Tag Archives: Fortnight for Freedom

TomPerna.org Gets A New Look, Part 2

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After speaking with someone who knows me very well (Tara), I decided to change my theme again to Twenty Eleven for the simple fact that I now have a header picture. She reminded me that I am a Papist. I should have a picture that shouts Papacy on my blog. My blog header on the front page is now St. Peter’s Basilica and Square at night. It’s a very cool panoramic picture…and no, I did not take it.

You will notice my name is now bigger and my secondary title which is below my name has changed to The Education and Engagement of the Catholic Faithful in the New Evangelization by the JP2 Generation.

I added some pictures in the menu sections as well as completely redesigned my “Book Tom to Speak” page. Listed are the talks I can speak on currently. In the days ahead, I will give a small explanation of each of the talks. I also hope to add some more Book Reviews in that section.

I have capitalized Pages, Links, and Titles so that they STAND OUT MORE on the blog. The Font is also bigger than before which will be easier to read.

I changed the US Bishop’s Standing Against the HHS Mandate image to this upcoming summer’s – Fortnight for Freedom. If you click on that link, you will be taken to a page explaining the Fortnight for Freedom.

The colors are similar from the first change a couple of weeks ago with some slight variations. I have chosen white, a burgundy/red for the main title, light blue for the links, a grayish/blue background, and black lettering for titles and paragraphs.

Hope you enjoy the changes I have made. Please share the blog with your family and friends.

TomPerna.Org Gets a New Look

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Well after nearly 16 months with the same blog theme, I chose to change my blog theme today and go with something completely different than before.

You will notice my name is now bigger and my secondary title which is above my name has changed to JP2 Generation & The New Evangelization. Honestly, this is a work in progress, but I do know it will still have the New Evangelization theme to it. Once I finish George Weigel’s – Evangelical Catholicism, I might have a better idea. I have increased the size of my picture to fit the space better as well.

I have capitalized Pages, Links, and Titles so that they STAND OUT MORE on the blog. The Font is also bigger than before which will be easier to read.

I changed the US Bishop’s Standing Against the HHS Mandate image to this upcoming summer’s – Fortnight for Freedom. If you click on that link, you will be taken to a page explaining the Fortnight for Freedom.

The colors are completely different. I have chosen white, a burgundy for the main title, light blue for the links, a gray background, and light black lettering.

I am going to add some more widgets on the right side soon as well as hopefully get my 2 radio interviews with Immaculate Heart Radio on the blog.

If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Just write them in the comment box below.

Thanks for following my blog. Please share it with your friends and family.

Fortnight for Freedom Closing Mass

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Last Wednesday, July 4, 2012 – Independence Day for the United States of America, I was able to attend the Closing Mass for the Fortnight for Freedom at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. I found it providential that I could attend because I have been writing about religious freedom ever since the HHS Mandate was promulgated by this current tyrannical administration in the White House. Truth be told, I was in the D.C/Northern Virginia area for a friend’s wedding that would occur on the following Friday, but since the closing Mass was to happen while I was there, I found myself blessed to be in the area.

I was sitting in the front row of the back section of the basilica on the right hand side. I could look up from my seat and see the mosaic dome that portrays Jesus’ Temptation in the Desert, his Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension. Sitting next to me was a nice married couple from Baltimore who I talked to briefly before Mass began. We talked about my blog a bit and the husband said that he knew people in Phoenix, Arizona. The husband has recently contacted me via email to assist me network with another gentleman in the Phoenix area for potential employment.

As the procession began with the altar servers, then the deacons, I noticed the vast amount of priests that showed up for this important Mass. There were so many priests present, even Cardinal Donald Wuerl mentioned it before Mass began as he thanked all the hierarchy and lay faithful in attendance. There were also quite a few Bishops present as well. It was so great to be at this closing mass! I truly felt blessed being in the presence of so many great and faithful Catholics. I would say the highlight of the Mass, not including when Jesus became present on the altar – which happens at every Mass, would be Archbishop Charles J. Chaput’s homily that can be read here. His homily was so inspiring! His passion for religious freedom is contagious. Everyone present was inspired to stand up for religious freedom for the months ahead. I would encourage you to read his homily located above.

