Early morning flights and -26 degree Celsius temperatures.

That was my impression of Edmonton after the first session of Nothing More Beautiful (NMB).

It’s funny thinking back to it now, as July temperatures have pushed winter jackets far from my mind. But it was pretty chilly last December when S+L cameraman Wally Tello and I ventured to the City of Champions. The freezing temperatures were quickly melted away though by the warm reception we received from the staff at the Edmonton Archdiocese, and the many lay people and priests who make the NMB project possible. It’s been great getting to know our friends out west, and we look forward to another four years! (the second season of NMB will debut in early November, for information on it and the great speakers you can expect to see, visit the official NMB webpage HERE.)

Each time Wally and I leave Edmonton, we leave not only with fond memories, but a number of tapes with some fantastic material! The catechesis talks have been outstanding, ranging from Archbishop Smith laying the foundation for the encounters; to Sister Prokes touching on the human body and sexuality; to Archbishop Chaput encouraging us to not be ‘half-way’ Christians; to Bishop Corriveau stressing the importance of our role in building a culture of life. The witness talks have been moving as well — Lea Singh turned from a lucrative position as a lawyer in New York to promote the family and life issues; Pembroke, Ontario’s Michael and Therese Ferri shared their profound experience with theology of the body; S+L own’s Mary Rose Bacani’s recalled three major calls from God in her life; and Madonna House’s Patrick Stewarts went from jacuzzis and sports cars to milking cows and humble service to God and his neighbour.

On Friday evenings in July we will be revisiting the first season of Nothing More Beautiful encounters. (Visit our Nothing More Beautiful webpage for programming details.)

We invite you to join us Friday, July 3rd, at 8pm ET, for the first session of NMB, In the Image and Likeness of God, featuring the Archbishop of Edmonton, the Most Reverend Richard Smith, and the Catholic Organization for Life and Family’s Assistant Director, Lea Singh. You can also catch a Saturday, July 4th repeat at midnight & 12:30 pm ET.

Come rediscover the beauty of knowing Christ!

Matthew Harrison

We know Sunday’s Gospel story well, perhaps too well! It would have been customary for Jesus to go to the synagogue each week during the Sabbath, and when his turn came, to read from the scriptures during the Sabbath service. His hometown folks listened ever so attentively to his teaching because they had heard about the miracles he had performed in other towns. What signs would their hometown boy work on his own turf?

In Sunday’s story Jesus startled his own people with a seeming rebuke that no prophet of God can receive honor among his own people. The people of Nazareth took offense at him and refused to listen to what he had to say. They despised his preaching because he was from the working class; a carpenter, a mere layman and they despised him because of his family. Jesus could do no mighty works in their midst because they were closed and disbelieving towards him. If people have come together to hate and to refuse to understand, then they will see no other point of view than their own and they will refuse to love and accept others. Does the story sound familiar to us? How many times have we found ourselves in similar situations?

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Father Thomas Rosica

This week I fell in love with another cat (other than my own cat at home) from the Diocese of London, Ontario. This cat lives at Holy Family Retreat House, which is located in a little hamlet called Oxley, 47 kilometres south of Windsor by Lake Erie. He definitely enjoys cottage country, complete with birds, foxes, and rabbits!

This was his first summer at the Retreat House, and he had the unusual experience of having to share his Retreat House for a week with around 15 women, mostly women religious (with four lay women present, including me). I had the unusual experience of taking part in this directed retreat with mostly women religious, so we shared something in common.

But I envy this cat for the beauty he is exposed to everyday. He didn’t care much for prayer, but I did. I found several spots that had the silence that I needed to fall more in love with God. And I had a wonderful Retreat Director who really guided me along the path to deeper knowledge of God-became-man in Jesus Christ. One Gospel passage that had a profound effect on me regarding Christ’s humanity was that in Luke 22:39-46, of Christ’s prayer at the Mount of Olives. I realized that here was probably Christ’s weakest moment. He was asking his Father to remove his suffering if he could! If it weren’t for Christ’s great love for prayer, how would he have gotten the strength to do what he had to do?

My favourite memory (other than my memories of playing with the Retreat Cat) is going through the journals left in certain spots at the Retreat House. People were invited to write their thoughts and reflections, and I was amazed at the messages from teenagers! One teenager wrote about how he almost didn’t come with his buddies, but his four-day retreat really changed his life!

