This past week, cable news and talk radio played a recording of the project’s sponsor, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, in which he states that the US has more innocent Muslim blood on its hands than Al Quaeda has innocent non-Muslim blood on its hands. The statement was met with shock and outrage. How could the Imam claim that America is responsible for killing innocents? The victims on 9-11, as well as others throughout the world, were innocents, non-combatants, unwary bystanders deliberately and brutally murdered in an instant conflagration of impact, explosion and jet fuel. Others have died in a hail of nails, flack and stones at high velocity from a desperate and often deluded suicide bomber.

Imam Feisal was wrong, and right at the same time. He was wrong because he claimed that 500,000 children died as a result of US sanctions against Iran and Iraq. He claimed the UN had proof. Those numbers seem exaggerated, but I cannot prove that, just a hunch. Nevertheless, there is no moral equivalency between the mass murders of 9-11 and deaths that inadvertently resulted from measures designed to bring an end to a dictatorship’s threats to world peace and repression of its own citizens, including children. It is always a tragedy when innocents die, but the intention of the sanctions was not to kill children, it was to protect innocents. If the sanctions were a failure, that does not retroactively transform an effort to protect life into an act of murder. Therefore, the Imam was wrong.

But when the Imam said that the US has more innocent blood on its hands than Al Qiada has on its, he was tragically, regretfully, and even shockingly, right. The US allows, funds and even encourages by law what no Muslim country does – the deliberate and brutal killing of her own innocent children before, during and after birth. Not only is this reprehensible crime against human life permitted, it is promoted by politicians and courts as a necessary component of the economy. The most innocent, vulnerable and promising members of the community are regularly poisoned, burned, decapitated and suffocated inside and outside the womb. After they’re dead, and sometimes before, they are cut to pieces and sent down the garbage disposal. Even though many are given a death certificate, they’re routinely denied burial. This happens about 3,700 times a day in the USA. In addition, abortion injuries to women, sometimes causing their deaths, go unreported and are not prosecuted.

I know Imam Feisal, I have traveled in Muslim countries and I have spoken with Muslim people here and there. Abortion (forbidden by Muslim law for all but a threat to the mothers life), as well as our open practice of sexual abuse and disregard for modesty and chastity, scares them. Ancient cultures know there are dire consequences for sexual irresponsibility – abortion, sexual disease, and the suffering that results from adultery etc, is a real threat to common folk struggling to care for their families. The US foists a disregard for marriage and sexual irresponsibility on traditional cultures around the world by funding abortion promoters like planned parenthood. That threatens traditional cultures and lives.

So I’m sorry to say that my friend, Imam Feisal was wrong and right. Wrong – the sanctions were not designed to kill Muslim children, right, the US has more innocent blood on its hands than Al Quaeda.

Introduction: The Feast of the Assumption celebrates Mary’s journey to Heaven – body and soul. It includes two very important aspects of this event: Mary’s dormition (or her “sleep”, rather than death) and her coronation as Queen of Heaven.
So let’s quickly review the Church’s teaching is this regard –
-A long and ancient tradition tells us that Mary did not die – as we normally do – but ended her earthly life when she “fell asleep” and was “assumed” into Heaven. This tradition is very early, by the fifth century AD. Why did it develop? The Church reasoned, and Revelation confirmed, that Mary was conceived without original sin. Since death and corruption were the result of sin’s effects, Mary must have been assumed into Heaven. Pope Pius XII affirmed that this is the belief of the Church.
I. What does Mary’s Assumption teach, or show us?
I think it brilliantly affirms the dignity, even the glory of womanhood, and in particular, the vocation of woman:
1. Mary was/is a daughter (we know her parents, Joachim and Anna).
2. Mary was/is a cousin (in ancient times cousins were as close as sisters) And we know her cousin, Elizabeth.
3. Mary was/is a wife (we know her husband, Joseph).
4. Mary was/is a mother (we know her Son).
5. Mary was/is free, she said “Yes” of her own accord, constrained by no one).
6. Mary was/is a Virgin (The Church tells us she made a perpetual vow of virginity)
So, do you see in these all the aspects of womanhood? How Mary so wondrously reflects all the dimensions of woman’s vocation? The joys and sorrows – the fulfillments and disappointments associated with the vast variety of responsibilities and realities of woman’s life.
John Paul II wrote “Mary, the woman of the Bible, is the most complete expression of this dignity and vocation.” (JP II, Mulieris Dignitatem).
II. The Assumption demonstrates the enduring nature of woman’s relationships: Pope Benedict recently wrote –
As a spiritual being, the human creature is defined through interpersonal relations. The more authentically he or she lives these relations, the more his or her own personal identity matures.
-The encounter with Elizabeth shows the joys of being a woman, a sister, a friend (a girl-¬friend), a wife and a mother (in this case, mother-to-be).
There is a distinct dynamic when women get together with one another. Men, you know what I’m talking about! In fact, so dynamic that when the women get together the men tend to flee the scene (we find Nascar racing and Professional Wrestling less intimidating than a baby shower!).
**Back when we were expecting our twins, we were confronted by demonstrators who opposed our pro-life efforts – and they were chanting, “We’re feminist, we’re fierce and we’re in your face!” – To which my wife and her girlfriend responded, “We’re pregnant, we’re hungry, get out of our way!” – Now that’s scary!
Mary’s and Elizabeth’s role as wife and mother was not a disease or a disability. It was intrinsic and indispensable to the Gospel and is still today essential to the administration of the saving mission of the Church.
Conclusion:
Mary’s Assumption shows us that there is no contradiction or deficiency in the variety of woman’s roles, but that each contributes to her essential value and dignity. In fact, the woman’s personality and roles uniquely reflect the personality and roles of God. Whose is the first face the child beholds and embrace the child enjoys? Mother, nurse, provider.
Is this perhaps why the Psalmist wrote –
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The Almighty is one of the most sacred names of God in the OT, from the Hebrew word Sha’ad, meaning “breasts”.
In The Dignity of Woman, John Paul II wrote –
The Bible convinces us of the fact that one can have no adequate interpretation of man, or of what is “human”, without appropriate reference to what is “feminine”. There is an analogy in the Gospel: if we wish to understand it fully in relation to the whole of human history, we cannot omit, in the perspective of our faith, the mystery of “woman”: virgin-mother-spouse.

