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Greeting the New Year—the Catholic Way

January 4, 2018/0 Comments/in Catholic Theme, Faith, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

According to Georgetown University , as of October 2017, there are 1.28 billion Catholics in the world. 70.4 million of them are in the United States. The USA has a population of approximately 330,000,000 people. That works out to about 22% of the American population being Catholic.

From the Pope down to the vagrant, each of us is an individual creation made by God. We are all unique. Incredibly, we will all be judged individually. And, as Catholics, we will be held to a higher standard. After all, we proclaim to be part of the Mystical Body of Christ which is filled with the deposit of faith. No matter how we lived our lives, the common denominator for all of us will be: How much we loved each other and our neighbor.

Based on that, here are some points to consider if we focus on, before all else, pleasing God in the New Year, the Catholic Way:

Never forget that you are God’s individual creation and therefore a gift He has bestowed on the world. Be humbled by the fact that He does have you in the palm of His hand. Without Him you are nothing.
Be happy with who and what you are. God made you and loves If you feel you need to change to please Him, you can do it. Just ask for His help.
The choices you make are your responsibility. Sometimes our choices hurt us. Embrace them and learn from them and move on. Thank God for the experience.
Sometimes NOT getting what you want or what you think you need is a gift. If you trust God, you will thank Him. When “one door closes another opens.”
Always count your blessings — not your troubles.
Always do your best. The “best” is all God expects from each of us.
You can make it through whatever comes along.
Prayer is the most powerful of weapons and can be your greatest ally in all diversity.
Don’t take things too seriously — especially yourself.
The key to happiness is to give of yourself, not to “get” for yourself.
Miracles happen; you are one — I am one — we all are one.
Temptation is everywhere. It is okay to say “NO.”
Finally, never fail to help a neighbor, whoever it may be — even a stranger.

We all will experience “highs and lows” during the coming year. As Catholics, we have the armor of the Church to shield us and the angels and saints to help us fight our battles with the evil one.

St. Michael the Archangel will always ‘defend us in battle.” St. Anthony will help us find lost items. St. Jude will help us through seemingly impossible barricades. Good St. Joseph is ready to help all men be good fathers and husbands. St. Monica will help moms and St. Dymphna will help those with experiencing emotional difficulties or suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. And, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary is always there for all of us.

Virtually every day of the calendar year honors a particular saint, and that saint has been assigned a special task, such as St. Padre Pio, who is the patron of adolescents and volunteers, or St. Maximilian Kolbe, martyred in the Holocaust, who is the patron of drug addicts. Help is always available when you are Catholic.

Lastly, we have in place for our salvation the most beautiful thing this side of heaven; the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We can actually be at the foot of the Cross and then witness the resurrection. It is there for all of us every day if we so CHOOSE. Then there are the sacraments, always available to build us up and restore us to where we should be.

Yes—being Catholic is very cool. We even have the Rosary.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2018 –“No Fear”

St. Margaret of Scotland–This Remarkable, Pious Woman is Patroness to Mothers, Large Families, Widows and Deceased Children

December 5, 2017/5 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

In the year 1066, a displaced English princess, named Margaret, sought refuge in Scotland. Her father had been overthrown by the Danes and before she was born had gone into exile. While still very young, Margaret returned to England to live in the court of her great-uncle, Edward the Confessor.

A weak leader, Edward could not protect his kingdom. Margaret’s mother, Agatha, took Margaret and her other two children, Edgar and Cristina, and fled north to escape the invading Norman armies. It was not long after that the Normans conquered England and overthrew Edward. He was replaced by William of Normandy, AKA William the Conqueror.

Tradition has it that Agatha decided to leave northern England and travel back to the continent. However, a raging storm drove their ship north to Scotland, where they landed at a spot which is today called St. Margaret’s Hope. Before long they all arrived at the palace of King Malcolm.

Margaret, about eighteen years of age at the time, soon found herself in the court of Malcolm III of Scotland (also known as Malcolm the Canmore, meaning “Great Chief”). Malcolm III was already a widower with two sons. (And yes, this is the Malcolm in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.)