In his homily, the one thing that really stood out for me was when he said that Caesar isn’t able to give or take away religious freedom. He may be able to interfere with it, but when he does he takes away from his own legitimacy. Read the homily and this will make more sense. Religious freedom, in accordance with the Natural Law, is rooted in the very foundation of our humanity. At the end of his homily, he received a loud ovation from all in attendance. There were even people waving small American flags in the basilica. 

As Mass ended and the procession exited the nave of the basilica, I found myself with tears in my eyes. I said two things to myself. First, “Man, I love being Catholic.” Second thing I said, “If being persecuted is what it’s going to take, then bring it!”

Even though the Fortnight for Freedom has concluded, we all need to be diligent and continue to fight for our religious freedom. We need to continue to pray, catechize, battle, and support each other during this trying time in our country’s history. I encourage you to read all that you can on religious freedom. Continue to follow my blog (many of my February posts are on conscience formation and religious freedom) and other Catholic bloggers who will continue to write on religious freedom, especially as we draw closer to this upcoming election. This election could define our country for generations to come. The current person that calls himself our president must be removed from the oval office for if he is not, the United States of America could cease to exist, as we know it.

**Note: I will be on a short hiatus over the next 5 days or so since I am moving back to Phoenix. Please continue to read my blog and check out older posts during my short absence. Also, please pray that my move is efficient and safe.**

Saints Peter and Paul – Apostles and Pillars of the Christian Church

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Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles and two great pillars of the Christian Church. In Acts of the Apostles, we read about these great saints of the Christian Church. The first twelve chapters of Acts focus on Peter and chapters 13-28 focus on Paul. Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke the Evangelist, as the second part of his great work written to Theophilus. His Gospel is part one.

Let ‘s take a look at these two pillars of the Church one by one and then we will examine how they are similar in their teachings and actions in Acts.

St. Peter was a Galilean fisherman with Sts. James and John on Lake Gennesaret (also known as the Sea of Galilee and Sea of Tiberius). The defining moment for Peter is in Matthew 16:16-20. Jesus asks, who do you say that I am? Peter responds, “You are the Christ.” Jesus then changes his name from Simon to Cephas, which translates into “rock” (Aramaic) and Petros (Greek).

There are three major themes in Matthew 16:18-19:

First, as rock, Peter is now the foundation of the Church. He is the rock on which the Church would be built upon and stands for centuries. Karl Adam in his book, The Spirit of Catholicism says, “Peter’s confession assures Him that Simon will be an imperishable “rock” for His Church. He is certain of the imperishableness of the Church. It will never perish, since it will always be a Church founded on a rock. There will always be a living Peter, whose faith will confirm his brethren. It lies at the basis of His words that His Church will never be without that strong foundation which He gave it at Caesarea Philipp, because its continuance depends upon this foundation.”

Second, he is given the keys to the kingdom of God. He is now the leader and Christ’s representative on earth. St. Peter is the New Prime Minister for the New Davidic Kingdom. In the Davidic Kingdom in the Old Testament, the king appointed one man from his viceroys to be the primary individual in charge of the others. Essentially, this man was the Prime Minister of the kingdom. When the king was not present in the kingdom, the Prime Minister would stand in for him. The Prime Minister would hold keys of the kingdom around his neck for protection. St. Peter now becomes the Vicar of Christ. This is still a term that we use to describe the Pope today. The vicar is one who stands “in the person of” and possesses the authority of the king. In the case of St. Peter and Jesus Christ, Peter is given the keys to the kingdom and now possesses the authority of Jesus Christ on earth.

