tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18981300619889906682024-03-12T23:26:30.843-06:00FOCUS equipKevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-10760948796107020422012-01-22T08:05:00.001-07:002012-01-22T08:06:55.454-07:00Tagline for Acts of the Apostles Bible study<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxn1CBAC9YcyQUQ3W_gLy1A1PJxttYyDFvFaKRnEG2QjVPP4ck36bIvNZm_w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxn1CBAC9YcyQUQ3W_gLy1A1PJxttYyDFvFaKRnEG2QjVPP4ck36bIvNZm_w" width="320" /></a></div>At the FOCUS Student Leader Summit in Baltimore, we started a contest to name the next FOCUS Bible Study on the Acts of the Apostles.<br />
<br />
Each FOCUS Equip Bible study has a title and then a tagline. For instance, The Crux: To Preach Christ Crucified or 1 Corinthians: In the World, But Not of It.<br />
<br />
Yesterday students and missionaries submitted taglines for the Acts of the Apostles Bible study via Twitter.<br />
<br />
Here are the four finalists:<br />
<br />
Make disciples of all nations<br />
The men who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6)<br />
Set the world on fire<br />
Witnesses to the ends of the earth<br />
<br />
Three ways to vote:<br />
<br />
1. Share your vote on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/FOCUSequip">Twitter</a>. Post to the handle @FOCUSEquip, state the tagline you like, and put the hashtag #actstagline<br />
<br />
2. Post your vote to our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FOCUSequip">Facebook wall</a><br />
<br />
3. Put your vote in the comments of this blog.<br />
<br />
One vote per person. Voting ends Monday morning at 9am.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-81457795789611433202012-01-16T08:07:00.000-07:002012-01-16T08:07:24.003-07:00Catholic Video Responses to I Love Jesus But Hate Religion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">First, there were written Catholic blog responses to the video below:<br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1IAhDGYlpqY?version=3&hl=en_US">
</param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
</param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
</param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1IAhDGYlpqY?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Over the weekend, a number of Catholic video responses were created including one from FOCUS' own Miko Sy. His is the first one below.<br />
<br />
What did you think? <br />
<br />
What did you think they did well? <br />
<br />
What could they have been done better?<br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SejuPK4M330?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SejuPK4M330?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AwetTNAGC44?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AwetTNAGC44?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RyNRXD13RS4?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RyNRXD13RS4?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GnRNANKzEiE?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GnRNANKzEiE?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-77178750073492684942012-01-13T16:47:00.001-07:002012-01-13T16:51:30.920-07:00FOCUS Missionaries Tebowing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">FOCUS' national office is in Denver, Colorado and we are pretty excited about the Broncos game this weekend.<br />
<br />
We decided to wear orange today and then do some Tebowing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrW4FghMGiuT3Jd-It0A9CdE0DzB43bjxzXTTbqPhfScAh6-GzHlMxQ7VCUmQ8NhFS25n-YT8XpuVwtDNUbIQ0OfpOno2-pnuafmk7w6ShImtRypZZQ5em8JIq5hqzdHak4Cl9hraVIM/s1600/FOCUS+Staff+Tebowing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrW4FghMGiuT3Jd-It0A9CdE0DzB43bjxzXTTbqPhfScAh6-GzHlMxQ7VCUmQ8NhFS25n-YT8XpuVwtDNUbIQ0OfpOno2-pnuafmk7w6ShImtRypZZQ5em8JIq5hqzdHak4Cl9hraVIM/s400/FOCUS+Staff+Tebowing2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
Go Broncos!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-57094962479199038712012-01-13T10:53:00.001-07:002012-01-13T13:39:52.832-07:00Catholic Summary: Does Jesus Hate Religion?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Have you seen this video?<br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1IAhDGYlpqY?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1IAhDGYlpqY?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
This video has received over 6 million hits since January 3rd and over 5 million in the last 24 hours.<br />
<br />
Catholics have reacted quickly and intelligently to this video.<br />
<br />
Here are a few blogs and commentaries:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://audreyassad.tumblr.com/post/15735424373/heeere-comes-my-rant-about-that-i-hate-religion">Audrey Assad - Catholic musician and convert</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2012/01/does-jesus-hate-religion-should-you.html%20http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2012/01/why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-the-smackdow.html">Marcel LeJeune on AggieCatholic</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://youngandcatholic.net/2012/01/why-i-love-jesus-and-religion/">Mary from the Young and Catholic Blog</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://cantuar.blogspot.com/2012/01/saint-james-vs-you-tubes-why-i-hate.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+taylormarshall+%28Canterbury+Tales+by+Taylor+Marshall%29">Taylor Marshall - Canterbury Tales</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2012/01/why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus-the-smackdow.html">The Bad Catholic Blog</a><br />
<br />
Lifeteen said it should release something shortly. Meanwhile, Mark Hart said on Twitter: How blessedly shocked & dismayed many of the 3 mil YouTube viewers would be to hear that "religion" comes from the word for "relationship".<br />
<br />
Touche.<br />
<br />
3 quick takes:<br />
<br />
<b>1. The video has truth, but not the whole truth.</b><br />
We need to understand that just going through the motions of the faith and relying on pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps isn't true Christianity. We do need to rely on God's grace and redemption more than ourselves. Even though this isn't what Catholicism teaches, this is something that we (and other Christians) have practiced in the past. Although it isn't what we teach, it should cause us to reflect.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Religion is Biblical</b><br />
The video argues that Jesus and Scripture are against religion. At the same time, James talks about practicing religion (James 1:27) and Jesus gives over authority to men to act on His behalf (Matthew 16:16-18). <br />
<br />
<b>3. Can't we have both?</b><br />
The Catholic argument on this (and so many other topics) is both/and. Rather than either Jesus or religion, why can't we have Jesus and religion? <br />
<br />
Final thought: In the end, rather than getting mad at this video, I believe this video is a call to action for Catholics.<br />
<br />
We need to:<br />
1. Know how to articulate to evangelicals how Catholics have an authentic personal relationship with Jesus.<br />
2. Live out our Catholic faith in a dynamic way.<br />
3. Continually help renew the Catholic Church through evangelization.<br />
<br />
The video below was cited by numerous bloggers. I think it is a great example, but we also need to keep renewing our efforts to live it out.<br />
<br />
<object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vs6qZd_xP1w?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vs6qZd_xP1w?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
What are your thoughts?<br />
<br />
Have you seen any other Catholic commentary out there?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-61182331830929757032012-01-11T11:06:00.001-07:002012-01-11T18:07:34.526-07:00Mark Wahlberg -- on Film, Family, and FaithGreat interview with Mark Wahlberg on CBS news:<br />
<br />
<embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&&contentValue=50117988&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505270_162-57355882/mark-wahlberg-talks-film-family-and-faith/" /><br />
<br />
What did you think?<br />
<br />
What stood out to you?Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-40886813936703016122012-01-09T12:32:00.000-07:002012-01-09T12:32:16.420-07:00On Angry Birds and Sainthood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">What's the most valuable resource that you have? <br />
<br />
The money in your bank account? Your car? Your computer? <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/eating/makes_eat/makes_eat_time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/2007/eating/makes_eat/makes_eat_time.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If you are under the age of 30, the answer is easily your time. Time is far more valuable than money. Why? Because time, even more than money, is a limited resource. We can always make more money and even multiply money. But, we can’t do this with time.<br />
<br />
So, as New Year’s resolutions are upon us, I wanted to take a moment to look at what we do with our time. In Luke 12:34, Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If time is our greatest treasure, what we do with it tells us a lot about our hearts.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Our Culture </b><br />
Never in the history of the world have we had so much free time. Modern machinery has cut down on the time it takes to eat, clean, travel, stay warm and with so many other daily tasks that used to consume most of the common person’s time 100 years ago. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://denisewymore.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/husband-and-wife-washing-dishes-300x296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://denisewymore.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/husband-and-wife-washing-dishes-300x296.jpg" width="320" /></a>But, what do we do with our time? It is no coincidence that never before have we had so many opportunities to waste our time. This has increased more and more in the past decade with streaming TV shows online, Facebook, YouTube videos, the Internet, videos games, etc. Mobile phones have allowed all of these things to be carried in our pockets and be used at any spare moment in the day. <br />
<br />
We can waste so much of our time that we fail to accomplish even the simplest of priorities: our relationship with God, our relationships with others, and our priorities with work and school.<br />
<br />
If we are looking for resolutions to make this year or habits to form, we probably could look no farther than what we do with our time.<br />
<br />
<b>Here are three ways to protect your most valuable asset:</b><br />
<br />
<b>1. Scheduling</b><br />
Do you have a schedule? Some people are great at scheduling every hour of the week. Others struggle with scheduling anything more than their greatest priorities. The key is to find a system that works for you and stick to it. Take time to evaluate it each month to see where you are and if you need to make any adjustments to your schedule or lifestyle.<br />
<br />
<i>Here are some resources on scheduling your time:</i><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VDxKLSyksI&feature=related">Classic Franklin Covey video on priorities</a><br />
<a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/how-to-better-control-your-time-by-designing-your-ideal-week.html">Michael Hyatt on planning your ideal week</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2. Purging useless habits</b><br />