I left with a renewed commitment to prayer in my life and to really promoting houses of prayer like this one, which provides a place for men and women, young and old, religious or lay. I know that this wasn’t the last I’d be seeing of the Retreat Cat!

To find out more about Holy Family Retreat House you can visit www.holyfamilyrh.com.

Mary Rose Bacani

As we celebrate this Canada Day, my mind turns to one of our great saints — St. Marguerite Bourgeoys. Born in France, she traveled to what is now Canada in 1653. She worked tirelessly in the new colony and is considered not only the founder of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, but also a co-foundress of Montreal. Dedicated to teaching and service, she is a great role model for Canadians. I came across this prayer card, from the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum in Old Montreal, and thought I would share it with you on this Canada Day:

God of Love,
By the intercession of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys,
Who contributed so greatly to the human and Christian well-being of families in the New World,
Watch over our homes today.

Give to all children the daily bread and love they need,
Help adolescents discover meaning in their lives,
Help couples grow in love and fidelity.
Guide parents in the education of their children.
Fill the hearts of grandparents with peace and tenderness toward their grandchildren.
Come to the help of those whose happiness is threatened.

Inspire and enlighten all those committed, like Saint Marguerite, to the well-being and happiness of families.

Help us discover in the Holy Family of Nazareth,
A real model of family life in the spirit of the Gospel.

Amen.

And as we begin this new month, let us remember to pray for the intentions of Pope Benedict XVI:

General Intention
That the Christians of the Middle East may live their faith in full freedom and be an instrument of peace and reconciliation.

Mission Intention
That the Church may be the seed and nucleus of a humanity reconciled and reunited in God’s one and only family, thanks to the testimony of all the faithful in every country in the world.

Have a blessed and enjoyable Canada Day!

Matthew Harrison

The great feast of Saints Peter and Paul, celebrated on Monday, brings to us every year the Pallium Mass. It is at this Mass that those who have been named Metropolitan Archbishops in the past year receive a special wool stole marked with six crosses indicating their unity with the Holy Father.

This year two Canadians are among the 34 Archbishops to receive the Pallium — Archbishop Pierre-André Fournier of Rimouski, Quebec (right) and Archbishop Michael Miller of Vancouver, British Columbia (bottom left). In a recent L’Osservatore Romano article, Salt + Light CEO, Father Thomas Rosica, explained two significant points about the Pallium:

First is the special relationship of the Metropolitan Archbishops with the Successor of Peter and with Peter himself. It is from the Apostle’s tomb that the pallium receives its power as a symbol: those who wear it must remind themselves and others of the intimate and profound bond with Peter and his mission. This should take place in all circumstances of life, from teaching to pastoral guidance, from the celebration of the sacraments to dialogue with the community. The new

Archbishops are called to take a leading role in building up the Church’s unity, which is expressed in the profession of the one faith and in fraternal charity. The sign of the Archbishop’s authority is not a scepter or crown, but a circular stole made of lamb’s wool, evoke the image that he is, first of all, a shepherd who leads by love.

Second, the conferral of the pallium emphasizes the important aspect of the lamb, which offered the wool used for making the pallium. The pallium symbolizes the Lamb of God who took upon himself the sins of the world and gave himself in ransom for humanity. As Lamb and Shepherd, Christ continues to watch over his flock and entrusts it to the care of those who sacramentally represent him. The whiteness of its wool is a call to innocence of life, and with its series of six crosses it reminds us of daily fidelity to the Lord, to the point of martyrdom if necessary. Those who wear the pallium must therefore live an extraordinary and constant communion with the Lord, marked by purity of intention and action and by generosity of service and witness.

Congratulations to Archbishop Fournier and Archbishop Miller!

Let us remember to pray for them — and for all bishops — that they may courageously, generously, and lovingly carry out the mission entrusted to them by Christ!
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Photos courtesy of L’Osservatore Romano’s Servizio Fotografico

Matthew Harrison

Given the significance of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the formal conclusion of the “Year of St. Paul”, my reflections today are on the June 29 Feast. Peter’s journey was from the weakness of denial to the rock of fidelity. He gave us the ultimate witness of the cross. Paul’s pilgrimage was from the blindness of persecution to the fire of proclamation. He made the Word of God come alive for the nations.