Margaret was not only naturally sweet and charming, she was also a pious and devout Catholic. King Malcolm fell completely in love with her and they were married in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1070. One of the first things Margaret began to do was to read the Bible to her new husband. It is said the daily readings and stories she read to her husband helped “civilize” the king, setting in place the conditions for the growth of the Catholic faith in Scotland.

Margaret initiated religious reforms, striving to make Church practices conform to those of Rome. She followed the advice of the future Archbishop of Canterbury, Lanfranc, and became known as an exemplar of the “just ruler” which was her husband and children. Their youngest son, David, grew up to be considered a “holy ruler.”

Margaret became deeply involved in charitable works and actually served orphans and the poor every day before she herself ate. She even washed the feet of the poor in imitation of Jesus. At midnight she would get up and attend church services. She invited the Benedictine Order to establish a monastery at Dunfermline in 1072 and was responsible for having ferries built to assist pilgrims traveling back and forth across the river to worship. Margaret also initiated the restoration of the monastery at Iona and was responsible for the release of fellow English exiles, captured during the invasion.

Margaret was as devout in her private life as she was in public. She was totally genuine. Much of her time was spent in prayer, devotional readings, and doing ecclesiastical embroidery. All of her hard work and devotion to God had a profound effect on her once-volatile husband. The king who could not read was so impressed with his wife he had her prayer books decorated with gold and silver. One of these, a pocket gospel with grand pictures of the evangelists, is kept at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

Malcolm never understood the long-term effects of his wife’s many endeavors. He loved her so much he just let her do as she wished. However, heartache came to Margaret unexpectedly. During the Battle of Alnwick on November 13, 1093 Malcolm and their eldest son, Edward, were killed in battle against the English. Margaret’s son, Edgar, had the unenviable task of informing his mom.

Her constant fasting and offering of herself to Jesus had taken its toll. Not yet fifty, she died three days after her husband and son were killed. In recognition of her personal holiness, fidelity to the Church, implementing religious reform and her ongoing works of charity, Pope Innocent IV canonized Margaret a saint in June of 1250.

In Proverbs 31: 10-12, Lemuel, King of Massa, was given this advice by his mother:

“When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.”

King Malcolm III of Scotland had such a wife.

St. Margaret of Scotland, pray for us.

There is a Crisis of “Fatherless” Children in America; We Should Turn to St. Joseph for Help

October 4, 2016/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Larry Peterson

by Larry Peterson

I call St. Joseph the “Shadow Saint.” That is because so little is known about him. He never spoke a word that was recorded. He never wrote anything that was saved on parchment. It does not matter. This young man, a “righteous Jew” true to the law, was confronted with being engaged to a woman pregnant with someone else’s child. The reality was a terrible thing for him to bear.

But Joseph was a man of faith and God was with him. The penalty for his betrothed could have been death by stoning. Joseph would have none of that. His Mary would not be harmed. He loved her. So he took her in and married her. The child she carried would be his.

St. Joseph’s example of selflessness is something that needs to be talked about with admiration, respect and pride. It might be used as a guide for so many who have, in this secular-driven world, fathered children and then abandoned them.

There is a crisis of “fatherless” children in America. Next to the disrespect and disregard for unborn life, this could be the most dangerous threat to our society. “Fatherlessness” is an ongoing tragedy that can find its roots planted when Roe vs. Wade was passed in 1973. When the destruction of human life was legalized, the downward spiral of respect for life followed.

"There is a crisis of Fatherless Children in America. We should turn to St. Joseph for help." by Larry Peterson for Catholic Writers Guild blog

By BeniCufi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Statistics show that in fatherless homes poverty is four times higher than average, teen pregnancy increases by a multiple of seven, abuse and neglect are much more widespread, and drug use is more prevalent. The list goes on and on. There is a “father factor” involved in virtually all aspects of American life today. Yes, many homes still have fathers, but many children live in homes with absentee fathers and the societal effects are felt all across the spectrum of American life.

