"...freedom comes from an obedience to greater truths."

Enjoy this op-ed piece from Charles Lewis published in Canada's National Post:

Secularism and its many excuses for bad behavior

Today is also the 25th anniversary of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, recalling former President Ronald Reagan's words: "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave."

Happy feast to all those bravehearts of the Church militant, suffering, and triumphant who remind us of "the face of God"...

+AJPM

The Dumb Ox

Today is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas!
Why is this saint - the Doctor Angelicus - also known as "the Dumb Ox"?
Here are a few not-to-be-missed texts... Chesterton's style of writing is as engaging as Kreeft's, so dive in!

• Chesterton's St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox
• Kreeft's Summa of the Summa
• Kreeft's A Shorter Summa

"The Truth Will Set You Free!" (Week Four)

WEEK FOUR READING: Please complete the assigned reading as indicated on the syllabus ("Course Overview"), including the added Kreeft pages.

WEEK FOUR ESSAY: Please choose and write your response to ONE of the questions listed below, then email your essay as an attachment in .doc(x) or .pdf format to Christina by WEDNESDAY morning, February 2nd at 10:00am.

1. What does John Paul II mean when he says the truth (veritas) is a matter of splendor, and why is this significant for the nature of morality? How does the notion of splendor relate to other important concepts in the Pope’s doctrine (e.g. “desire” or “longing,” the “good,” the “sequela Christi”)? Please be sure to use examples from VS.

2. Contrast contemporary culture's understanding of "freedom" (as unlimited choice, for example) with the authentic freedom defined and explained (as "gift and task") by John Paul II. Please be sure to use examples from VS.

Please remember these GUIDELINES for ESSAYS:

Each week, you will be expected to write an essay that responds to a question and demonstrates your knowledge of the material covered in class. These essays are less formal than typical academic essays in that they do not require secondary research. However, typical stylistic conventions such as grammar, spelling, and usage are still and always important! Essays should be two (2) pages in length. This means four (4) to five (5) completely developed paragraphs, cohesively organized around a solid thesis statement and supporting arguments. FORMAT: Each essay should be double-spaced, using Times New Roman font at 12pt with standard margins (1” top-bottom, 1.25” right-left). No cover page is needed, but your name and the date should appear at the top of the first page. Both form and content will be evaluated.

+AJPM

Bshp Vasa Named New Bishop for Santa Rosa, CA

"The bishop is well known not only for his strong pro-life stance, but also for demanding that Catholics uphold moral standards in all areas of public life."  Read the LifeSiteNews report here.

LifeSiteNews links to several stories related to Bishop Vasa (bottom of article). Here's another from his diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Sentinel, on the topic of politicians and abortion.

+AJPM

Lies and Confession: The Case of the Stolen Pacifier

Please enjoy reading this post from one of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer Fulwiler and her Conversion Diary...

Lies and Confession: The Case of the Stolen Pacifier

+AJPM

"Jesus, I trust in you!" (Week Three)

QUESTIONS about class? about the readings? about any of the essays? PLEASE POST A COMMENT TO THIS ENTRY since my response to your question (via post) might benefit the entire class. Of course, you may send it by email as well: cstrafaciuiw@gmail.com.

WEEK THREE READING: Please...

1. Catch up on the assigned reading as indicated on the syllabus ("Course Overview"), including the added Kreeft pages.

2. Read as much of Veritatis Splendor as possible, and in particular, the Vatican summary handed out in class.

WEEK THREE ESSAY: No essay this week! In preparation for our discussion of Veritatis Splendor during Week Four, please take the extra time to read the summary and encyclical.

+AJPM

Bishop Cordileone: "Utilitarianism or Personalism? Sex, Money and the New Evangelization”

Oakland Bishop Salvatore Cordileone is tonight's guest homilist at the annual Red Mass at St. Mary's Basilica. Click below to read his remarks to the Santa Clara Faith Formation Conference (November 20, 2010).

