A Special Week
The following is a rewrite of an e-mail that I sent to my "Family & Friends" addressees on January 23rd.
This is a special week. The week running from last Friday, January 18th through Friday, January 25th is very special.
On Monday, January 21st we celebrated the life, accomplishments and dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King. Right here in San Antonio, Texas we have one of the largest Martin Luther King Day parade/march in the country.
On Tuesday, January 22nd we reflected on the Doe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision 35 years ago. Beginning this past weekend through Tuesday we prayed, marched and reached out in behalf of our lost unborn and to those who suffered from being involved with an elected abortion. The secular media's lack of coverage of the events was eye opening. I suspect that many of the Americans across the country are unaware of the outpouring of their fellow citizens who participated in the events around the country. In addition to the numerous local prayer services, Masses and marches throughout the US, there was a large "Walk for Life" in San Francisco on Saturday. The major event, however, took place in Washington D.C. Monday evening through Tuesday. On Monday evening there was a Mass at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The basilica was filled to overflowing with people of all ages and race. There were so many people they were literally sitting on the floor in the aisles. There were at least six cardinals, fifty bishops and over 400 priests in attendance. On Tuesday morning there was a Youth Mass at the Verizon Amphitheater which after reaching capacity of 20,000 had to close the entrance. At mid-morning marchers assembled at the Washington Mall to pray and listen to various speakers before marching to the US Supreme Court building. Though there was an extensive Catholic presence, the opening prayer was given by an Episcopalian bishop followed by speakers/leaders in prayer which included at least one Evangelical minister, some Orthodox Metropolitans/clergy, some Orthodox Jew rabbis and was closed with some Catholic bishops. Interspersed, were various pro-life speakers and congressmen. Conservatively, at least 200,000 people participated in the program and subsequent march to the Supreme Court. What was most heartwarming was that approximately 75% of the participants were 35 years old or younger and 50% were 25 years or younger with large contingents of college and high school students.
Finally, these eight days which began last Friday is a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Though we have a long way to go, from a Catholic perspective, there has been some progress made in this area. Looking back over the years since Pope John XXIII launched the initiative a few highlights include: the Catholic Church--recognizing that "men on both sides were to blame" for the division; creating a Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity and appointing the first ever Catholic representative to the Assembly of the World Council of Churches; and welcoming the heads of many churches to the Vatican. In 1960 when the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the Vatican it was the first visit of an Anglican Prelate since the rupture of the Church of England from Rome. In 1965 Pope Paul VI joined Patriarch Athenagoras in lifting the mutual excommunication between Catholic and Orthodox Churches that had been in place since 1054. In 1995 Pope John Paul II dedicated an entire encyclical to ecumenism ("That They May Be One"); and his pontificate demonstrated his continued effort to reach out to fellow Christians as has/is Pope Benedict XVI. These two popes definitely follow Pope John XXIII who is quoted to have said:
"Whenever I see a wall between Christians, I try to pull out a brick."
As I noted above, we have along ways to progress in Christian unification, as we do with living with others as our brothers and sisters, as we do in communicating that science now proves each person's uniqueness--though possibly difficult for us lay persons to decipher--begins at conception, and that we continue to stand up for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.
It is so appropriate that these three events, all requiring self examination and a prayerful contemplative heart, occur during this one week. For me to cap it all off, Thursday, January 24th, Catholics commemorate the feast of the late 16th-early 17th century French saint, Saint Francis de Sales, the patron of journalists and a saint who has greatly influenced me; and on Friday, January 25th, Catholics commemorate the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, who I'm so fortunate to have as my patron.
This is a special week. The week running from last Friday, January 18th through Friday, January 25th is very special.
On Monday, January 21st we celebrated the life, accomplishments and dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King. Right here in San Antonio, Texas we have one of the largest Martin Luther King Day parade/march in the country.
On Tuesday, January 22nd we reflected on the Doe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision 35 years ago. Beginning this past weekend through Tuesday we prayed, marched and reached out in behalf of our lost unborn and to those who suffered from being involved with an elected abortion. The secular media's lack of coverage of the events was eye opening. I suspect that many of the Americans across the country are unaware of the outpouring of their fellow citizens who participated in the events around the country. In addition to the numerous local prayer services, Masses and marches throughout the US, there was a large "Walk for Life" in San Francisco on Saturday. The major event, however, took place in Washington D.C. Monday evening through Tuesday. On Monday evening there was a Mass at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The basilica was filled to overflowing with people of all ages and race. There were so many people they were literally sitting on the floor in the aisles. There were at least six cardinals, fifty bishops and over 400 priests in attendance. On Tuesday morning there was a Youth Mass at the Verizon Amphitheater which after reaching capacity of 20,000 had to close the entrance. At mid-morning marchers assembled at the Washington Mall to pray and listen to various speakers before marching to the US Supreme Court building. Though there was an extensive Catholic presence, the opening prayer was given by an Episcopalian bishop followed by speakers/leaders in prayer which included at least one Evangelical minister, some Orthodox Metropolitans/clergy, some Orthodox Jew rabbis and was closed with some Catholic bishops. Interspersed, were various pro-life speakers and congressmen. Conservatively, at least 200,000 people participated in the program and subsequent march to the Supreme Court. What was most heartwarming was that approximately 75% of the participants were 35 years old or younger and 50% were 25 years or younger with large contingents of college and high school students.
Finally, these eight days which began last Friday is a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Though we have a long way to go, from a Catholic perspective, there has been some progress made in this area. Looking back over the years since Pope John XXIII launched the initiative a few highlights include: the Catholic Church--recognizing that "men on both sides were to blame" for the division; creating a Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity and appointing the first ever Catholic representative to the Assembly of the World Council of Churches; and welcoming the heads of many churches to the Vatican. In 1960 when the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the Vatican it was the first visit of an Anglican Prelate since the rupture of the Church of England from Rome. In 1965 Pope Paul VI joined Patriarch Athenagoras in lifting the mutual excommunication between Catholic and Orthodox Churches that had been in place since 1054. In 1995 Pope John Paul II dedicated an entire encyclical to ecumenism ("That They May Be One"); and his pontificate demonstrated his continued effort to reach out to fellow Christians as has/is Pope Benedict XVI. These two popes definitely follow Pope John XXIII who is quoted to have said:
"Whenever I see a wall between Christians, I try to pull out a brick."
As I noted above, we have along ways to progress in Christian unification, as we do with living with others as our brothers and sisters, as we do in communicating that science now proves each person's uniqueness--though possibly difficult for us lay persons to decipher--begins at conception, and that we continue to stand up for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.
It is so appropriate that these three events, all requiring self examination and a prayerful contemplative heart, occur during this one week. For me to cap it all off, Thursday, January 24th, Catholics commemorate the feast of the late 16th-early 17th century French saint, Saint Francis de Sales, the patron of journalists and a saint who has greatly influenced me; and on Friday, January 25th, Catholics commemorate the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, who I'm so fortunate to have as my patron.
Labels: Living The Faith
posted by Paul Amrhein | 9:08 PM
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