Wednesday, July 31, is the Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The day is more significant this year because of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope in the history of the Church.
As Pope Francis continues his efforts to reform and renew the Church in many areas, it's important to remember that the Jesuits were essential in the reform of the Church following the Protestant Reformation.
St. Ignatius (1491-1556) was a Basque from the Pyrenees in Spain. A leg wound ended his life as a knight. During a lengthy recovery, Ignatius read about the lives of Jesus and the saints and decided to serve the Kingdom of God as his life's new work. Ignatius spent a year in prayer and medication. From his own experiences in the spiritual life, he composed the Spiritual Exercises (1523), now a classical work on spiritual life for both Jesuits and all Catholics.
During a ten-year period of schooling, largely spent at the University of Paris, Ignatius gathered around him six companions, including Blessed Peter Faber and St. Francis Xavier, who took the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. These men also took a fourth vow—obedience to the pope as a sign of their commitment to fight against the Protestant reformers.
This vow distinguished the Jesuits from all other religious orders making them “shock troops” in the service of the Pope. Pope Paul III approved the Society in 1540, and, until his death in 1556, Ignatius served as general of the order. From his offices in Rome, he wrote more than 7,000 letters, directing the many important ministries around the world.
The Jesuits engaged in preaching, teaching, writing, and the founding of schools and colleges. They directed retreats, advised leaders, and served as confessors. They were also a vigorous missionary order which brought the faith to the New World and to the East. The greatest of all Jesuit missionaries was St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who preached the Gospel in India, Indonesia, and Japan.
Jesuit accomplishments in the history of the Church are many. By the time of Ignatius’s death, the Society of Jesus had over one thousand members. Vigorous men like St. Peter Canisius (1521–1597) helped the Jesuits win back many Germans, Hungarians, and Bohemians and all of Poland to Catholicism. The Jesuits founded more than eight-hundred schools by 1749. These schools swayed many to return to Catholicism and exerted a strong influence on the learned and the rich. This made the Jesuits a significant force in the politics of the day. However, in a later century (1773), their success would lead to the Bourbon kings of Spain and France conniving to get them dissolved by the Pope. The order was restored in 1814, and is today the largest religious order of men in the Catholic Church, numbering close to 20,000 companions worldwide.
Prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola
Lord, I freely yield all my freedom to you.
Take my memory, my intellect, and my entire will.
You have given me anything I am or have;
I give it all back to you to stand under you will alone.
Your love and your grace are enough for me;
I shall ask for nothing more.
Assignment
Prepare a report on one of the following:
St. Ignatius Loyola
Another Jesuit saint
The process for becoming a Jesuit
The Spiritual Exercises
The Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States
Most teenage relationships are a combination of infatuation and friendship. When the relationship is more centered on friendship, it has a chance to develop into real love. When it is more focused on the sexual feelings that come with infatuation, ther is more of a chance that it will disintegrate into emotional and physical exploitation.
Examine these characteristics of infatuation and love with your students. Make the point that infatuation is more concerned with self, true love is more concerned with the other.
Infatuation comes suddenly and goes quickly. It is oven regretted. Love grows slowly. It's hard to pinpoint the beginning of love. Even if love ends, it is valued.
Infatuation is insecure, distrustful, and jealous. It dies with distance. Love is secure, confident, and peaceful. It survives separation.
Infatuation is emotional dependence. It's such an intense need for another that you will do anything to be in the other's presence. Rejection results in depression or thoughts of self-inflicted harm. Love is independence and mental balance.
Infatuation is being pressured to act quickly before it disappears. Love can wait for the right time.
Infatuation is centered around physical attraction, sex, and pleasure. Love involves the whole person. Sexual feelings are only part of the attraction.
Infatuation may lead you to do things you'll regret, thinks you know are not right. Love brings out the best in you. It lifts you up.
Infatuation harms your other relationships and makes you moody and irritable. Love enhances all your relationsihps. It makes you a more wonderful person.
Infatuation makes it difficult to work. It absorbs your thoughts. Love helps you organize and work well.
Infatuation is confining. It is possessive and manipulating. Love is freeing.
Infatuation is self-centered, uses the words "I" and "me" and is concerned with what can be taken from the relationships. Love is other-centered, uses the words "we" and "our," and is concerned with how much can be given and shared.