Thirdly, St. Peter is given authority to make decisions for the Church – to bind and to loose. The Primacy of Peter is the authority of Christ given to St. Peter and his successors, the popes. The Pope that sits in the Chair of St. Peter has full, supreme, and universal authority over the entire Church. The Papacy is the Church’s highest moral and doctrinal authority. The Holy Father has final word on matters of faith and morals and speaks with infallibility on such matters. Pope Benedict XVI says, “Let us pray that the Primacy of Peter, entrusted to poor human beings, will always be exercised in this original sense as the Lord desired, and that its true meaning will therefore always be recognized by the brethren who are not yet in full communion with us” (The Apostles).

Saint Peter died a martyrs’ death by crucifixion in the year 64 A.D. under the Roman Emperor, Nero. He requested that he be flipped upside down on the cross since he did not think he was worthy to die the same way that Jesus died. His remains are buried under the main altar of the basilica that bears his name in Rome on the Vatican hill.

St. Paul, also known as Saul was born around 5 A.D. in the seaport of Tarsus, which is now in modern day Turkey. As did many men of the time, he had two names. Saul was his Jewish name and Paul was his Roman name. Many men of the time had two names for they would use their Roman name when doing business as merchants or fisherman in the Roman Empire and their Hebrew name when they were with family or in synagogue.

At first, St. Paul, as a Pharisee, was a persecutor of the Early Church Christians and was present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian Church. On the road to Damascus, he saw a vision of Jesus asking him, “Why do you persecute me?” After recovering his sight, he was baptized as a Christian (Read Acts 9). Pope Benedict XVI says, “He realized that a new approach in his life was absolutely essential…Paul, therefore, no longer lives for himself, for his own justice. He lives for Christ and with Christ: in giving of himself, he is no longer seeking and building himself up” (The Apostles).

After his conversion, Paul was unique and qualified to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. He is known as the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” As a child and young man in Tarsus, St. Paul received an excellent classical (Greek) education and in Jerusalem, under Rabbi Gamaliel, Paul received the best Jewish education. As a trade, he learned tent making. This helped him later on in life and supported his three missionary trips through Greece and Asia Minor.

When bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, he was gifted first, because of his classical education; St. Paul had the great ability to speak to Romans and Greeks in ways they could understand. Second, he was well trained in philosophy and logic, which assisted in him in explaining the Christian doctrine more effectively. Third, his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures was vast and this aided him when counter arguing points brought up by the Jewish leaders and elders. Lastly, his Roman citizenship, which he received at birth since his parents were freed under Mark Anthony, protected him from those who wanted to kill him.

Saint Paul died a martyrs’ death by being beheaded in the year 64 A.D. under the Roman Emperor, Nero. Since he was a Roman citizen, beheading was the main execution of death. Crucifixion was only for slaves and criminals that were not Roman citizens. He was beheaded along the Via Ostiense at Tre Fontane, outside the walls of Rome. It is believed that his remains are buried in the basilica that bears his name.

Some will argue that Saints Peter and Paul were at odds with one another and did not get along. However, if you carefully read Acts of the Apostles, you will find that’s hardly the case. Saints Peter and Paul preached the same Gospel message. St. Luke is saying that Peter and Paul are tight. Both of these men through the power of the Holy Spirit raised people from the dead. The apostles are not divided in their preaching. We see a clear continuity of doctrine between Saints Peter and Paul. The only thing that differs is the theme of redemptive suffering is different in Paul than in Peter. In Acts 14:22; St. Paul says that through tribulations we will enter the kingdom of God. The tribulations will be a means to our salvation. We walk in holiness through the cross.

As we continue in this Fortnight for Freedom, let us ask for the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul. These two great pillars whom so willingly offered their lives for Jesus Christ and his Church.

Saints Peter and Paul…Pray for Us!