<a href="http://www.free-games.net/angry-birds-game.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.free-games.net/angry-birds-game.png" width="320" /></a>I played a lot of videos games growing up and still enjoy playing them today. I had an extended break over Christmas with some extra time, so I downloaded Angry Birds on my phone. But, as I returned from the holiday, I had to ask myself, does Angry Birds really help me to become a saint? Or, will it just distract me from my priorities? I know myself, so I just deleted it. Sometimes I can find moderation with certain distractions, other times I have to know when to simply cut something out of my life. What’s your Angry Birds? What can you handle in moderation and what has become an addiction that you just can’t handle?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>3. Prayer</b><br />
Our relationship with God is our most important priority. Are we taking time each day to have a conversation with the person who knows us best? Are we reviewing our lives and seeing how to make them better? Prayer is the best way to make sure we have our priorities straight and our time is used wisely.<br />
<br />
<i>Check out some resources on prayer:</i><br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/yPnlRR">FOCUSequip’s Dare to Pray</a><br />
<a href="http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Sacraments/Sacraments_005.htm">How to make a daily examination of conscience</a><br />
<br />
<br />
What are some ways you can use your time more effectively?</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-21893499659057664602012-01-05T10:39:00.006-07:002012-01-10T15:37:15.558-07:00Facing obstacles to your New Year's resolutionsHave a New Year's Resolution?<br />
<br />
What are you journeying towards?<br />
<br />
How are you going to get there this year and what is going to help when you face obstacles?<br />
<br />
Check out this video by Matthew Kelly on Confession:<br />
<br />
<object width="480" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7HuIZZAbF8?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7HuIZZAbF8?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
What helps you the most when you face obstacles to your resolutions, dreams, or goals?Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-91590152075795743872012-01-03T17:13:00.000-07:002012-01-03T17:48:59.279-07:00Reflecting on Jesus’ Mission During the First 30 Years of His Life<span style="font-style: italic;">This article is written by guest blogger Dr. Brian McAdam, FOCUS Missionary in the National Formation Department</span><br /><br />Jesus’ mission is disclosed in his very name. “Jesus means in Hebrew: ‘God saves.’ At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission” (CCC #430).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuHSojOCVyND1CZwwrnJFKjeZ31rqtqWQtI94m21T4tU7RfmHH1EmnyjaiVEgQUTZ9906Cx7JE0gOHhJasr46DK_sg1N0spx2hENqDV23ArWfQjl4py331PTcsjIQptbYyN3ORiszOiQ/s1600/Jesus+and+Joseph.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuHSojOCVyND1CZwwrnJFKjeZ31rqtqWQtI94m21T4tU7RfmHH1EmnyjaiVEgQUTZ9906Cx7JE0gOHhJasr46DK_sg1N0spx2hENqDV23ArWfQjl4py331PTcsjIQptbYyN3ORiszOiQ/s200/Jesus+and+Joseph.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693549474270041570" border="0" /></a>As Christians we often focus on Jesus’ salvific mission as lived out during his public ministry, i.e. the last three or so years of his life, from his baptism by John in the Jordan to his resurrection and ascension. In so doing we are in good company, since that’s what the Evangelists focus on, too. About 95% of the Gospels is devoted to the final years of Jesus’ life; only about 5% deals with the first 30 years.<br /><br />But Jesus was carrying out his earthly mission during the first 30 years of his life, too. These years are referred to as the hidden life of Jesus. “Jesus’ words and actions during his hidden life ... were already salvific” (CCC # 115).<br /><br />As Christians, our mission is to fulfill the Great Commission, to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). We can learn a lot about our mission by reflecting on how Jesus carried out his mission during his hidden life, during the ordinary day-to-day progression of his first 30 years.<br /><br />As just one example of what reflecting on Jesus’ hidden life can teach us about mission, consider what his first 30 years shows us about the importance of spiritual multiplication through relational evangelization. We already know how important that principle is for evangelization through how Jesus modeled it in his public ministry. During the final few years of his life Jesus did preach to large crowds, true, but most of his time was spent investing in the 12 apostles, and even within that group he invested in a special way in the lives of three—Peter, James, and John. It was then primarily through the apostles that the Gospel spread.<br /><br />Similarly, and even more dramatically, <a href="http://freechristimages.org/images_BirthOfChrist/The_Youth_of_Our_Lord_John_Herbert.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 235px;" src="http://freechristimages.org/images_BirthOfChrist/The_Youth_of_Our_Lord_John_Herbert.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>his hidden life also reveals the importance of spiritual multiplication through relational evangelization. For during 30 whole years Jesus profoundly shared his life not with the masses, and not even with 12 others, but primarily with two other individuals: Mary and Joseph. And consider the tremendous, multiplied impact that Mary and Joseph have had in the life of the Church from their day up to ours!<br /><br />During this Christmas season, when as a Church we are already reflecting on the early years of Jesus, I invite you to pray over the hidden years of his life. In particular, you can ask Jesus to teach you how the way in which he lived his mission during the first 30 years of his life can better equip you to live your mission now. Here are some suggestions to guide your prayer:<br /><img src="file:///Users/kevincotter/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-8.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/kevincotter/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-9.png" alt="" /><br />1. Read the few Gospel texts that do reference the first 30 years of Jesus’ life: Lk 1–2; Mt 1–2; Mk 6:3; Jn 6:42 and 7:15.<br /><br />2. Pray over those texts, but also “pray the gaps” in those texts. That is, enter imaginatively into what Jesus’ life was like during the first 30 years of his life in all those circumstances that aren’t discussed in Scripture. What was his family life like on a day-to-day basis? Who were his friends, how did he interact with them, and how did he share his saving message with them? What was he learning? How did he pray? What was his job as a carpenter like?<br /><br />3. Jesus lived out his mission not only in the extraordinary moments of his life, but also in the ordinary ones. Ask God to show you how, by following the example of Jesus, you can better live out your mission in life’s ordinary moments.<br /><br />You can follow Brian on Twitter @BrianMcAdam<br /><br /><div>You can follow FOCUSequip on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FOCUSequip">Facebook</a> or Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/FOCUSequip">@FOCUSequip</a>. You can also subscribe to this blog by typing in your email address on the top right of this page.</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-91521694065709956612012-01-02T14:56:00.008-07:002012-01-10T15:36:19.142-07:00Need some help in making a New Year's resolutionNew Year's resolutions are an American tradition.<br />
<br />
Maybe you need some help on dreaming up some new resolutions and some help on accomplishing them.<br />
<br />
Don't worry...we're here to help.<br />
<br />
Check out the video below by Matthew Kelly on Dream Sessions.<br />
<br />
<object width="480" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Xuu0okObbI?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Xuu0okObbI?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
What resolutions are you making this year?Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-62586953459867488392011-12-15T09:36:00.011-07:002012-01-10T15:33:00.239-07:00Conception to Birth VisualizedCheck out this video...<br />
<br />
<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fKyljukBE70?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fKyljukBE70?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
What did you think of the language he used to describe the process?<br />
<br />
What other thoughts came to mind?Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-7040284069813582292011-12-12T10:25:00.001-07:002011-12-12T10:27:51.094-07:00Inside Tim Tebow's Head: How to develop the mindset of a champion in everything you do<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kfmb.images.worldnow.com/images/16301796_SA.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 359px; height: 273px;" src="http://kfmb.images.worldnow.com/images/16301796_SA.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>"They said I couldn't be a high school quarterback. They said I couldn't get a D-1 scholarship. That you can't make it. That you're not good enough. That you're not skilled enough. They said I couldn't win a Heisman. They said I couldn't win a national championship. They said I wouldn't be a first round draft pick. They said I couldn't play in the league. 'Preciate that."<div>- Tim Tebow in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO8imsZl1F8">FHS commercial</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The story of Tim Tebow is filled with people who have doubted him. The doubts continue and yet Tebow finds success. How does he do it? How does he overcome adversity? What makes him a champion?</div><div><br />I would like to propose that Tim Tebow's <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51exn1o6yKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51exn1o6yKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>mindset makes the difference.</div><div><br /></div><div>In her book, <i>Mindset: The New Psychology of Success</i>, Dr. Carol Dweck talks about two different kinds of mindsets, a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.<br /><br /></div><div><i>A fixed mindset says:</i></div><div>1. Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't change very much.<br /><br /></div><div>2. You are a certain kind of person, and there is not much that can be done to really change that.<br /><br /></div><div>3. You have to be perfect. Failure is not an option.<br /><br /></div><div>4. Hard work is for those who don't have what it takes.<br /><br /></div><div><i>A growth mindset says:</i></div><div>1. You can become more intelligent over time.<br /><br /></div><div>2. No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially.<br /><br /></div><div>3. Failure is an opportunity for growth.<br /><br /></div><div>4. Hard work is necessary for anyone to succeed.</div><div><br />Tim Tebow embodies a growth mindset. </div><div><br />Tebow does not have all of the talent in the world. His throwing motion is unconventional. His throwing accuracy is well below other top quarterbacks. This is why NFL commentators and analysts have doubted Tebow from day one. But, what they don't realize is that Tim Tebow knows how to improve and he has been improving his whole life. He isn't worried about failure. He isn't worried about looking bad. He is worried about improving and working hard. He has a mindset to overcome adversity. His teammates consistently remark that they have never seen someone work as hard as Tim Tebow does.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT84UBHbb2J0ggVSUbGA9m_03x_eSuBcj9adaT0QwfRyUEuxMRtlNNNyO7WV9x3Twqz0oOgA6TujXj5w3f1sTysVrrFQ8LZzu-Y74pK82X1-OMbHTRFxJU4lSScZUoeNpmGuAVzlQtcz0/s1600/promiseinspires.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT84UBHbb2J0ggVSUbGA9m_03x_eSuBcj9adaT0QwfRyUEuxMRtlNNNyO7WV9x3Twqz0oOgA6TujXj5w3f1sTysVrrFQ8LZzu-Y74pK82X1-OMbHTRFxJU4lSScZUoeNpmGuAVzlQtcz0/s1600/promiseinspires.