“Utilitarianism or Personalism? Sex, Money and the New Evangelization”

...and from The Catholic Sun about tonight's Red Mass:

"Oakland Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, well-known for his efforts in defense of marriage and the sanctity of life, will be the homilist for this year’s Red Mass Jan. 18 at St. Mary’s Basilica.
Attorneys, lawmakers, judges and other public officials gather at the yearly Red Mass to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and hear Church leaders discuss significant current issues.
The St. Thomas More Society, a lay organization of legal professionals, hosts the liturgy that traditionally marks the opening of the Arizona legislative session."

+AJPM

Archbshp Niederauer: "Free Will, Conscience and Moral Choice"

Click below for the article at "Catholic San Francisco"

Archbishop’s Journal – Free Will, Conscience and Moral Choice: What Catholics believe

Bishop Tobin: "Has Our State Lost Its Soul?"

Click below for the article at "Rhode Island Catholic"

Bishop Tobin's column "Without A Doubt" - Has Our State Lost Its Soul?

Conscience Rights

Click below for the articles at LifeSiteNews

Pope decries attacks on conscience rights of health care workers

University requiring nursing students to help in abortions
(Notice Vanderbilt's substitution of the word "termination" instead of "abortion"...)

"The Soul of the Soul is Conscience..." (Week Two)

WEEK TWO READING: Please complete the assigned reading as indicated on the syllabus ("Course Overview"), including the added Kreeft pages.

WEEK TWO ESSAY: Please choose and write your response to ONE of the questions listed below, then email your essay as an attachment in .doc(x) or .pdf format to Christina by WEDNESDAY morning, January 19th at 10:00am.

1. The word conscience appears 30 times in the New Testament. Please explain the meaning St. Paul intends when he speaks of conscience in three or four of the following passages:
  * Rom 2:15; 13:5
  * 1 Cor 8:12; 10:27-29
  * 2 Cor 1:12; 5:11
  * 1 Tm 1:19
  * Heb 10:22
Your response should include an explanation of how these verses relate to CCC 1786-1789.

2. After reviewing CCC 1803-1829, please choose TWO virtues - one theological, one cardinal - and read the corresponding articles written by Bishop Olmsted:

The Virtue of Faith (http://www.catholicsun.org/bishop/092007bishop.html)
The Virtue of Hope (http://www.catholicsun.org/bishop/110107bishop.html)
The Virtue of Love, Part II: Friendship (http://www.catholicsun.org/bishop/120607bishop.html)

The Virtue of Temperance (http://www.catholicsun.org/bishop/090607bishop.html)
The Virtue of Prudence (http://www.catholicsun.org/bishop/060707bishop.html)

In light of the article and relying on the Catechism, (explain) where and how do we see these virtues manifested in the life of the Blessed Mother? Then, apply these virtues to one or two common circumstances in life. How and why are these virtues important in these situations? Otherwise stated, describe two situations in life and explain how and why these virtues are necessary. Your essay should conclude with a commentary about the most compelling and/or challenging element(s) of the Bishop's article.

Please remember these GUIDELINES for ESSAYS:Each week, you will be expected to write an essay that responds to a question and demonstrates your knowledge of the material covered in class. These essays are less formal than typical academic essays in that they do not require secondary research. However, typical stylistic conventions such as grammar, spelling, and usage are still and always important! Essays should be two (2) pages in length. This means four (4) to five (5) completely developed paragraphs, cohesively organized around a solid thesis statement and supporting arguments. FORMAT: Each essay should be double-spaced, using Times New Roman font at 12pt with standard margins (1” top-bottom, 1.25” right-left). No cover page is needed, but your name and the date should appear at the top of the first page. Both form and content will be evaluated.

"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17)

“You’ve been called a lot of names, and received a lot of praise, from both sides of the blogosphere – how do you deal with that?”

