okay with that,”
    • Joy: “God made me and loves me for who I am,” and
    • Community: “I’m comfortable working with others for the sake of the Gospel.”

    In St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, we see that, even in the time of the first Christians, the worldly sense of humility was used as a way to conceal “selfish ambition or vain conceit.” We contrast that to humility in the manner of Christ who “made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.”

    Humbleness and
    obedience
    When we live in a spirit of humility, we act with humbleness and obedience. Again, we can contrast humbleness in the eyes of the world (“equality with God something to be grasped”) with humbleness in the eyes of God (“He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!”)

    As always, Jesus is our guide. During Lent we walk with Jesus’ on His path of humble obedience. Living our lives with humility and acting with humble obedience is counter-cultural in the eyes of the world, but in reality it leads us to unity with Christ and to community with the people of God.

    Like Jesus, like Father Daryl, we must all die to ourselves, to our own self–interests, to our own ambitions for the sake of the Gospel and the people of God. And, of course, we are promised that our reward for true humility of spirit and humbleness of action is to one day join Christ in giving glory to God in heaven!

    Reflection questions
    • Why is it so hard to humble ourselves in obedience to God’s will?
    • How do we feel about the spirit of humility and the actions of humbleness? About the virtue and actions of obedience?
    • What are some concrete ways we can die to our ambitions for the sake of the Gospel?

    Closing prayer
    God of love and mercy, You call us to be Your people; You gift us with Your abundant grace. Make us a holy people, radiating the fullness of Your love. Form us into a community, a people who care, expressing Your compassion. Remind us day after day of our baptismal call to serve, with joy and courage. Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace and joy in Your presence. Through Jesus in Your Spirit, we make this prayer. Amen.
    — Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium, “A Prayer,” page v, © 1995, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, D.C.

    Posted on March 3, 2010, to: