Catholic Life Ministries

By Robert Fontana

As I considered the tragic events in Minneapolis, I wondered what Dr. Martin Luther King would say if he had the pulpit in the Twin Cities. I took MLK’s words from two of his speeches and one book – speeches when receiving the Nobel Peace prize and his last speech in Memphis, “I’ve been to the Mountaintop,” and his book “Strength to Love.”  I added in my own words to update Dr. King’s words to the current conflict in Minneapolis between protesters and ICE. Here’s what I imagine he might say:

I am happy to be here! The people are rising in Minneapolis. Their cry is,

“Respect our constitutional rights! Respect our dignity as human beings!”  

The federal government has chosen violent tactics as a solution to the challenges of immigration. Minneapolis, you have responded with non-violence. Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time – the violent oppression of the poorest among us, people of color, immigrants from other countries, documented and undocumented. That is where we are today. If something isn’t done, and done in a hurry, to bring the millions of souls who immigrated to our country through this time of dehumanizing lies, malicious attacks, and political oppression, this constitutional experiment in democracy is doomed.

The fundamental issue is this: the refusal of the president of the United States of America to recognize the God-given dignity and humanity of immigrant men, women and children, many who have fled the violence of their home country for the dream to live in the land of the free. Many immigrants are legal citizens; many are here with the permission of our government to seek asylum from the violence and inhumanity of drug cartels and oppressive governments.

Yet all believed the great story of America that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [people] are created equal.” They believed in the constitution of America that there is freedom to worship, freedom to speak and even protest, and freedom from unjust search and seizure. They believed that America is ruled by law, not by dictatorial decree.

We now have a government ruled by bigotry and not law. ICE officers harass, threaten, track down, run down, and abduct our immigrant brothers and sisters at all hours of the day and night. Furthermore, federal agents have shot and killed two white citizens, a mother and poet, Renee Good, and an ICU nurse who served veterans, Alex Pretti.

What does this mean in this great period of history? It means that we’ve got to stay together. We’ve got to stay together and maintain unity. We’re gonna march again and we’ve gotta march again to put the issue where it is supposed to be, and force everybody to see that the agents of bigotry will not win here! No, the agents of bigotry did not win in Selma, Alabama, and they will not win in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  

We don’t have to argue with anybody. We don’t have to curse and go around acting badly with our words. We don’t need any bricks and bottles. We just need to let the president, the congress, and these agents of bigotry know, “God sent us here to say to you that you’re not treating His children right. The immigrants who live among us are God’s children. We demand that you treat them with dignity! We demand that you stand down!”

I refuse to accept the cynical notion that power makes right, that violence and fear are the path to make America great again. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love are the only path towards restoring American greatness. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. I believe that what self-centered political leaders have torn down, other-centered ordinary citizens can build up. I still believe that nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land. “And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together.” I still believe that we shall overcome!

And so, I say to the agents of bigotry from political leaders to the bullies on the streets in Minneapolis: you can pull us out of our homes and cars, and we will still love you with truth and non-violence. You can throw tear gas at us and knock us to the ground, and we will still love you with truth and non-violence. You can shoot us, calling us domestic terrorists, and we will not renounce our duty to love you with truth and non-violence. And in the end, we will win a double victory, the just treatment of our immigrant neighbors and your friendship! This is the only path to making America great again.

What ought to guide us in how we participate in the annual Lenten retreat especially considering the great tensions that exists in the Church and in society today?  I suggest as Lent begins we read and pray through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49). Let’s return to the basics of Christian discipleship by prayerfully reviewing what Jesus taught. Isn’t the purpose of the Lenten 40 days to set aside this time to draw close to Jesus and more faithfully conform our lives to the demands of being his disciple? One size does not fit all. We do this according to the circumstances of our lives, according to our duties and responsibilities, age and abilities. Our responses will be different, but respond we must!