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>In college, Tim Tebow had incredible success. But, during one season, his team had an unexpected loss that ruined the opportunity for a perfect, undefeated season. Listen to Tebow's response: <div> </div>"I'm sorry. We were hoping for an undefeated season...but I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this. You will never see a player play harder than I will the rest of this season. You will never see a player push his team harder than I will. And you will never see a team play harder than we will." This speech was later titled, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sGv2Zw-WQw&feature=related">"The Promise" </a>(see picture on the left). His team later went on to win the national championship. This is a growth mindset at work!<br /></div><div><div> </div> </div><div><br />And, Tebow's attitude has changed his entire team. When he took over the team, the Broncos <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/859088/gyi0061822590.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 201px;" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/859088/gyi0061822590.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>had a 1-4 record. Since Tebow has been at quarterback, they have been 7-1. The level of play by the entire team has risen. Champ Bailey (picture on right), who has played for 13 seasons and will almost certainly be a Hall of Fame cornerback said this, "Tebow is a special player. I have never seen a player quite like him in my whole career! I'm gonna play all out for the guy! I know he will be out there giving 110% every play every week, so I'm gonna give 120%."<br /><div> <div> </div> </div><br /></div><div>Tebow's mindset is contagious. How can you carry this mindset into your own life?</div><div><br /></div><div> <b>Here are three ways to apply the growth mindset to your life:</b></div><div><i>1. Our Spiritual Life</i><div> <div> <div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.csvfblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/benedict.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 233px;" src="http://www.csvfblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/benedict.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div> </div> </div> </div><div>If there is a faith that believes that people can substantially change, it is Catholicism. We believe the sacraments can radically change<br /><div> <div> </div> </div> our very souls. We believe that God's grace can transform our human nature into something greater. But, we believe that this change can only occur when we realize our failures and allow God to change us. If we have a fixed mindset and want to look perfect, we block God's ability to use us.</div><div><br /></div><div> <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070131_en.html">In a Wednesday audience on some of the Church's early evangelists</a>, Pope Benedict said this, "Hence there are also disputes, disagreements and controversies among saints. And I find this very comforting, because we see that the saints have not 'fallen from Heaven'. They are people likes us, who also have complicated problems. Holiness does not consist in never having erred or sinned. Holiness increases the capacity for conversion, for repentance, for willingness to start again, and, especially, for reconciliation and forgiveness." </div><div><br /></div><div>What mindset do we have towards our relationship with God?</div><div><br /></div><div> <div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSnpD_BJWVJERbzBnO2h0y7oIq2ac4HzvExj7sRf1smaZEA7a6Y0A"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px; height: 231px;" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSnpD_BJWVJERbzBnO2h0y7oIq2ac4HzvExj7sRf1smaZEA7a6Y0A" alt="" border="0" /></a></div> <i>2. Relationships</i></div><div> Dr. Dweck says that a fix mindset looks for a spouse who: "Puts them on a pedestal. Makes them feel perfect. Worships them."</div><div><br /></div><div>A growth mindset looks for a spouse who: "Sees their faults and helps them to work on them. Challenges them to become a better person. Encourages them to learn new things."</div><div><br /></div><div>I think this can also apply to our friendships. Which kind of mindset do we have in our relationships and to what extent? </div><div><br /></div><div><i>3. Our Work</i></div><div>It is easy to stick with the things we are good at and to be afraid of improvement in the areas that we are not. Often, we can convince ourselves that we are not capable of this or that. In reality, we are afraid of the hard work and the potential failure that might occur. </div><div><br /></div><div>What stops us from accomplishing what you are supposed to do? Do you have a fixed mindset about what you are capable of?</div><div><br /></div><div><div>These are just three areas where our mindset can make the difference. Perhaps you have a growth mindset in one area and a fixed mindset in another. Find one way this week to work on a growth mindset and keep watching Tim Tebow for inspiration.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-7721574829905976262011-12-05T14:01:00.020-07:002011-12-06T15:19:27.595-07:00Why you should listen to Jesus, the Pope, and BonoIn case you haven't already heard, this month's theme for FOCUSequip is Missions! Why should I care about missions, you ask? Well, a few reasons (in order of descending importance)<br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jesus says so- </span>Jesus Christ is present in every human being. Don't believe me? I will let Jesus speak for himself: <blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaoatpbx_NGvAaR1M-LGlffrfuiVloFkJqv8TBF8eXiw4LVPHf6cV5aC-5dODKlD8KCWeKNRZaFVvocvTXN2r3QLirzdpdgtVrxRworbjmZdRRFtyMHsZ9M4iQjmCoz1jXmV9T9Dr_94/s1600/india.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaoatpbx_NGvAaR1M-LGlffrfuiVloFkJqv8TBF8eXiw4LVPHf6cV5aC-5dODKlD8KCWeKNRZaFVvocvTXN2r3QLirzdpdgtVrxRworbjmZdRRFtyMHsZ9M4iQjmCoz1jXmV9T9Dr_94/s200/india.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683136784715529506" border="0" /></a>"Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, ' Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25:34-40)</blockquote><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><blockquote style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><a name="48025034"></a></span></blockquote> <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Pope says so</span>- In his very FIRST encyclical, Pope Benedict XVI stressed the importance of caring for those less fortunate than us.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzo9Fmk56No0w4iTmA7KHS68k1LTLS_53FAnqCaIXlns79zNRatEr6YVJNQTCqER0bec85VwjlKqq30yP3x_5qHQP7gqDGAwGGVh1EVmmb3lfY3PjOH9kGHN-8QPzXL_agX3bTe_Ks5dM/s1600/bono.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzo9Fmk56No0w4iTmA7KHS68k1LTLS_53FAnqCaIXlns79zNRatEr6YVJNQTCqER0bec85VwjlKqq30yP3x_5qHQP7gqDGAwGGVh1EVmmb3lfY3PjOH9kGHN-8QPzXL_agX3bTe_Ks5dM/s200/bono.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682780797997218290" border="0" /></a><blockquote>"Love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind, is as essential to the Church as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel” (Deus Caritas Est, 22).</blockquote></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bono says so-</span> Maybe you could score a couple backstage passes to a U2 concert if Bono knew you were going on a mission trip... at least its okay to dream, isn't it? <blockquote>"To me, a faith in Jesus Christ that is not aligned with the poor ... it's nothing." -Bono</blockquote></li></ol>Wow... That is pretty sobering. Our love for Christ must compel us to share His love with others- and not just those whom it is easy to share it with, those who look nice and smell nice, but with every human person, especially the poor. The world is searching and seeking for answers to suffering and the countless problems of society, and the only way to answer these questions is to pour ourselves out in loving service to our brothers and sisters. Talk is cheap. Action speaks volumes. And they will know we are Christians by our love....<br /><br />So, it would be cruel to speak of all this and not provide you the opportunity to partake in this Christ-centered service. Ergo... FOCUS is blessed to have an entire department dedicated to this cause: FOCUS Missions. They have <a href="http://focusmissions.org/">30 mission tr</a><a href="http://focusmissions.org/">ips</a> going out this year! Is Christ calling you out of your comfort zone and into the mission field? Well, we here at FOCUSequip this month hope to help you discern that call. Keep an eye out as we post some blogs on the importance of mission for our faith and as we highlight some of the different missions that FOCUS goes on and tell you more about them through our blog, Facebook, and Twitter. The application deadline for Spring Break Mission Trips is DECEMBER 15TH! That is only 10 days away! So we will be filling you in on those missions first! So stay tuned and hopefully you will <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb1XXs7e7ac">find Him whom you are looking for</a>...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvCfH6xMW2tB1KqRP3NvOUIocbMHHYAeoDBb4zuzhL8WsBg_kn8_fNJNbD8bI6EOp2rUqWpZjffv3nsLMrBiXu_bnO8QBZJSl8xaRycnEKQW7YpmB69sDxX6-Z6pSL9VNdbKfsa-JrfE/s1600/india2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvCfH6xMW2tB1KqRP3NvOUIocbMHHYAeoDBb4zuzhL8WsBg_kn8_fNJNbD8bI6EOp2rUqWpZjffv3nsLMrBiXu_bnO8QBZJSl8xaRycnEKQW7YpmB69sDxX6-Z6pSL9VNdbKfsa-JrfE/s200/india2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683136297104236306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style=" font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style=" font-weight: bold;"></span>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-39177414754721777722011-11-30T16:16:00.000-07:002011-11-30T16:19:28.053-07:00Waking up: Bruno Mars vs. St. Josemaria Escriva<div>In the spirit of concluding our November theme of Prayer and the Liturgy...<br /><br />So I'm sure most of you have heard "the Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars (if you haven't, don't waste your time or your soul). Essentially the song is all about how he wakes up one day and doesn't <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtiEmgh_JD7OFU-FAYWGUsXhyphenhyphenbCcCB0oT8ncCr6-ojB9kSomyIlJzkKPJ3KVJTRj48GzxQevRRnRqcDstzusijMdS-DaXdaoids6pl20FkkQD59_7FdVU0oDv1dbP3fqgwJzaWnJ5nkY/s1600/hammer.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 198px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680863362791562946" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtiEmgh_JD7OFU-FAYWGUsXhyphenhyphenbCcCB0oT8ncCr6-ojB9kSomyIlJzkKPJ3KVJTRj48GzxQevRRnRqcDstzusijMdS-DaXdaoids6pl20FkkQD59_7FdVU0oDv1dbP3fqgwJzaWnJ5nkY/s200/hammer.jpg" border="0" /></a>want to do anything with his life, he just wants to "lay in his bed" all day long and do other unproductive and generally life-less things (for those of you that may like this song, I am not saying you are a bad person, just trying to show you what you are filling your mind and heart with). Judging by this song, when Bruno wakes up in the morning, he has no purpose, nothing to live for, nothing to fight for. Sadly, I'm sure this is how many people in our society feel.<br /><br />So, this got me thinking/praying. What is my first thought when I wake up? Mostly its annoyance and a general bitterness for the Hawaiian culture because of the ukelele song that plays on my phone to wake me up. Once I get past that, I reach all the way across my bed to hit the evil snooze button. The other day I came across this passage from St. Josemaria Escriva about what he calls "The Heroic Minute." Take a look: </div><br /><br /><div><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and… up! The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body.It's so discouraging to find oneself beaten at the first skirmish (Josemaria Escriva, The Way). </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird5fU48T-6JOshTDuf1tozsJg5LH0Wj8-5-vhTnLEPOhUnC7qu0kz3ZtNQue7wsbzpDWa8bZoyzIx3z_aD5fnivXV52NNay5QEZNV29Ys_d1vCrMZSuZkBGm6zHwiTIp-vFn41gHJN9c/s1600/josemaria.jpg"></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird5fU48T-6JOshTDuf1tozsJg5LH0Wj8-5-vhTnLEPOhUnC7qu0kz3ZtNQue7wsbzpDWa8bZoyzIx3z_aD5fnivXV52NNay5QEZNV29Ys_d1vCrMZSuZkBGm6zHwiTIp-vFn41gHJN9c/s1600/josemaria.jpg"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 184px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680902317171019554" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird5fU48T-6JOshTDuf1tozsJg5LH0Wj8-5-vhTnLEPOhUnC7qu0kz3ZtNQue7wsbzpDWa8bZoyzIx3z_aD5fnivXV52NNay5QEZNV29Ys_d1vCrMZSuZkBGm6zHwiTIp-vFn41gHJN9c/s200/josemaria.