Benedict urges Poles to Pray for JPII's Beatification

From IOL: Benedict urges Poles to pray for JPII's beatification:

"Pope Benedict XVI today urged Polish pilgrims to pray for the beatification of
Pope John Paul II, saying his predecessor's teachings and life were important
for the faithful today.

Benedict made the comments in Polish during his
weekly general audience, noting that six months had passed since John Paul's
April 2 death.

"All of his teachings and the example of his life remain
important and contemporary for us," Benedict said.

"I entrust his
beatification to your prayers of the Rosary."

Cause for Concern

This story, tragic as it is, involves a young priest ordained only a few years. It calls into question everything about the screening of candidates for the priesthood that we are all told is much better now than it was...

From Ironwood Daily Globe, Ironwood, Michigan, USA News:

According to an account of Monday's testimony in the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Erickson professed a love of God, but he was described by witnesses as a man who downloaded hardcore pornography, much of it involving boys. Authorities said one computer file labeled 'Holy Mass/Prayers' included 40 pornographic photos.
Investigators said that when Erickson was 6 years old, he had sexual contact with a 4-year-old male cousin. At the age of 19, they said, he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy, and at 21 he was investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a boy at a summer resort.
On Monday, an alleged victim of Erickson testified that as a teenager he met Erickson at a parish in Somerset, Wis., where Erickson had a weekend assignment while still in the seminary. From 2000 to 2002, the young man testified, he spent many weekends at the rectory with Erickson watching horror movies and playing drinking games. He said Erickson supplied cans of beer and shots of liquor.
Once the boy was drunk, Erickson would molest him, according to the testimony.
Another victim, a teenage boy, testified that more recently Erickson engaged in drinking binges during sleepovers at St. Patrick's rectory.
St. Croix County District Attorney Eric Johnson said Monday that Dan O'Connell apparently had confronted Erickson about allegations of sexual abuse of a boy and that provided the motive for his murder. "

And this from The Star Tribune:

According to a biography of Erickson's life, contained in the Hudson police case, the Catholic Diocese in Superior, Wis., had examined sexual allegations against Erickson in the mid-1990s, when he was still a seminary student. He was ordained in June 2000.

Much of the material concerning those allegations listed in the biography came from Erickson's personnel files from the Superior Diocese.

The biography cites a "letter to Erickson of a sexual misconduct allegation" written in 1994 by the Rev. Timothy Reker.

The district attorney in Wisconsin's Vilas County followed up with a letter on July 13, 1994. The letter said "that there will be no charges of sexual assault against Erickson," the police summary said.

The biography also said that the St. Paul Seminary questioned a Father Gordon with the Diocese of Superior in 1996 regarding sexual allegations against Erickson.

Internet Archive

The Internet Archive

Synod of the Eucharist

Propossals:

A Year of Penance?

ARCHBISHOP CRISTIAN CARO CORDERO OF PUERTO MONTT, CHILE. "My proposal is that, given the close theological, spiritual and pastoral relationship between the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance, and taking into account the shadows in the latter, a year be dedicated to the Sacrament of Penance, taking as fundamental points the following: the meaning of the true and living God, and His eclipse in modern culture; the need of salvation and the announcement of Jesus Christ; ... the sense of sin, which is diminished or annulled, due to the loss of God and moral relativism; conversion and the virtue of penance; spiritual guidance or accompaniment; the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance as an encounter between the sinner, who converts from his misery, and God who, in His mercy in Christ, welcomes and forgives him; the conditions for receiving Holy Communion; new life in Christ, as His disciples and members of the Church. With respect to the relationship between the Eucharist and the pastoral care of vocations, I propose that in the 'Year of Penance' priests be formed and motivated to give spiritual direction to young people and to give time to the Sacrament of Reconciliation which, together with the Eucharist, are fundamental in spiritual guidance.

Against Canonization Homilies at Funerals

CARDINAL JORGE ARTURO MEDINA ESTEVEZ, PREFECT EMERITUS OF THE CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS. "Intimately united to the sacrificial nature of the Eucharistic celebration is its propitiatory element, as much for the living as for the dead. Obsequial liturgy aims above all to support the soul of the deceased, and it is a misapplication to convert the obsequial homily into a tribute of the person who has passed away."

Experiencing the Joy of the Eucharist

BISHOP PETER KANG U-IL OF CHEJU, KOREA. "In the Church in Korea the attendance of children at Eucharist decreases drastically as they move on to higher age. The children who don't attend the Mass say it is because Mass is too tedious and not interesting. Adults also say that because they find it very boring, they cannot motivate themselves to attend. As a priority we have to motivate and give rise within the hearts of Catholics to a desire and aspiration to participate in the Eucharist. ... In order to communicate to modern people the mystery of the Eucharist it is not enough to strictly enforce the rules and regulations regarding the celebration of the Sacrament. For our part, as bishops we need to more actively research ways to make it easier for modern Catholics to experience the real value of the Eucharist, to participate fully in it and to experience the joy of it."

Feast of St. Francis

From The Office of Readings

A Letter from St. Francis of Assisi to all the faithful:

It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.
Nevertheless, he reposed his will in the will of his Father. The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. And he desires all of us to be saved through him, and to receive him with pure heart and chaste body.
O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul; and your neighbour as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshippers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack.
Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbours as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Deacon Testifies Priest Confessed Murders to Him

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but why didn't the Deacon go to the authorities both civil and ecclesial with this information?

From MPR: Judge rules priest 'probably' committed Hudson murders:

Deacon Russell Lundgren, from St. Mary's Church in Hurley, testified Monday he
talked to Erickson after police interviewed the priest late last year.
'He tells me that 'I done it and they were going to catch me,'' Lundgren said during
the hearing.
'He was staring out the window. Throughout the whole conversation, we never made eye contact,' Lundgren said.
The priest also told him, 'Do you know what they do with young guys in prison, especially priests?' Lundgren testified.
Lundgren said they never talked about the deaths again.
Erickson, 31, was found hanged Dec. 19 from a fire escape at his parish in Hurley in far northern Wisconsin several days after police questioned him and he denied involvement in the deaths of Dan O'Connell, 39, and intern James Ellison, 22.

Fire Urban Meyer Site Up

Supports the UF coach, someone bought the domain before the fireronzoon guy could...



See fireurbanmeyer.com