Student Assignments and Questions
Read 1 Corinthians 13. Choose three of these descriptions and think of an example of how each can be lived out in someone's life.
Describe a time you have used the phrase "in love" to describe your feelings for someone. Would "infatuation" have been a more likely substitute in this case or not?
What are some other elements you can think of for really being in love?
Catholic-link productions have produced a four-minute biography on Pope Francis. Check it out and pray for the Pope as he will soon arrive in Rio de Janeiro for the start of World Youth Day 2013.
Check out Pope Francis' itinerary and make sure to keep the Pope and the youth of the world in your prayers.
In coming together last week to dedicate a beautiful new statue to honor St. Michael the Archangel. Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI remind the Church of the importance of angels as those who aid our journey to God's Kingdom.
Attested to in both Scripture and Tradition, angels are spiritual created beings, "surpassing in perfection all visible creatures" (CCC, 330). Personal and immortal, angels possess intelligence and free will. Like humans, they had an opportunity to love and accept God or reject him out of prideful self-interest. Angels are those who lovingly worshiped God from the beginning. Jesus Christ is the Lord of angels through and for him, serving as messengers (angel means "messenger") of his saving plan.
St. Michael is one of the "principal" angels, or archangels. St. Raphael and St. Gabriel are the other archangels.
St. Michael is especially called to defend the Church against evil and evil spirits, as the Benedict and Francis attested in their dedication of the statue. The following prayer is addressed to St. Michael:
Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince, of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Assignments
Read Revelation 12, which tells in figurative language the battle between evil, represented by the dragon, and God's People. Note the reference to St. Michael and his angels in Revelation 12:7.
Research information on the creation of the statue of St. Michael by artist Giuseppe Antonio Lomuscio.
O God our Creator,
from your provident hand we have received
our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You have called us as your people and given us
the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,
and your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,
you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,
bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
to every corner of society.
We ask you to bless us
in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart
to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;
give us courage in making our voices heard
on behalf of the rights of your Church
and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.
Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,
a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
gathered in your Church
in this decisive hour in the history of our nation,
so that, with every trial withstood
and every danger overcome—
for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,
and all who come after us—
this great land will always be "one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
As the USCCB's Fortnight for Freedom draws to a close on July 4, make sure to keep the link to prayer resources for use throughout the school year.
If you've encountered teens (and adults) who repeat the mantra "I am spiritual, not religious" consider the response from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago from his Easter 2013 homily.
It’s somewhat fashionable these days to describe oneself as “spiritual but not religious.” This is supposed to mean that one is open to an experience beyond the commercial or the political but not tied to “institutional” religion. One claims an experience of transcendence that is bound by no one else’s rules.
People can always make claims to any kind of experience. The question is always: Who cares? Why should anyone care where someone else gets a spiritual high? Because no one really cares, the claim to be spiritual but not religious is always safe. It’s never a threat and can be dismissed quite easily. The claim to be religious is different.
It is a claim that God himself has taken the initiative to reveal himself to us and tell us who he is and who we are. Religion binds us to God according to his will, not ours, in a community of faith that he has brought into existence. Being religious can therefore be threatening.
Being religious as a Christian starts with the belief that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Faith in Christ’s resurrection is central to Christian religion. Jesus is not just someone’s personal idea. He really exists in a real body, now transformed by conquering death itself. Those who are “spiritual” often deny Christ’s resurrection as a physical event, something that makes its own demands when you bump into it. They prefer a Christ who is safely an idea in their minds, made in their image and likeness. By contrast, the risen Christ, the real Christ, breaks into our experience and personally seeks those he calls to be religious, to believe what God has done for us, much to our surprise. Meeting the risen Christ spiritually therefore depends upon believing in him religiously.
We are given the gift of faith in the sacrament of Baptism, in which we are configured to the risen Christ. Faith perdures, even when there’s not a lot of spiritual tingle in our lives! “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,” is the cry of a religious person who asks Christ to take him beyond his own spiritual experience into a new world where bodies as well as minds share in God’s grace. Faith takes seriously everything that comes from God. The faith-filled person is sure of God and distrustful of himself. Unlike faith in God, experience is often wrong in religious matters.
Our personal faith needs communitarian buttressing, lest it degenerate into an individual spirituality. One solid and sure means of corro borating our personal faith is to check it against the faith of the church, the community founded by Christ upon the apostles. One way to make that check is to go to Peter, the apostle Jesus called to be a rock. Peter and his successors confirm our faith and keep us on the path of true religion.
