In this issue: Important dates

Volume 1 September 2013

The SowerTeaching as Jesus taught

• Church History –

The Persecutions • Sacraments – More

General Information • St. Benedict • Limbo • What Happens at Death? • The Pope’s “Marching

Orders”: Sanctity of Life Greetings! November is a time of recalling the heavenly harvest at the end of time, of celebrating the saints and remembering the dead. It is also a time to consider the mystery of death, even to make preparations for it by writing or revisiting wills. Even the daily readings this month fit with this theme of the ‘end times’. The month begins with two feast days in remembrance of those who have died: All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2). We pray that, at the end of our time, we will share the glory of the saints. This time spent reflecting on death need not be a sad or depressing time. Our faith reminds us that death is merely a transition from this life into eternal life with a loving God in heaven.

- Louis Kloster, Religious Education Consultant

Save  me!  Have you considered saving a print

or electronic issue of The Sower newsletter for future reference?

Western Catholic Reporter This award-winning, Catholic newspaper is published by the Edmonton Archdiocese. To keep up with current events and issues locally, nationally, and globally, consider an annual subscription for $35.00. An on-line subscription is also available. Call 780-424-1557. This could become part of your spiritual growth plan.

Have You Heard This One?

A man came into a shop with a 'Salesman Wanted' sign in a window. He approached the owner and said, "I-I-I w-w-waannn-t the j-joooob-b."

"I don't know if this job would suit you because of your speaking impediment," said the owner.

"I h-h-havvve a w-wi-wiiiife and s-s-s-six k-kkkids, iiii-I re-really neeeed thi-thi-this j-j-job!" said the man.

"O.K. Here are three bibles. Go out and sell them," said the owner.

So the man went out and came back an hour later. "H-here-sss your m-m-money." said the man.

The owner was impressed, so he gave the man a dozen more bibles and sent him out. The man came back in two hours and said, "Here’s y-yooour m-m-money."

The owner said, "This is fantastic. You sold more bibles in three hours than anyone has sold in a week. Tell me, what do you say to the people when they come to the door?"

"W-welllll," said the man, "I r-r-ring the d-door bell, a-a-and s-s-say 'H-Hel-Hello, d-d-do you w-w- want t-t-t-to buy thi-this B-B-Bible, or d-d-do y-you w-w-want m'me to read it t-t-t-t-to you?"

November 2015

Nov. 1 All Saints Day Catholic Education Sunday

Nov. 2 All Souls Day

Nov. 3 Feast of St. Martin de Porres, religious

Nov. 8 Stewardship Sunday Nov. 11 Remembrance Day Feast of St. Martin of Tours

Nov. 12 Feast of St. Josaphat, bishop/martyr

Nov. 15 Feast of St. Albert the great, bishop

Nov. 17 Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Nov. 21 Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Nov. 22 Feast of Christ the King

Nov. 25 Feast of St. Catherine Laboure

Nov. 29 First Sunday of Advent A new liturgical year (Year C) begins. Nov. 30 Feast of St. Andrew, apostle

Issue 3 November 2015

The Sower

History of the Church This year, we are exploring the history of the Church. In last month’s issue we examined a time of evangelization after the Pentecost. However, as the early Church expanded, it would endure great persecution …

Roman Persecutions

Some Roman emperors were tolerant of the Christians and allowed the building of churches. However, during periods of persecution, these gathering places would be destroyed, and the Christians would have to go ‘underground’, sometimes literally, to practice their faith. The first Christian martyr was St Stephen. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that he was stoned to death for preaching the Good News. But there were thousands more after Stephen. Persecutions continued for the first 250 years of the Church, until the early fourth century. Some historians say there were ten major persecutions of the Church, but actually it was one long persecution. There was a mistrust and a fear of Christianity, especially concerning the mystery of the Eucharist. Christians were tortured and killed, often in public spectacles. Many of the early Christians were martyred. The

emperors pressured them to renounce their faith and forced them to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods.

One emperor, Diocletian, in the year 303, tried to eradicate Christianity. He had all the clergy imprisoned and demanded that they make a pagan sacrifice. Those that refused were executed, and many were thrown into a public arena to be devoured by wild animals.

Churches were destroyed, Sacred scriptures were burned, and Christians were banned from meeting. This became known as the Great Persecution. The persecutions were characterized by extreme brutality. Indeed, to be a Christian required great courage. This courage and commitment to the faith was exemplified by two Christian women who loved their faith so much that they were willing to die for it. Perpetua was a noblewoman who sought instruction in Christianity for herself and her household. Felicity was a slave in her household. When discovered by Roman officials, they were imprisoned. Perpetua refused to reject her faith. She and her entire household were scourged and then thrown in the main arena to be attacked by wild animals including leopards, bears and wild boars. Those that did not die were stabbed to death, as depicted in this painting from about 1000 A.D. Perpetua was among them.

