Announcing:
Saint Mary's Press winner for the week of October 4, 2010!
Congratulations to Elisabeth Krick!

Elisabeth will receive a copy of The Catholic Youth Prayer Book, a $18.95 value.

Help youth understand the meaning of Christian prayer. Introduce them to traditional and devotional prayers of the Church, as well as to contemporary styles and methods. Assist youth in developing the habit of daily prayer. This all-in-one resource for prayer forms was specially written for teens, in the PRAY IT! STUDY IT! LIVE IT!® model, like The Catholic Youth Bible® and The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth. It is the most expansive prayer book for teens. But The Catholic Youth Prayer Book does more than teach about prayer. It helps teens become prayerful people.

The Catholic Youth Prayer Book
ISBN: 978-0-88489-559-6, paper, 232 pages

Respect Life Month
By Steven McGlaun

Yesterday was Respect Life Sunday, which marks the beginning of October as Respect Life Month. Even though we are called to work throughout the year to promote the protection and dignity of all life, Respect Life Month affords us the opportunity to focus more intently our efforts to educate young people on issues of life and invite them to action. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has developed numerous resources in support of Respect Life Month. One of the resources, titled The Measure of Love Is to Love without Measure, provides the following concise explanation as to why we are called to action to protect life:

Every human being, at every stage and condition, is willed and loved by God. For this reason, every human life is sacred. To deprive someone of life is a grave wrong and a grave dishonor to God. Because we are created in the image of God, who is Love, our identity and our vocation is to love.

When we acknowledge that "our identity and our vocation is to love," we cannot do anything less than act to protect all human life. In our ministry with young people, we have a responsibility to share the truth that God loves and cherishes all of his children, no matter what age or life circumstance, and that we are indeed our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. We can share this truth with young people through education, prayer, and action.

Education
We are called to cherish and respect life from conception to natural death, and this is the message we must convey to young people. Respecting the dignity of life is not a matter of addressing a single issue. In the world today, we are faced with a wide range of assaults on the sacredness of life. From abortion to euthanasia, from capital punishment to domestic violence, the dignity and sacredness of life is threatened. In educating young people on the issues, we can start with the statement "Because we are created in the image of God, who is Love, our identity and our vocation is to love." How do we show our love for unborn children, for those who are elderly or disabled, for the criminal, and for victims of war? In educating young people on these and other life issues, we need to be clear on what the issues are and what we believe as Catholics is the loving response. We can stress that although there are no easy answers to life issues, there are clear and certain answers that reflect and respect the sacredness of life. On the USCCB resource page linked above, you will find numerous resources to assist you in educating the youth you are in ministry with on life issues. You can also utilize online resources from the USCCB Pro-Life Activities page. Additionally, Saint Mary’s Press has reflections available on assisted suicide, the death penalty, the Christian response to violence, and the ethics of cloning.

Prayer
Perhaps the greatest resource we have in promoting a respect for life from conception to natural death is prayer. In the prayer we invite young people into, and in our personal prayer, we can continually pray that all develop a respect for life. Interestingly, October is recognized by the Church as the month of the Rosary. Invite your young people to gather throughout October to pray the Rosary, offering intentions for those who are threatened by a disregard for the dignity and sanctity of life. Additionally, you can arrange for a Respect Life prayer service planned by your youth. The USCCB has a 2010–2011 Respect Life Liturgy Guide as one of the resources available in the 2010–2011 Respect Life Program; it has intercessions for life and a litany for life that can be used as part of the service.

Action
Inviting young people to action in relation to promoting a consistent ethic of life can be challenging. We have to be careful to provide action opportunities that are relevant and age appropriate. One possibility is to have youth collect baby items to donate to local services that counsel and support women to carry to full term their unplanned or unwanted pregnancy and that offer support after the birth. You can also have young people collect Bibles to donate to local prison ministries. Additionally, young people can write letters to lawmakers encouraging their support for legislation that promotes the dignity of life. With any action you offer to your youth, it is important to also offer education about the relevant life issue and how their action is making a difference.

Sacredness of Life
One of the greatest things we can do in our ministries with young people is to help them develop an understanding of the dignity and sacredness of all life. This is not something that can be accomplished in a one-time talk, retreat, or service project. It is something that should permeate our ministries throughout the year. Respect Life Month is an ideal opportunity to renew our commitment to working with young people to promote the protection of life from conception to natural death. As always, I pray that God will continue to bless you and your ministry.

