Blessed John Paul II Beatified Today May 1, 2011

This is a special day for two reasons - (1) Today is my birthday. Wow! I can't believe I'm turning 34 today.  God has blessed me with a wonderful husband, great family and friends and with a renewed Faith. (2) Today Pope John Paul II is being beatified today.  The Catholic Church is to declare Pope John Paul II "Blessed" today which is a step on the way to becoming a saint. It is kinda cool, awesome, and I am honored to share my birthday with a very special event which honors such a great, inspirational, spiritual, faith-filled person such as Pope John Paul II.  Then, in addition to all that wonderfulness it is also Divine Mercy Sunday.  Here is the background of the Divine Mercy devotion.  Here is some information on the Feast of Mercy.  

I found this article via Gateway Pundit 

(CNA)

Pope John Paul II called upon the young, and all of us, to build a “Culture of Life” with tremendous hope. He said, “Have no fear. The outcome of the battle for life is already decided … You too must feel the full urgency of the task … Woe to you if you do not succeed in defending life. …This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops.”

Father Frank Pavone helps us to understand why Pope John Paul II was and is so beloved and revered.

On Sunday, May 1 the Catholic Church declares Pope John Paul II to be “Blessed,” a step on the way to being declared a saint. This is done not as a judgment on the effectiveness or influence of his pontificate, nor on the depth of his knowledge of theology, but rather on his fidelity in living the Christian virtues.

The Church says, in other words, “If you want to follow Christ, look to John Paul II as an example.”

Each person whom the Church beatifies or canonizes, moreover, has his or her special theme, some aspect of discipleship that marks his or her life. For Pope John Paul II, it is the theme of pro-life. Not only was this a theme he spoke and acted upon continuously, but he gave the Church and the world a new way of understanding and practicing it.

This pope did not simply repeat the longstanding teaching of the Church that abortion is wrong. He did not simply hand down dogmas about what we can and cannot do, and how we are supposed to live up to the principles and the commandments, such as “Thou shalt not kill.”

John Paul II was able to join traditional, objective thought with the patterns of modern thought in what came to be known as his “personalism.” He focused on the dignity, the uniqueness, of each individual human person and affirmed their subjective insights and experiences. He taught that in each person we have a unique and unrepeatable being. And that uniqueness is precisely a reflection, or image, of God himself. Here is where the two worlds merge. Individual experience is not crushed, lost, or absorbed by the recognition that there is a God who has revealed universal moral norms. On the contrary, when God reveals himself to us in Jesus Christ, he reveals us to ourselves. 

The whole post is here.

The Washington Post has a slideshow of pics on the life of John Paul II. You can see them here.

Raymond L. Flynn explains how Pope John Paul II changed his life.

George Weigel on Remembering Pope John Paul II :

Strange as it may seem, I've been vaguely worried about today's beatification of a man with whom I was in close conversation for over a decade and to the writing of whose biography I dedicated 15 years of my own life.

My worries don't have to do with allegations of a "rushed" beatification process - the process has been a thorough one, and the official judgment is the same as the judgment of the people of the Church.

I'm also unconcerned about the fretting of ultra-traditionalists for whom John Paul II was a failure because he didn't restore the French monarchy, impose the Tridentine Mass on the entire Church, and issue thundering anathemas against theologians and wayward politicians. (See the "beatification catechism"below for my responses to the objections most frequently raised by John Paul's critics.)

No, my worries have to do with our losing touch with the qualities of the man himself.

When the Church puts the title "Blessed" or "Saint" on someone, the person so honoured often drifts away into a realm of the unapproachably good. We lose the sense that the saints are people just-like-us, who, by the grace of God, lived lives of heroic virtue: a truth of the faith of which John Paul II never ceased to remind us.

So what would I have us remember and hold fast to about John Paul II?

First, I hope we remember that everything he did was the accomplishment of a radically converted Christian disciple. His resistance to the Nazi occupation of Poland; his abandonment of his youthful plans in order to enter an underground seminary; his dynamic ministry in Krakow as priest and bishop; his philosophical and literary work; his efforts at Vatican II; his epic pontificate and its teaching; his role in the collapse of European communism and in the defence of the universality of human rights - all of this flowed from his radical conversion to Christ.

Why is this important to stress? Because it's his connection to the rest of us. There are over a billion Catholics on this planet; very few of us will enjoy the range of intellectual, spiritual, literary, athletic and linguistic gifts that God gave Karol Wojtyla. Because of our baptism, though, all of us share with him the possibility of being radically converted Christian disciples.

All of us can be Christ's evangelical witnesses in our families, our work, our neighbourhoods. All of us can live as though the truth John Paul II taught - that Jesus Christ is the answer to the question that is every human life - is at the very epicentre of our own lives.

