Keep your eyes open!...





 

August 31, 2007  

THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).

(John 19:27) After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

VIA POLAND:
Poland's pilgrims

VIA CHICAGO: Not a protest, but a peace march


FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA A Moment With Mary: The Black Madonna

The Black Madonna is a painting of the Madonna and Child which, according to popular legend, was painted by St Luke the Evangelist. St Luke is believed to have used a tabletop from a table built by Jesus. While Luke was painting the portrait of Mary, she told him about the events in Jesus’ life that he eventually incorporated in his Gospel. The painting showed up again in 326 AD when St Helen discovered it in Jerusalem while on a pilgrimage there. She gave the painting to her son, Constantine, who had a shrine built in Constantinople to house it. In a critical battle with the Saracens, the portrait was displayed from above the city walls and the Saracens were subsequently routed. The portrait was credited with saving the city.

Eventually, the painting came into Charlemagne’s hands, who gave it as a present to Prince Leo of Ruthenia (northwest Hungary). It remained at the royal palace in Ruthenia until an invasion occurred in the eleventh century. The king prayed to Our Lady to help his small army and as an answer to his prayers a dark shadow fell over the enemy troops who, in their confusion, began attacking one another. This confusion saved Ruthenia. In the fourteenth century, the painting was transferred to the Mountain of Light (Jasna Gora) in Poland in response to a request heard during a dream that the Prince Ladislaus of Opola had one night.

When the painting’s ownership changed to Prince Ladislaus, this legendary history became better documented. In 1382 invading Tartars attacked the Prince's fortress at Belz. In this attack one of the Tartar arrows hit the painting and lodged in the Madonna’s throat. The Prince fled in the night, fearing that he and the famous painting might fall into the hands of Tartars. He finally stopped in the town of Czestochowa, where the painting was installed in a small church. Later, the Prince had a church and a Pauline monastery built to ensure the painting's safety. In 1430, the Hussites overran the monastery and attempted to steal the painting. One of the looters struck the painting with his sword twice but before he could strike another blow he fell to the floor writhing in agony and died. Both the sword cuts and the arrow wound are still visible today in the painting.

In 1655, Poland was almost entirely overrun by the forces of Sweden's King Charles X. Only the area around the monastery remained unconquered. Somehow, the monks of the monastery managed to successfully defend the painting against a forty-day siege and eventually they were able to drive out the invaders of all of Poland. After this remarkable turn of events, Our Lady of Czestochowa became the symbol of Polish national unity and was crowned Queen of Poland. The King of Poland placed the country under the protection of the Blessed Mother.

A more recent legend surrounding the painting involves the threat of a Russian invasion. In 1920, the Russian army was spotted as they amassed on the banks of the Vistula River, threatening to attack Warsaw, when an image of the Virgin was seen in the clouds over the city. The Russian troops withdrew on seeing this vision.

There have been other reports for centuries of miraculous events such as spontaneous healings occurring to those who made pilgrimages to see the painting, known as the “Black Madonna” because of the soot residue that discolors the painting. The soot is the result of centuries of votive lights and candles burning in front of the painting. With the decline of communism in Poland, pilgrimages to the Black Madonna have increased dramatically.

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

63. A brother asked a hermit, 'What is humility?'  He answered, 'To do good to them that do evil to you.'  The brother said, 'Suppose a man cannot attain that standard, what is he to do?'  The hermit answered, 'He should run away, and choose silence.'

August 30, 2007   

(Jos 24:15) But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve, whether the gods which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house we will serve thee Lord,

EXCELLENT REVIEW: Catholic response to stem cells

COMMENTARY: Researchers’ “Blind faith” in Embryonic Stem-cell Research an “Idolatrous Gospel” says Cardinal

IN THE NEWS: Battle lines being drawn for new war over stem cells

Clashes between the high-tech and the holy are looming anew as political changes force stem-cell research back onto the public agenda, raising a host of new bioethical concerns for doctors and patients. And a Toronto physician is going to have his say about where this all leads.