Both Perpetua and Felicity are now recognized as saints; we remember them on their feast day: March 7. The early Christians would meet on Sunday, also known as the Lord’s Day, because two important events in the life of the Church – the resurrection of Jesus at Easter and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – took place on the first day of the week (Sunday). The ritual of the mass developed gradually over time. Initially it included readings from the bible, the singing of the psalms and hymns, common prayer, and a collection for the poor. This was followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the institution narrative and consecration of bread and wine. They gathered in private homes and in the catacombs, especially during periods of persecution. Eventually, the persecution would stop, but the Church and its teachings would continue to be challenged. That will be the topic of this column next month.

Word of the Month:

eschatology

This word comes from a Latin form of the Greek word eskhatos, meaning ‘last’, furthest’, or ‘most remote’. Pronounced es-kəәˈtä-ləә-jē, it refers to the branch of theology that studies the last or final things, such as death, immortality, judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and our existence after death. Sometimes referred to as the ‘end times’, eschatology includes our doctrines on heaven, hell, and purgatory. Clips from the Catechism What happens to us when we die? In death, body and soul are separated. The body decays, while the soul goes to meet God and waits to be reunited with its risen body on the Last Day. How the resurrection will take place is a mystery. An image can help us to accept it: When we look at a tulip bulb, we cannot tell into what a marvelously beautiful flower it will develop in the dark earth. Similarly, we know nothing about the future appearance of our new body. Paul is nevertheless certain: "It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory" (1 Cor. 15: 43). How does Christ help us at our death, if we trust in him? Christ comes to meet us and leads us into eternal life. "Not death, but God will take me" (St. Thérèse of Lisieux). In view of Jesus' suffering and death, death itself can become easier. In an act of trust and love for the Father, we can say ‘Yes’, as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Such an attitude is called "spiritual sacrifice": the dying person unites himself with Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. Someone who dies this way, trusting in God and at peace with men, and thus without serious sin, is on the way to communion with the risen Christ. Our dying makes us fall no farther than into his hands. A person who dies does not travel to nowhere but rather goes home into the love of God, who created him. (YOUCAT #154-155)

God Himself doesn't propose to judge a man until he is dead.

So why should you?

The Sower

It must be a good thing to die conscious of having

performed some real good, and to know that by this

work one will live, at least in the memory of some,

and will have left a good example to those

that come after.

Vincent Van Gogh

Summer Saints Each month, in The Sower, we have studied a saint whose feast day takes place during that particular month. This year, we are focussing on some of the saints memorialized during the months of July and August.

Saint Benedict St. Benedict was born in the town of Nursia in Italy around 480

A.D. The son of a Roman noble, Benedict grew up and received all his schooling in Rome. As a young adult, however, he renounced his father’s wealth and the respect and privileges he would have as a Roman noble, to dedicate his life to the service of God. Dismayed by the pursuit of wealth, the thirst for power, and the rampant immorality that characterized Roman society at the time, Benedict fled Rome. In the countryside the young man sought a simple lifestyle that allowed him to seek truth and live by the work of his own hands. Soon after, Benedict was befriended by a monk named Romanus, who provided him with a religious habit, food, and guidance. Benedict became a hermit, living alone in a cave and becoming a man of God. After living for three years in solitude and prayer, Benedict was invited to become the abbot of a nearby monastery. Many people had come to recognize his holiness and wished to follow his way of life. In the years that followed, Benedict established twelve monasteries in the area and a permanent monastic site at Monte Cassino. (The original monastery was destroyed by bombs in 1944 but was rebuilt after the war. It remains an

active monastery today.) Benedict served as the abbot of all, providing guidance and establishing a set of rules that governed the domestic life of the monks. The Benedictine Rule was originally written not for priests, but for laymen living, working, praying, and eating in community. Benedict, known for his strictness, emphasized liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under the direction of an abbot. While the Benedictines became recognized as a religious order, members of these communities were said to enter a household. Rather than vowing to a life of poverty, the monks adopted a simple lifestyle, sharing with the poor. In the Rule of St. Benedict, the reading of Scripture was critical. He promoted the sacred reading of Scripture for up to six hours a day. Using a Lectio Divina format, the monks were to read the Scripture several times and then memorize, study, and meditate upon it. Benedict understood work to be necessary for one’s growth in goodness and essential for any Christian. A Benedictine motto was established: “Ora et Labora”, that is, “Pray and Work”. Benedict died in 543 A.D. As a point of interest, Benedict’s sister was St. Scholastica, with whom he had a close friendship. They were buried together. The Rule of St. Benedict has been used for 1500 years and has influenced many other religious orders. For this reason, Benedict is sometimes known as the founder or father of Western monasticism. The Benedictines are the oldest order of monks, and perhaps the largest religious community today. Westminster Abbey is a monastery in Mission, B.C. that operates a seminary for high school and post-secondary students who are interested in the Benedictine way of life. St. Benedict is the patron saint of Europe, cave explorers, and schoolchildren.