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br />So, this got me thinking. First off, although I am not a doctor, I am pretty certain that the extra 5 minute intervals of "sleep" that we get from snoozing doesn't actually do anything for our body because it is not real sleep or real rest, thus it is purely a psychological battle. This battle seems unwinnable at times.<br /><br />But wait, there is hope, says our beloved Spanish Powerhouse. If we can just claim that first moment of the day for Christ and give Him control over our life, we will see drastic changes. Instead of allowing Satan to creep in and taint our day with self-love from the very beginning, we can reject him and start our day off with a victory over the evil one! I think it all goes back to the question: What makes you get out of bed in the morning? Obviously, for Bruno Mars, there isn't much to live for, so why get out of bed? Well, my brothers and sisters in Christ- we have a lot to live for, because of what Christ did on the Cross. So let's wake up with purpose and immediately allow the love of God to overwhelm us and fill us to overflowing!<br /><br />So, give this a try just for one week (only 7 days) and see if it <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WcYlASNX3k1vKKSMN2a2vibd-cpV4D4ZuifmKeScge4xN7SNf-g89Dxh7bcSrjM4G70YyIbq_fmdWAUWTOc7ydlKUiifW4KOw1RiuSQj4684cIKi8P7mJjr-J1jYfl-nrLgletRCn7g/s1600/snooze.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 231px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680901781728516514" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WcYlASNX3k1vKKSMN2a2vibd-cpV4D4ZuifmKeScge4xN7SNf-g89Dxh7bcSrjM4G70YyIbq_fmdWAUWTOc7ydlKUiifW4KOw1RiuSQj4684cIKi8P7mJjr-J1jYfl-nrLgletRCn7g/s200/snooze.jpg" border="0" /></a>doesn't change the way you go about your day. Try setting your alarm for the ACTUAL time you need to wake up (not 10 minutes earlier just so you can hit snooze twice), and when that alarm clock rings, place two feet on the floor, stand up and just speak the name of Jesus. Don't underestimate the power in prayer, and the power in His name. Besides, what better way to start your day than slapping Satan in the face?<br /><br />So, I leave you with one question: What do you live for, and is it worth getting out of bed in the morning?<br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote>"Unless in the first waking moments of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on the wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God."<br />- Oswald Chambers</blockquote><br />By Guest Blogger Austin Ashcraft, FOCUS Missionary<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><br /><br /><br /></blockquote>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-12120805743663524542011-11-19T10:01:00.005-07:002011-11-23T12:52:56.771-07:00Are You Free?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnHulNqI79seChav-N58nB_QRdq8xyK8HGVVK5PiFeVhVGNiiiLQ"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 131px; height: 193px;" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnHulNqI79seChav-N58nB_QRdq8xyK8HGVVK5PiFeVhVGNiiiLQ" alt="" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">In <i>Interior Freedom</i>, Jacques Philippe offers an important challenge. In his own words: </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">“Every Christian needs to discover that even in this most unfavorable outward circumstances we possess within ourselves a space of freedom that nobody can take away, because God is its source and guarantee. Without this discovery we will always be restricted in some way, and will never taste tru</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">e happiness.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:4.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">Philippe vividly shows that obtaining this “space of freedom” or as it is called elsewhere, interior peace, is not just a nice complement to our life in Jesus Christ, but remains as the central measure of our faith, hope and love in God himself. To illustrate this he examines specific situations where our interior peace might be tested: with ourselves, with others and with suffering. He examines how interior peace relates to our views on the past, the future and the present moment. Rather than making interior peace an airy and abstract concept, he uses real life examples to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EUj2G7D3K1QhDX7QjKRkim3GDAuiIHjPkzbLxVMPilgVEvAGnkVrrC2tLwA8n6gDMUa2j3h4Q8Er4Tvl0JSPYnUd4kogf-jtA3_T1RxGHeHUkQ0zYzVQQN1mRHovK98qsvKI1YnExfA/s1600/church.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EUj2G7D3K1QhDX7QjKRkim3GDAuiIHjPkzbLxVMPilgVEvAGnkVrrC2tLwA8n6gDMUa2j3h4Q8Er4Tvl0JSPYnUd4kogf-jtA3_T1RxGHeHUkQ0zYzVQQN1mRHovK98qsvKI1YnExfA/s200/church.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678281488331876146" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">demonstrate how others have obtained this peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><i>Interior Freedom</i> is not for the lighthearted. Readers in the past have noted that it has “rocked their world.” It is a book that reveals your interior to yourself whether you are ready for it or not. While difficult, Philippe’s encouragement gives you the freedom to find interior peace in God’s will and timing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">To order <i>Interior Freedom</i> from the FOCUS book store, click <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/focus/site/Ecommerce/145614628?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=1174&store_id=1421">here</a>.</span></p>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-58538030109456493762011-11-16T11:08:00.007-07:002011-11-16T13:57:30.232-07:00Is the New Translation of the Mass More or Less Scriptural?<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Below is an interview published on Zenit with our beloved Dr. Sri about the Biblical Roots of the Mass and how the New Translation coming out in a couple weeks will richly enhance our scriptural experience of the Mass. Enjoy!<br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">NOTE: A particularly interesting part of this interview is the second to lass question about ecumenism. Since the New Translation is so much more intimately tied to Scripture, this could be a HUGE tool in helping our Protestant brothers and sisters better understand the beauty of the Catholic Mass!</p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><b>Interview With Author on Finding Scripture in the</b><b>New Translation</b></p> <div id="article" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">By Kathleen Naab<br /><br />LITTLETON, Colorado, MAY 5, 2011 (<a href="http://www.zenit.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(1, 18, 135); text-decoration: none; ">Zenit.org</a>).- Many Catholics might not realize just how much an hour at church on Sunday mornings puts them in contact with the Bible.<br /><br />In addition to the readings and psalm, "practically everything in the liturgy has some roots in Scripture,” according to a scholar who has written a book to point out these connections.<br /><br />Dr. Edward Sri goes into the biblical roots of liturgy in his book, "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass." And he says the forthcoming new translation of the Mass makes these roots even more visible.</p><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">ZENIT: Will the new translation help us become more in tune with Scripture and see the links between liturgy and the Bible?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgios7g94neFHB12pXBgUnluhJ7m_oWzaON94JeWqnVzsrDrcx3tLvjxLUPJG0bIDJYccuP_DbBaJeyNcx_saFOGa-EdX8kTJ7UJZvK3L9773ZHnC9lfqaw-36Qcly3156LyUcZDB5HhOA/s1600/sri.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgios7g94neFHB12pXBgUnluhJ7m_oWzaON94JeWqnVzsrDrcx3tLvjxLUPJG0bIDJYccuP_DbBaJeyNcx_saFOGa-EdX8kTJ7UJZvK3L9773ZHnC9lfqaw-36Qcly3156LyUcZDB5HhOA/s200/sri.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675664349272001522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sri: From the opening Sign of the Cross to the closing “Thanks be to God,” the prayers and rituals of the Mass are permeated by the Bible. Indeed, practically everything in the liturgy has some roots in Scripture. Knowing more about that biblical background will help deepen our understanding of what we are really saying and doing in the Mass.</p><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">The new translation of the Mass will help make the biblical background shine more brilliantly. It will convey more fully the rich biblical metaphors, images and allusions found in the Latin text of the Mass.</p><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">ZENIT: Can you give some examples?<br /><br />Sri: In the prayer shortly before Holy Communion is distributed, the priest has been saying, “Happy are those who are called to this supper.” But in the new translation, the priest will say, “Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the lamb.” These new words more clearly recall a climactic moment of the Book of Revelation when Jesus, the Lamb of God, is depicted as a bridegroom joining himself to his bride, the Church. An angel announces this intimate union, saying, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the lamb” (Revelation 19:19). The new translation more clearly echoes the angel’s invitation to the heavenly wedding supper of the lamb and reminds us that Holy Communion is an intimate loving communion with Jesus -- one that is likened to the union shared between husband and wife.</p><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">Similarly, the people have been saying, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you …” But in the new translation, we will say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.” The new words reflect the humility and trust of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant at home (cf. Matthew 8:5-13). As a Roman officer who was in charge of a hundred soldiers oppressing the Jewish people, the centurion humbly acknowledges, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.” Like the centurion, we, at this moment in the Mass, recognize our own unworthiness to have Jesus come sacramentally under the “roof” of our souls in Holy Communion.<br /><br />ZENIT: How did the history of this intertwining between liturgy and Scripture unfold? Masses were celebrated for decades before Scripture (the New Testament) was even written, so when did liturgical texts and Scriptural texts become so closely linked?<br /><br />Sri: One could say that the Bible and the liturgy always have gone hand-in-hand. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJWsDXmBhp5SUlDLEWDXFjCqvviwNpL2CA59xE2rcfABFePE78JanuYm2pLlxbzIwy7tr5inYQqbwsnYhySbWZT7fbndsrHEjneSDWq_p-Dwf4lAJzxrAxUMKqqnz2bWlmcG0yYxwjU/s1600/roman+missal.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJWsDXmBhp5SUlDLEWDXFjCqvviwNpL2CA59xE2rcfABFePE78JanuYm2pLlxbzIwy7tr5inYQqbwsnYhySbWZT7fbndsrHEjneSDWq_p-Dwf4lAJzxrAxUMKqqnz2bWlmcG0yYxwjU/s200/roman+missal.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675696845694824370" border="0" /></a>The intertwining of the Bible and liturgical worship is older than the Mass itself, for ancient Jewish worship was filled with allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus’ words at the Last Supper also contained numerous allusions to Old Testament passages and images. It is not surprising, therefore, that when the Eucharist was celebrated in the early Church, the various expressions of Christian liturgical worship continued to be shaped by biblical themes. Over time, as the rituals and prayers of the Mass developed, the Scriptures remained a key source of inspiration for these liturgical rites and played an important role in helping shape the liturgy that has come down to us today.