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Archive for the ‘Christian witness’ Category

The beauty nurtured in the Church is a proof of God’s existence

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Photo of Fr. Brankin. Go to Fr. Brankin's bio.Fifth Sunday of Easter, Apr. 6, 2012
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: John 14:7-14 “I am in the Father and the Father in me”

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(Summary of sermon) I don’t particularly like to read the news columnists, but they are the bellweather of society’s propagandists — where the enemy brings the fight. The enemy is pummeling us in the media. They talk about how the Church is waging war against nuns, or women, or Obama, the poor, etc. To go after God, they go after us. They get us to disbelieve in the Church, and therefore disbelieve in God.

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EWTN to Host Visitation Sister Wed., May 9

EWTN Live will feature the President of the Second Federation of the Visitation Sisters, Sister Susan Marie, on May 9, 2012 with Father Mitch Pacwa, SJ! We believe this is the FIRST time a Visitandine will appear on the show and we look forward to the opportunity and your viewership. Read more.

The best possible defense against this may be the argument of beauty. Beauty cannot explain itself without God. I’m talking about the beauty of people’s lives. For the last two thousand years we Catholics have been doing beautiful things. We take care of the poor, the sick. We are about raising good children, and doing good things in the world. This all proves the truth and goodness of God. Continue Reading…

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The myth of self-governance — we are merely bug splatter (sermon text)

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Photo of Fr. Brankin. Go to Fr. Brankin's bio.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jan. 22, 2012
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 “Repent, and believe the Good News.”

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Full sermon text: Today is the day that the Bishops of the US have asked all Catholics to make of it—a day of reparation for the sin of abortion—a sin—I might add—that has been committed about 50 million times in almost forty years.

But that number only applies in this country. I read just last night that the world-wide number of abortions approaches one billion! I saw that statistic in a letter to the editor of a Catholic journal; and the author of the letter said that all these abortions—these billion lives that were snuffed out—were lives taken in the so-called “Christian west”. Continue Reading…

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We cannot be forced to violate our consciences

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Photo of Fr. Joseph Eddy. Go to Fr. Joseph's bio.Sun., Jan. 29, 2012
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28 “He taught them with authority.”

Full sermon text: Over the past 20 years it has been popular for young Christians to wear wrist bands or necklaces with the capital letters W.W.J.D. This, of course, stands for “what would Jesus do?” Actually, this trend can be a very effective way to help us think about our commitment to live as a Christian at each moment of our life. But, Christians, particularly Catholics and Protestants, would at times have different views on what Jesus would do in certain circumstances.

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What is behind the noble history of the Order of Mercy?

In a vision to a young nobleman named Peter Nolasco, the Blessed Virgin urged the formation of a military fraternity that would rescue prisoners by means of ransom. Go to our website and read, “Our Lady’s Coat of Arms Stands With the Rescue of Captives.”

Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph’s Facebook page.

People form their conscience based on what they have been taught or what they know to be right or wrong. Conscience is defined as the judgment of reason which at certain moments enjoins us to do good or to avoid evil. We all have a conscience but not everyone’s conscience is fully formed. Yet, it is a good thing when modern people recognize that they have a conscience and try to form it properly. This is what is being done if a teenage wears the WWJD wrist band and uses it to make proper decisions. Continue Reading…

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Our Lady of Fatima points us to Jesus

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Go to Fr. Brankin's bioWed., Aug. 17, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt. 20:1-16 “The last will be first, and the first last.”

Homily summary: The Gospel reading today talks about the laborers at the end of the day who are given the same wage as those who worked since the morning. This means that while the Jewish people will be granted the possibility of salvation, we, the strangers and Gentiles, will be first. “The last will be first, and the first last.”

No one who wishes to come to Jesus will be denied. If we love Jesus, then He will take us to heaven. All we have to do is to love Jesus. And it is “to Jesus through Mary.” Today we have the Pilgrim Virgin statue in church. We Catholics don’t worship Mary. Jesus in fact is God, and Mary leads us to God.

The artist who made the Fatima statue followed the directions of what was seen by Lucia at Fatima. This is the closest that we can come to seeing what she looks like.

Continue Reading…

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The monasteries of old made society humane and happy

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Fr. Anthony Brankin16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 17, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt. 13:24-43 The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Homily summary: Five hundred years ago, before the Protestant Reformation in England, the Catholic Church owned one-fifth of the land. Monasteries served the people, with the world’s original hospitals, hotels and motels. They met each person, not just as a guest, but as if he were Jesus. They believed they should treat that person as if he was Jesus. That’s how the monks and nuns took care of the guests, and the homeless.

St. Jane de ChantalWalk on the spiritual path along with St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal into the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Are you a lay person interested in plunging more fully into a way of daily devotion? Or considering a vocation to the monastic Visitandine tradition? Go to Visitation Spirit website.

You could not walk sixty miles without coming upon a monastery. One-fifth of the people in England were monks or nuns. It was a wonderful society, until the Reformation, led by King Henry VIII, closed the monasteries and sent the monks and nuns into the streets. The kings gave the property of the monasteries to their friends. Cities of England swelled with homeless monks and nuns. Continue Reading…

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