To be with Peter means to preserve the unity of the Christian Church. To speak with Paul is to proclaim the pure Word of God. Their passion was to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Their commitment was to create a place for everyone in Christ’s church. Their loyalty to Christ was valid to death. Peter and Paul are for us a strong foundation; they are pillars of our church.

Affirmation, identity and purpose at Caesarea Philippi

Today’s Gospel story [Matthew 16:13-19] is about affirmation, identity and purpose. Jesus and his disciples entered the area of Caesarea Philippi in the process of a long journey from their familiar surroundings. Caesarea Philippi, built by Philip, was a garrison town for the Roman army, full of all the architecture, imagery, and life styles of Greco-Roman urban civilization. It was a foreign place to the apostles who were more familiar with towns and the lakeside.

Sexuality and violence ran rampant in this religious shrine town known for its worship of the Greek god Pan. In this centre of power, sophistication and rampant pagan worship, Jesus turns to his disciples and asks what people are saying about him. How do they see his work? Who is he in their minds? Probably taken aback by the question, the disciples dredge their memories for overheard remarks, snatches of shared conversation, opinions circulating in the fishing towns of the lake area. Jesus himself is aware of some of the stories about him. He knows only too well the attitude of his own town of Nazareth, and the memory probably hurts him deeply.

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Father Thomas Rosica

Last week we witnessed Jesus’ divine power at work on the forces of nature [Mark 4:37-41]. Sunday’s Gospel stories for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time reveal his power over disease and death. In these powerful accounts, Jesus reminds us of the importance of faith. Nothing is possible without faith. On the way to Jairus’ house, [Mark 5] Jesus encounters interruptions, delays, and even obstacles along the road. The people in Mark 5 transfer their uncleanness to Jesus, and to each Jesus bestows the cleansing wholeness of God. Let us consider for a moment each situation.

The woman with hemorrhage

Jesus’ miraculous healing of this woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years is narrated in three of the four Gospels (Mt 9:20–22; Mk 5:25–34; Lk 8:43–48). The law regarded three forms of uncleanness as serious enough to exclude the infected person from society: leprosy, uncleanness caused by bodily discharges, and impurity resulting from contact with the dead (Num. 5:2-4). The woman in Mark 5 had a disease that made her ritually unclean (Leviticus 15:25-27). It would have excluded her from most social contact and worship at the temple. She desperately wanted Jesus to heal her, but she knew that her bleeding would cause Jesus to become ritually unclean under Jewish law.

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Father Thomas Rosica

Yesterday at S+L TV, my time was divided between three editing assignments. In one room, I am working on the promotional video for the permanent diaconate formation program for the Archdiocese of Toronto. The permanent diaconate is one of three orders within the Catholic Church (the diaconate, priesthood and episcopate). The deacons are ordained ministers who are active in the ministry of service. They visit hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons, and work with the most marginalized of our society. One of the particular ministries we are focusing in the video is a ministry to ex-offenders and, in particular, to men who have done time for sexually assaulting children. It has been the topic of many conversations in the office: to what extent are we called, as Christians, to minister to these people? Where do we draw the line?

The second project I was editing was this week’s Salt + Light Radio program. The main interview on this show is with Harry Nigh, a Mennonite minister who is also the Community Chaplain for the Central Ontario Parole Sector for Correctional Services Canada. Our interview for the radio program centres around his “circle of support” ministry that is part of the restorative justice movement whereby ex-offenders are welcomed into a circle of friendship meant to support him (or her) so that they do not re-offend. This program has been met with a great deal of success, namely in reducing the number of victims. The first man Harry’s group supported was a high-profile pedophile named Charlie. The group called itself “Charlie’s Angels”. Charlie lived the rest of his life without re-offending.

The third program we were editing is an episode of Catholic Focus titled “Making Movies that Count”, featuring an interview I did with Steve McEveety last November when I was in Houston. Steve McEveety is the C.E.O. of MPower Pictures, responsible for movies such as “Bella”, “Star of Bethlehem”, “An American Carol”, and “The Stoning of Soraya M.”, which will be coming to theatres at the end of this week. Before MPower Pictures, Steve was a producer with Mel Gibson’s ICON Productions and was the executive producer of many Gibson films including “A Man Without a Face”, “What Women Want”, “Braveheart”, and “The Passion of the Christ”. (This episode will air next Thursday, July 2nd.)

