See No... Hear No... Speak No...

I can't help but hear my dearly-departed Irish grandmother's (County Longford) words echo in my head, "May God, Forgive Ya.." on this post.

In watching the State of the Union the other night, I couldn't help but draw strong comparisons between Obama, Biden and Pelosi being in the same camera shot, and the three-man government that was in judgment of Charleston Heston. Tell me if you see it:

Top Baseball Prospect Trades Home Runs for Homilies

Every once is a while a story comes around that separate the Deist's perceptions from secularist's perceptions. This is a great story where most of the worldly-thinking, materialistic masses will think, "What is he thinking???", and those who understand the magnitude and impact of priesthood will think, "He couldn't have made a better $29,000 choice."

"[Grant] Desme, 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, delivered one of the finest statistical seasons in the minor leagues last year, hitting 31 homers with 89 RBI and 40 stolen bases. He was ranked the No. 8 prospect in Oakland's organization by Baseball America, and in November was named Most Valuable Player of the Arizona Fall League, the most prestigious talent showcase for minor leaguers.

But even as his career was beginning to blossom, Desme felt a tug from somewhere other than the diamond. During an injury-plagued 2008 season, in which he missed all but two games because of wrist and shoulder problems, he began reassessing his priorities.

Then Desme, born and raised in a devout Catholic family, said he had a powerful religious experience before last season.

"I had a really strong feel of a calling, a real strong desire to follow it. But I guess in a way I fought it," he said on a media conference call Friday. "As the year went on, God blessed me and I had as good a year as I could have ever imagined. But that almost reconfirmed my desire (to become a priest). I wasn't at peace with where I was at."

Read more on this story here:

Reason for Optimism; Forthcoming Pro-Life Generations

The Knights of Columbus financed a survey by Marist college to gauge the pro-life representation in different generations:

"The survey, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, finds Baby Boomers (those aged 45-64) are the least pro-life, with 51 percent saying abortion is "morally wrong." [Blogger Note: Still the Majority]

The good news for the pro-life movement is the next two generations of Americans are pro-life.

Millennials, those young Americans between the ages of 18-29, have 59 percent of their generation saying abortion is morally wrong. Members of Generation X (30-44 years of age) say abortion is morally wrong at a 60% clip.

More than 6 in 10 of the Greatest Generation (those 65+) feel the same about opposing abortion.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson told LifeNews.com today that the survey results are exciting to him because it represents hope for an abortion-free future."

Second-Class Relics Available

Here are some second-class relics cards that would be welcome spiritual additions to any home, in the purpose of asking for these holy Catholics' intercessions for our needs, and to pass on as cherished sacramentals to your kids.

Received my beautiful Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen relic card today, with a swatch of his clothing attached. Write his canonization cause and request one: info@sheencause.org

A year or two back, I received a Mother Teresa relic card with a piece of her clothing. I am unsure if these are still available now that she is Beatified, but it can't hurt to ask.
relic@motherteresa.org

At the same time as I received the Mother Teresa card, I received a second-class relic card of his Eminence Cardinal Ignatius Kung. His nephew, Joseph, is in charge of the Cardinal's Foundation. JMKUNG@aol.com . Contact Mr. Kung and see if he has any still available.

Finally, as well a year or two back, I contacted Enrique de la Vega evegazorro@cox.net who designed a small standing cross with the relic of Fr. Miguel Pro's casket embedded in it. The cost is $30.00 to cover the cost of producing the cross.

It is important to specific these are not something to collect, these are sacraments to be used spiritually and hopefully advanced these great Catholics' Causes. Those mentioned above are complete inspirations to, and powerhouses of, our Catholic Faith and these relic cards should be treasured.

It is against our Church's directive to ever purchase first- or second-class relics. A free-will offering is requested, there is no set price, please be generous.

Normally you can not get access to obtaining first- or second-class relics. The only legitimate time is at the beginning of their canonization process, which makes this timing perfect.

Blessed Miguel Pro: The World's Much Needed Story

Frequent visitors will notice I recently put the picture of Blessed Fr. Miguel Pro SJ up at the top of my blog. Since hearing this priest's life story a few years back, I have been immersed in it. The impact that this life story has had on me has been obvious, considering the name of this blog.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix does a much better job in telling the story of this holy priest than I can:

"The plan of the president of Mexico was simple: arrest Miguel Pro, bring him before the firing squad, watch him deny his faith in an attempt to save his life, then capture his cowardice on film and thereby disgrace the Church, especially its priests. That was the plan of the president, Plutarco Elias Calles. But as God says through the Prophet Isaiah (55:8-9), “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

The first step of the president’s plan seemed promising. Miguel, a Jesuit priest, was arrested along with his brothers Roberto and Humberto. They were taken to the Mexico City jail, locked in cells, and subjected to frequent questioning. Though unable to prove them guilty of crimes deserving capital punishment, President Calles ordered Padre Pro’s execution, together with his brother Humberto. Moreover, the president invited government officials, members of the press and photographers to be present for the execution to witness and to capture on film the spectacle of disgrace that he was certain was about to occur.