The medical world needs to think about more than just curing diseases and prescribing drugs, says Dr. Bill Sullivan, who has been tapped to advise the Vatican on bioethics, and consider more where those cures come from.

"You can fix the kidney, but the person might not be healed in other ways," continues Sullivan, appointed earlier this month by Pope Benedict XVI to the Pontifical Academy for Life.

True care needs also to address the ethical issues surrounding their care – including the research done to arrive at a treatment. For Sullivan, medical decisions cannot, and should not, be made in a moral vacuum. For the Catholic church, embryonic stem-cell research tops the list of concerns.

"The ethical issues arise where the vulnerable are threatened," Sullivan says, referring to the stem cells destroyed in labs.

He expects such research to get a boost in the coming years as the Bush administration comes to an end, taking with it the White House ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

The U.S. Congress tried again this year to pass a bill allowing such funding, only to see President George Bush veto it in June. The veto was expected, but the attempt by Congress nonetheless sent a clear message that the rest of Washington supports the work.

Meanwhile, moratoriums restricting stem-cell research in other countries, such as Germany and Australia, are nearing an end, scientific journals are calling for more stem-cell and other research, and Democratic presidential candidates are letting it be known they support the work.

In short, the floodgates of medical and biotechnological research seem about to spring open and with them a whole host of new bioethical concerns.

RELATED:  65 diseases/conditions treated by adult stem cells

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

62. A hermit said, 'I never push myself up above my station; and I am untroubled when I am put in a low place.  All the time I try to pray God to strip me of my unregenerate nature.'

August 29, 2007   

(Mic 6:8) I will shew thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God.

LINK: Will America Be Turned into a Beacon of Purity? Some see Great Hope in "Our Lady of America"

FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA
Roy Tenn:  Considering the present state of immorality and the quest for secular materialistic objectives by our citizens at large, the time has certainly come for the enshrinement of Our Lady of America Statue as requested by the Immaculate Virgin Mary Herself.

Already this request by Our Lady has begun to gather momentum, following the authenticity of this request by Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke of St. Louis who himself has recently exposed this statue at the Cathedral of St. Louis, and is now being exposed in New York.

Archbishop Burke has sent a letter to other Catholic Bishops appraising them of his authenticity of request by Our Lady, so let us hope and pray that very soon Our Lady's request will be honored, by our US Catholic Bishops and the Vatican.

Thanks for posting this well written article on the subject by our friend Michael H. Brown.

LINK: http://www.spiritdaily.com/ourladyamericabasilica.htm

VIA Dan Lynch: Fifty years to the day after Our Lady of America appeared to an American nun and asked that a statue of her likeness be displayed in the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, her statue was blessed by an American Bishop while it was on display in the Mass room of the United States Bishops Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, of Saint Louis blessed the statue on November 15, 2006 and affirmed that the devotion was approved. He is a world renowned canon lawyer. In a letter dated May 31, 2007 he wrote, What can be concluded canonically is that the devotion was both approved by Archbishop Leibold and, what is more, was actively promoted by him. In addition, over the years, other Bishops have approved the devotion and have participated in public devotion to the Mother of God, under the title of Our Lady of America.

Our Lady of America appeared as a crowned Queen and identified herself as the Immaculate One, Patroness of your land. She said that the role of America, especially through its youth, is to lead the world to purity and peace through prayer. She promised peace if we did and warned of chastisements if we didn't. Let us pray that the Bishops honor Our Lady of America's request soon and place her statue in the National Shrine as a safeguard for our country.

For a FREE booklet of Our Lady of America call TOLL FREE Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM EST 1-888-834-6261 

Click here to see the statue and to read the full story: http://www.jkmi.com/PDF/ourladyofamericahopeforthestates.pdf

RELATED

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Our Lady of America to visit New York Metropolitan Area- On September 11 she will will visit two Manhattan Churches: the Church of Saint Peter and Cathedral of Saint Patrick.

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

61. A hermit said, 'In every trial do not blame other people but blame yourself, saying, "This has happened to me because of my sins."'