This is clearly what Pope Leo is asking of us (Apostolic Letter – On Love for the Poor):

And the Church, if she wants to be Christ’s Church, must be a Church of the Beatitudes, one that makes room for the little ones and walks poor with the poor, a place where the poor have a privileged place (cf. Jas 2:2-4)… our response to the challenges posed by contemporary migration can be summed up in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote and integrate…solidarity [with suffering people] “also means fighting against the structural causes of poverty and inequality; of the lack of work, land and housing; and of the denial of social and labor rights. It means confronting the destructive effects of the empire of money… 

So let’s review the fundamental lessons of discipleship as they are recorded in the Scriptures. Then ask the Holy Spirit to show each of us what is ours to do to be a power for good during these difficult times. Yes, let’s make specific sacrifices that remind us from day to day that we are in the season of Lent – give up chocolate. But let’s connect those sacrifices to a firm determination to be brave in discerning how we are to be a power for good within the circumstances our lives and the tensions present in society and the Church.

We also might spend time in prayer before the cross. Here’s a prayer devotion often prayed at noon (or when it is convenient) on Fridays during ordinary time, every day during Lent and on any day when life is difficult.

DEVOTION BEFORE THE CROSS

L For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, not to condemn the world but to save it. (John 3:16)

All Christ suffered for [us] that [we] should follow in his footsteps. (1 Peter 2:21)

L Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he humbled himself …becoming obedient to death…death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

All Christ suffered for [us] that [we] should follow in his footsteps. (1 Peter 2:21)

L Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-26)

All Christ suffered for [us] that [we] should follow in his footsteps. (1 Peter 2:21)

L Let us pray.

All Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures – I wish no more than this, O Lord.  Amen. (Prayer of Abandonment, Charles de Foucauld)

“Marriage has no guarantees. If that’s what you’re looking for, go live with a car battery.” (Erma Bombeck)

We have more marriage wisdom for you in celebration of National Marriage Week (February 7-14). We’ve asked friends of CLM to share short testimonies of their marriages. We are sharing some in this issue and in the March issue. Married or not, may these stories inspire you, encourage you, and remind you of the immense value of the institution of marriage to couples, their children and to society as a whole!

By Robert Fontana

DON’T TAKE DOWN YOUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!

The Christmas season continues through the great feast of Epiphany which proclaims the divinity of Jesus. In the U.S., it is celebrated on the second Sunday after Christmas, this year January 4^th. The rest of the Christian world celebrates Epiphany every January 6^th. (Unlike December 25^th which still has a hold on the imagination of most Catholics, January 6^th – Epiphany – seems to have lost its meaning in our country, so the U.S. bishops moved Epiphany to a the second Sunday after Christmas.)

While acknowledging the heart of the Epiphany message – the divinity of the human Jesus – there is also much wisdom to tease out of the story of the Magi. Let’s “work the text” of Matthew Chapter 2 to learn what the Magi have to teach us.

“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

First lesson: If you are sincere in seeking the divine, pay attention to nature; pray with nature; listen to nature. Before the “Word of God” was revealed to the Jewish people through the Patriarchs, prophets, and eventually Jesus of Nazareth, it was manifested in creation. Every culture in every age has access to God’s divine presence through the things God has made. (Romans 1:12) Where did Jesus like to go to encounter God? The desert, mountains, a lakeshore, any quiet place away from the village.

Also, the Magi learned something very important when they arrived at King Herod’s palace: the child they were seeking was not there. Discerning a negative is important in our lives as well. It moves us along on our spiritual journey to continue searching.

“When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophets…”

Second Lesson: Look to the Scriptures for guidance but be careful of religious leaders who align themselves with the secular powers of the world. They may speak certain spiritual truths, as the scribes did to King Herod about where the Messiah was to be born. But notice; they do not speak truth to power. They don’t encourage Herod to join the Magi, nor do they go themselves. They know firsthand Herod’s cruel behavior. They will not risk their privileged relationship with the king by challenging him in any way. Are there parallels today?

Someone who took this lesson to heart was the late Dr. Martin Luther King. He found common cause with President Lyndon Johnson in passing civil rights legislation in 1964 – 65. Yet a few years later, to Johnson’s chagrin, King publicly challenged the President on his continued support for the war in Vietnam.

“Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.’ After their audience with the king, they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.”