Peace,
Steven McGlaun

Click Here for More Information

Cain and Abel
Not Losing Sight of God
From Catholic Connections: Christian Morality and Justice Catechist's Guide

Cain and Abel (15 minutes)

1. Introduce the Cain and Abel story in these or similar words:

Unfortunately, respecting life has been a challenge for humankind since the beginning, when Cain killed his brother Abel. Listen to their sad story . . .

2. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 4:1–10.

3. Lead a discussion using the following questions:

When God confronts Cain about his offering, what does God warn Cain about? [God warns Cain that sin is at his door and is seeking to rule Cain, but Cain must master evil.]

Whom is Cain disappointed in? Whom does he take it out on? [It seems that Cain might be mad at God and disappointed in himself. But his jealousy and anger lead him to blame and kill his brother Abel.]

What does Cain say when God asks him where his brother is? [Cain replies by asking if he is supposed to take care of his brother. Highlight the sad irony that Cain assumes he is not responsible for his brother, when actually he is.]

What does God say about Abel’s blood? [It is crying out to God.]

4. Summarize in these or similar words:

Like Cain, we can sometimes let feelings like anger, fear, jealousy, and hatred overtake us and guide our actions. When this happens it is easy to forget that we and others are made in the image of God. And when this happens, we can lose our respect for life itself.

5. Show the young people a picture of a professional football stadium and a seating chart for that stadium. Then share the following facts in these or similar words:

One of the largest professional football stadiums seats about 90,000 people.

Approximately every 30 minutes, someone is murdered in the United States. That is about 17,520 people a year—enough to fill about one-fifth of the football stadium.

Approximately every 39 seconds, someone attempts suicide in the United States. And approximately every 16 minutes, someone actually commits suicide in the United States. That is more than 32,000 lives ended—enough to fill about one-third of the football stadium.

Approximately every 37 seconds, someone in the United States has an abortion. That is more than 800,000 lives in one year, enough to fill the football stadium nearly nine times.

Murders, suicides, and abortions combined total about 1.1 million lives lost a year. That is more than the entire population of the state of Rhode Island!

If God heard the blood of just one victim, Abel, crying out, imagine what 1.1 million lost lives must sound like to God. We have more than a million stories of individuals who lost sight of God in themselves and in their victims. And this is just in one year in the United States alone!

Not Losing Sight of God (20 minutes)
1. In these or similar words, introduce the discussion of ways people can avoid losing respect for life:

The lack of respect for life can be overwhelming, yet we have hope even from Cain’s story. God tells Cain he can overcome the evil within himself. God would not have told Cain this if it were not possible. So let’s explore how we can overcome some of the evils that prevent us from respecting life.

2. Now ask the participants to respond to some questions:

We are not alone in our struggles to see God in others. The evening news is often filled with stories of conflict and a lack of respect for life. What are some stories you hear on the evening news in which people have failed to show a respect for life?

God challenges us to bring about a world in which life is always respected. What are some ways people could show respect for life?

3. Divide the large group into small groups of three or four. Be flexible about allowing some young people to work in pairs if that is their preferred way of working. Instruct each small group to develop a 1-minute skit depicting a news broadcast. The news story must be about people who are showing respect for life. It can be a local story, a national story, or a story about some other part of the world. One person (or more) is to act as the reporter; the other group members are to play the people in the story.

Tell the small groups they will have 8 minutes to prepare their news broadcasts. Check with a few participants from different groups to make sure they understand the assignment. Offer your assistance if any groups need help with ideas or acting tips.

4. When the eight minutes are up, invite each small group to act out its broadcast for the large group. After all the small groups have made their presentations, conclude in these or similar words:

Imagine the impact that hearing positive news like this every day would have on our society! But the exciting thing is that these stories of people respecting life are happening every day. We just need to remember this and be the ones who promote a world that sees the image of God in every single person.

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 10, 2010
Luke 17:11-19

Opening Prayer
Jesus, help us see the many blessings that you provide in our lives and, in seeing, create grateful hearts within us. You know our needs even before we give voice to them in prayer. We thank you for all that we hold dear in our hearts. Amen.

Context Connection
Luke begins this Sunday's Gospel with the short line "On the way to Jerusalem" (17:11) to once again focus the reader on Jesus's ultimate goal of preaching in Jerusalem. The story for reflection this week is about the healing of ten lepers, a story that is unique to the Gospel of Luke. Technically, the act of being healed refers to restoring meaning to life, where being cured refers to solving a biological or medical problem. Therefore, in the story the lepers are not simply cured of their leprosy but also are restored to their community and to life itself.