August 28, 2007   

(Heb 11:1-2) Now, faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not. For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.

HEADLINE: Vatican officials say new book illustrates Mother Teresa's strength

SPIRITDAILY: Media Hypes Mother Teresa's Doubt, But the Real Story is in the Trials of 'Dark Night' and Cases of Devout Afflicted by Spirits

COMMENTARY: People with true faith persevere by Bill Wineke

The big religion news over the weekend is the revelation that Mother Teresa, the "Saint of Calcutta, " had an ongoing crisis of faith.

"I have no faith. I dare not utter the words and thoughts that crowd my heart and make me suffer in untold agony, " she wrote at one point.

Mother Teresa, who died in 1997, would have celebrated her 97th birthday Sunday had she lived. She spent most of her life in Calcutta, working with the poorest of the poor and tending to those dying on the streets. She is now under consideration for sainthood.

Since most of us look to her as the epitome of faith, a woman who gave up everything material to care for God 's poorest children, the apparent fact that she had grave doubts even to the existence of God is, initially, staggering. Why would anyone do that kind of work if she didn 't have faith?

It 's the wrong question.

Mother Teresa worked with the poor because she believed that 's what God had called her to do. The fact that she didn 't always believe in God and didn 't always believe that her life had a purpose was, in some ways, irrelevant.

True faith isn 't a happy assurance that everything is proceeding as it ought to proceed. If you really feel that God is at your side sustaining your every move, then it 's relatively easy to suffer hardship and pain.

True faith comes more from a place in the soul that keeps you doing what you must do, even as every fiber of your consciousness rebels.

It doesn 't take a Mother Teresa to exercise that faith. We see it displayed in parents of severely brain-damaged children. We see it in the witness of parents who remain in loveless marriages in order to raise their children. We see it in people who struggle with cancer or other dread diseases, enduring months of chemotherapy and drug trials that, in the long run, may prove futile.

Do we really think it is easy for these people? Do we think they never succumb to doubt and despair?

Hardly.

If Mother Teresa didn 't have a crisis of faith, she would have had to be blind or totally unfeeling. All around her, every day, she saw incredible suffering, pain and neglect. Often, the best she could do for the people she was sent to serve was to help them die in peace.

Do we really think she could end each day with a song in her heart?

She wasn 't blind.

One problem we have when we attribute super faith to those who do good works in spite of material obstacles is that we take ourselves off the hook. We assume it is easier for the Mother Teresas and the other "saints " of the world to face temptations, heartaches and betrayals than it is for us because they have such "faith. "

Probably not so. They contend with the same doubts, fears and despair that we do. The difference between them and us is that they keep on trucking.

The important thing about Mother Teresa and about all those like her who persevere in the face of doubt is that she did what she believed she was called to do, even without the reinforcement of the faith we all believed was her foundation.

"Give God permission to use you without consulting you, " was one of her favorite admonitions.

That 's actually what real faith is all about.

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

60. A hermit was asked, 'What is humility?' He said, 'It is if you forgive a brother who has wronged you before he is sorry.'

August 24, 2007   

THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).

LINK: Harry Potter and "the Death of God" - by Michael D. O'Brien

FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA
: [email protected]:  Words of Venerable Fr. Charles de Foucauld (Brother Charles of Jesus)

"One of the things we absolutely owe to Our Lord, is never to be afraid." "Jesus is Master of the impossible."

"The moment I realized that God existed, I knew that I could not do otherwise than to live for Him alone... Faith strips the mask from the world and reveals God in everything. It makes nothing impossible and renders meaningless such words as anxiety, danger, and fear, so that the believer goes through life calmly and peacefully, with profound joy - like a child hand in hand with his mother."

"It is nearly always faith which Our Lord praises and rewards. Sometimes he praises love, sometimes humility, but this is rare... Faith, though not the supreme virtue - charity holds that place - is nevertheless the most important because it is the basis of all the others, charity included. Also it is the rarest... Real faith, faith which inspires all one's actions, faith in the supernatural which strips the world of its mask and reveals God in everything which makes meaningless the words 'impossible', 'anxiety', 'danger', and 'fear' .... How rare is that!"