Fr. Groeschel greets me after my talk at Franciscan U

May Jesus Christ be praised,

Now and forever. Amen!

With that salutation, Cardinal Rigali set the tone for the Defending the Faith Conference at Franciscan University this past weekend.  About 1500 people (including highly dedicated and hardworking students and volunteers) gathered in a spirit of openness and docility toward the rich treasures of the Magisterium of the Church. There was a very fervent and sincere attitude of worship, discipleship and love of God and one another. It was a joyous, hopeful and even hilarious (some speakers were fabulous comedians) gathering.

I was asked by Professor Scott Hahn to come and give two talks: the first I called “Raising Heaven at the High Court: spiritual developments in the United States Supreme Court) and the second was the story of my family and my journey from Judaism to Evangelical Protestantism to the Catholic Church which I called “My glorious journey of faith.” I was so warmly received and the people were generous in giving me the attention in charity (I spoke for too long a time!).

Afterward, I had so many wonderful conversations and prayer. The highlight was hearing confessions in the Christ the King Chapel and – to my amazement and surprise, when I was finished with my first talk, I turned to leave the platform and there was Father Benedict Groeschel, a living saint, who had come up to the platform to greet me, and I was able to obtain his blessing!

With each celebration I found my hunger and desire for the Sacrament of the Altar to be increased, rather than depleted. This experience led me to reflect on the importance of frequent Mass attendance and communion.

At the same time I wondered I’d some people deliberately stay away from Mass for fear that it might be come too familiar and “boring.” Which led me to another train of thought: certain things, especially the Mass, are intrinsically enjoyable – in other words, it isn’t any one aspect of the Mass – the music, the sermon, the language – that makes it enjoyable, but its totality and meaning in and of itself – that is the basis of its enjoyment.

The Mass is an intensely intimate encounter with the living, truly Present Christ – which is to say a simultaneous encounter with the Incarnation and  the Trinity. It shouldn’t be possible then, if someone believes, and is properly disposed and focused on the drama enacted and made real, to be “bored”.

Our Lord is there, present at and on the Altar, offering himself for our salvation, and then making himself   available to us in Holy Communion.

I’ve wanted to put up on the church marquis: “This Sunday, live and in person: Jesus Christ!” After all, its true at every true Mass….

Yesterday the news was that Thailand is trying to crackdown on Western child sex tourism there.

The whole idea of a child sex tourism market is shocking and frightening. Frightening for the children who are its victims, but just as frightening that there are enough people of means to keep a child sex tourism market going – and growing.

Where is this coming from – and how have we reached this low moral point?

For forty years, beginning with the birth control pill, we’ve been steadily objectifying and “commodifying” children.

Children became commodities to be acquired (e.g., the “wanted child” became the only “valuable” child). The unwanted was the throw away, just like the Ford Pinto or the 8 track tape player or the analogue TV set.

