Tag Archives: postaday2011

March 13, 2012 · 5:16 pm

on wings and prayers

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence; hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air…

On Friday, hubby and I attended our nephew’s Wings Ceremony. Sixteen young men and women were presented with their Royal Canadian Air Force Advanced Military Pilot Wings. A short biography was read as each graduate marched forward, describing their academic and military journey to this point.

We were bursting with family pride. My father is a pilot. My brother is a retired Military pilot, now flying for Air Canada. It was just over thirty years ago that we attended his Wings Ceremony in Moosejaw, Canada – home of the famed Snowbirds. Now, he was pinning the Wings on his son’s uniform.

The military ceremony was dense with protocol; the marching, the salutes, and the deference given to commanding officers. Uniforms and flags gave a burst of color to an otherwise colorless hanger. Bag-pipes and drums stirred hearts during the march past of students. Gleaming helicopters and planes on the perimeter of the parade floor nudged us earth-bound mortals to day-dreaming glories of flight; a dream realized for these young women and men.

It takes many years of hard work and dedication to become a military pilot. It will take ongoing training and work to gain and maintain credentials for each new craft flown. And during the graduation speeches, we were reminded of the reality of an Air Force pilot’s career. One day they might be flying over the Canadian prairies, the next week they could be over Haiti, Afghanistan, or Libya.

Whether close to home, on peace-keeping missions, or in the midst of war, the men and women of our armed forces take risks that most of us never face – or would want to face. They deserve and need our ongoing support…and, our daily prayers.


Up, Up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

High Flight

by Jon Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Pilot Officer, RCAF — 1941

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February 2, 2012 · 11:23 am

feast of the presentation and the prophet anna

Twenty-nine years ago today, hubby and I embarked on our parenting journey. Our first-born entered the world with  healthy lungs announcing his displeasure at the sudden change of venue. We joked about him seeing his shadow and wanting to go back for six more weeks of snoozing. When hubby began the round of phone calls to share the good news, mention was made of it being Groundhog Day. But it was our dear Benedictine friend, Sr. Grace, who gently reminded us that it was also the Feast of the Presentation.

Luke’s gospel story of Mary and Joseph presenting the baby Jesus in the temple is filled with rich words and memorable characters. (Luke 2: 22-39)  I always had a fondness for the prophet, Anna. She spent a mere 7 years with her husband, and was a widow until 84. Her days were spent praying and fasting in the temple.

Do you know an Anna? Our parish has been blessed with many Anna’s over the years. These are the faithful and faith-filled women who form the small remnant of weekday mass goers. They are present at every Eucharistic Adoration or extra prayer service. They arrive early, and leave late in order to pray more. They are the ones with the tattered prayer books and worn-out rosary beads. In our parish it was Anne, Pearl, Kay, Catherine, Helen, Tessie, Kate and more. When we first came to the parish, 30 years ago, some were already widows. Some are still alive today. Others have joined the glorious communion of saints, still joining their prayers with all holy women and men across time.

My favorite Benedictine community also had its Anna’s. These elder nuns were no longer able to participate in active ministry. But, they spent hours in the chapel praying for all.

Of course, we cannot forget the Simeon’s. But the men in the temple are usually front and center, so it is not easy to forget them. Today let’s remember, with gratitude, all the quiet women prophets in our midst.

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February 1, 2012 · 2:23 pm

silence and word

Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves. By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested…

(MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS, POPE BENEDICT XVI, FOR THE 46th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY:  Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization)

A couple of weeks ago, the hard-drive on my lap-top crashed. The repaired computer has returned home. My data was saved and restored, but I’m still in the process of down-loading all the necessary software. My mind is filled with usernames, account keys, and passwords. Meanwhile, I’m overwhelmed with tasks that were lost in cyber-space, and projects that are now even further behind schedule.

So, I needed a writing break. Writing helps me to center mind and heart. But, what should I write about? What do I need to hear to help me in the midst of a chaotic week?