"Your mind... should be full of the love of God, forgetful of yourself. It should be full of the contemplation and joy of My beatitude, of compassion and sorrow for My sufferings, and of joy at My joys... It should be a mind full of love for your neighbor for My sake, for I love all men as a father loves his children. It should be full of longing for the spiritual and material goods of all men for My sake. It should be a mind free, tranquil, at peace.... Do not be disturbed by little things. Throw all little matters aside and try to live at a very high level, not from pride but from love."

"God sometimes allows us to be in such a profound darkness that not a single star shines in our skies. The reason is that we must be reminded that we are on earth only to suffer, while following our gentle Savior along a dark and thorny path. We are pilgrims and strangers on earth. Pilgrims sleep in tents and sometimes cross deserts, but the thought of their homeland makes them forget everything else."

"However wicked I may be, however great a sinner, I must hope that I should go to heaven. You forbid me to despair."

"By force of events, you made me chaste... Chastity became a blessing and inner necessity to me. It was you who did that, O God - you alone. I, alas, had no part in it. How good you have been! From what sad and culpable relapses you miraculously preserved me!... The devil is too much the master of an unchaste soul to let truth enter it. You could not, O God, come into a soul where the devil of unbridled passions rules supreme. But you wanted to come into my soul, O good shepherd, and you yourself expelled your enemy from it."

"In this sad world there is a joy at the heart of things which is not shared by either the saints in heaven or the angels - that of suffering for Our Beloved. However hard life may be, however long our days of sadness may endure... we must never seek to leave the foot of the cross sooner that God would have us do... our Master having been good enough to let us experience, if not always its sweetness, then at least its beauty and necessity for those who love it."

"O God... you gave me a disgust for vice and shame. I did evil, but I never approved of it or loved it. You made me experience a melancholy emptiness, a sadness that I never felt at other times."

"How greatly we should long for all men to be in a state of grace! In other words, we should long to see as many living tabernacles, as many bodies and souls animated by Jesus, as there are souls in the world. How greatly we should long to see souls in a state of grace doing the holiest of all possible actions."

"When one is in love, one is humble, one sees oneself as very insignificant, as nothing beside one's beloved."

"The more we pray, the more we wish to pray. Like a fish which at first swims on the surface of the water, and afterwards plunges down, and is always going deeper; the soul plunges, dives and loses itself in the sweetness of conversing with God."

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

58. A hermit was asked why we are troubled by demons and he answered, 'Because we throw away our armour, that is, humility, poverty, patience and men's scorn.'

August 23, 2007   

(1Ti 6:10-11) For the desire of money is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.

COULD AMERICA BE THE NEXT ROME?

Is the United States on the same fateful trajectory as another great republic: Rome? David Walker, comptroller general of the United States, makes a compelling argument that the nation is headed down the same path as that long-extinct empire.

In a speech earlier this month to the Federal Midwest Human Resources Council and the Chicago Federal Executive Board, Walker -- head of the Government Accountability Office -- warns of the similarities between Rome prior to its fall and the United States today:

"The Roman Republic fell for many reasons, but three reasons are worth remembering: declining moral values and political civility at home, an overconfident and overextended military in foreign lands, and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government."

Walker's focus has been almost entirely on the third factor. "Simply stated, America is on a path toward an explosion of debt. And that indebtedness threatens our country's, our children's and our grandchildren's futures. With the looming retirement of the baby boomers, spiraling health care costs, plummeting savings rates and increasing reliance on foreign lenders, we face unprecedented fiscal risks."

MORE: http://www.economyincrisis.org/

Alan Ferguson: "Wordy explanations of the credit crunch that has brought the western world to the brink of a meltdown might fool you into thinking it's all very complicated. But the only unexplained phenomenon is how an advanced economy like that of the U.S. could have allowed its financial integrity to be undermined by an orgy of unregulated greed."