Third Lesson: Step away from the noise of life so you can grow in awareness of the divine’s leading you. Notice how the star has disappeared as the Magi “hang out” with Herod and his entourage! There are a lot of voices in the world that do not have your good or the common good in mind. What they say may sound good…but look at their past behaviors as the best indication of whether their words can be trusted. Secular power in all its forms – political, corporate, commercial, etc. – has a history of manipulating well-meaning people of faith and using them for its own selfish ends. Beware! Step away from the “noise” of the marketplace, easy living, and power. Get away to the quiet where you can continue your spiritual journey and once again see and hear the divine guiding you.

“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.”

Fourth Lesson: The divine is to be found in the ordinary. It is easy to think that God is present in special people like Mother Teresa and Pope Leo and even the “holy” people at your church. The Magi may have been surprised when the star stopped over a simple house belonging to a carpenter. (Luke’s Gospel has Jesus born in a stable, but there are no Magi.) When the Magi enter, they find a woman with her newborn baby. How many of us have stepped into a room with a mother and newborn child and gasped in awe as did the Magi! Every child born is a child of God. That Jesus is uniquely God’s beloved son does not take away from the fact that divine life is present in all our homes, in all our relationships, if only we have eyes to see.

The Magi prostrated themselves before the Christ child and did him homage. It is Jesus who gets our adoration and gifts, not King Herod with his power, possessions, and privilege! When we place Jesus and his mother at the center of our devotion, we use our power to serve others. We use our possessions to meet our material needs and assist others who have less. We use our privileges, whatever they may be – a good education, a stable family life, a good job – to be a power for good in the world, especially through our family life, work, and civic activism.

I hope you can spend time reflecting on the story of the Magi, and its lessons for us today:

1. Listen to and pray with nature.
2. Look to the Scriptures for guidance but be wary of religious leaders who align themselves with secular powers.
3. Step away from the noise of life to be able to hear the divine leading you; and
4. Be prepared to encounter God in the ordinary circumstances of life and use our blessings to be a power for good in the world.

Dear Friends, the homily for the Christmas Masses need not be long because the entire day of Christmas, including the liturgy and carols sung, proclaim the meaning of this holy day.  Here’s my short, five minute Christmas homily for Christmas.

A Five-Minute Christmas Homily

Merry Christmas, Church! It’s that great day when the entire world sings the music of Handel – HALLELUJAH!! [Robert sings the first line of the HALLELUJAH! Chorus.]  You know this tune with the wonderful word, HALLELUJAH!. Can you sing it with me?

All: HALLELUJAH!

The word comes from the Jewish language, and it means “God be praised” or “Praise the Lord.” It’s the “Great Word” that is so appropriate for this day when we remember in song, Word and Sacrament, at home and in this community of faith, the birth of God’s beloved Son Jesus.

All: HALLELUJAH!

HALLELUJAH!, indeed. GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN US! Terrible things are happening in the world today, and terrible things were happening in the world 2000 years ago. And God did not leave us alone to suffer the sins of our graced but fallen world. God became a human being in Jesus so that we would know without a doubt that we are loved and are destined for a heavenly future. Jesus is “Emmanuel,” God with us.

All: HALLELUJAH!

But more than that! The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the sending of his Spirit upon His Church did not happen just to get us to heaven. It happened so that we would bring heaven to earth, at least a measure of it, within our marriages and families, in our neighborhoods and at work, and even in our politics. YES, WE CAN BRING HEAVEN TO EARTH!

All: HALLELUJAH!

Change for the better, both in the world and in our lives, is possible. Wars between nations and the plagues of war – hunger, destitution, and death by the thousands – does not have to be our future. You and I, in Christ, can become the peace that the world is longing for.  We can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the refugee and the migrant, visit the sick, and comfort the dying. It is our joy and our privilege to do so!

All: HALLELUJAH!

Addiction to alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, gaming, shopping, and whatever other forms of addiction that afflict us do not have to dominate our lives, destroy our inner peace, or cripple our relationships. Emmanuel is with us; we can find freedom from addictions!

If you struggle with any sort of addiction, God is with you. Help is available through God’s grace, with the support of loving family and friends, and with the assistance of dedicated professionals. You can live addiction free.

All: HALLELUJAH!