During my daily web-surf of catholic and world news, I came across this amazing piece. Pope Benedict’s message for World Communications Day calls us all to seek silence. For those who delight in social communications, it seems a paradoxical message. Letting our voices be heard is the whole purpose of blogging, Face-booking, Twittering, and online discussing. Isn’t it? But what is the value of speaking if no one is listening? What is the use of listening if we don’t have the opportunity to enrich the discussion?

Respectful silence is at the heart of dialogue. This does not mean merely “biting our tongue”. It means listening deeply to the other. It means trying our best to understand without formulating instant responses and judgments.

I think that BXVI has a real winner with this message on Silence and Word. It’s a message I needed to hear. I hope to explore it further in the next few blog posts…

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January 26, 2012 · 2:26 pm

The unconscionable consequences of conscience exemptions | National Catholic Reporter

The unconscionable consequences of conscience exemptions | National Catholic Report

This Canadian woman spends too much time musing on American politics, especially when they intersect with the Catholic Church. This week’s news story on the Obama administration’s refusal to allow a religious exemption for health insurance coverage for contraception has me intrigued. I take universal health care for granted. What is available to one, is available to all – regardless of religious affiliation. Each person has the right to accept or refuse a procedure or treatment.

It’s not that Canadian’s don’t struggle balancing religious rights and civil rights. We have learned the hard way that tolerance needs guide-lines. With the passing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, a Pandora’s box was opened to outrageous claims hiding behind the right to freedom of religion and expression. The courts have tried to uphold the basic belief that individual freedoms cannot endanger or infringe on the freedoms and rights of others. It’s not always easy or clear cut.

Abortion is still a hotly debated topic in Canada, usually during election times.  Abortion deserves serious attention and ongoing dialogue whether it has been legalized or not.  Access to contraception, on the other hand, is a non-issue in the public forum. And, it is a non-issue for most Catholics. I can’t recall ever hearing a pastor preach on Humane Vitae from the pulpit. That’s why I’m so fascinated with this American news story. Is this really a case of anti-Catholic behaviour on the part of the government? Are Catholics’ rights really being impeded? Are the bishops in tune with the majority of folks sitting in the pews?

Earlier this week, I mentioned a well written editorial by David DeCosse. He explains the model of conscience used by the bishops compared to the traditional model of conscience espoused by moral theologians. The former focuses on obedience and authority; no questions asked. The latter on personal freedom and the responsibility that comes with it. Now, Jamie L. Manson has added another valuable voice to the dialogue. It’s a worthy read!

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January 24, 2012 · 10:56 am

pelvic politics, cont’d

The term “pelvic politics” describes the perception of an unbalanced emphasis on sexual issues by some bishops and conservative Catholics. Church teachings on birth control, abortion, gay marriage, co-habitation, celibacy and a male-only priesthood all become a litmus test for identifying a faithful Catholic. Too often, the test becomes a weapon of righteous judgment and condemnation. Sitting on the wrong side of the orthodoxy fence can deny you a church wedding, election support, or employment in church run institutions. Ecclesial promotions for ordained members are dependent on their public support of these teachings. In extreme cases, excommunications have been meted out to those who have publicly questioned or not supported them; usually by extremely-minded bishops.

Yesterday’s post included this quote from David DeCosse,

the bishops’ emphasis on law as the pre-eminent category of conscience means that they leave little room for practical reasoning to help the conscience figure out what to do in the face of complexity.

For me, of all the issues listed here, the one that is most black and white is that of abortion. It is not a form of contraception. It’s the intentional killing of an unborn child. And yet, there are cases that reflect the “face of complexity”; cases that show the moral dilemma that must be faced in the grey in between. Cases that need a wise mind and compassionate heart to discern what is right and wrong in a specific situation.

What about the woman in Phoenix who was 11 weeks pregnant with her fifth child and suffered heart failure? What about the nine year old girl in Brazil, raped and impregnated by her stepfather? In both cases, an abortion was performed to save the life of the mother. In both cases, excommunications were declared on all those involved (except for the young girl due to her age). Instead of praising the Church’s moral superiority and conviction, these stories showed to the world a Church lacking in compassion and understanding.