S.D. HOUSING MARKET MAY ONLY BE IN EYE OF STORM

July 2005 marked the peak of the local housing boom, which was fueled in part by the prevalence of adjustable-rate mortgages with little or no down payments and little solid documentation showing whether the borrowers could afford to pay.

For many borrowers, that meant July was the last month of super-low, two-year “teaser rates” on their mortgage payments. As those payments adjust upward, we can expect a new round of defaults and foreclosures on loans.

This trend will worsen next month, which is the two-year anniversary of the nationwide peak in the housing boom. By October, more than $50 billion worth of adjustable-rate mortgages will require higher monthly payments, and that number is projected to grow by more than $30 billion each month through September 2008, according to the Credit Suisse banking firm.

Because many of the borrowers could scarcely afford to make their payments at the teaser rates, they are going to be in a bigger bind when the rates adjust upward. Even if the Federal Reserve moves to push interest rates lower, many borrowers will be forced to sell their homes at a loss or go into foreclosure.

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The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

57. A brother asked a hermit, 'Is it good to be always repenting?' He answered, 'We have seen Joshua the son of Nun; it was when he was lying prostrate on his face that God appeared to him' (cf. Josh. 5:14).

August 22, 2007   

(Mat 25:34-36) Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.

CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES RESPONDS TO DEADLY EARTHQUAKE IN PERU

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) staff in Peru are rushing to assist survivors of the country’s worst earthquake in more than 30 years. More than 450 people are reported dead, and over 1,500 others injured.

Last week’s powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake toppled homes, churches and buildings from the temblor’s epicenter in the Department of Ica to the capitol city Lima, over 100 miles away. Powerful aftershocks, registering as high as 6.0 are expected to continue, putting people already affected by extreme winter weather at even greater risk.

CRS field staff are identifying critical needs and coordinating the delivery of life-saving supplies. Based on past CRS disaster relief efforts, medical equipment, food, shelter, blankets and other life-saving supplies will be critical over the next several days.

RELATED

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Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Our mission is to assist the poor and disadvantaged, leveraging the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to alleviate human suffering, promote development of all people, and to foster charity and justice throughout the world.

LINK TO DONATE TO CRS:  http://crs.org/make_a_gift/

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

56. A hermit said, 'He who is praised and honoured above what he deserves suffers grievous loss. He who receives no honour at all among men, shall be glorified hereafter.'

August 3, 2007   

THE TRIB TIMES WILL RETURN AFTER A BRIEF SUMMER RECESS, GOD WILLING (James 4:15).

MUST READ: Cloning our way to moral disaster

EDITORIAL: Science and ethics, partners for progress by Archbishop John Vlazny

BENEFICIARIES OF ADULT STEM-CELL TREATMENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES

Some people who have been helped by treatments using adult stem cells shared their stories.

Their stories stand in stark contrast to the total lack of treatments produced by research using life-destroying embryonic stem-cell research.

Doctors told Doug Rice he had two years to live because of congestive heart failure. That was eight years ago and before he learned about a treatment in Thailand that was discovered thanks to research using noncontroversial adult stem cells.

“This stuff just flat works," he said. "If you were to see me before I went to Bangkok, you would have thought I was ready to die. My skin was grey, I had to sleep sitting up. And now I sleep lying down, I can walk pretty much as far as I want to walk, and I feel good.” Rice said he wouldn’t be alive if he relied on the research involving embryonic stem cells.

“Embryonic stem cells don’t work," he said. "Odds are, they may never work, and all the money they spend on that is just tremendous.” Adult stem-cell research has produced more than 70 treatments. David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council, said that's where money needs to be invested.

“This is just such an important issue that we need to continue to try and get to the public that it’s the adult stem cells that not only hold the promise, but are already delivering on it.” He told Family News in Focus it's time for the U.S. to get on board with using more adult stem-cell therapies.

“We really are behind," he said, "and it’s because of this push for the embryonic stem-cell research in the U.S.”