The second thing I hope the Church holds onto, as it enrols John Paul II among the blessed, is the significance of the date of his beatification: Divine Mercy Sunday. John Paul's fondness for the Divine Mercy devotion, and his designation of the Octave of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday, struck some as a Polish imposition on a universal Church. Those who thought this were mistaken.

John Paul II had an acute sense of the gaping holes that had been torn in the moral and spiritual fabric of humanity by the murderous cruelties of the 20th century. A century that began with a robust human confidence in the future had ended with a thick fog of cynicism hanging over the western world.

As he wrote in his striking 2003 apostolic exhortation, "The Church in Europe," Christianity's historic heartland (and, by extension, the entire western world) was beset by guilt over what it had done in two world wars and the Cold War, at Auschwitz and in the Gulag, through the Ukrainian hunger famine and the communist persecution of the Church. But having abandoned the God of the Bible, it had nowhere to turn to confess this guilt, seek absolution, and find forgiveness. 

That, John Paul II was convinced, was why the face of the merciful Father had been turned toward the world now. The insight came from Poland; the need was universal. That was why he created "Divine Mercy Sunday." That is why we should remember that he was beatified on that day.  CONTINUED

JPII Helped People To Not Be Afraid To be Called Christian

Book explains key points of Divine Mercy

Pope John Paul II - His Life and Legacy

Here is one of my favorite church songs.



Please check out
Jesus tells us, The Holy Spirit who the Father will sent you in my name will teach you everything and Long live the charismatics, Pope John Paul 

Theology of the Body, Adam, Eve, and Curiosity

Instead of reading overviews and relying on others' explanations of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, the other day I decided to start reading the actual text of John Paul II's Theology of the Body (TOB).  My husband and I started discussing Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, and their being tempted by the serpent.  

From TOB: 

But could man, who in his original consciousness, knew exclusively the experience of existing and therefore of life, have understood the meaning of the words, "You shall die"? Would he have been able to arrive at understanding the meaning of these words through the complex structure of life, given to him when "the Lord God...breathed into his nostrils the breath of life"? It must be admitted that the word "die," a completely new one, appeared on the horizon of man's consciousness without his having ever experienced its reality. At the same time this word appeared before him as a radical antithesis of all that man had been endowed with.

For the first time, man heard the words "You shall die," without having any familiarity with them in his experience up to then. On the other hand, he could not but associate the meaning of death with that dimension of life which he had enjoyed up to then. The words of God-Yahweh addressed to man confirmed a dependence in existing, such as to make man a limited being and, by his very nature, liable to nonexistence.

These words raised the problem of death in a conditional way: "In the day that you eat of it you shall die." Man, who had heard these words, had to find their truth in the interior structure of his own solitude. In short, it depended on him, on his decision and free choice, if, with solitude, he was to enter also the circle of the antithesis revealed to him by the Creator, together with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thereby to make his own the experience of dying and death.

While discussing this passage I contended that curiosity and the fact that Adam and Eve did not have knowledge of dying is partly what led to their giving into temptation and eating from the tree of knowledge.  Who of us isn't curious when you are told that something, such as a particular item, is off limits? Or that you are not allowed in a particular room?  Doesn't the fact that you are not allowed in that one particular room make you more curious?  When as a young boy or girl and your parents told you something was off limits didn't that make you want to find out what that item was even more than before?  Do you think that Adam and Eve might have been similarly curious?  Or could it have been in God's plan from the beginning that in order for man to fully understand the good they had to have knowledge and experience evil also?  Since God is both omnipotent and omniscient did God know that Adam and Eve were going to be tempted by the serpent?  Did God know that Adam and Eve were going to give into temptation?  

Pope John Paul II "Abba Pater"

Clashing Voices Weigh in on Theology of the Body Controversy

I came across this post on Desiderium by Kevin Symonds which claims that Rome has given an answer to Christopher West's approach in teaching the Theology of the Body (TOB).   Since Christopher West's interview on Nightline in May of 2009 there has been much controversy and questions regarding his approach of teaching John Paul II's TOB due to remarks he made during that interview.  But, the problem with Kevin's claim that Vatican document Persona Humana "answers" and then later clarified "provides an answer" to Christopher West is that this was written in 1975 and geared to those who believe in the moral permissibility of homosexuality, premarital sex, masturbation et al and this obviously doesn't apply to Christopher West.

Kevin states:  "It is my suspicion that the effect of Christopher West's take on John Paul II's TOTB has led to irreverence in the minds of our generation of young adult Catholics."