<br /><br />ZENIT: From blogs to books, happily there is a lot of information available on the new translation -- for anyone interested to find it. What about those Catholics who are not, perhaps, as interested as they should be. Are there practical ways the Church can take advantage of this catechesis opportunity?<br /><br />Sri: I think we have a unique opportunity to help the faithful reflect more on the meaning of the Mass and how it relates to their lives. People will need to learn new responses and new musical settings. As they are taken out of their routine in the liturgy and will need to learn the newly translated Mass parts, there is a wonderful opportunity to teach about the meaning of what we say and do in the liturgy and to catechize on the Eucharist and the Mass itself. Thus, I hope the preparation goes beyond mere mechanics -- simply training people to say new responses -- and leads to catechetical and spiritual renewal.</p><p size="1em" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">ZENIT: You mention the importance of preparing ourselves, our families and children, for the transition to the new translation. What methods or resources would you suggest?<br /><br />Sri: First and foremost, we need to take time to educate ourselves about the upcoming changes so that we are able to understand them and enter into the newly translated prayers ourselves. I recommend that people take time to seek out articles and books on this topic. Attending a workshop offered by one’s diocese or parish or by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also could be very helpful.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">Moreover, by learning about the Mass changes, we can help others through the transition. Many people have questions about the various changes and about why we even need a new translation. Once we come to grasp the meaning of the changes, we will be better equipped to help explain the meaning behind the changes to others.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">We also want to prepare our children for the upcoming transition. In my home, we have just begun talking about the new translation -- albeit in very basic terms that a 10- or 8-year-old might understand. Yet, we should not be surprised at how much children can perceive.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsM5Y6_JBfmgpKBSTEh_ClEc7Fmvp9ApKfOD52CxWJ_UPkJTJoEY-WWA62f3ErFWQgk7us3dbsfbZ2hbEsanxkPV5bv_W9k4KkKCldvYfvsETOIoIKluEyHY5f-TwIyJC950bY6G5JRT0/s1600/kyrieeleison.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsM5Y6_JBfmgpKBSTEh_ClEc7Fmvp9ApKfOD52CxWJ_UPkJTJoEY-WWA62f3ErFWQgk7us3dbsfbZ2hbEsanxkPV5bv_W9k4KkKCldvYfvsETOIoIKluEyHY5f-TwIyJC950bY6G5JRT0/s200/kyrieeleison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675697055816971170" border="0" /></a><br />We recently discussed how the new words, “And with your spirit,” point to the unique action of the Holy Spirit working through the ordained priest to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Our children quickly saw, on their own, how the previous words, “And also with you,” did not convey that important point as clearly. But the key to having conversations like this -- whether it be with our children or friends or family -- is to educate ourselves on the meaning of the changes. The person who does not take time to learn about the new translation will not be able to help others. As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">ZENIT: Would you say that "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass" is an ecumenical tool?<br /><br />Sri: I have had a number of Protestant Christians express gratitude for this project. Some have noted how it has helped them appreciate the Mass more and how they never realized how biblical the Mass was. While the primary audience I had in mind was Catholic, I am hopeful that the book might be of service to our Protestant brothers and sisters, helping explain the Mass in Biblical terms that they may find more appealing.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 1em; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.6em; padding-bottom: 0.9em; ">ZENIT: You say your book could be viewed as a "Bible study" on the Mass. Do you see it as a good tool for group sessions?<br /><br />Sri: The book is meant to be a biblical tour through the Mass parts, helping people understand the significance of all that we say and do in the liturgy. The book can be read on its own for one’s own personal study or devotion. But Ascension Press also has developed excellent supplemental resources that can accompany the book and be used in small group settings for catechesis. There are study workbooks for participants, easy-to-use leaders’ guides and DVD video presentations on the new translation and the Mass as a whole that go along with the "Biblical Walk Through the Mass" book. Parishes, schools and small groups around the country are using these additional components for adult education and to prepare people for the new translation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />--- --- ---<br /><br />On the Net:<br /><br />"A Biblical Walk Through the Mass":<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.ascensionpress.com/shop/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=159" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(1, 18, 135); text-decoration: none; ">www.ascensionpress.com/shop/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=159</a></p></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-81408588764733011782011-10-31T10:36:00.013-06:002011-10-31T11:40:29.597-06:003 Ways To Redeem Halloween<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfabmyaSc8JgsAAnF14yZHYIQURNYAqK89ZhHJiBCgjHMeWxpHQP-fjvdNkxD2FiBi3TsSBy5M8iEJlC3jDQWd_GwMQkxtjsVdyyYnKBociYt4Yk07mGczSsCL5-67vMfOFIq961dw28/s1600/jesus-pumpkin.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfabmyaSc8JgsAAnF14yZHYIQURNYAqK89ZhHJiBCgjHMeWxpHQP-fjvdNkxD2FiBi3TsSBy5M8iEJlC3jDQWd_GwMQkxtjsVdyyYnKBociYt4Yk07mGczSsCL5-67vMfOFIq961dw28/s200/jesus-pumpkin.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669696767100032978" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://hslinum.blogspot.com/2010/10/chaolin.html"><!--[if !mso]> <style> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--></a><a href="http://hslinum.blogspot.com/2010/10/chaolin.html"><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:none"><br /></span></a></p> <p style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:180%;">Rede</span><span style="font-size:180%;">em Halloween</span></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-size:85%;" >This Article is written by Guest Blogger Dr. Brian McAdam, FOCUS Missionary in the National Formation Department</span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Halloween is the vigil of a major Catholic feast day. Let’s redeem it!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The word “Halloween” is a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve.” It is the evening before All Hallows’ Day, which is what we used to call All Saints’ Day in the Church. So Halloween is the vigil of All Saints’ Day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">All Saints’ Day, in turn, is a solemnity (major Catholic feast) in the Church instituted to honor all the saints both known and unknown. Halloween should be for All Saints’ Day what Christmas Eve should be for Christmas: namely, a time of preparation before a great feast!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Is this what you think of when you hear the word “Halloween”? Probably not. Most of us probably think of trick-or-treating, horror movies, and pumpkins — or, if you’re posh enough, pumpkin spice lattes! Halloween has come to include so many secular elements that its original meaning has been largely covered up.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgl66iG1snU8DvxLYMHigj3v5R-2zQQFP0qeDc-DX63vpD7KP16CMQDEBrqeF_JWDP038fTXUs7ML6l17MSJVzfEfi7Dd7qpfTbKy3h8hUtS7Ll4-WyOt5Hr0MZ8F7-R31B9Xlp72GoU/s1600/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgl66iG1snU8DvxLYMHigj3v5R-2zQQFP0qeDc-DX63vpD7KP16CMQDEBrqeF_JWDP038fTXUs7ML6l17MSJVzfEfi7Dd7qpfTbKy3h8hUtS7Ll4-WyOt5Hr0MZ8F7-R31B9Xlp72GoU/s200/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669704115547613010" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">How should Catholics serious about their faith participate in Halloween?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">One extreme would be to plunge headfirst into everything that Halloween has come to imply for some people. The big mistake here would be to participate in things we should always avoid, like the occult (see <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm">CCC #2116</a>). We also want to avoid things that take the focus off God and His saints; horror movies, for instance, might be an example.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Another extreme, however, would be to abandon Halloween altogether on account of the fact that it <i>is</i> often associated with things like horror movies and occult practices. The big mistake here would be to detract from the Church’s Solemnity of All Saints by not keeping its vigil.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The best course of action would be for us to <i>redeem</i> Halloween. “Redeem Halloween” — say it three times fast! Here are a few examples of how we can redeem Halloween:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#E46C0A;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><b><span style="color:#E46C0A;">Pray and fast </span></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Pray and fast in preparation for the great feast that is All Saints’ Day. Ask for the grace to emulate the saints who have gone before us in faith.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#E46C0A;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore"> 2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><b><span style="color:#E46C0A;">Watch a movie about a saint</span></b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOocvGfcdMceKOxKefT1p1CbWeDcYo8iPfY_srurFDXAoiW4h6rj5h5TTpQaFjOnEI95tREzWT8_1r4h29EryHVuuXEPDflxLIAn9DDqoLWQk68cAfqDrhP5og4Sa0c34ozjZH13jh_J4/s1600/the+mission.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOocvGfcdMceKOxKefT1p1CbWeDcYo8iPfY_srurFDXAoiW4h6rj5h5TTpQaFjOnEI95tREzWT8_1r4h29EryHVuuXEPDflxLIAn9DDqoLWQk68cAfqDrhP5og4Sa0c34ozjZH13jh_J4/s200/the+mission.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669704285807775026" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Rather than watch a horror movie, watch a movie about a saint’s life. Among the many great movies about saints are those listed on the <a href="http://old.usccb.org/movies/vaticanfilms.shtml">Vatican Top 45 Movie List</a>.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"> </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#E46C0A;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore"> 3.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></b><b><span style="color:#E46C0A;">Dress up as a saint</span></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">When others ask about your costume, you can tell them you’ve dressed up as such-and-such saint and use the opportunity to share with them the Catholic meaning of Halloween.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:100%;" >How e</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:100%;" >lse can we redeem Halloween? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.</span>FOCUSequiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06887241312320219001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-63109669100364966352011-10-24T11:41:00.010-06:002012-01-10T15:31:06.461-07:00Fall Outreach - University of Louisiana-Lafayette<div>Fall Outreach is a huge event on all of our FOCUS campuses.</div><div><br />