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OF CONCERN

Harvard Embyro Cloning 'Tragic'
Charity Expresses Concern Over Human-Animal Embryos
Scottish Bishops Call for More Time on UK Embryo Bill

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

53. 'A demoniac, frothing terribly at the mouth, struck an old hermit on the jaw, and he turned the other cheek.  This humility tortured the demon like flames, and drove him out there and then.'

August 2, 2007   

(Rev 12:7-10) And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels. And they prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world. And he was cast unto the earth: and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.

LINK: "Operation – Special Intention"- Prayers and holy relics for military personnel

LINK: Catholics in the Military

FROM THE MAILBAG
VIA Ann:  Here is the link to the article my son Brendan submitted to the Bellingham Herald, which was published in the Sunday paper on 7/22. I go on the first hand eyewitness bits of folks firsthand there such as my son Brendan and reporters in Iraq such as Micahel Yon. My opinion has changed over the years and I now believe in the freedoms of the Iraqi people and in what my son and others are doing over there...the danger and threat is very real...my son bares witness to this daily.

Here is a link to this article written by my son:

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/291/story/135274.html

PRAYER FOR THE SAFETY OF SOLDIERS: Almighty and eternal God, those who take refuge in you will be glad and forever will shout for joy. Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties. Protect them with the shield of your strength and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise you for your loving care. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

50. He also said, 'Imitate the publican, to prevent yourself being condemned with the Pharisee.  Follow the gentleness of Moses, and hollow out the rocky places of your heart, so that you turn them into springs of water.'

August 1, 2007   

(John 13:12-15) Then after he had washed their feet and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord. And you say well: for so I am. If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also.

LAY VOCATION: Talking God and baseball with Mike Piazza

CATHOLIC LEADERS SEEK YOUNG RELIGIOUS RECRUITS ON THE WEB

On the popular social networking site Facebook, Tracey Dugas flashes a winsome smile and a peace sign. But she is not looking to share photos and send instant messages to friends. Instead, she's using the wonders of the Web to recruit women who might want to follow in her footsteps.

Dugas -- or, as she prefers, Sister Tracey -- is a 35-year-old nun with the Daughters of St. Paul, and as the director of vocations for the congregation's local house, she wants to make herself accessible to those contemplating a commitment to Jesus Christ.

''You have to go where the young people are,'' Dugas explains. ``And young people are on the Web.'' As technology permeates almost every area of secular life, Roman Catholic communities around the world also are adapting it to their efforts to reach out to youth. Priests blog, nuns correspond via e-mail, and religious orders update their websites to attract young people and tell them about the possibilities of religious life.

''If you're not on the Internet, you're missing an entire audience,'' says Brother Paul Bednarczyk, director of the National Religious Vocation Conference in Chicago. 'Forty years ago, a young person would go to the parish priest for more information on religious life. They now go to Google and type `religious vocations.' ''

Last August, when the National Religious Vocation Conference introduced VocationMatch.org -- also available in Spanish at www.EncuentroVocacional.org -- to help match candidates for religious life with potential communities, the group wasn't sure how the site would be received. But it has surpassed expectations, with more than 4,700 unique visitors logged on so far, a notable upswing from another online website the group had hosted which produced only 600 inquiries a year.

The new site features animated guides and addresses such issues as education, age, gender, preferred ministry, preferred community size, prayer styles and whether the person would like to wear a habit. More than 300 religious communities participate.

''It's been hugely popular,'' says Patrice Touhy, the site's executive director. ``For the discerner, it helps narrow their search. It's a great place to start.''

Here's a sampling of websites of Catholic religious orders:

• www.miamivocations.com

• www.vocationmatch.com

• www.piercedhearts.org

• www.paulist.org

• www.jesuit.org

• www.thinkjesuit.org

• www.maristbr.com

• http://brotherbricesblog.blogspot.com

For more information on the Saturday night coffee house meeting organized by the local Paulist sisters, visit www.paulinascoffeehouse.com

The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility

49. Hyperichius said, 'The tree of life is high, and humility climbs it.'
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