That Religious Blog

Blogging for faith fans, God Squad members, churchies, and ordinary people who just want a little extra religious commentary in their lives. All this and more from the perspective of a Catholic seminarian.

Throughout history the great men of the world have given their credit for their achievements to their mothers. [The] Holy Church recognizes this, as does Notre Dame especially, and Our Lady who watches over our great institution.

"Varsity Basketball Team, 1897, with Frank E. Hering as coach (middle row, second from right). For an unknown reason, there is a frog on the knee of the player in front of him." - University of Notre Dame Archives

Francis Earl Hering, recognized as “The Father of Mother’s Day” and a Notre Dame alumnus who proposed in 1904 the idea of the “setting aside of one day in the year as a nationwide memorial to the memory of Mothers and motherhood” to an audience of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Indianapolis 


Happy Mother’s Day!

Since Joseph is the visible leader at Nazareth, it is to him, who is the master of the house, that one goes to recommend a work, present a complaint, and obtain a favor. It is therefore through Joseph in his carpenter shop that one arrives to Mary and Jesus. Such is the hierarchic order followed and established in the exercise of the piety of the family of Holy Cross.

S. Exc. Mgr. Albert-F. Cousineau, C.S.C., former Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross (1938–1950)

Happy Feast of St. Joseph the Worker!

One of the votive candle reliefs at l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph

“Saint Joseph - Model of Workers”

Words to remember

I recently purchased a 1947 edition of the Directory of Devotional Prayer of the Congregation of Holy Cross (on Ebay of all places). As I opened it, I found that my copy’s owner had written his information on a corner of a page:

John H. Miller, C.S.C.

Colegio di Sancta Croce

Rome, Italy

Then on one of the last few pages, he had written down these words in descending order:

______

Humility

Charity

Modesty

Meekness

Silence, Recall

Recreation + Con

Community Spirit

Poverty 

Zeal

______

I kind of believe that he may have wanted to remind himself of characteristics he thought are important to have for a Holy Cross religious. Now, the words he wrote in 1947 or 1948 will help encourage me in my own discernment in 2013 and beyond. Thanks, Fr. Miller. Requiescat in pace.

El Papa Francisco

“A while ago, I baptized the seven children of one woman, a poor widow who works as a maid and had her children by two different men. I met her on the feast of Saint Cajetan. She said to me, ‘Father, I am in mortal sin, I have seven children and have never had them baptized, I don’t have the money for the godparents and for the party … I saw her again and after a little catechesis I baptized them in the chapel of the archepiscopal residence. The woman said to me, ‘Father, I can’t believe it, you make me feel important.’ I said to her, ‘But madam, what do I have to do with it? It’s Jesus who makes you important.’” - Then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., 30 Nov. 2009
 
My esteem for His Holiness is growing more and more.
¡Viva Cristo Rey! ¡Viva el Papa Francisco!
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God Bless Pope Francis!

‎“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:18

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Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit priest and the 76-year-old former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, is the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, and the new Servant of the Servants of God. First Jesuit Pope. First Latin America Pope. He has taken the name Francis and is the 265th Successor of St. Peter!

May God bless Pope Francis! Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us! St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, pray for us!!!

The March for Life in Washington D.C. was definitely a great experience. The atmosphere was charged with emotion and zeal and there truly was a feeling of solidarity amongst all those who participated. And the Notre Dame Right to Life Club was selected to lead the March so that was pretty cool too. 600+ Notre Dame, St. Mary’s, and Holy Cross students set out for Washington D.C. that day, making it the largest club sponsored trip in school history as well as one of the largest groups at the March.  Let’s continue to pray for the strengthening of the culture of life and continue to work to protect and promote the dignity of every human life! Photo Credit: Jan. 25, 2013; The 2013 March for Life in Washington, D.C. Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame

The March for Life in Washington D.C. was definitely a great experience. The atmosphere was charged with emotion and zeal and there truly was a feeling of solidarity amongst all those who participated.

And the Notre Dame Right to Life Club was selected to lead the March so that was pretty cool too. 600+ Notre Dame, St. Mary’s, and Holy Cross students set out for Washington D.C. that day, making it the largest club sponsored trip in school history as well as one of the largest groups at the March. 

Let’s continue to pray for the strengthening of the culture of life and continue to work to protect and promote the dignity of every human life!

Photo Credit: Jan. 25, 2013; The 2013 March for Life in Washington, D.C. Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame

The gift that keeps on praying

As an early Christmas present, copies of the new Directory of Devotional Prayer of the Congregation of Holy Cross and The Charism of Priestly Celibacy by Prof. Cavadini were distributed to the house :D

So stoked to start praying with the Directory, which “invites us to contemplate the lives of our holy predecessors in Holy Cross … [, calling] to mind that our life in Holy Cross is a genuine way of holiness and that in our journey of faith we are not alone as we come before the Lord in prayer.” Coolio.

The future of the congregation depends on you; it is good that you know it and that you are convinced of it … First, while you are in the houses of formation, you must labor seriously to prepare yourselves for the future. It is here a personal task, which is to say, that this work will not be completed if you do not apply yourselves; you must pursue it with perseverance and support it with energy according to the knowledge of asceticism and of the experience to which spiritual authors expose you. Submission to authority, which alone can foil the snares of the devil and dissipate his illusions, will guide you on the right path.

- Rev. Fr. Philéas Vanier, C.S.C., Moreau et Mollevaut: Extraits Divers (1923)

Mary, my good Mother! Your humility drew the Word of God but once into your virginal breast, while every day the priest draws the Word of God down on the altar by virtue of his all-powerful words … Lord, my soul glorifies you, because in me you have wrought such great things.

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-  Bl. Basile-Antoine Moreau, C.S.C., Juxta Crucem