St. Joseph could be used as a shining example for all men to emulate. He was poor, he was chaste and he respected women, especially his teenage bride. He was a man of faith and stayed true to the laws of God and man. Foremost in his life was his faith in God. This was his strength. This is what fortified him. This is what is missing in so many lives today.

Joseph of Nazareth is an example of how one should respect the law. We could explain to young people how he had to put his teenage pregnant wife on the back of a donkey and then walk over rocky, dusty roads for over 80 miles, a journey that probably took three days. And why did he do this? He did this because he was required to go to Bethlehem for the census. It was the law.

The story of young Joseph, taking his teenage wife and baby boy and escaping Bethlehem because King Herod wanted to kill his son, Jesus, would make any young person’s pulse amp up. The poor guy’s child was being hunted by Herod’s soldiers. His wife was recovering from childbirth. He had to make it to Egypt. And he did…for his family. This is what a REAL man would do, or at least try to do.

Joseph did whatever he had to do to take care of his wife and son. He worked hard to keep a roof over their heads, to feed them, clothe them, and protect them. He did not care about himself. His family came first, no matter what. He would have gladly died for them if necessary. He was a real MAN. His sacrifice and efforts for his wife and son allowed them to survive so that the salvific narrative would be fulfilled. We owe him so much.

His faith, courage, integrity and love of God resonate like the smashing of cymbals and the banging of drums for all of us to listen to. We need to follow his example. We need to celebrate his life. We need to honor his commitment to his responsibilities. We should cherish his devotion to family.

I realize the possibility of teaching about this quiet hero in public schools might be a pipe dream but I would hope Catholic schools would use him as an example for students to look up to and respect as a role model for what a husband and dad should try to be like.

St. Joseph, two thousand years after his death, is still the finest role model for not only husbands and fathers, but for all men for all time.

Addendum: Re: Election 2016: I am keeping it simple. I will heed the words of Pope St. John Paul II; “A nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope.”

At this time there is only one candidate that has a pro-life agenda. That person will get my vote. End of story.

The “Protector” Saint of the Mexican Border*

September 6, 2016/1 Comment/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Current events, Defending the Faith/by Larry Peterson

By Larry Peterson

Since there is so much discussion about the Mexican border I thought I would share this column I wrote about two months ago. Meet St.Toribio Romo,The Protector of the Mexican Border.

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Sometime during the early summer of 1973, Jesus Gaytan and two friends began making their way north to the United States. They were planning to ‘”sneak” across the border and find work as farmhands. They did not care where, they just wanted to work.

At the border their plans quickly unraveled. They were spotted by the Border Patrol and, frightened, ran back toward Mexico. Jesus became separated from his friends and began wandering around the desert. He had no idea where he was. After several days of walking and wandering and without any food or water left, Jesus was sure he would die.

As he stared across the bleak landscape peering through the undulating heat waves rising from the ground, he saw a pickup truck coming his way. Not knowing who was approaching, he became instantly afraid and yet also relieved. The truck pulled up and a young man with light skin and blue eyes stepped out. He smiled and gave Jesus food and water. Then he directed him to a nearby farm where they needed workers. He also gave Jesus a few dollars to keep in his pocket. Jesus thanked him profusely and asked him where he could return the money to him.

Speaking perfect Spanish the man said to him, “When you finally get a job and money, look for me in Santa Ana de Guadalupe, Jalisco. Ask for Toribio Romo.”

And so the story goes that years later Jesus Gaytan did make that trip to Santa Ana de Gaudalupe. When he arrived he asked how he could find Toribio Romo. He was directed to the small church nearby. Hanging on the outside of the chapel was a large picture. Jesus stared wide-eyed looking up at the picture. It was the man from the desert, Toribio Romo.

Jesus had arrived at Toribio’s shrine where his remains were kept. He was shocked to learn that the man who had helped him in the desert 20 years before had been beatified in 1992 by Pope John Paul II. He was doubly shocked that his rescuer had been murdered in 1928 during the Cristero War. Jesus Gaytan realized he had been saved by a man sent from heaven.