According to Jewish Law during this time in history, lepers could not live in villages and towns with the rest of the population. They had to live in colonies of lepers outside the community. This is clearly defined in Numbers 5:2-3. In Leviticus 13:45-46, lepers were required to shout out a warning to others of their approach so the "healthy" populous could avoid coming in contact with them. These particular components of the Mosaic Law were vigorously enforced after the return from the Babylonian Exile (587-537 BC).

Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, enters a village in the northern part of Israel, somewhere near the border between Galilee and Samaria. You can locate this area of Israel on map 6 (B2 and B3) in The Catholic Youth Bible®. The Gospel, however, does not give an exact location. Outside the village is a group of ten lepers. One is identified as a Samaritan, and the other nine are presumably Jews. The lepers keep their distance and make their presence known by shouting out and identifying themselves as the Law requires. What they say is very interesting: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (17:13). Jesus's response is immediate. Even though he does not approach them and touch them, Jesus simply commands, "Go and show yourselves to the priests" (17:14). The lepers do as Jesus tells them, and they are healed because they put complete trust in the word of Jesus.

This mixed group of nine Jews and one Samaritan, usually bitter enemies, are uncommonly equal as outcasts because of their illness. Their companionship indicates the desperate nature of their condition, as they are forced to depend on one another. After they are healed, the Samaritan is no longer welcome to be part of the group. He realizes that he cannot go to the priest in the Temple in Jerusalem because he is a Samaritan and thus forbidden from entering the Temple. Instead, he returns to Jesus and honors him by lying prostrate in front of him, thanking him for his healing. Then Jesus responds by asking: "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (17:17-18).

We never do understand why the other nine do not return to thank Jesus. It is possible that they are simply preoccupied with other things, not necessarily less grateful than the Samaritan. Now that they have been restored to the community, they can participate with family and friends in all the normal activities. The ingratitude of the nine may be shocking to us, but the real point of the story may be that the one grateful returnee was a Samaritan--an outcast in Jesus's day. Luke ends the story with an important message: "Your faith has made you well" (17:19).

Tradition Connection
In faith the lepers asked Jesus for what they needed, and because of the depth of their faith, Jesus gave them what they asked for. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that "when we share in God's saving love, we understand that every need can become the object of petition" (paragraph 2633). Each Sunday as a worshiping community, we collectively offer our petitions during the Prayers of the Faithful. These prayers of petition ask Jesus to hear our needs and the needs of the world. It is hoped that our daily prayer contains prayers of thanksgiving and praise as well as petition. Whatever form of prayer we use, the Scriptures tell us it is important to pray in all ways at all times. "Christ, who assumed all things in order to redeem all things, is glorified by what we ask the Father in his name.1 It is with this confidence that St. James and St. Paul exhort us to pray at all times"2 (paragraph 2633).

Christian prayer is buoyed up by the hope in the risen Christ. The New Testament has few prayers of lamentations, which are found frequently in the Old Testament. Even though we still wait for the Second Coming of Jesus, it is with great hope that we wait. Our prayer should reflect this great hope that spills out as prayers of thanksgiving to God for the redemptive actions of Jesus.

Wisdom Connection
The ten lepers who asked Jesus for mercy acknowledged that he could not only heal them but also restore them to the community. They had faith that Jesus would heal them. The faith of the lepers led to their physical healing. But, for the Samaritan, this healing brought salvation through wholeness and a restored relationship with God. In our own lives, we may want to examine the reasons we also fail to remember the source of our own healing and grace. In the sacrament of Penance, we ask for the saving mercy of Jesus so that we can be restored to the community and a right relationship with God.

In this Gospel story, the Samaritan--an outcast--is the positive example of faith. We learn from the Samaritan that to be disciples of Jesus Christ is to always have grateful hearts. We see everything we have and those we encounter as blessings--blessings from God that strengthen our relationship with God. How often have we taken our blessings for granted, not because we are not thankful but because we forget to say thank you or express our gratitude? In recognizing our blessings, we give thanks and praise to God.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

The Lord's Prayer is taken from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. Copyright © 1988 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. Cf. John 14:13.
2. Cf. James 1:5-8; Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18.

Saint Francis of Assisi

October 4 is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Saint Francis is one of the best known and beloved saints. He is an ideal saint to highlight during Respect Life Month. Through his ministry he lived and acted with reverence for all life.

For more information on Saint Francis of Assisi, go to
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-francis-of-assisi/