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You Were Wondering … What is ‘limbo’? This term was used by some Catholic theologians until the mid 1960’s. The word derives from a Latin word that means ‘border’ or ‘fringe’. It referred to the destiny of infants and children who died before they were baptized. Some religious scholars theorized that there was a ‘happy’ place or state, not in heaven but on the ‘edge’ or ‘fringe’ of it, for these innocent children. As Catholics we believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation. Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit” (John 3: 5). However, the Church also teaches that Jesus died for the salvation of all, including those who are unbaptized and those who do not know the Gospel. In fact, salvation is there for anyone who seeks God and truth. God, in his mercy, would never deprive an unbaptized child from experiencing heaven. The fact that the Church celebrates the Feast of Holy Innocents shortly after Christmas each year would support this hope. After finding and worshipping Jesus, the Magi were warned in a dream not to inform Herod of Jesus’ whereabouts. Herod realized he had been tricked and, in his anger, ordered the killing of “all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under (Matt. 2:16). It is these innocent children that we remember on December 28. We believe they are now saints in heaven. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs” (Mark 10: 14). This passage gives us the hope that all children, even those unbaptized, will be saved. Prior to Vatican II, there was no Christian funeral rite for unbaptized infants, and such infants were buried in unconsecrated ground. Since then, there have been liturgical reforms. Now, in the funeral rites for an unbaptized child, we entrust the child to God’s mercy and pray that God will “grant him/her a place in your kingdom of peace.” In fact, the concept of limbo was never officially part of the Church’s Tradition and is a term that is rarely used today. It is not mentioned in the bible nor in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Sower

The Sacraments – The Christian Mysteries This year The Sower is examining the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. We begin with some general information, but in December we will begin examining each of the seven sacraments individually.

Sacraments are always celebrated within and surrounded by liturgy. In other words, the liturgical life of the Church revolves around the sacraments. The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs us: Christ’s work in the liturgy is sacramental because his mystery of salvation is made present there by the power of his Holy Spirit; because his Body, which is the Church, is like a sacrament (sign and instrument) in which the Holy Spirit dispenses the mystery of salvation; and because through her liturgical actions the pilgrim church already participates, as by a foretaste, in the heavenly liturgy” (CCC #1111). As important as the matter and the form are to a sacrament, the liturgy that surrounds it, the words of Scripture, and the gathering of the people there are a significant part of it as well. They too are signs.

Liturgy is always an encounter with God, but it is not only the work of the Holy Trinity; it is also the work of the people. The word ‘liturgy’ refers to the public work of the people or, in other words, the official public service of the Church. The Church is sacramental

because the invisible grace and work of God can be seen in the visible work of the Church. Sacraments empower us to do the work of the Church and to be ‘sacraments’ for others and for the world. Sacraments have also been described as the verbs of Christian life. How we define the sacraments is not as important as how the sacraments define us and our actions. The sacraments are to be lived out in our lives. Only then will they bear fruit in our lives and in the lives of others. The sacraments, celebrated within liturgy, change our lives so that we can love and serve our neighbor. We receive God’s grace, His love and goodness, so that, in turn, we can share those gifts with others.

As mentioned earlier, the sacraments help define us as adopted sons and daughters of God. When we participate in and respond to the sacraments, we grow in holiness. We deepen our relationship not only with Christ but with the Church. In the Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas writes, “Sacramental character is Christological. It is Christ’s character: Nothing other than certain participations in the priesthood of Christ derived from Christ himself.” Through the sacraments we are configured to Christ and participate in the priesthood of Christ. Each sacrament has its own sanctifying effect, but three of the sacraments have a permanent effect on the person and their relationship with the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders.

What’s Pope Francis Saying Lately?

In September, the Pope attended the Meetings on the Family in Philadelphia. In his speeches to members of the U.S. Senate, the Congress, and the Supreme Court, Pope Francis provides us with some concrete actions that we can take so as to make the dignity and sanctity of life one of our highest priorities. Here are a few of Francis’ marching orders, compiled by Daniel S. Mulhall with RCL Benziger Publishing:

1. Defend and preserve the dignity of others, working tirelessly for the good of all, not only for our own private needs and desires.

2. Care for the needs of all, helping them to grow for the good of society, especially those who are most vulnerable or at the greatest risk.

3. Base every decision you make on the care of people other than yourself.

4. Form bonds of unity across groups, forming communities of love wherever possible.

5. Strive to lead people directly to God, the only thing greater than human dignity.

6. Protect the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face.

7. Engage people in conversation, listening carefully to their hopes and dreams, their sorrows and joys. Create a dialogue to help people grow in God’s love.

8. Recognize and respect the wisdom and dignity of those who are elderly, and the aspirations and promise of the young.

9. Look for ways to bring hope and healing to a divided community, a divided world.

10. Work for justice and peace by restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of all.

And  Jesus  told  them  many  things  in  parables,  saying:    “Listen!      A  sower  went  out  to  sow.      And  as  he  sowed  …  other  seeds  fell    on  good  soil  and  brought  forth  grain,  some  a  hundredfold,    some  sixty,  some  thirty.    Let  anyone  with  ears  listen!”      

(Matthew  13:  3,  8  –  9)    

For more information on The Sower, contact: Louis Kloster Religious Education & Christian Family Life Consultant Phone: (780) 929-6024 Email: lpkloster@gmail.com