It is easy to raise the accusatory banner of hypocrisy at pharisaic church leaders who place heavy burdens on us while sexually abusing or covering up the abuse of others. It is difficult to listen to sermons on the importance of marriage and fidelity when stories appear of bishops having long term relationships and fathering children. Righteous rants on the “intrinsic evil” of homosexuality ring hollow, when the presence of homosexuality in the ranks of the ordained is ignored or denied.

But anger will get us nowhere. We need to stop and take a breath, together, and revisit the gospel call to life. Where should our focus be?

Up here, in the great white north, the words of the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau still resound in the psyche of our modern history. In 1967, as a young Justice Minister, he introduced an Omnibus Bill in the House of Commons that included decriminalizing homosexual acts performed in private, telling reporters “there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.” His intention was good. But, we still need moral guide-lines and laws to support them. In Canada, we have seen the dangers of human rights and freedoms going amuck when pedophiles demand the right to own child pornography. Or white-supremacists hide behind freedom of speech to spread their hatred and pass it on to their children.

The state and the church do have a place in the bedrooms of the nation when those bedrooms hide sexual abuse and rape. We have the moral obligation to denounce and prosecute those who kidnap or buy and sell humans into sexual slavery. We must insist that the possession, itself, of child pornography is wrong; because behind the pictures are real children being exploited.

In this time of global violence and injustice, it’s time for Catholics to stop being the religion of ‘nay’ and begin truly promoting a culture of life that acknowledges the face of complexity of our modern times. Too many issues are being ignored while we continue to count the number of angels dancing on the proverbial pin head.

It’s interesting that while church leaders are still debating the moral use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa, Women Religious around the world are banding together to stop human trafficking.

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January 23, 2012 · 12:05 pm

pelvic politics

A mighty debate is taking place in the USA between the Obama administration and the Roman Catholic hierarchy. The issue revolves around religious freedom and the right of Catholic institutions to exclude coverage of contraceptives in their health care plans. On January 20th it was announced that the religious exemption is not in effect. All nonprofits that presently do not provide contraceptive coverage will have one’s years grace to comply with the new regulation.

As you can imagine, internet discussion boards and editorials are heating up on both sides of the issue. Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter wrote an especially scathing piece titled J’ACCUSE! Why Obama is wrong on the HHS conscience regulations, going so far as to withdraw his vote for Obama. The ensuing discussion board makes for an interesting read – though an extremely l-o-n-g one. A rough survey of responses shows more people siding with the right to a woman’s access to contraception than those who stand up for the teachings of Humanae Vitae.

The best responses, I believe, are those that look beyond the polarizing rhetoric of good Catholic-bad Catholic. The core issue is whether we believe in our personal freedom of conscience. I believe in it, but it comes with responsibilities. (see an informed conscience…please!)

Bishops’ conscience model makes light of practical reason by David DeCosse is a well-written and logical appeal to respecting the gift of conscience,

At present, the model of conscience used by most bishops is problematic in two ways. First, it emphasizes obedience, law, and hierarchical authority and thus departs from the Catholic tradition’s close linkage of conscience, practical reason, and freedom. Second, on account of this departure, these bishops needlessly lapse into using a sectarian model of the Catholic conscience ill-suited to the Church’s mission in a democratic pluralist society like the United States.

An emphasis on obedience and law can provide an easy, black and white paradigm of morality. The Church says this…therefore if I do this and don’t do that, then I am good. But,

the bishops’ emphasis on law as the pre-eminent category of conscience means that they leave little room for practical reasoning to help the conscience figure out what to do in the face of complexity.

Almost all women and men know the “face of complexity” when it comes to conception. Discerning when to have children, and how many is not an easy issue. It has huge practical consequences that cannot be written off with a naive and pietistic pronouncement to be ‘always open to life’.