I am not quite sure how Kevin Symonds can make this assertion when Christopher West is trying to appeal, open the door to, and is teaching individuals who are engaging in sexually illicit behavior what is morally licit sexual behavior, which is derived from TOB and past Church teaching.  Alice Von Hildebrand and Christopher West are both great philosophical/theological leaders but her criticisms of Christopher West's exegesis of TOB are unjustified.  Alice Von Hildebrand uses more of a soft-spoken manner to get her point across while Christopher West expressions are livelier and I would say that neither type of presentation is wrong.  In fact, it seems like Hildebrand and West are appealing to different audiences.  While Christopher West is opening the door to individuals who might change their immoral behavior Alice Von Hildebrand seems to be expounding on that with people who are grounded in their faith.

Kevin makes a good point that concupiscence is not easily overcome but only with prayerful sacrifice and taking up your cross daily.  That is a point that West himself acknowledges in his own blog about his earlier presentations.

"It is abundantly clear from both Catholic teaching and human experience that, so long as we are on earth, we will always have to battle with concupiscence - that disordering of our passions caused by original sin (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 405, 978, 1264, 1426). In some of my earliest lectures and tapes, I confess that I did not emphasize this important point clearly enough. The battle with concupiscence is fierce. Even the holiest saints can still recognize the pull of concupiscence within them. Yet, as John Paul II insisted, we "cannot stop at casting the 'heart' into a state of continual and irreversible suspicion due to the manifestations of the concupiscence of the flesh... Redemption is a truth, a reality, in the name of which man must feel himself called, and 'called with effectiveness'" (TOB 46:4). ...

..."I humbly invite all those who question what I teach about liberation from concupiscence to take a closer look at the teaching of John Paul II on the matter (see especially TOB 43:6, 45:3, 46:4, 46:6, 47:5, 48:1, 48:4, 49:4, 49:6, 58:7, 86:6-7, 101:3-5, 107:1-3, 128:3, 129:5). 

Going by the above statement it is evident that Christopher West agrees with Kevin that it is best for people to actually read Pope John Paul II's in order to get to know the Theology of the Body.

West continues:

"It is a point of utmost importance. Indeed, in a very real way, debates about what we are capable of in the battle with concupiscence take us to the crux of the Gospel itself. "This is what is at stake," John Paul II maintained, "the reality of Christ's redemption. Christ has redeemed us! This means he has given us the possibility of realizing the entire truth of our being; he has set our freedom free from the domination of concupiscence"  (Veritatis Splendor 103).

"The teaching of John Paul II is clear: liberation from concupiscence - or, more precisely, from the domination of concupiscence (John Paul II used both expressions) - is not only a possibility, it is a necessity if we are to live our lives "in the truth" and experience the divine plan for human love (see TOB 43:6, 47:5). Indeed, Christian sexual ethos "is always linked... with the liberation of the heart from concupiscence" (TOB 43:6). And this liberation is just as essential for consecrated celibates and single people as it is for married couples (see TOB 77:4).

"It is precisely this liberation that allows us to discover what John Paul II called "mature purity." In mature purity "man enjoys the fruits of victory over concupiscence" (TOB 58:7). This victory is gradual and certainly remains fragile here on earth, but it is nonetheless real. For those graced with its fruits, a whole new world opens up - another way of seeing, thinking, living, talking, loving, praying. But to those who cannot imagine freedom from concupiscence, such a way of seeing, living, talking, loving, and praying not only seems unusual - but improper, imprudent, dangerous, or even perverse."

It is unclear whether Kevin Symonds is merely going by what critics have said about West and his work or if he has actually sufficiently taken trouble to critically examine those sources himself. Kevin refers to himself as "being the geek who actually checks references..."  He recounted checking only one reference but he didn't even quote THAT one.  The remainder of his attacks on West lack a direct engagement with him and his work, focusing instead on what he has heard from others and the off-the-cuff defenses of West they use in conversation.  From reading Kevin Symonds' writings which are critical of West's work (presentation of TOB) what IS clear is that he fits the description West gives of one who cannot even imagine such freedom from concupiscence, and thus sees West's work as " improper, imprudent, dangerous, or even perverse."  Symonds uses the label "scandalous".  In all fairness, he does say that some freedom of the domination of concupiscence is possible for those who undergo ascesis, but the impression that he gives is that this is only possible for those who live a monastic life.  For ordinary lay people, particularly married people or young singles, he doesn't seem to hold out much hope that Christ's redemption can free them from bondage to lust, so even talking about such matters is immature at best (he judges West as immature from one presentation, though he does not offer any support for this assessment), and usually spiritually dangerous. Kevin seems to have a limited view of who has the capacity to overcome the dominance of concupiscence.

Another thing which is also clear from Kevin Symonds' unqualified endorsement of Alice Von Hildebrand's work - he is certain that her way of presenting the Catholic Church's teaching about sexuality, derived from her husband's work, is the only right way to teach this topic.  Whether she would agree with him on this score I do not pretend to know, but there is no question about that with regard to Christopher West.  He knows that he is not "the definitive voice on the subject" and is glad of others who teach it and of their different approaches.