St. Irenaeus of Lyons – The Gnostic Fighter

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Today we celebrate the memorial of the Early Church Father, Bishop, and declared Doctor of the Church, St. Irenaeus of Lyons. St. Irenaeus lived between the years of 125-203 A.D. and was a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna who was a disciple of St. John the Apostle. St. Irenaeus lived at a time when many of the Gnostic sects that developed were trying to undermine Christianity with distorted views of theology and philosophy. During the first centuries, the Church had to defend and clarify the truth of faith against the heresies that falsified her.

Gnosticism emerges in the second century as the Church’s major internal threat.  Gnostic writings claim to be revelation. They claimed to have the true knowledge. Gnosticism was rooted in “dualism” – good and evil are “forces” that combat one another. Many Gnostic “religions” claimed that the spirit was good but the material world was evil. Docetism claimed that Christ is seen as a pure spirit, only appearing to be human. Many of the false gospels like Thomas, Judas, and the Acts of Peter and Paul were based in Docetism. These false gospels were not written as eyewitness accounts but were written during the second century. Gnosticism also claimed that salvation was an escape from matter through “secret knowledge” (gnosis). The material order was created from a demi-god according to the Gnostics.

Along with Docetism, other Gnostic heresies were: Arianism, Nestorianism (see previous post on St. Cyril of Alexandria), and Monophysitism. At the time of St. Augustine (4th century), we would also see the rise of Manicheism. St. Augustine before his conversion to Christianity was a member of this sect.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons could be rightly called the “Gnostic fighter.” His greatest work, Against Heresies, is five volumes of sound theological doctrine against those who opposed and stood against the Christian Church. As translator and editor of the text, Early Christian Fathers, Cyril C. Richardson says about St. Irenaeus, “His main purpose in writing is to establish in clear simplicity the belief in one God which Christianity inherited from Judaism, and the faith in the redemption of the human race through Jesus Christ his only son…he wrote as a pastor and teacher of the Church, and addressed himself to other pastors to assist them in protecting their flocks from teachings that seriously perverted the gospel…”

St. Irenaeus refutes the leading Gnostics such as Marcion who claimed that there are two different Gods in the Scriptures. The Old Testament God is angry while the God of the New Testament is love. Marcion rejected the Old Testament, many of the books of the New Testament, however, accepted certain texts from the Gospel of Luke (by this time the Scriptures were established, it was not canonical yet – the Canon had not been formed by the Catholic Church). Marcion set up his own canon of Scripture. He looked liked a Christian, however, his Christianity was watered down. St. Irenaeus also takes on Valentinus and Basilides.

St. Irenaeus establishes a true authority against the Gnostics by saying – first, Apostolic Succession is key! We teach what has been handed down to us the Apostles and this is truth. It’s open to all to receive, understand and accept with obedience, unlike the Gnostics who claimed that the Apostles gave them “secret knowledge.” St. Irenaeus lists the successors of Peter. He says don’t listen to the Gnostics, but follow Apostolic Succession.

Second, he says to follow the Canon of Scripture, which does not include Gnostic texts. The Canon of the Scriptures (the Bible) was established at the Council of Hippo and then fully supported by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent. It was the Catholic Church in the fourth century that canonized the Scriptures and decided what books would go into the Canon. The primary purpose the Canon was established was for use in the Liturgy (the Holy Mass).

Third, St. Irenaeus said that “Rules of Faith” or Creeds are normative. A creed is short summary of the faith. The creeds are there to list our beliefs, such as with the Nicaea Creed that we recite at Mass every Sunday. The Development of Doctrine began here as well. The doctrines of the Catholic faith organically developed over the centuries through the apostolic authority of the Pope and in line with the Bishops (a.k.a. Magisterium). Karl Adam in his book, The Spirit of Catholicism says, “There is no revealed doctrine proclaimed by the Church which is not contained in its exact substance in the sources of revelation, that is, in Scripture and Tradition…as the history of dogma shows, it sometimes needed a long process to free such truths from their wrappings and to make them plain and visible.”