Our parents came from the generation that saw the dawning of effective birth control, but were preached to by priests of their intrinsic evil. The choice given to them was simple. Be open to raising large families, or suffer the guilt of mortal sin and eternal punishment. Raising children in a larger family is a gift. But it is not a gift to all. How many families faced physical, emotional, and economic hardships out of obedience to the law.

I also heard stories of compassionate priests who would counsel couples to “follow their own conscience” in the matter. And, God bless them!

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January 17, 2012 · 9:20 am

catholic intercessory prayer

Catholics have a well-stocked arsenal of prayer tools to bombard the heavens. There is no one, magic formula or process. We can pick and choose based on our own prayer style, personality, or mood. Here are just some examples.

The Mass is the `source and summit` of our prayer. During the Eucharistic prayers, we lift up all our intentions as we pray for the needs of the world and the Church. While each Mass is prayed for all, it can also be offered up for a special intention.

In our small town parish, the intentions are often for the deceased. We remember them by name. We pray for eternal rest for their soul. And we pray for those who mourn their loss. Mass intentions are also offered in times of need and illness, or in gratitude and thanksgiving for gifts received.

The tradition of `offering up a Mass` has been abused in the past. The sale of Masses and indulgences filled clerical coffers and helped build grand edifices. Today, the voluntary stipend offered will make no one rich. Here in Canada, mass stipends are often sent up north to help support missionary priests. In exchange, the prayer intention is remembered at the Mass.

The Rosary is probably the most recognized of Catholic prayer traditions. When sorrow is deep and words fail, the rhythmic cadence and tactility of praying the beads can bring a meditative calm. The simplicity of the rosary lends itself to uniting family and friends in group prayer without the need for a formal structure.

Novenas consist of specific prayers and devotional practices repeated for nine successive days. There are almost as many different novenas as there are needs.

Prayers to the Saints allow us to send our intentions to a heavenly specialist! Lost something? St. Anthony is your man. Have a tooth ache? St. Apollinia is your woman. Got a problem child? St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, will understand.

Are these just superstitious prayer practices? If you believe that prayer, itself, is a superstitious practice, then the answer is obvious. But if you believe in the power of prayer, then why not embrace the diversity of prayer forms available to us? Try one out that feels right for the moment. If you are a contemplative soul, a rosary can quiet the mind and heart and help lead into meditation. If you like organization and order in your life, try a novena. If you want a heavenly prayer partner, Google your intention and find a patron saint to pray with you.

At the heart of prayer, whether it is quietly sitting in the presence of God or using a more structured format,  is the actual intention to pray. And this is a good thing!

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January 16, 2012 · 12:16 pm

oh God, hear our prayer…

In our small town, death notices are posted on a bulletin board at the Post Office. Folks slow down on the way to their mail boxes to scan the names on the little cards. Being a small town, the odds of knowing the person are pretty high. After looking at the name, one looks at the age. Oh, this one lived a long life! Death is always sad, but easier to accept if the person had been blessed with the gift of many birthdays.

This past week, one card stopped many in their tracks. It announced the sudden death of a young, 28 year old man. He was a school friend of my eldest son. Hubby over-heard two elder gentlemen of the community wondering out loud about this too-young-to-die notice. What happened? Another told the sad truth. He had taken his own life.

We never have to look far for intentions to pray for.  But, sometimes our lives are hit with a tsunami of sadness. It`s one piece of bad news after another. A young father, a friend of a friend across the ocean, dies suddenly leaving behind a stunned and grieving wife and young children. Young and old battle the scourge that is cancer. Some win the battle. Too many lose it leaving behind incredible sorrow for family and friends. On Saturday, a young mother from a neighboring town slid into an oncoming semi-trailer on a winter highway and was killed instantly. Her 4 year old twins were with her, and are still in hospital.

It is easier to give a moment`s notice to sad news, and then try to let it go. Why dwell on it and make ourselves miserable? Why bring all this negative energy into our day? We have enough stresses of our own to worry about! 