</div><div>What does this look like?</div><div><br />
</div><div>I let this video for the FOCUS missionaries from University of Louisiana-Lafayette speak for itself.<br />
<br />
<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKJhE4sZ0ZQ?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKJhE4sZ0ZQ?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="540" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-7482185928616188662011-10-22T10:00:00.001-06:002011-10-24T11:20:59.916-06:00JPII- The Polish PopeHappy first feast day of Blessed Pope John Paul II! What a day! It has always been my dream to summarize one of the most prolific pontificates in the history of the Church in one blog entry. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Not. </span>But alas, I will attempt to give you a few of the major highlights of Blessed John Paul II's reign as successor of the Chair of St. Peter.<br /><br />In 1978, after the very short papacy of Pope John Paul I, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla was chosen to be his successor, to the surprise of mostly everyone in the Church. There was something very different about him from the beginning. He was the first non-Italian Pope in 445 years, he denied the papal tiara, and he also broke tradition by addressing the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o_GYk7ON-Hw98Pwiek_VLRhv1_RMZkRNsHQmGbWVhb3EmZxgpDj1In2dfcMqi0FyhQN4ywJBcIAOFIE5mYpIJBy8laAPCqon8tVdt7X1DL9Jg0y3IaGRA_h2RqYQMvZLwlB84q2AyIk/s1600/election.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o_GYk7ON-Hw98Pwiek_VLRhv1_RMZkRNsHQmGbWVhb3EmZxgpDj1In2dfcMqi0FyhQN4ywJBcIAOFIE5mYpIJBy8laAPCqon8tVdt7X1DL9Jg0y3IaGRA_h2RqYQMvZLwlB84q2AyIk/s200/election.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666074686277556098" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>"Dear brothers and sisters, we are saddened at the death of our beloved Pope John Paul I, and so the cardinals have called for a new bishop of Rome. They called him from a faraway land – far and yet always close because of our communion in faith and Christian traditions. I was afraid to accept that responsibility, yet I do so in a spirit of obedience to the Lord and total faithfulness to Mary, our most Holy Mother. I am speaking to you in your – no, our Italian language. If I make a mistake, please forgive me…"</blockquote> The Church knew this was the beginning of something incredible.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_EBtgroqy01awG2QIbvGhW4lCXiBz7zf6BPTcpk5l-mPOqGrIWCUGQm34mQIFVwCCd9qf-zQH4MWiz4s1-o1wGd5Qq0h8TOTzARuYL_NetERYLRpF-xqy6lrl4cBtDknJi0cHmv_eao/s1600/wyd2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_EBtgroqy01awG2QIbvGhW4lCXiBz7zf6BPTcpk5l-mPOqGrIWCUGQm34mQIFVwCCd9qf-zQH4MWiz4s1-o1wGd5Qq0h8TOTzARuYL_NetERYLRpF-xqy6lrl4cBtDknJi0cHmv_eao/s200/wyd2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666077365274658450" border="0" /></a>JP II was more traveled than any other Pope in the history of the Church. He made the decision that He needed to go out and meet the people that could not come to the Vatican, to "bring the Vatican to them." He traveled to 129 countries. That's a lot. And when he traveled, people showed up. In fact, the largest ever crowd assembled in human history at one time for one specific event is claimed to be the closing Mass at World Youth Day in the Philippines, where an estimated 5 million plus people were in attendance.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W1Z-QCIbRVn39lDFy1kRh0fh-mnw-Ar7jXAfg0Cl-I3jt0YKBrJDzeEnnuH6gH8ilnWMkIdn2fDFoZiwAB7CGpsqs99UEFmBhUKRSGiqDqLXq___tKnSih37CqEYILmJod8W4WRH2ZI/s1600/wyd.jpg"><br /></a> Speaking of World Youth Day, he started that too. In 1984, he invited youth from around the world to gather in Rome for a week of prayer, catechesis, and fellowship. It continues to this day, and the next one is in <a href="http://www.worldyouthday.com/">Rio De Janeiro in 2013</a> .<br /><br />Another cornerstone of JP II's pontificate is his <span style="font-style: italic;">Theology of the Body </span>(TOB for short)<span style="font-style: italic;">. </span>TOB was the topic of 129 of JPII's Wednesday papal audiences (from 1979-1984). It is essentially his integrated vision of the human person-body, soul, and spirit. It revolved around the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHfMG8EUPmFVSisuZ9XmDZxSWuWTGFbCK2GeKNbL6dL0iHO3rfXI9xeKXLDVMRbaVyhIbt-YJhEEuGrpqBA4U65ygpizABtk40ZnkkrmWt3zikh2zRbk5RGF2NSBC8k5h8s6g2p910XI/s1600/tob.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHfMG8EUPmFVSisuZ9XmDZxSWuWTGFbCK2GeKNbL6dL0iHO3rfXI9xeKXLDVMRbaVyhIbt-YJhEEuGrpqBA4U65ygpizABtk40ZnkkrmWt3zikh2zRbk5RGF2NSBC8k5h8s6g2p910XI/s200/tob.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666076821988215106" border="0" /></a>philosophical concept of the human person as gift. Man was made to give of himself to another, and human sexuality can only find its true meaning in light of that truth. I would expound upon this but there are many folk much more intelligent than I who have already done so. So if you are interested in more, I will bow to their brilliance and point you <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=theology+of+the+body&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=theology+of+the+body&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=pFO&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnsb&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=9uyhTtakJcSftgffh8mtBQ&ved=0CIgBEK0E&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=63a42538adec52e&biw=1280&bih=931">here</a>.<br /><br />JP II was also known for his love for the giants that had gone before him. He canonized many of our beloved saints, including the likes of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Juan Diego, St. Pio of Pietrelcina (formerly known as Padre Pio), St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, and 478 others. Not kidding...478.<br /><br />He saw sainthood as something achievable for every human on Earth, and often spoke of each individual's call to the heights of holiness. He expected greatness from his flock. It seems that all that the body of Christ needed was to be encouraged and called to something more, and He did just that. This invitation of his manifested in what he called the New Evangelization. JPII saw the severe lacking of evangelistic efforts in the Church, and so he proclaimed:<blockquote>"I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies to a new evangelization…No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples.”<blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XWEftBlSOUH9pLlvPTHrDnpdM6sU76_lxbEbdXw523O9ijinWegwBk-L6csLqWvw52XvmPbglApLfNO28YsJCiBTihZcqEdZkDar1IEun_XsoSh-jyGsxjyzmqacV0VtQEfofEE65eg/s1600/jpII.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XWEftBlSOUH9pLlvPTHrDnpdM6sU76_lxbEbdXw523O9ijinWegwBk-L6csLqWvw52XvmPbglApLfNO28YsJCiBTihZcqEdZkDar1IEun_XsoSh-jyGsxjyzmqacV0VtQEfofEE65eg/s200/jpII.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666081150146476706" border="0" /></a></div></blockquote>FOCUS was born as a response to the New Evangelization, and seeks to fulfill Christ's Great Commission re-promulgated by JP II's commission of the New Evangelization. <a href="http://focusequip.blogspot.com/">Full circle</a>.<br /><br />On April 2, 2005 our beloved Blessed Pope John Paul II spoke his last words "Let me depart to the house of the Father," and soon thereafter entered into his final rest. And alas this humble gentle giant who changed the world through his response to God's call in his life and through his unending charity and care for all of humanity received his heavenly reward: eternal bliss. Let us not forget his example of a life "hidden with Christ" (cf. Col 3:3), and let us never tire in responding to his New Evangelization by bringing the love and truth of Christ to the ends of the earth. Let these words forever ring in our ears:<br /><blockquote>"Do not be afraid of presenting Christ to someone who does not yet know Him. Christ is the true answer, the most complete answer to all the questions which concern the human person and his destiny. Without Christ, the human person remains an unsolvable riddle. Therefore, have the courage to present Christ!"</blockquote>Blessed Pope John Paul II, pray for us, that we may see the face of Christ!<br /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZ_PX4rtKDd4PbA88ll8i8T0H30FcIm1ASru8mq6-_xfd32NhGgxypfD0y1Vsif8LjrQf2PvnlreoE0LrU6jzEmfKibOO05gbQYvF4Wd4cW8zjLzv93lbV0ScEF5UMvkRniYy0aNrafI/s200/jpII+eyes.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 231px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666081786574910306" border="0" /></div><div><br /></div><div>By Guest Blogger Austin Ashcraft, FOCUS Missionary<br /><blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><blockquote><br /></blockquote><br /><blockquote><br /></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span></div></blockquote></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-27558298577900851802011-10-21T13:11:00.006-06:002011-10-21T16:59:30.980-06:00JP II - A Testimony of Love<span style=";font-family:Calibri;">A couple months ago, I was on a very un-air-conditioned train in southern Poland.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A fe</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">w friends and I had taken a week after World Youth Day to travel and make a little pilgrimage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I think</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2pH36ltWU-y_4iXmEfTqPA50fUvQZInXFiHYTMXQXaF60LH-FJ3VbMfHjUCapUSh8yT92fFkH175tSvYQ3Ks13SMKw1qsG3J_pa679Y5WMXozLWjoa-iurIad7oGsB6O8g5pVXV6q-o/s1600/train+in+poland3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2pH36ltWU-y_4iXmEfTqPA50fUvQZInXFiHYTMXQXaF60LH-FJ3VbMfHjUCapUSh8yT92fFkH175tSvYQ3Ks13SMKw1qsG3J_pa679Y5WMXozLWjoa-iurIad7oGsB6O8g5pVXV6q-o/s200/train+in+poland3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666025854567344402" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Calibri;"> I was so distracted by how glad I was to be in Poland that I hardly noticed the sweat dripping down my fac</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">e and neck or my legs </span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">sticking to the seats.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Even the graffiti-laden buildings seemed beautiful. It didn’</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">t </span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">matter that I couldn</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">’t pronounce <i style="">dzi</i></span><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">eń dobry </i>(hello), let alone speak the language; all that mattered was that we were in Poland, the homeland of my hero: John Paul II. </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">My first encounter with John Paul II was when I was 15 on his Papal </span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">visit to St. Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In his <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/travels/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_26011999_stlouis-youth_en.html">address to young people</a> there, he said, “Young friends…remember: Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the Pope believes in you and expects great things of you!”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Never before had I been convicted of my personal call to holiness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew that he spoke with authority because his very life was a testament to holiness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He radiated truth and love.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He told me that my life mattered to him, to the Church, and to C</span><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;">hrist.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At that moment, this feeble Polish Pope won my heart and my lifelong fidelity to Christ and His Church.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">From then o</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">n, I also became something of a JPII <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">groupie</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I bought The Jeweller’s Shop movie, which is based on a play he wrote as a young bishop in <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background:white;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldcolor:black;">Kraków</span></span>, I would listen to a CD of him praying the rosary in Latin on my way to high school, I went to World Youth Day in Toronto, and then spent three months with him in Ro</span><span style=";font-family:Calibri;">me while</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP-Ofu23rFxxxwNXap9QQDlzluL6eU8qvW3dKX8r-zt7FNgdO7o-4269NvcEG2seqe9d-RtXpN75NljrNDiD547ewa-W0haMTJt88g4bnAXMGN0qPVpg7nbe5OkQJoq9XQWHSLcUxIjs/s1600/torontomobile.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP-Ofu23rFxxxwNXap9QQDlzluL6eU8qvW3dKX8r-zt7FNgdO7o-4269NvcEG2seqe9d-RtXpN75NljrNDiD547ewa-W0haMTJt88g4bnAXMGN0qPVpg7nbe5OkQJoq9XQWHSLcUxIjs/s200/torontomobile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666027362818761762" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Calibri;"> I was studying abroad in college.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I remember the last time that I saw him and I remember crying in the street when I first heard that he had died.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was as if my own grandpa had died.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He had been such a huge part of my life and had given </span><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;">me courage to make decisions that have shaped me into the woman I am today. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;">So, being on that muggy train in Poland was less of a discomfort and more of a gift.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’d waited all these years to go to the place that formed this holy man.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This very place has been totally transformed because of one man’s response to God’s call. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Still today, the devotion of the Poles is unmatched in Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ve seen many churches in many countries, and none are filled like they are in Poland.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Masses are packed, adoration chapels are filled, young and old, men and women, are on their knees.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They’ve ousted the Nazis, the Communists, and those who would take away their culture and their heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Priestly and religious vocations are common and encouraged.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;">John Paul II still gives me courage today.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He is doing more from heaven than he ever did on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I am a missionary today largely because of him, and I will always look to his heroic witness as I continue to strive to live a holy life and respond to God’s call.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Calibri;color:black;">Blessed John Paul II, pray for us, for Poland, for Europe, and for the world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dear young people, do not be afraid to open wide the doors to Christ!</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span">By Guest Blogger Trish Metzger, FOCUS Missionary</span></p>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-77037926139380634062011-10-21T10:30:00.014-06:002011-10-21T16:59:50.431-06:00JPII - The Path to the PapacyAs we mentioned yesterday, by the age of 20, Karol had suffered the death of his mother, brother, and father. He was now the only remaining member of his immediate family. I remember when I heard this the first time, I was stunned at this fact. I could not imagine losing a single member of my family by that age, much less every <span style="font-weight: bold;">single </span>one. I thought to myself, why would God allow such suffering and pain to happen to this young man who He had such great plans for? One word: <a href="http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/03/03/st-john-of-the-cross-principles-for-detachment">detachment</a>. Our Heavenly Father, in his infinite and unrelenting passionate love for Karol, stripped him of all earthly things he could possibly cling to so that Karol had no other choice but to cling to his Father in heaven who alone can satisfy his<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlotK4FvJtVwtefywWHSnM7P8FWuifEncizsknKyQPRxMWJy2MsaWa5g4tW3ykSevTeTuC1ryLIEJjUM_C8UOSwVmhDsTKefBqBVth2nesQ8qxMmTUJ3YZgelBwt284MCJ_qXMwLF1Tk/s1600/jpii-joven.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmlotK4FvJtVwtefywWHSnM7P8FWuifEncizsknKyQPRxMWJy2MsaWa5g4tW3ykSevTeTuC1ryLIEJjUM_C8UOSwVmhDsTKefBqBVth2nesQ8qxMmTUJ3YZgelBwt284MCJ_qXMwLF1Tk/s200/jpii-joven.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666035025936129986" border="0" /></a> deepest desires. God was completely detaching him from everything to prepare him for sainthood.<br /><br />Karol recognizes this initiative on God's part and responded quickly. Soon after his father's death, he spoke of the clarity and the inner conviction of his calling to the priesthood. <span style="font-size:100%;">At the age of 22, Karol entered the seminary in Krakow. He had an eventful four years there, including the 1945 German invasion of Krakow causing heavy damage to </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]-->the seminary. After the Germans left, Karol and a friend volunteered for the delightful chore of cleaning up the frozen excrement from the lavatories (talk about consecrating the mundane...). Later on that year on All Saint's Day, Karol was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Karol quickly set himself apart due to his love for academics and his natural intelligence. During the early years of his priesthood he earned both a doctorate in sacred theology and philosophy. Pope Pius XII saw the incredible amount of potential in young Wojtyla and in 1958 while Wojtyla was out on a kayaking trip, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Krakow . At the age of just 38, Karol<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKiSPdDk3wyt2Odv10Mh5i5fcxTehsZacTI6WYXK0qUNBFL9q4EYhv-Vtzs597kAawVN7tH3JjRJo6Qx4QEuaksuIDZsGIrabw_VGoDF8Ovbj9kc0WLt9EPIFbC_u_iTBS00-ZlMzob4/s1600/Pope_Kayak.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKiSPdDk3wyt2Odv10Mh5i5fcxTehsZacTI6WYXK0qUNBFL9q4EYhv-Vtzs597kAawVN7tH3JjRJo6Qx4QEuaksuIDZsGIrabw_VGoDF8Ovbj9kc0WLt9EPIFbC_u_iTBS00-ZlMzob4/s200/Pope_Kayak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666031071728721426" border="0" /></a> became the youngest bishop in Poland (6 years later he was appointed primary Archbishop of Krakow).<br /><br />As bishop, Karol played an important role in the Second Vatican Council. He was a main contributor to both <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html">Dignitatis Humanae</a> and <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_cons_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html">Gaudium et Spes</a>. Both of these documents were influential to the Church after Vatican II and are still of great significance for us today. Being a big proponent of life and the dignity of every human life, he also was instrumental in the formulation of Pope Paul VI's <a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html">Humanae Vitae</a>. In the midst of all of this theological writing, Karol was still known for his presence to the person in front of him and his incredible attentiveness and love he showed to each person that he met. He never lost his wonder and awe for the human person, which finds its meaning only in the person of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />In 1967 he was promoted to the Sacred College of Cardinals, which would be his last promotion before his election to the Chair of St. Peter...<div><br /></div><div>By Guest Blogger, Austin Ashcraft, FOCUS Missionary<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-21523513464266908972011-10-20T09:47:00.008-06:002011-10-20T16:34:40.478-06:00JP II - The University Student<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtvmlNTbvMoqjLo74mTjLLIvbMlMWS2P3oH5aSmyBSUhbY4tdahK7_5FiIwJrt1sIPbVseOKQXSG-VvdHP32xLbnCILVGmH3EDArlK59Ygx9mSsBnTmpLdRHe0ot-PHoUhcqh4tmW-gs/s1600/jpii+college.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtvmlNTbvMoqjLo74mTjLLIvbMlMWS2P3oH5aSmyBSUhbY4tdahK7_5FiIwJrt1sIPbVseOKQXSG-VvdHP32xLbnCILVGmH3EDArlK59Ygx9mSsBnTmpLdRHe0ot-PHoUhcqh4tmW-gs/s200/jpii+college.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665648274219079394" border="0" /></a>We continue our series on Blessed John Paul II's life as we prepare to celebrate his first feast day on October 22nd.<div><br /></div><div>Today, we look at Karol Wojtyla's (JPII) life as a university student. This was by far some of his most formative and life changing years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Karol Wojtyla enrolled at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland to pursue literature and theater and quickly continued his academic success. But, Karol's path would soon be disrupted by Germany's invasion of Poland and the start of WWII. For Karol, the war was not something out there. It intimately affected his own life and those around him. The German occupation brought fear, bloodshed, poverty, and death. 184 professors from Jagiellonian University were arrested. 3,646 Polish priests and 1,117 nuns were sent to concentration camps. One third of all Polish clergy were killed during the occupation.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uvb_PgFP6JX7YAYqWj8piGai9l1TSAnbSsZoGc9D77IXftoxWau9iA4skySiITXjKHms-WFiGSV68BNZPRxUJXnQko4WY_pe-OVl1Tfrjtp3yXAkq-EEnI0aFPV9jsj2BRbQ_DR65kI/s1600/jp+ii+college.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uvb_PgFP6JX7YAYqWj8piGai9l1TSAnbSsZoGc9D77IXftoxWau9iA4skySiITXjKHms-WFiGSV68BNZPRxUJXnQko4WY_pe-OVl1Tfrjtp3yXAkq-EEnI0aFPV9jsj2BRbQ_DR65kI/s200/jp+ii+college.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665648565144715650" border="0" /></a></div><div>Karol continued his studies in secret and was a part of a understand cultural movement to keep Polish culture alive. He also met a man who would have a deep impact on him, Jan Tyranowski. Through Living Rosary small groups, Jan helped Karol develop a deep prayer life and sent him out to lead other groups as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>At this time, Karol was a manual laborer at a chemical plant. The work was difficult but the travel to his job was enough of a sacrifice. On his walk to the plant, Karol would put petroleum jelly on his face to keep it from freezing during the winter. This wouldn't be Karol's greatest struggle. Having already lost his mother and brother before, his father passed away during this time, leaving Karol the only remaining member of his family.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPTTZvuJZqp19KYtiw9krHnju2b3RZqono5KO0d0vLctU0GP9fqw0J-TPByAQr7Ole3qthcSCWyoCGA2fAfn2af6go81FPdWd2eBQExXk0_OJRoRLOA-lHZx1oahmfbdl2G3i2I2WGEs/s1600/jpii+college+student.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPTTZvuJZqp19KYtiw9krHnju2b3RZqono5KO0d0vLctU0GP9fqw0J-TPByAQr7Ole3qthcSCWyoCGA2fAfn2af6go81FPdWd2eBQExXk0_OJRoRLOA-lHZx1oahmfbdl2G3i2I2WGEs/s200/jpii+college+student.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665648743033365602" border="0" /></a>Amid the madness of the German occupation, many despaired, lost hope, or turned to violence. Karol had a different reaction. In the face of such tragedy and with the help of Jan Tyranowski, Karol slowly brought himself to a place of what he called "inner illumination." Karol became progressively detached from his earlier plans of acting and turned his thoughts towards the priesthood. While seminaries were underground and clergy were being arrested left and right, Karol still felt a calling to give his life in the face of such despair.</div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow, we will look at what JPII was like as a priest.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Detachment from his earlier plans</div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-44771819573643140182011-10-19T09:27:00.008-06:002011-10-20T16:34:08.244-06:00JPII - The Early Years<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWhOxiTa_GG-9WYHUwKV603bCXjV4XOhyphenhyphen4zgGPHdQcmh357GCaGx2KX4kLQY518LTV8g-TSUUxk1_KJY2drYQB_ixBGZoqUpwF502aWVhzDkcz57MXPddIaqpjqiw-fe29U6-esz4tUs/s1600/JPII+baby.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWhOxiTa_GG-9WYHUwKV603bCXjV4XOhyphenhyphen4zgGPHdQcmh357GCaGx2KX4kLQY518LTV8g-TSUUxk1_KJY2drYQB_ixBGZoqUpwF502aWVhzDkcz57MXPddIaqpjqiw-fe29U6-esz4tUs/s200/JPII+baby.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665236726820448386" /></a>Happy JPII Week!<div><br /></div><div>The first feast day of Blessed John Paul II is this Saturday October 22nd.</div><div><br /></div><div>Blessed John Paul II had an amazing life. And his story is really an amazing one from start to finish. We thought we would celebrate this week by blogging short biographies from different moments in his life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, we look at his early years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Blessed John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla (pronounced Voy-TEE-wah) in Wadowice, Poland on May 18th, 1920. He was the third child. Karol, also known as Lolek, had a sister who died in infancy an older brother who was 14 years his senior. His father was a career soldier while the mother looked after the family and did some sowing part time. While still a baby, his mother once remarked to her neighbors, "You'll see, my Lolek will be a great man someday."</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rYmGR6H07k0waOEkxrl8pZ9qnSc4QXpUDkAUJZiVBO4bOLTQ1UD-hR-ImBkIcwhd4EObqKji5hvR-Vz4h8ZTzYmWWXsJEsb4OHNIWTe2cdU9czk8_DrpJVbJZKxJU_aGTb6cipgBZsY/s200/JPII+child.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665236944949308130" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 200px; " /><div>Tragedy soon struck the Wojtyla family. At the age of eight, Karol's mother passed away. His father would never remarry. His childhood continued with a strong spiritual upbringing, solid friendships and a rigorous education. Karol studied multiple languages, became president of the Marian society, and excelled at school, especially in regards to poetry and acting.</div><div><br /></div><div>Karol would finish at the top of his class and enroll at Jagiellonian University to pursue literature and theater. </div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>Check in later this week for more on the life JPII!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-80002982332122701202011-10-18T11:22:00.006-06:002011-10-18T11:29:44.783-06:006 Blessed John Paul II quotes that changed the world<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b></b></p><span><div style="text-align: left;">The First Feast of Bl. John Paul II is on Saturday October 22nd, but there is no reason to wait until then to start celebrating. Here are 6 JPII quotes that changed the world:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZoi4sd3qRm8qYEt8z205vlT8mnJUdGZkQxIWZhw6_iBe7qFUjB_VI1TMuSmWMyCxiOzjA4aTLK1oJGPXV-5G5qPQ9yj1TWZa5XEGtuusw-6otF_9ttJIPsSrUhIRrHnIvMeWuvQOdT4/s200/POPE-JOHN-PAUL-II.gif" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 314px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664885104994219170" border="0" /></div></span><div><span><span><b>1. Proposing the New Evangelization:</b> There is a situation... “where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or even no longer consider themselves members of the Church, and live a life far removed from Christ and his Gospel. In this case what is needed is a ‘new evangelization’ or a ‘re- evangelizaiton.’” </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span> <b>2. Articulating the Theology the Body:</b> “Man cannot fully find himself except through the sincere gift of self.” </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><b>3. His closing statement at the opening Mass of his Pontificate:</b> “Do not be afraid.” </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><b>4. Preaching the Gospel in the modern world: </b>“The question confronting the Church today is not any longer whether the man in the street can grasp a religious message, but how to employ the communications media so as to let him have the full impact of the Gospel message.” </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span> <b>5. The defense of life and family: </b>“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><b>6. On having joy in the Christian life:</b> “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”</span></span><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span><span class="apple-converted-space"></span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>What's your favorite JPII quote or memory?</span></span></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-85934868624681841312011-10-04T07:50:00.001-06:002011-10-04T07:56:34.283-06:00Did Francis really say, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words”?<a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGEVcWRcr1J3Zeq2SPTJB_5Ej-X5siwp9V3rWM4GoP3ABUD_UpSw" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 260px;" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGEVcWRcr1J3Zeq2SPTJB_5Ej-X5siwp9V3rWM4GoP3ABUD_UpSw" alt="" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">As Catholics, we have a number of phrases and sayings we use with one another on a consistent basis. One of the most common sayings is “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” This quote is popularly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. The saying is often used as a recommendation for how we should primarily or even exclusively evangelize. But, did St. Francis of Assisi really say this? And, did he really live this out as his primary means of evangelization?</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Well, the truth is, there is no evidence that St. Francis <a href="http://www.appleseeds.org/St-Fran_Preach-Gospel.htm">said</a> this. It is clear that St. Francis’ life and actions did provide a great deal of evangelization on their own. In the context of a society where many clergy lived extravagant lifestyles, St. Francis’ vow to poverty was a stunning image of the Gospel.</p><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRu9D1sPYI6h_mCRqCNBFQ04uvSOqj6TGXX67XaiwnY9Eb8aOhb" alt="" border="0" style="float: right; margin-top: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 272px; " />And yet, what is often lost amid a portrayal of a man who is usually pictured with animals is a saint who was not afraid to preach the Gospel verbally to others. It was said that he would go to the extravagant parties of the rich and preach the Gospel to them. When walking the paths of Assisi, St. Francis would often preach the Gospel to those he met. In fact, St. Francis is pictured with birds because the story goes that St. Francis even preached the Gospel to them. If he went so far as to preach to birds than surely he wasn’t afraid to preach to the men and women he met.<div><p class="MsoNormal">There is no doubt that our lives should proclaim the Gospel. But, we should also be able to articulate the Gospel to others. As Pope Benedict says in<i> Verbum Domini</i>, "It is not a matter of preaching a word of consolation, but rather a word which disrupts, which calls to conversion and which opens the way to an encounter with the one through whom a new humanity flowers (no. 93). St. Francis lived this both/and rather than an either/or. If he did ever say, “Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words” then he must have thought it was necessary to do so on a consistent basis.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1898130061988990668.post-21030112345033824952011-09-30T14:00:00.002-06:002011-09-30T14:02:03.469-06:00Wait, why is a cloistered nun the patroness of a missionary organization?St. Therese is the patroness of FOCUS and October 1<sup>st</sup> is her feast day. St. Therese is one of the most popular saints and at first glance making her FOCUS’ patroness seems like a pretty normal thing to do...until you really think about. Why would an organization dedicated to missionary work chose a patroness who spent the entirety of her adult life in a convent far away from missionary work?<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Three reasons</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>1. She prayed for and wrote to</b><b> missionary priests.</b><br />When assigned to two missionary priests, she told her <img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQdQuKPGjaKWTZSxQtTaUrczJ-Ka3yHebTcOqGI7omzSZZ2KBG8rg" alt="" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 327px; height: 232px;" border="0" />superior, “Mother, I did not know how to express my happiness.” She wrote to one missionary priest, “Let us work together for the salvation of souls…what encourages me is the thought that by your side I can be of some use.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">While it is helpful for the patron or patroness of an organization or cause to relate directly to it , the job of a patron or patroness is to provide prayer intercession. (St. Francis Xavier and St. Therese are the patron saints of missionary work and FOCUS).</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><b>2. She had an incredible heart for missionary work.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">St. Therese once said, “I have the vocation of the Apostle (Paul). I would like to travel over the whole earth to preach Your Name and to plant Your glorious cross on infidel soul. But…one mission alone would not be sufficient for me, I would want to preach the Gospel on all the five continents simultaneously and even to the most remote isles. I would be a missionary, not for a few years only, but from the beginning of creation until the consummation of the ages.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>3. She sought to save souls through her own pursuit of holiness.</b><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3b8TtXbRajk/SkEexSwVb0I/AAAAAAAADb8/-H0kSqGpfRk/DSC01164.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 249px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3b8TtXbRajk/SkEexSwVb0I/AAAAAAAADb8/-H0kSqGpfRk/DSC01164.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One author writes, “The religious life seemed to her primarily a means of saving souls. She even thought at one time of becoming a nun in the foreign mission; but the hope of being able to save more souls by penance and sacrifice was responsible for her decision to enclose herself in Carmel.” (Carmel pictured left).<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">St. Therese’s missionary work continues today through others following her example and through her intercession.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">St. Therese, pray for us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">All quotes are from <i>St. Benedict & St. Therese: The Little Rule and the Little</i> Way by Dwight Longenecker.</p><div><br /></div>Kevin Cotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12052781775519865324noreply@blogger.com1