Most importantly, because of Christmas, Jesus is Emmanuel – “God with us,” we can stop trying to earn God’s love and the love of others. We can rest with complete assurance in the knowledge and truth that, from the moment of our conception until this very day, we are completely and unconditionally loved by our Divine Lover. We don’t earn it; we can’t buy it; we can’t produce it. We can only open our hearts to God and receive God’s gift of love in Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Dear Church, it’s Christmas. Let’s join with the entire world, with heaven and nature, too, in singing that “Great Word” that proclaims the joy and hope that fills our hearts.

All: HALLELUJAH!

A Family Prayer from Christmas Day to Epiphany

To Bethlehem we travel with the Magi from the East across the days from Christmas to the Epiphany feast. Give us the courage of the Magi as we begin our search for you.  Give us the eyes of the Magi that we might see the star that leads us too. And when we get to Bethlehem on that holy Epiphany Day, give us the heart of the Magi that humbles us to pray.

By Robert Fontana

December 6  is the Feast of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (in modern day Turkey).He had a reputation for secretly giving gifts to people in need, which led to the rise among pious Christians of the figure of Santa Claus (Sinterklaas (Dutch: [ˌsɪntərˈklaːs]) or Sint-Nicolaas – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas).

Lori and I decided when our children were small to make the Feast of St. Nicholas a special day for them so that they would understand the Christian figure behind the Santa Claus story. We are continuing that custom with the grandchildren. On St. Nicholas Day morning, they will be opening their Christmas stockings, each containing a book, a candy treat, and an orange. For the grands who live above us, we’ll have breakfast together with an ice cream pie as the main dish!

Here’s a reflection on the difference between St. Nicholas and Santa Claus, followed by a prayer service that families (with or without children) or friends can do to honor St. Nicholas, disciple of Jesus, and friend of the poor.

• Santa wants your credit card; Nicholas wants your heart.
• Santa will turn you into a consumer; Nicholas will help you be a servant.
• Santa is a whimsical tale of a fat old elf who gives toys to boys and girls who have been good; St. Nicholas helped children escape from poverty and slavery.
• Santa reminds us to give presents; Nicholas reminds us to give ourselves.
• Santa is controlled by the department store; Nicholas was led by the Spirit.
• Santa is a man dressed in a costume; Nicholas was a Bishop who cared for his people.
• Santa reminds us to follow the Christmas sales; Nicholas reminds us to follow Jesus.
• Santa promises us happiness through gift-giving; Nicholas reminds us that happiness is the fruit of a faithful life.
• Santa is a fun story to read to children at Christmas Eve; Nicholas was a man of great compassion who sold his possessions and gave the money to the poor so that he could do God’s will in perfect freedom.
• Santa has nothing to do with Jesus the God-Man whose birth is celebrated on Christmas Day. Nicholas’ life only makes sense because of his love and commitment to Jesus the God-Man whose birth is celebrated on Christmas Day.

Enjoy the story of Sant Claus with your children and grandchildren, and teach them about the real person behind the myth.

A Prayer Service for the Feast of St. Nicholas, Adapted by Robert Fontana from a prayer service by Thomas G. Simons from the St. Nicholas Center.

Call To Worship

Leader: Praise God for St. Nicholas!

Children:  Yea St. Nicholas!

Leader: The Spirit of the Lord was upon him.

Children: Yea St. Nicholas!

Leader: Loving God, St. Nicholas loved Jesus, and because he loved Jesus he loved children and the poor.  We honor his memory today and in doing so hope to imitate his kindness and love.

Children:  St. Nicholas, pray for us. Amen!

Word Service – 1 Peter 5.1–4

The following summary of the life of St. Nicholas may be read and discussed.

St. Nicholas was born to Christian parents.  Legends recount the story of Nicholas’ baptism when his parents brought him to the sacred fount; he leapt from his mother’s arms into the Baptismal waters.  After the death of his parents, he gave away his inheritance to the poor of Myra, and dedicated himself to serve his people first as a priest and later as a bishop.