The church has a new successor of Peter, a recently elected Bishop of Rome who has chosen to call himself “Francis.” St. Francis was called by Christ to renew and rebuild the church, and he checked every move he made with the pope and his advisors. Pope Francis now takes up Peter’s ministry in the universal church. He will confirm our faith and keep us tied to God’s loving plan for our salvation.
As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead and renew the faith professed for us at our baptism, let us also say a prayer for Pope Francis. His is the faith of the apostles and of the saints of all the ages, the faith that conforms our minds and he arts to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ, who is “the same yesterday, today and forever.
The following is an excerpt from The Catholic Spirit: An Anthology for Discovering Faith Through Literature, Art, Film, and Music entitled "St. Francis and the Animals" from the writings of Thomas of Celano. It has been adapted by John Feister. The Catholic Spirit is arranged around the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and includes a free study guide and other resources to help facilitate classroom use.
Author Background
Thomas of Celano (1200–ca. 1255) was a companion of St. Francis of Assisi. He wrote two biographies of St. Francis and a book on the miracles of St. Francis. It is from Celano’s works that we learn about St. Francis’s love of nature and how he interacted with the creatures of the land, sky, and sea.
Before the Reading
St. Francis had the ability to see the presence of God in all things. He authored the first great poem written in Italian vernacular. St. Francis’s poem, “The Canticle of the Creatures,” expresses his ability to find God even in the humblest of circumstances. Similarly, the following reading is a wonderful example of how St. Francis communicated with his “brothers and sisters” in the animal world. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment. Many people place status of St. Francis in their gardens, yards, or wherever nature is nearby.
St. Francis Preaches to the Birds
Father Francis and his companions were making a trip through the Spoleto Valley near the town of Bevagna. Suddenly, Francis spotted a great number of birds of all varieties. There were doves, crows, and all sorts of birds. Swept up in the moment, Francis left his friends in the road and ran after the birds, who patiently waited for him. He greeted them in his usual way, expecting them to scurry off into the air as he spoke. But they moved not.
Filled with awe, he asked them if they would stay awhile and listen to the Word of God. He said to them: “My brother and sister birds, you should praise your Creator and always love him: He gave you feathers for clothes, wings to fly. and all other things that you need. It is God who made you noble among all creatures, making your home in thin, pure air. Without sowing or reaping, you receive God’s guidance and protection.”
At this the birds began to spread their wings, stretch their necks and gaze at Francis, rejoicing and praising God in a wonderful way according to their nature. Francis then walked right through the middle of them, turned around and came back, touching their heads and bodies with his tunic.
Then he gave them his blessing, making the Sign of the Cross over them. At that they flew off and Francis, rejoicing and giving thanks to God, went on his way. Later, Francis wondered aloud to his companions why he had never preached to birds before. And from that day on, Francis made it his habit to solicitously invoke all birds, all animals and reptiles to praise and love their Creator. And many times during Francis’ life there were remarkable events of Francis speaking to the animals. There was even a time when St. Francis quieted a flock of noisy birds that were interrupting a religious ceremony! Much to the wonder of all present, the birds remained quiet until Francis’ sermon was complete.
St. Francis and the Rabbits and Fish
One day a brother brought a rabbit who had been caught in a trap to St. Francis. Francis advised the rabbit to be more alert in the future, then released the rabbit from the trap and set it on the ground to go its way. But the rabbit hopped back up onto Francis’ lap, desiring to be close to the saint.
Francis took the rabbit a few steps into the woods and set it down. But it followed Francis back to his seat and hopped on his lap again! Finally Francis asked one of his fellow friars to take the rabbit far into the woods and let it go. That worked. This type of thing happened repeatedly to Francis—which he saw as an opportunity to praise the glory of God. If the simplest creatures could be so endowed with God’s wonder, how much the more so we humans!
Fish were also known to obey Francis. Whenever a fish was caught and Francis was nearby, he would return the fish to the water, warning it not to be caught again. On several occasions the fish would linger awhile near the boat, listening to Francis preach, until he gave them permission to leave. Then they would swim off. In every work of art, as St. Francis called all creation, he would praise the artist, our loving Creator.