Nothing we say or do will take away the horrible pain of deep loss. And, yes, thinking about the reality of loss can make us feel pretty low, even if our relationship to the person is at arm`s length or more. What, then, must the pain be like for those directly involved? The thought of losing my 28 year old son is too much to bear. How does the mother who is living this reality bear it?

Sometimes, the only thing that we can do is pray.

Praying for another is to commit to entering into the sadness, even if for a moment. It means offering them up to a loving God who always hears our prayers. It means giving words to another`s wordless grief. It is a hope that the pains we feel from a distance may in some way lessen the pain of the one who is experiencing the immediate hell and agony of suffering and loss.

It is offering a spiritual shoulder to lean on, even if the person has no idea that you are praying for them. It is joining hands with a compassionate communion of saints in circling the suffering soul with love and support.

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January 12, 2012 · 7:00 am

I`ll say a prayer for you…how?

Ray shared a wonderful story in the comment section of yesterday`s post on intercessory prayer. The story includes this line,

“What do you say, then, when you pray?” 

This is a great question! When you offer a prayer for someone, what do you say or do? How do you pray for another? How do you pray for your own needs?

Do you use memorized prayers? (We were taught by the nuns in high school to stop and pray the Catholic troika of an Our Father, Hail Mary and the Glory Be each time we heard an emergency siren. Since the school was a stone`s throw from a hospital, we had many prayer breaks during class.)

Do you pray the rosary, or novenas?

Do you compose your own petitions?

Do you ask God for a specific response? (I like to give God suggestions on the best way to answer my prayers ;-) )

Do you  think of the person, and in the silence lift them to God in mind and heart?

I would love to hear from you, and learn from your wisdom…

“What do you say, then, when you pray?”

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January 11, 2012 · 11:28 am

I`ll pray for you

image by Microsoft

Intercessory prayer is an important part of my online prayer community, Our Lady of the Round Table. In the past days, we have rejoiced in prayers answered. But for each prayer taken off our list, another request is quickly added. The many needs weigh heavily on all hearts. There is often nothing we can do, but pray. And pray we do.

We do not publish specific intentions online, for privacy reasons. But the prayers shared among us are filled with names of family and friends who are in need of God`s grace at this moment in their lives. Some of us are better at this than others. One member has become the `keeper of names`. She faithfully and lovingly lists the litany of intentions that we are remembering each day.

We also intentionally include Mary and all the saints in our prayers, believing that these holy women and men will `pray with us, pray for us, and pray for them`.

Praying for each other is a Christian tradition that spans denominations. Praying with the communion of saints is more of a Catholic tradition; and one that is often misunderstood. Why are you praying to the saints? Why do you need someone to intercede for you? It`s God who answers prayers. So why not pray directly to God? It`s important to remember that we are not praying TO the saints. We are asking the saints to join us in our prayer.

Many years ago, there was a woman in our parish called Anne. A woman of deep prayer, she reminded me of the prophet Anna in Luke`s story of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. (Luke 2: 36-38) In her later years, Anne battled many health issues and was in frequent pain. But, she attended daily mass faithfully; arriving early and leaving late in order to pray. On days when we had Eucharistic Adoration, she didn`t sign up to stay an hour. She stayed the entire day. And she sat, peaceful and calm. Her eyes gazing at the monstrance on the altar. I asked her once, Anne, what do you do in all that time? Her answer? I pray for each and every one of you.

I was overwhelmed with the graciousness of this gift. Dear, holy Anne prayed for me. She prayed for all of us. Surely, God will hear her prayers!

Of course, God hears all our prayers; from the contemplative meditations of a cloistered monk, to the harried traveler begging to catch their flight. It`s easy to say `I will pray for you`. But, there is extra comfort when a prayerful soul says they will pray for you, because you know they will. And, they will pray mightily! Why would we not believe that the saints are part of this band of mighty pray-ers?

From family and friends and church communities, to prayer circles that span the globe. When it comes to intercessory prayer, there is strength in numbers. And it`s good to know that those numbers include our loved ones and all those who have gone before us into eternal glory.

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