"The Glory of God is man fully alive!" (Week One)

QUESTIONS about class? about the readings? about the essay?  PLEASE POST A COMMENT TO THIS ENTRY since my response to your question (via post) might benefit the entire class. Of course, you may send it by email as well: cstrafaciuiw@gmail.com.

WEEK ONE READING: Please complete the assigned reading as indicated on the syllabus ("Course Overview"), including the added Kreeft pages.

WEEK ONE ESSAY: Please choose and write your response to ONE of the questions listed below, then email your essay as an attachment in .doc(x) or .pdf format to Christina by TUESDAY, January 11th at 11pm.

1. Compare and contrast the moral precepts of the Old and New Testaments. Begin with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19 and the Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 1-22. What is the relationship between the Law of God as expressed by Moses on Mount Sinai and Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount? Are they compatible? Are there any differences between the two? If so, can you reconcile these differences? What are the similarities?

2. Explain St. Paul's understanding of human freedom as evidenced in the following passages of Scripture:
     * Romans 6: 11-23; 7: 2-12; 8:1-5
     * Galatians 4:21-31 

Your response should include an explanation of how these verses relate to CCC 1744-45.

3. Determine the object, the end, and the circumstances of the widow's actions in Luke 21:1-4 and Judas' actions in John 13:1-30. Then, compare and contrast your findings. 

Please remember these GUIDELINES for ESSAYS:

Each week, you will be expected to write an essay that responds to a question and demonstrates your knowledge of the material covered in class. These essays are less formal than typical academic essays in that they do not require secondary research.  However, typical stylistic conventions such as grammar, spelling, and usage are still and always important!  Essays should be two (2) pages in length. This means four (4) to five (5) completely developed paragraphs, cohesively organized around a solid thesis statement and supporting arguments.  FORMAT: Each essay should be double-spaced, using Times New Roman font at 12pt with standard margins (1” top-bottom, 1.25” right-left). No cover page is needed, but your name and the date should appear at the top of the first page.  Both form and content will be evaluated.

Mary, Model of the Moral Life

Mary is the radiant sign and inviting model of the moral life. As Saint Ambrose put it, "The life of this one person can serve as a model for everyone",and while speaking specifically to virgins but within a context open to all, he affirmed: "The first stimulus to learning is the nobility of the teacher. Who can be more noble than the Mother of God? Who can be more glorious than the one chosen by Glory Itself?". Mary lived and exercised her freedom precisely by giving herself to God and accepting God's gift within herself. Until the time of his birth, she sheltered in her womb the Son of God who became man; she raised him and enabled him to grow, and she accompanied him in that supreme act of freedom which is the complete sacrifice of his own life. By the gift of herself, Mary entered fully into the plan of God who gives himself to the world. By accepting and pondering in her heart events which she did not always understand (cf. Lk 2:19), she became the model of all those who hear the word of God and keep it (cf. Lk 11:28), and merited the title of "Seat of Wisdom". This Wisdom is Jesus Christ himself, the Eternal Word of God, who perfectly reveals and accomplishes the will of the Father (cf.Heb 10:5-10). Mary invites everyone to accept this Wisdom. To us too she addresses the command she gave to the servants at Cana in Galilee during the marriage feast: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2:5).

Mary shares our human condition, but in complete openness to the grace of God. Not having known sin, she is able to have compassion on every kind of weakness. She understands sinful man and loves him with a Mother's love. Precisely for this reason she is on the side of truth and shares the Church's burden in recalling always and to everyone the demands of morality. Nor does she permit sinful man to be deceived by those who claim to love him by justifying his sin, for she knows that the sacrifice of Christ her Son would thus be emptied of its power. No absolution offered by beguiling doctrines, even in the areas of philosophy and theology, can make man truly happy: only the Cross and the glory of the Risen Christ can grant peace to his conscience and salvation to his life.

Veritatis splendor 120 ‐ Ioannes Paulus PP. II ‐ Encyclical Letter (1993.08.06)