So children were objectified and commodified. If the only valued children were the wanted ones, then the only wanted ones were the ones that brought pleasure – the pleasure of companionship, entertainment, satisfaction.

Is it any wonder than that some people would include physical pleasure, and some of them, sexual pleasure?

Once I read an article in the NYT that defended the “pro-choice” position on abortion that said for life to be truly life, it must be “loved, wanted, nurtured and chosen” – otherwise, it wasn’t truly alive.

Is it any wonder that such an idea could easily become “in order for life to be truly life, one must bring pleasure to another?”

Children are not commodities to be acquired or instruments of pleasure to be exploited.

They are unique, unrepeatable images of God and are thereby expressions of ultimate love and have a right to be loved for their own sakes, and not because of what they do or don’t do for anybody else, including their parents.

St. Maria Goretti valiantly defended her dignity and uniqueness against her attacker, who by the way was no stranger, but a friend as close as a relative.

Today’s Gospel reports “at the sight of the crowd, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity…because they were troubled and abandoned.”

-In an era of contraception, abortion and sex-tourism, there is a troubled and abandoned generation of children who are children of God created in His image and deserving of our love, respect and protection.

Anything less is a sin, against them and against God, not to mention ourselves.

Well, according to the Catechism, it seems the proper title is “The Sacrament of Penance”, which includes confession (and contrition) and together with absolution makes up the “Rite of Reconciliation”. However you call it – as a priest, I love the confessional. I would stay there all day, and into the night, if it were possible. The Eucharist is of course the greatest of the sacraments, and celebrating at the altar has no equal. But Penance is a very close runner up.

The Confessional for a priest is an intensely personal encounter between Christ (in persona christi) and the penitent. What strikes me most as I sit to “hear” confessions, is the deep and intense desire of the penitent to be made “right with God.” The penitent knows that his (or her) sin has offended God and come between them. As a priest, I can feel the grief that underlies the confession.

The penitent’s confession, acceptance of penance (the “sentence” if you will) and act of contrition (expression of sorrow, repentance and resolution not to sin and avoid even the near occasion of sin), fills me as a priest with hope. To know that there are countless true believers (and even some agnostics) who want to do right by God and His moral law, want to treat their fellow human beings with dignity and respect, and ultimately want to follow a path in life that will make them better people and lead them along to heaven where there will be no sin, is a source of incomparable encouragement.

One more thing I like about Confession – when I “absolve” the penitent of his (or her) sins, I can feel the relief pour over and through them, the same relief I experience in the confessional. That’s right – as a priest I too go to “confession”, “penance” and “reconciliation” – all three, as often as I need to and as often as I can.

That’s whats “Right” about “Reconciliation”.

The worship tent was packed. I announced that Reconciliation would be available before Mass began, I allowed a half hour and the line was so long I had to cut it off to start Mass. I announced that I’d continue hearing confessions after Mass…wait till you hear what happened!

So I blessed a bucket of water at the beginning of Mass and used a wisk broom to hurl holy water out on the crowd…people were jumping for joy as they got a full splash in their face or back of their neck or top of the head…glorious!

My son Isaac served, a wonderful anointed worship band headed by Tim Card, a local youth minister, led the music…

A glorious Eucharistic encounter with the Lord, many non-Catholic believers came forward arms crossed for a blessing – when Mass was over I remembered…I announced, “Reconciliation is this way….”

And hour and a half later…I absolved the last penitent…it was so intense and deeply moving I was sorry to see it end…I heard “Bless me father for I have sinned, my last confession was sixteen years ago..” “My last confession was twelve years ago…” “My last confession was three years ago…”

Glorious, glorious….to sit In persona Christi and as the prodigal’s father thinking, “Rejoice, my child who was dead is alive…”
Simply glorious…

Now on to hurl Holy Water at Creation West in Washington State…Mass is Saturday, July 24. Confessions before and after…

If you can join me go to www.creationfest.com

PCBS

PS: Its wonderful when Catholic believers attend the Mass at Creation. Many Evangelical young people are drawn to the Fathers, the Sacraments and especially the Eucharist. In fact, many Evangelical young people came for Reconciliation (we prayed and I gave them a blessing) …

PCBS

For a video of the ordination of Fr. Paul Schenck: http://gallery.me.com/robschenck#101544

Paul and Rebecca Schenck have been married for 33 years and have 8 children. He was ordained a Catholic priest under a provision begun in 1980 by Pope John Paul II that allowed married men with families to be admitted to the priesthood. He is the first married priest for the central Pennsylvania Diocese.