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Pedro Guevara-Mann

The following article comes from Marilena Berardinelli, a young Toronto based Catholic Teacher.

In 1965 the American Rock group The Byrds wrote their hit single “Turn! Turn! Turn!”  Young people today still sing along to the now famous lyrics: “For every season…a time to be born, a time to die…a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to kill, a time to heal, a time to laugh, a time to weep…”  Not many, however, are aware that the song was inspired by the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes (3:1-8).  In fact, there are many such phrases or passages which are quoted by religious, agnostic and atheist alike, that few ever realize are original to the Canon of Sacred Scripture.

When Christians think of the Bible their thoughts most often gravitate to the New Testament.  We find comfort in its familiar stories and parables.  We rarely ever turn to those first 46 books found in the Bible- the Old Testament (also referred to as the Hebrew bible).  These books speak of a less ‘warm and fuzzy God”, one who often espouses a “tough love” philosophy when dealing with God’s chosen people.  It is the stories and history lessons found in this first half of the bible that shape and inform the entire New Testament and thus, our lack of knowledge of the first covenant inevitably impoverishes our understanding of the second.

Having accepted our inability to survive even one round of Old Testament Bible Jeopardy, Christians must also face their general ignorance of how these writings came together to form one holy book.  Although we may find it more comforting to believe that the stories of creation, the exodus, and the building of the Temple in Jerusalem (take one and two) were recorded as the events occurred, the reality is otherwise.  These narratives began as oral traditions, faithfully passed on from one generation to another.  The stories were then creatively expanded and retold through the lens of different historical periods.  In this dynamic retelling different nuances began to be made so that stories which told of events years past, still addressed the needs and circumstances of a new generation of believers.

Biblical exegesis and archaeological evidence documents this organic evolution of the biblical texts.  Discovered between 1947 and 1956 over 900 fragments and scrolls, containing texts of the Old Testament, were found in over 11 caves in Qumran, located on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.  Accordingly, the documents were given the now infamous name the “Dead Sea Scrolls”.

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Sebastien Lacroix

Here below is the full transcript of Fr. Thomas Rosica’s interview with Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X. Watch the half-hour interview this Sunday on Witness or view the entire program streaming online here. Fr. Rosica (right) and Bishop Fellay (centre) are pictured here with Fr. Jürgen Wegner (left), District Superior of the SSPX in Canada.

Witness airs this Sunday at 8:30 PM, repeating the following Thursday at 8 PM. A separate French interview with Bishop Fellay airs on Témoin this Monday at 8 PM, repeating the following Saturday at 7:30 PM. (All times Eastern) Find additional broadcast times here.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B.: Bishop Bernard Fellay, it’s a great pleasure to welcome you to Salt + Light Television in Canada. Thank you for coming, especially to see us.

Bishop Bernard Fellay: Thank you to you, that you receive me.

Fr. Rosica: We are in the month of June 2009, in fact, to be precise, it’s June 15th, several days before the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, which is certainly a special feast for you. And you are not a stranger to our viewers. You’re certainly not a stranger, your name is not foreign in the Catholic press, especially over the past few months. You are a bishop, you are a member of the Society of Saint Pius X and also the superior general of that community. Tell me where you’re from and what brings you to Canada.

Bishop Fellay: So I come from Switzerland. I was born there, raised there. In fact, since 1962, about eight years before Archbishop Lefebvre knew about l’Ecône, I was already there. My parents worked there, so I was all my life in front of this seminary, had my youth in the College of St. Maurice with the canons there, at the foot of the martyrs, and my life just went this way in this seminary. I had the beautiful example of the seminarians, young priests, who took their religion very, very seriously, and that’s the development I had there. Right after my priestly ordination I had to take care of the economic side of the society as the burser and then twelve years later I was elected as the superior general. And now, if I come here to Canada now, it’s as superior general. It’s some years now I have not visited the different places we have here in Canada, so just to see how things develop, how the priests behave, how they take care of the faithful, and also I took the opportunity to give some confirmations starting in Quebec.
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Alicia Ambrosio