Bishop Nicholas preached the Gospel in a Roman culture still dominated by Greek and Roman religious customs and moral behavior.  He organized Churched, taught the Catholic faith, and invited non-Christians to join the community of faith.  He is most remembered as a helper to the poor and to children.   Once Bishop Nicholas heard that a father was struggling to feed his three daughters.  He did not have the money for a marriage dowry, and was considering selling them off into slavery so they would at least have something to eat.   On three occasions, Bishop Nicholas threw a bag of gold through the window into the room of the sleeping father. His daughters soon were married. Later the father came to Nicholas, fell at his feet and said, “Nicholas, you are my helper.”

This story and his many other works of charity led to the tradition of giving presents on the Feast of St. Nicholas and at Christmas. The name Santa Claus, in fact, evolved from his name.

Bishop Nicholas proclaimed the Gospel, baptized new Christians, feed the hungry and poor, and taught the truths of Christianity.   He died at Myra in 350 A.D. His popularity, already great, increased when his bones were brought to Italy in 1087. Both the Eastern and Western churches honor him. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, Greece, and Sicily.  He is regarded as the special patron of children. His feast is December 6.

Intercessions

Reader: For the gift of each person here.

All: We give thanks.

Reader: For the many material blessings that we have received and can share with those in need.

All: We give thanks.

Reader: For a holiday season of joy, hope, and peace.

All: We give thanks.

Blessing Prayer

Leader: Gracious and good Lord, we bless you on this feast of St. Nicholas, your servant, who is an example to us of a life of charity and love.

All: Help us to imitate his good deeds.

Leader: Make us always mindful of the needs of others and help us rejoice in the abundance of your goodness around us. We ask this through Jesus our Lord.

All: Amen.

Our Father…

Share a special treat or exchange small gifts, if desired.

By Robert Fontana

Advent is upon us. What a wonderful, complex time of the year. No other time of the year so brings out our competing desires as these several weeks when with the culture we celebrate Christmas and with the Church we observe Advent!

Oh, we want to slow down, take a breath, breathe in the Spirit of Advent…AND WE WANT TO DECORATE AND BAKE AND ATTEND CHRISTMAS PARTIES AND CONCERTS.

We want to avoid the commercialism of Christmas and go for a simpler Advent season…AND WE WANT TO GET THE RIGHT GIFTS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, DRIVE DOWNTOWN TO SEE THE LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS, AND, OF COURSE, GET A NICE GIFT OURSELVES.

We want to read the Scriptures, pray through the daily Mass readings, and light the Advent candles to focus on the true meaning of Christmas…AND WE WANT THAT HOLIDAY MUSIC,  WHITE CHRISTMAS AND RUDOLF THE RED NOSE REINDEER AND GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER!

Oblate Fr. Ron Rolhesier describes this tension in a very imaginative way in his book “Holy Longing.” He writes that we want to be holy with a singular desire for God like Mother Teresa; and, simultaneously, we want to be like singer Janice Joplin and grab for all the fun that life can bring. But in the end, most of us are a version of Princess Diana, “not too good, and not too bad.”

The holidays are going to tap into a multitude of different desires that can leave us feeling frustrated and pulled in too many directions. We can easily lose sight of the great truth of the season: that “love” was born in the person of Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16

I’d like to offer that the best way to manage our competing desires during this season as disciples of Jesus is to participate in the Advent prayer of the Church, at the local parish and in the home, and through this prayer to root whatever we do in the great commandment of Jesus – to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves. As Saint Paul writes,

 …whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-13

If the Advent/Christmas seasons draw us steadily and consistently into these twin aspects of love, then we are doing what the observance of the birthday of Jesus intends: giving birth to divine love in our lives.

What’s the Advent prayer of the Church at home?  Perhaps reading the daily Mass readings, lighting the Advent candles and reading a daily reflection (consider Henri Nouwen -https://henrinouwen.org/meditation/); and observing the feast days for the saints of Advent, e.g. St. Nicholas on December 6 (we have stockings for the adult children and grands filled with chocolate and a book, and we prepare a delicious breakfast of waffles with ice cream.) and St. Lucia on December 13 (families in Italy bake Christmas cookies on this day – see below).