At 10 a.m. on Nov. 23, 1927, the prisoner was taken from his cell and led across the compound to the execution site. Even before he reached the place of his martyrdom, the plan began to unravel. As Padre Pro walked with his crucifix in one hand and a rosary in the other, one of the policemen who had helped to capture him a few days before broke ranks and approached him with tears, begging the priest to forgive him for his part in the ordeal. Reaching out to him as a brother, Padre Pro said, “Not only do I forgive you, I also give you thanks.”

Upon arrival at the wall of execution, the priest asked permission to pray before being executed. Being granted his wish, he knelt before the wall riddled with bullet holes from previous executions and, clasping the crucifix and the rosary next to his heart, he asked God for the grace of a holy death. Then, he rose, kissed the crucifix, extended his arms in the form of a cross and, facing the firing squad, declared: “May God have mercy on you. May God bless you. Lord, you know that I am innocent. With all my heart I forgive my enemies.” Finally, as the firing squad took aim, Padre Pro said in a calm and steady voice, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” “Long live Christ the King!”

As the execution proceeded and he breathed his last breath, there was not a single expression of cowardice on his face, no fear or anger in his voice; there was only forgiveness and filial trust in God. The president’s plan had failed. Padre Pro was dead in his earthly body but he had triumphed over death. As St. Paul writes (1 Cor 15:54f), “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” As the president received assurance of his death on earth, Blessed Miguel Pro was already rejoicing in heaven; and the story of his heroic witness was about to spread like wildfire across his homeland and to the ends of the earth.

Padre Pro’s family collected his body, together with that of his brother Humberto who was executed after him. Their bodies, having been washed and laid out in coffins, were brought to the house of a friend, where, throughout the night, people came in ever increasing numbers to pay respect to this new priest-martyr. As the crowd expanded, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed on top of his coffin, a Holy Hour of Adoration was held, and then prayers continued until dawn.

In the morning, as the funeral procession was about to begin, those wishing to pay their final respect had increased into a sizeable crowd, despite the threats of President Calles, who had forbidden any public demonstration of sympathy. More than 500 cars joined the procession to the cemetery. As it wound its way through the streets, flowers were thrown from balconies, thousands of people lined the sidewalks, and voices shouted, over and over, “¡Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe! ¡Viva Cristo Rey!”

At the gates of the cemetery, brother priests of Mexico, despite the danger of being arrested and executed themselves, asked for the privilege of carrying the martyr’s body to the place of burial and of lowering it into the grave. The family graciously granted permission and, bearing the coffin together, they brought his body, and that of his brother Humberto, to their place of rest.
The plan of President Calles was in shambles. The Plan of God, on the other hand, moved full steam ahead. Despite the president’s order that the photographs not be published, they were printed and distributed across the country and indeed around the world. People who had never heard of Miguel Pro now admired him as a martyr. Within days, he had become the most popular priest in Mexico and he remains so even today.

What is more, what he accomplished in life is nothing compared to what he has accomplished in death. Before his martyrdom, of which he had a premonition, he had told a friend, “If I am ever caught, be prepared to ask me for things when I am in Heaven.” To another friend, he had joked that, if asked to give his life for the faith, he would deal out favors from heaven as if they were a deck of cards. [Blogger Note: This is a very similar promise to the one St. Therese of Lisieux made] Indeed, many favors and miracles occurred, within weeks of his martyrdom, from healing of incurable illnesses to dramatic conversions of hardened sinners. While persecution against the Church continued for years, and hundreds of other priests and tens of thousands of other Catholics lost their lives, their resolve to remain faithful witnesses to the end was strengthened by the courageous example of their compatriot Padre Pro.

In 1988, Pope John Paul II beatified Miguel Pro, bringing great honor to the priesthood and immense joy to the faithful in Mexico and far beyond. In his beatification homily, the Holy Father said of Blessed Miguel Pro, “Neither suffering nor serious illness, neither the exhausting ministerial activity, frequently carried out in difficult and dangerous circumstances, could stifle the radiating and contagious joy which he brought to his life for Christ and which nothing could take away. Indeed, the deepest root of self-sacrificing surrender for the lowly was his passionate love for Jesus Christ and his ardent desire to be conformed to Him, even unto death.”

In some exciting news, Metanoia Films, the team that brought us the impactful movie Bella, is now working on a movie about the life of Miguel Pro. The producers have mentioned it will be Braveheart meets Life is Beautiful. I can't wait. For those like me who can't wait, here is a Turner Classic movie that touches on Pro's life.

I would encourage all to pray to Blessed Miguel Pro. As Sir Thomas More said in the movie when questioned at his execution whether he believed he would see Heaven, "[God] will not refuse one who is so blithe to go to him."

Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us as well!

Miracle Needed for Kevin Archbold

I have a fellow parishoner who needs our help. He is a very good man with a wonderful family. They are asking for the intercession of Mother Alphonsa to establish her path to canonization. Please follow this link and join in this prayerful petition.

Post Note: Kevin went home to God. Please remember his soul and his wife and his children in your prayers.