St. Francis and the Wolf
Perhaps the most famous story of St. Francis is when he tamed the wolf that was terrorizing the people of Gubbio. While Francis was staying in that town he learned of a wolf so ravenous that it was not only killing and eating animals, but people, too. The people took up arms and went after it, but those who encountered the wolf perished at its sharp teeth. Villagers became afraid to leave the city walls.
Francis had pity on the people and decided to go out and meet the wolf. He was desperately warned by the people, but he insisted that God would take care of him. A brave friar and several peasants accompanied Francis outside the city gate. But soon the peasants lost heart and said they would go no farther.
Francis and his companion began to walk on. Suddenly the wolf, jaws agape, charged out of the woods at the couple. Francis made the Sign of the Cross toward it. The power of God caused the wolf to slow down and to close its mouth.
Then Francis called out to the creature: “Come to me, Brother Wolf. In the name of Christ, I order you not to hurt anyone.” At that moment the wolf lowered its head and lay down at St. Francis’ feet, meek as a lamb.
St. Francis explained to the wolf that he had been terrorizing the people, killing not only animals, but humans who are made in the image of God. “Brother Wolf,” said Francis, “I want to make peace between you and the people of Gubbio. They will harm you no more and you must no longer harm them. All past crimes are to be forgiven.”
The wolf showed its assent by moving its body and nodding its head. Then to the absolute surprise of the gathering crowd, Francis asked the wolf to make a pledge. As St. Francis extended his hand to receive the pledge, so the wolf extended its front paw and placed it into the saint’s hand. Then Francis commanded the wolf to follow him into town to make a peace pact with the townspeople. The wolf meekly followed St. Francis.
By the time they got to the town square, everyone was there to witness the miracle. With the wolf at his side, Francis gave the town a sermon on the wondrous and fearful love of God, calling them to repent from all their sins. Then he offered the townspeople peace, on behalf of the wolf. The townspeople promised in a loud voice to feed the wolf. Then Francis asked the wolf if he would live in peace under those terms. He bowed his head and twisted his body in a way that convinced everyone he accepted the pact. Then once again the wolf placed its paw in Francis’ hand as a sign of the pact.
From that day on the people kept the pact they had made. The wolf lived for two years among the townspeople, going from door to door for food. It hurt no one and no one hurt it. Even the dogs did not bark at it. When the wolf finally died of old age, the people of Gubbio were sad. The wolf’s peaceful ways had been a living reminder to them of the wonders, patience, virtues and holiness of St. Francis. It had been a living symbol of the power and providence of the living God.
Reading for Comprehension
How did the birds react to St. Francis’s sermon?
What did the rabbit do when St. Francis set it free?
What did St. Francis do with the fish that had been caught?
How did St. Francis stop the wolf when he charged violently at the saint?
Why did the people of Gubbio mourn when the wolf died?
Reading for Understanding
Who are “human wolves” that commit crimes and disrupt the community? How does God want us to teach such people?
When was a time when you saw how reconciliation and forgiveness took place among classmates? What was the result of that experience?
How effective are stories like these in teaching truths of faith? Why do you think parents and teachers use stories to teach young children about the wonders of God?
Activity
Jesus also used stories to instruct his followers. Read the parable of the Lost Son (Lk 15:11–32). What lesson was Jesus trying to impart when he told this story to the Pharisees?
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois recently gave a presentation on the Catholic Church's teaching on the hot-button topic of marriage and same-sex relationships. The topic is certainly one of discussion in the news and most likely in several high school theology courses, especially in the areas of morality and vocation.
The full text of Bishop Paprocki's text is presented here. It is intended to be a teacher resource to assist you in sharing a detailed and well-reasoned explanation of the Church's position on this topic.
Bishop Paprocki has several unique qualifications and experiences. After he was ordained a priest in 1978, Bishop Paprocki went to law school and DePaul University. After he passed the bar, he helped to found the Chicago Legal Clinic, an agency that offers legal assistance to the working poor and disadvantaged. Bishop Paprocki is also a canon lawyer, receiving his doctorate from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1991. Just recently, Bishop Paprocki received a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.
An active athlete—Bishop Paprocki runs marathons and continues a lifelong passion of playing goalie on his adult ice hockey team—he is the author of Holy Goals for Body and Soul: 8 Ways to Connect Sports with God and Faith.