Luciano Lopez tells of being on his way to Colorado to find work when he got lost in the encapsulating heat of the Arizona desert. Luciano tells of seeing a “shadowy” figure standing next to what appeared to be an ocean. Luciano told how the person waved him to him and how he began walking. He was led right to a rest-stop with food and water and he was saved. When he told his wife back in Mexico she said, “It was St. Toribio, the migrant-smuggling saint, leading you to safety. I have been praying to him for your well-being.”

Toribio Romo was born on April 16, 1900 in Santa Ana de Guadalupe, Jalisco, Mexico. He was, with permission from the bishop, ordained a priest at the young age of 22. His age did not matter to the authorities. The anti-religious Constitution of Mexico had been enacted in 1917. Toribio may have been only 22 but he was immediately placed under watch by the government. Then along came the fateful year of 1927. That was the year that the Catholic hating president of Mexico, Plutarco Ellas Cartes, ordered his soldiers to strictly enforce the anti-religious Constitution of 1917.

Besides saying Mass “under the radar” and making sick calls and hearing confessions, Father Toribio had also been teaching catechism to both children and adults. Now he was told to confine himself to his residence and to not say the Rosary in public or offer Mass. The young priest took up refuge in an old factory near a town called Agua Caliente. Here he defied the secular authority and celebrated Mass and tended to his ministry the best he could.

On February 22, 1928, Father Toribio, began organizing his parish registry. He finished doing that on February 24. Father Toribio knew the danger he was in and he was afraid. He prayed daily for God’s grace and strength but would not let his fears stop him from doing his work. It was 4:00 am on February 25 when the young priest climbed into his bed to get some sleep.

An hour later government troops stormed the place and broke into the priest’s bedroom. One soldier shouted, “I have found the priest. Kill him!”

Father Toribio said, “Here I am, but you do not have to kill me.”

The soldiers did not care. One soldier fired and the wounded priest stood up and began to walk toward the soldiers. After a few steps they opened fire and Father Toribio Romo fell dead. The story of the young priest’s martyrdom spread quickly and his popularity soared. Many Mexicans who have headed north tell inspiring stories about how their lives were saved through the intervention of Father Toribio.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Father Toribio and 24 other martyrs murdered for their faith during the Cristero War. Today, Santo Toribio Romo, is honored as the Patron Saint of Mexican migrants and “border crossers.” He is a saint who all Mexican and American Catholics should pray to for help with the border crisis confronting us today.

Saint Toribio Romo, pray for us.

*This article appeared in Aleteia in June of 2016

Meet “The Doorkeeper:” Solanus Casey, the Man without Ego

November 3, 2015/4 Comments/in Blogging, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Larry Peterson

By Larry Peterson

The 2016 election (more than a year away) has already worn me down. The pundits include the greatest thinkers of our time. I know this because virtually all of the TV and radio commentators, campaign officials, editorial writers, government officials, TV talk show hosts, comedians and, of course the candidates are always saying, “I THINK…this” or I THINK…that.” Those folks sure do a lot of thinking. And I know it must be important thinking because the ones doing all the thinking are doing it on TV, radio, in print or somewhere in cyber-land. It MUST be important, right? Wrong!

They are all experts in everything you can think of and, filled with their own sense of grandiosity, they vilify, name-call, and besmirch those with an opposing viewpoint or philosophy. They even attack their opponent’s families. Then you hear the great Machiavellian disclaimer of, “Hey, that’s politics.” You know what, I have my own phrase for all of it: rude, obnoxious, self-gratified egomania. I’m so over it.

I decided to begin a search for someone sans EGO. I was sure it would be almost next to impossible. But guess what? It was not. We Catholics celebrate the great feast of All Saint’s Day on November 1. The saints are members of the Catholic Hall of Fame (I call it that). They are the best of the best, the crème de le crème, the most selfless of the unselfish. These are the people who loved God unconditionally and, in some cases, failed many times before they got it right. But they all invariably emptied themselves for others before they died, many times giving their lives in doing so.