According to Richardson in the above-mentioned text, “To Irenaeus the refutation of Gnosticism was primarily a practical and pastoral matter. The background of his writings is the rivalry between sound religion and the vagaries of the esoteric and the occult for the souls of men and also of women.”

As I conclude this post on St. Irenaeus of Lyons, I leave you with words from the great “Gnostic fighter” himself. This quote should ring home with many of us, especially during this Fortnight for Freedom, as we celebrate the many martyrs who gave their lives for the love of Jesus Christ and his Church. In Book 4, Chapter 33 of Against Heresies, he says, “Wherefore the Church does in every place, because of that love which she cherishes towards God, send forward, throughout all time, a multitude of martyrs to the Father; while all others not only have nothing of this kind to point to among themselves, but even maintain that such witness – bearing is not at all necessary.”

“Mondays With Mary” – Our Lady of the Americas and the New Evangelization

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In 1999, Blessed John Paul II wrote the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America (The Church in America).  This document was to unite the particular (local dioceses) churches in the America’s – North, Central, and South. It is a call to encounter the living Christ who in turns brings conversion, communion and solidarity to the Church in America. At the heart of this document is the new evangelization. “As I have said…the new and unique situation in which the world and the Church find themselves at the threshold of the Third Millennium…the mission of evangelization today calls for a new program which can be defined overall as a “new evangelization””(Christifideles Laici). 

An important component of the new evangelization in America lies with the Virgin of Guadalupe. She is the fundamental piece that helps us all, not only on this continent, but also in all the Church. It is through Mary that we encounter Christ. Mary, as a good and faithful Queen Mother, leads us always to her Son and Our King, Jesus Christ. She never seeks her own glory, but is always pointing to Jesus. When she appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531, she comes as an Aztec woman who is pregnant with child. That child is Jesus Christ. It is through the power and grace of Christ that the country of Mexico converts to Catholicism for it was Mary who led Mexico and pagan Aztecs to her Son.

Below are the words of Blessed John Paul II from Ecclesia en America 11 –

How can we fail to emphasize the role which belongs to the Virgin Mary in relation to the pilgrim Church in America journeying toward its encounter with the Lord? Indeed, the Most Blessed Virgin “is linked in a special way to the birth of the Church in the history…of the peoples of America; through Mary they came to encounter the Lord.”

Throughout the continent, from the time of the first evangelization, the presence of the Mother of God has been strongly felt, thanks to the efforts of the missionaries. In their preaching, “the Gospel was proclaimed by presenting the Virgin Mary as its highest realization. From the beginning – invoked as Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mary, by her motherly and merciful figure, was a great sign of the closeness of the Father and of Jesus Christ, with whom she invites us to enter into communion.”

The appearance of Mary to the native Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in 1531 had a decisive effect on evangelization. Its influence greatly overflows the boundaries of Mexico, spreading to the whole continent. America, which historically has been, and still is, a melting pot of peoples, has recognized in the mestiza face of the Virgin Guadalupe is venerated as Queen of all America.

With the passage of time, pastors and faithful alike have grown increasingly conscious of the role of the Virgin Mary in the evangelization of America. In the prayer composed for the Special Assembly for America of the Synod of Bishops, Holy Mary of Guadalupe is invoked as “Patroness of all America and Star of the new evangelization.” In view of this, I welcome with joy the proposal of the Synod Fathers that the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother and Evangelizer of America, be celebrated through the continent on December 12. It is my heartfelt hope that she, whose intercession was responsible for strengthening the faith of the first disciples (cf. Jn 2:11), will by her maternal intercession guide the Church in America, obtaining the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as once did for the early Church (cf. Acts 1:14), so that the new evangelization may yield a splendid flowering of Christian life.