What’s the Advent prayer of the Church at the parish? It’s certainly Sunday Mass and Mass on Feast Days, e.g. Immaculate Conception on December 8 and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. But it also can be joining an Advent prayer/study group (we’re hosting one), going to Mass during the week, and/or making a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament or a beautiful ICON, or even taking a weekly contemplative walk in the park.

Prayer will help us slow down and open up our hearts to God. It will bring calm to our Janice Joplin impulse that wants it all; it will allow us to be modest in our commitments and gift-giving during this season. Prayer will also open our hearts to those people who do not experience the love of God and neighbor – the lonely family member, the newly arrived migrant, the elderly in retirement communities, the unsheltered people living in the park – and inspire ways to include them in our holyday observances.

Prayer may not turn us into a Mother Teresa, but it will open our eyes to God’s love, present within the hullabaloo of the secular Christmas that overlaps the Advent season. Perhaps it will help us to be just a little bit kinder, a little more generous than we are during the rest of the year.  We will be able to say with Scrooge’s nephew (https://charles-dickens.org/a-christmas-carol/ebook-page-03.php),

“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round–apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that–as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!’

ITALIAN SWEET BREAD (https://www.italiankitchenconfessions.com/santa-lucia-shortbread-cookies-a-holiday-treat-from-veneto/)

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• ½ ⅛ cup butter chopped in small pieces
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 egg egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp salt
• 5 tbsp sugar powdered, to decorate

Instructions

• Start by sifting the flour and forming a volcano shape on your countertop.
• Add the butter, cut into pieces, in the middle of the crater. Work the ingredients together very fast until they are crumbling together (see notes).
• Add the sugar, the egg yolks, the vanilla and the salt and continue working together with all the ingredients until they are perfectly combined. Place the dough in the refrigerator and let it rest for 1 hour.
• Just before taking out the dough from the refrigerator, preheat the oven at 320°F (160°C).
• Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a ½ inch thickness and then cut as many forms as you can using Christmas cookie stamps
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the cookies on top and cook them in the oven for 15 minutes until golden (see notes).
• Let them cool down on baking rack. Once cold, cover them with icing sugar and serve them.

Notes

• Work the dough fast to avoid the butter to melt at contact with you hand. Try to keep your hands cold, wetting them under cold water or passing in your hands some ice cubes.
• In order for your cookies to have a nice uniform golden aspect, turn the tray clockwise halfway of the time in the oven. 
• These cookies will last 3-4 days in an airtight container.
• You could do the recipe using a food processor, follow the same steps when adding the ingredients.

By Robert Fontana

Both sides of the political spectrum love to tout science to back up their position. Yet each side can ignore the “science” when the facts do not line up with their ideological positions. We Christians are committed to what  science and social research find is the best evidence for what’s happening in the world and to the basic facts of history, recent and past. Jesus says that the “truth will set you free!”

Years ago, when I was beginning to learn about clergy sex abuse and cover-up, my attorney brother who was representing survivors of clergy sex abuse, gave me this advice: “Seek the truth and do not pre-determine where it ought to go.” In other words, let the truth/ facts/evidence guide you to your conclusions, however uncomfortable or unexpected those conclusions may be.

Here are two examples of how I believe that liberals do not follow science:

Abortion: I had a conversation with a pro-choice Catholic about abortion. When I made the statement, “The science is clear; the fetus in the womb is human life, a baby.” “That’s ridiculous!” was the response. “You’re just using that to throw guilt on women having an abortion. You are terrorizing women.”

There was no more discussion. I did not get a chance to ask him to clarify what he meant by that statement or talk about taking seriously the experience of a woman or couple having a crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy. For him, the embryo is fetal tissue, not a baby.

Gender-Affirming Therapy: This form of therapy just accepts it without question as truth when a youth or adult states in counseling or to a medical provider that their gender identity conflicts with their biological sex. The therapist affirms the gender identity the client presents and works to help the client’s biological sex conform to this gender identity, which can include prescribing hormone blockers and sex-reassignment surgery.