By Mahatma Gandhi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Let me tell you about one of them who was a quiet, uncomplicated man who never aspired to be anything more than a simple priest. His name was Bernard Francis Casey, and his family and friends called him Barney. There are many guys and gals like Barney in our Catholic Hall of Fame and they, like Barney, were ‘ego-less.’ This was not a birth defect. Their secret simply was knowing how to love God with all their mind, heart and soul. That led them to love others more than themselves. It was NEVER about them.

Barney was born in Oak Grove, Wisconsin, back in 1870. He was the sixth of 16 kids of Irish immigrant parents. When Barney was a boy he contracted diptheria, and it left him with a permanently raspy-sounding voice. (Barney would never have qualified for American Idol). Barney felt the call to the priesthood but, at the age of 16, he hit a detour. He had to go to work to help the family and worked at jobs in Minnesota and Wisconsin as a lumberjack, a prison guard, a streetcar operator and a hospital orderly.

Barney Casey always did whatever job he had to the best of his ability, wanting to serve his God in all things. Five years later he was able to enter St. Francis High School Seminary in Milwaukee. He spent five years there before being able to move on and join the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Upon his acceptance he took the name of Solanus after St. Francis Solanus, a 17th century missionary.

Solanus Casey was finally ordained a priest at the age of 33. He had to study extremely hard to reach that goal, and when he was finally ordained he was given the title “Sacerdos Simplex,” which means “simple priest.” This meant he was not permitted to preach or to hear confessions. He never complained; he took joy in just being a “simple priest.”

Father Solanus Casey lived in Detroit, and his main job at the monastery was that of “doorkeeper.” Father Casey, wanting to the absolute best at whatever God chose for him, became the finest doorkeeper that ever lived. He did this for well over 20 years and also became known for his service to the sick and the advice and consultations he would have with visitors. People began attributing cures and other blessings to his interaction with them or others.

Father Solanus Casey: a man who opened and closed doors for people. A man who had no ego and was happy to serve God in the simplest of ways. A man who, because miracles have been attributed to his intercession, was declared “Venerable” by Pope John Paul II in 1995. This is the first step toward canonization as a saint. Father Solanus Casey died in 1957.

Father Casey is the first man born in the USA to be on the road to full sainthood. And all he did was humbly and happily open doors for people and talk to them if they wanted. A Catholic Hall of Famer for sure, and quite the contrast to the gaggle of egotists that bombard us daily with their “I think” wisdom. Solanus (Barney) Casey has recharged me. It might be nice if all of today’s bloviating pundits could hear or read his story.

Jean Heimann and Seven Saints – CWG April Book Blast

April 18, 2015/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Karina Fabian

This month, the Catholic Writers’ Guild is touring Guildie Jean M. Heimann’s book, Seven Saints for Seven Virtues. It’s been awarded the CWG Seal of Approval. Check out this collection of seven stellar saints who model heavenly virtues that inspire us to lead holy lives.

Seven Saints for Seven Virtues

Jean M. Heimann

Summary: To live a virtuous life might seem like a daunting task, but we are fortunate to have examples to follow—the saints who have faced sin through the embodiment and exemplification of virtue. In this book, the reader will meet seven saints who lived seven virtues, and will discover concrete ways that they can live those virtues in their own lives. Each chapter will include:

A quote from the saint
A personal reflection on each saint
A brief biography
A discussion on the spirituality of each saint, and concrete examples how to emulate this saint and grow in the virtue that saint models
A prayer to conclude each chapter, asking for the intercession of that saint

Seven Saints for Seven Virtues covers a wide range of spirituality and life circumstances, demonstrating that everyone, in every role of life, has the opportunity to live a virtuous life.

Find it Amazon — http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Saints-Virtues-Jean-Heimann/dp/1616368454

Or Servant Books — http://catalog.franciscanmedia.org/Product.aspx?ProductCode=T36845

Check out Jean’s blog, Catholic Fire: http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/, to learn more about the saints.