The Virgin of Guadalupe has been important in my own life since I was 17 years old when I visited the shrine in Mexico City. As one who has lived in the Southwestern United States for most my life, I have seen the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe many times. In my high school theology classroom, I have an image of her that is always in a prominent place.

 

 

 

 

I urge you to learn more about Our Lady of Guadalupe and pray for her intercession during this Fortnight for Freedom (June 21-July 4). She was called upon many times during the Cristeros War in Mexico and I have no doubt she come and aid us as well at this time.

St. Thomas More and the Fight for Religious Freedom

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As we enter the Fortnight For Freedom, which will last from today till July 4, we need to remember the sacrifices of other Catholics who have laid down their lives in defiance of tyrannical kingdoms and governments. It is fitting, and obviously planned, by the United States Bishops to begin this fortnight on the feast day of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More. From the early Christian martyrs to Sts. Fisher and More to the Mexican Martyrs (so eloquently shown in the recent film, For Greater Glory) to Sts. Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein to the Catholics being killed for their faith in Africa today, it is fitting that it is now our time to STAND UP for the great injustice (HHS Mandate) that has been promulgated by the current presidential administration; an administration that has tyrannical and socialistic tendencies rooted in its very foundation. At this time, we may not be called to shed our blood for the faith (red martyrs), but we are being called to stand up for our faith and face social persecution (white martyrdom).

Over the next couple of weeks, we will celebrate the lives of martyrs in the liturgical calendar. During this time, we must pray, study, catechize, and engage in public action. Religious Freedom is at the heart and center of not only the United States of America, but it’s also fundamental to every human being by means of the Natural Law. I urge you during this time to pray hard for the conversion of the hearts of those seek to destroy the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has faced many tyrants in her past and every time has been victorious for we have Jesus Christ and he has conquered evil and death.

St. Thomas More is the key figure for us when we think of one who stands up to tyranny and injustice. St. Thomas More was wrongfully committed of High Treason by the Kingdom of England for not agreeing to the marriage of King Henry VIII. Below are the last few lines of St. Thomas More from the play, A Man For All Seasons. I think we need to remember these words and try to live up to them for ourselves and fights we many have ahead. This is a play I first read in college and many of the lines have stuck with me over the years. It’s a beautiful depiction of St. Thomas More as servant to the king, but God’s servant first. As I have said in other posts –  We are Americans, but we are Catholic first!

Norfolk: Prisoner at the bar, you have been found guilty of High Treason. The sentence of the Court –

More: My Lord! My lord, when I was practicing the law, the manner was to ask the prisoner before pronouncing sentence, if he had anything to say.

Norfolk: Have you anything to say?

More: Yes. To avoid this I have taken every path my winding wits would find. Now that the Court has determined to condemn me, God knoweth how, I will discharge my mind…concerning my indictment and the King ‘s title. The indictment is grounded in an Act of Parliament which is directly repugnant to the Law of God. The King in Parliament cannot bestow the Supremacy of the Church because it is a Spiritual Supremacy! And more to this the immunity of the Church is promised both in Magna Carta and the King’s own Coronation Oath!

Cromwell: Now we plainly see that you are malicious!

More: Not so, Master Secretary! I am the King’s true subject, and pray for him and all the realm…I do none harm, I say none harm, I think none harm. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live…I have, since I came into prison, been several times in such a case that I thought to die within the hour, and I thank Our Lord I was never sorry for it, but rather sorry when it passed. And therefore, my poor body is at the King’s pleasure. Would God my death might do him some good…Nevertheless, it is not for the Supremacy that you have sought my blood – but because I would not bend to the marriage!

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More: My Master had easel and gall, not wine, given him to drink. Let me be going.

Margaret: Father! Father! Father, Father, Father, Father!

More: Have patience, Margaret, and trouble not thyself. Death comes for us all; even at our birth – even at our birth, death does not stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh. It is the law of nature, and the will of God. You have long known the secrets of my heart.

The Death Scene from the film, A Man For All Seasons.