This is a difficult topic because the evidence in this area has changed over the past several years. Gender affirming therapy was first developed by the Europeans and later  adopted by most American psychological and medical professionals. Now, however, after continued research on the long-term effects of gender affirming therapy, the  Europeans no longer support it. They have determined that the primary need for young people who are struggling with their gender identity is therapy. In counseling, young people can sort out the multitude of life issues that might be contributing to emotional and mental disruption. Counseling and accompanying youth throughout their teenage years are now the recommended treatment. But mental health and medical organizations in the U.S. are resisting the recent compelling evidence that gender affirming therapy is actually harmful rather than helpful for youth struggling with gender dysphoria. (see US News, 7-12-23).

Here are two examples of how I believe that conservatives do not follow science.

Human Influenced Climate Change: I was talking with a conservative family member about climate change. He reacted quickly, “The climate is always changing! End of discussion.

In a 2024 analysis of House Republican views on  human-caused climate change, 123 members rejected the science supporting this (see The Hill, 7-18-2024). And in a Pew survey, only 12% of Republicans viewed human-influenced climate change as a major threat (see ABC News, 8-27-24).

The facts are that the vast majority of climate scientists specifically and scientists in general are persuaded by the evidence that human use of fossil fuels is a leading cause of the planet’s heating up (see Forbes, 12-10-21).

For specific evidence on human-caused climate change, go to https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/sustainability/evidence-climate-change

Science and the Bible: One of the first challenges to the Biblical view of creation came when medieval “scientists” first dissected the corpses of men and  women. They expected to find a man with one less rib than a woman but what they discovered was most male and female corpses had 24 ribs. AGH! This caused an existential crisis, challenging Christianity’s view of the Bible as an authority on science as well as religious and moral truths.

Then came Copernicus and Galileo who insisted that the earth revolved around the sun and not the sun around the earth. Then Darwin and company insisted that all creatures, including humans, evolved from more primitive forms of life. And then there came the discovery of fossils of ancient creatures and bones of dinosaurs; the geologic evidence of Earth’s great land masses moving over plates; the explorations of deep space and the vastness of the universe, and…

The compelling evidence from all of the above is that the Earth is over 4.5 billion years old, and the universe is over 13 billion years old. (NASA, https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild) The Bible is not a science, history, or medical book. It’s a collection of writings that speak to the divine-human relationship. It may contain aspects of science, history, and good medicine, but that is not its intention or purpose.

These are only four of the big issues about which one side or the other ignores the scientific or social science research because the evidence does not fit its political or philosophical agenda. When we can’t work on finding common ground on the facts around an issue, then we are destined to argue and fight one another.

What to do? We Christians should not allow a political ideology to shape our moral choices. We hold on to the moral principles that come from the Gospel of Jesus and the witness of the saints, and include in our dialogue the evidence from science, the facts of history, and conclusions from social research to help us discern how to respond to a specific situation. Often, we must hold together two competing truths and try to discern the path that will most support the dignity of the human person and serve the common good. As an example, when we Christians address human-influenced climate change, it is very important to consider the impact of any decisions or actions on the lives of the people who will be most affected by those decisions or actions.

The old Christian axiom still applies: faith and reason are “complementary paths to truth.” (https://philosophy.institute/western-philosophy/faith-reason-aquinas-truth-paths/) Let’s step out of our ideological “corners” and, with both faith and reason, and the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, move toward sincere, frank, and respectful dialogue with one another.

Set up an Altar of Remembrance in your home with the photos and symbols of your loved ones who have died as part of your celebration of the All Saint’s Trilogy: All Hallow’s Eve, October 31 (when hospitality is shared); All Saints Day, November 1 (when we remember at Mass all the unnamed and unknown saints who live with God in heaven); and the Solemnity of All Souls, November 2 (when we honor the graves of our ancestors, pray for any of them who may be in purgatory, and commend all who have died to God). 

A word about “Purgatory.” WE DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT! What we do know is that it is an expression of God’s love and mercy. Purgatory is not so much a place but a process. It is God’s love and mercy reaching beyond the grave, cleansing us of sin, and preparing us for eternal communion with God. As dear old Fr. Royce put it to the grade school kids at St. Joseph’s where all our kids went and where Lori taught, “Purgatory is like going to the car wash on  Saturday before driving to church on Sunday. Or it is like taking a shower at the end of the day to clean up before having a meal with the family. Here’s what The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” Art. 1030