The Bestest, Coolest Birthday Present: Pope John Paul II Will be Beatified on May 1st, on My Birthday

This is so awesome!!!  Pope John Paul II's beatification is going to occur on the same day as my birthday.  I think this is a sign from God.  This is going to be an extra-special birthday for me this year.  I can't wait for the big day.  God Bless Pope John Paul II always, but especially on the date of his beatification, May 1st.

From the Associated Press:

During Pope John Paul II's 2005 funeral, crowds at the Vatican shouted for him to be made a saint immediately. "Santo subito!" they chanted for one of the most important and beloved pontiffs in history.

His successor heard their call. On Friday, in the fastest process on record, Pope Benedict XVI set May 1 as the date for John Paul's beatification — a key step toward Catholicism's highest honor and a major morale boost for a church reeling from the clerical sex abuse scandal.

He set the date after declaring that a French nun's recovery from Parkinson's disease was the miracle needed for John Paul to be beatified. A second miracle is needed to be canonized a saint.

Benedict himself will preside at the May 1 ceremony, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Rome for a precedent-setting Mass: Never before has a pope beatified his immediate predecessor.

Carl Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus, one of the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organizations, said John Paul's life was a model of "love, respect and forgiveness for all."

"We saw this in the way he reached out to the poor, the neglected, those of other faiths, even the man who shot him," Anderson said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "He did all of this despite being so personally affected by events of the bloodiest century in history."

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano described his saintliness in these terms Friday: "A passionate witness to Christ from his childhood to his last breath."

The last remaining hurdle before beatification concerned Benedict's approval that the cure of the French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, was a miracle due to the intercession of the late pope.

The nun has said she felt reborn when she woke up two months after John Paul died, cured of the disease that had made walking, writing and driving a car nearly impossible. She and her fellow sisters of the Congregation of Little Sisters of Catholic Maternity Wards had prayed to John Paul.

On Friday, Simon-Pierre said John Paul was and continues to be an inspiration to her because of his defense of the unborn and because they both suffered from Parkinson's.

John Paul "hasn't left me. He won't leave me until the end of my life," she told French Catholic TV station KTO and Italy's state-run RAI television.

Wearing a white habit and wire-rimmed glasses, she appeared in good health and showed no signs of tremors or slurred speech, common symptoms of Parkinson's.

"John Paul II did everything he could for life, to defend life," she said. "He was very close to the smallest and weakest. How many times did we see him approach a handicapped person, a sick person?"

Last year, there were some questions about whether the nun's original diagnosis was correct. But in a statement Friday, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints said Vatican-appointed doctors had "scrupulously" studied the case and determined that her cure had no scientific explanation.

Once he is beatified, John Paul will be given the title "blessed" and can be publicly venerated, or worshipped. Many people, especially in Poland, already venerate him privately, but the ceremony will allow Catholics to publicly worship him.

The Vatican said John Paul's entombed remains, currently in the grotto underneath St. Peter's Basilica, will be moved upstairs to a chapel just inside a main entrance for easier access by the public.

Vatican Splendors: A Journey Through Faith and Art

My husband and I recently viewed the exhibit called Vatican Splendors. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it was quite an extraordinary experience to say the least. We both had a wonderful time viewing all the relics and works of art. It was really awesome to be able to experience 2000 years of art and history of Christ's Church.  Here is a small list of items to give you an idea of what we saw: Golden Angels which were created in the workshop of Bernini, Michelangelo's Caliper -drawing compass he used in his work in the Sistine Chapel and Basilica-, A large sculpture from the 15th century showing the crucifixion of Saint Peter, and a bronze cast of hand of Pope John Paul II.

These Golden Angels are similar to the ones by Bernini:

Here is a picture of Michelangelo's Caliper: 

These pictures are from the internet since in order to preserve the integrity of the relics visitors weren't allowed to take photos at the exhibit. 

Vatican Splendors covered: Early Christian Dialogue between Faith and Art
                                           The Rise of Christian Rome
                                           The Early Renaissance
                                           Michaelangelo
                                           The Renaissance Basilica
                                           Art in the Service of Faith
                                           The Art of the Liturgy
                                           Dialogue With the World
                                           The Successors of Peter - Papal Portraiture
                                            Art and the Contemporary Papacy
                                           Catholicism in Western Pa.

I purchased a Vatican Splendors catalogue which consists of informational essays, commentary, and photographs so I will be posting a series on the individual objects in the exhibition as well as historical data from Church history.

Advent Address by Pope John Paul II

I was searching the internet for Advent prayers or quotations and I found this website called appleseeds.org which has a compilation of prayers on it from various well-known philosphers or theologians such as Pope John Paul II.  I am posting an address of his from 2002.

"The liturgy of Advent…helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously."