Our faith
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charlottediocese.org/catholicnews | December 3, 2010 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD
The Immaculate Conception Wednesday, Dec. 8 Pope Benedict XVI
Pope reflects on Advent expectation
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ope Benedict XVI welcomed the season of Advent during the Angelus prayer Nov. 28, remarking on the nature of “expectation” and calling it a “profoundly human” experience. The pontiff opened his comments by discussing what he called the “dual nature” of the Advent season. The Church during this time, he said, focuses both on the first coming of Jesus as an infant born of the Virgin Mary and also on “His glorious return, when He will come to judge the living and the dead.” He described the Church’s expectation and reflection on both events as a “profoundly human” experience in which “the faith becomes, so to say, a single thing with our flesh and our heart.” “Expectation and awaiting represent a dimension that touches our entire individual, family and social existence,” he added, saying that it is “present in many situations, from the smallest and most insignificant to the most important.” The pope mentioned the examples of a couple expecting a child, a person waiting for the results of an exam, someone expecting the arrival of a friend from far away, or the anticipation of someone meeting a loved one. “We could say that man is alive so long as he expects, so long as hope remains alive his heart.” Pope Benedict continued to say that men and women can be recognized by their expectations, and that “our moral and spiritual ‘stature’ may be measured by what our hopes are.” In “this time of preparation for Christmas each of us may ask ourselves: what do I expect? This same question can be posed at the level of the family, the community, the nation. What do we expect together? What unites our aspirations, what brings us together?” he asked. — CNA/EWTN News
“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.” — Pius IX in “Ineffabilis Deus,” 1854
“The Immaculate Conception” by Martino Altomonte (1719)
Pray the novena The Immaculate Conception Novena may be said for nine days prior, surrounding, or after the feast day. Go to www.ewtn. com/Devotionals/novena/immaculate.htm for a handy guide.
— Catholic News Agency
Your daily Scripture readings SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 5 – DEC. 11
What is a sacrament? A sacrament is an outward, visible sign instituted by Jesus Christ that gives the grace it signifies.
Why do we celebrate the sacraments? The Holy Spirit confers grace upon those who receive the sacrament, and that grace strengthens and helps us express our faith.
Why are there seven sacraments?
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n 1854, Pope Pius IX’s solemn declaration, “Ineffabilis Deus,” clarified with finality the longheld belief of the Church that Mary was conceived free of original sin. Mary was granted this extraordinary privilege because of her unique role in history as the Mother of God. That is, she received the gift of salvation in Christ from the very moment of her conception. Even though Mary is unique in all humanity for being born without sin, she is held up by the Church as a model for all because of her holiness and her purity, and her willingness to accept God’s plan. Christians are called to recognize and respond to God’s call – to their own vocation – which is to carry out God’s plan for their lives and fulfill the mission prepared for them since before the beginning of time. Mary’s “Let it be done to me according to Thy Word,” in response of the Angel Gabriel’s greeting is the response required of all Christians to God’s plan. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a time to celebrate the great joy of God’s gift to humanity in Mary, and to recognize with greater clarity the truth that each and every human being has been created by God to fulfill a particular mission that only he or she can fulfill.
The facts of faith
Sunday, Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-9, Matthew 3:1-12; Monday (St. Nicholas), Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 5:17-26; Tuesday (St. Ambrose), Isaiah 40:1-11, Matthew 18:1214; Wednesday (The Immaculate Conception), Genesis 3:9-15, 20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12, Luke 1:26-38; Thursday (St. Juan Diego), Isaiah 41:13-20, Matthew 11:11-15; Friday, Isaiah 48:17-19, Matthew 11:16-19; Saturday (St. Damasus I), Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11, Matthew 17:9-13
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 12 – DEC. 18
Sunday, Isaiah 35:1-6, 10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11; Monday (St. Lucy), Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17, Matthew 21:2327; Tuesday (St. John of the Cross), Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13, Matthew 21:28-32; Wednesday, Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-25, Luke 7:18-23; Thursday, Isaiah 54:1-10, Luke 7:2430; Friday, Genesis 49:2, 8-10, Matthew 1:1-17; Saturday, Jeremiah 23:5-8, Matthew 1:18-25
The seven sacraments – baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders and matrimony – were instituted by Jesus Christ. For the first 11 centuries of Christianity, the word “sacrament” was often used to refer to the mysterious plan of God. Little by little, specific aspects of this mysterious plan began to be singled out and called sacraments. In the 12th century, we began to see the list of the seven actions which we now call sacraments. In 1547, the Council of Trent stated: “The sacraments of the new law are seven, no more and no less” (Session VII, Canon 1). Seven is frequently used to connote completeness. There are “seven gifts” of the Holy Spirit and there are “seven Churches” in the Book of Revelation, symbolizing the universal Church.
Our parishes
December 3, 2010 | charlottediocese.org/catholicnews
Rosary being misused
— AmericanCatholic.org
Did you also know? The sacraments of baptism, confirmation and holy orders also confer a special, indelible seal by which a Christian is made a member of the Church according to different functions. It remains forever in the Christian as a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a duty to divine worship and to service for the Church, so these three sacraments can never be repeated. — CCC 1121
photo courtesy of the Charlotte Fire Department
Firefighters and emergency personnel discuss the fire at St. Matthew Church with Monsignor John J. McSweeney, pastor, Nov. 24.
SueAnn howell staff writer
ROSARY, SEE page 7
courtesy of contactmusic.com
Pop star Ke$ha, wearing two rosaries
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Sister Mary Immaculata (right) smiles as she helps Mother Dolores Marie (left), abbess of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration of St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte, clothe the newest member of their community, Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician. Sister Mary Raphael took her first vows Nov. 21 at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.
‘Prayer beads’ popular fashion, used by gangs CHARLOTTE — A growing fashion trend that misuses the rosary has at least one U.S. bishop calling attention to the issue – and the problem has also recently been noticed in Charlotte. Rosaries – mislabeled “prayer necklaces” – are now draping the necks of models, actors, pop singers, rap artists, and in some cases, gang members. The misuse was so noticeable that the bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs recently issued a statement supporting a local middle school’s policy that bans wearing the beads out of respect to Catholics.
catholic news heraldI
sueann howell | catholic news herald
A joyful transformation Young woman takes vows to join the Poor Clares sueann howell staff writer
CHARLOTTE — The joy was unmistakable at St. Ann Church Nov. 21, as Allison Schumacher professed her first vows as a Poor Clare nun and became Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician. Bishop Robert Baker of the Diocese of Birmingham, Ala., for whom Schumacher worked before she entered the monastery, traveled to Charlotte to receive her vows and to celebrate the Mass on behalf of Bishop Peter J. Jugis. “What a happy occasion it is for these two dioceses as we promote vocations to the religious and contemplative life as well as to the priesthood,” Bishop Baker said in his opening remarks. He made his comments just after the clothing portion of the ceremony, where he blessed the 25-year-old Poor Clare’s new habit with holy water and then watched as Schumacher knelt at the steps of the sanctuary to have her hair cut and then be clothed in her habit and veil. Mother Dolores Marie, abbess of St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte, was assisted by Sister Mary Immaculata as she cut off Schumacher’s long blonde hair. Then they proceeded to clothe her in the brown habit of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, including a veil, a white rope belt and a rosary. Once she was fully habited, Schumacher
knelt again to receive her new name in religious life. Up to that point, Schumacher did not know what name she would receive – the name she’d be known by for the rest of her life. “This is the best part,” said Mother Dolores Marie, Sister Mary smiling as she unrolled a Raphael scroll containing the chosen name. “I have never seen a name so made manifested and confirmed by God.” “Dear Sister, in order to begin your new life in Jesus, you will be called by your new name: Sister Mary Raphael of the Divine Physician.” The name is particularly special to Schumacher. She became ill in 2008 and had to leave the Poor Clare monastery in Alabama before renewing her temporary vows. With her first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Sister Mary Raphael begins her period of POOR CLARE, SEE page 17
More photos online A slideshow from Sister Mary Raphael’s profession of vows is online at www.charlottediocese.org.
St. Matthew Church fire causes $200k in damages CHARLOTTE — In the early morning hours of Nov. 24, an electrical fire caused about $200,000 in damage to St. Matthew Church in Ballantyne. No one was injured, and the Mass schedule was not interrupted. The fire above the narthex was discovered by a security officer at the church a little after 5 a.m. Firefighters from the Charlotte Fire Department’s Station 32 arrived at the scene at 5:24 a.m. A total of 44 firefighters from 10 companies responded to the twoalarm fire call. It took them 22 minutes to put out the fire. The fire department ruled the fire accidental, attributing it to a failure in the electrical system for outdoor holiday lights on the roof of the church. Monsignor John J. McSweeney, pastor of St. Matthew Church, directed a swift clean-up and repair of the roof, so there was no interruption to the regular schedule of Masses over the Thanksgiving holiday. — SueAnn Howell