Announcing:
Saint Mary's Press winner for the week of January 17, 2011!
Congratulations to Patty Ehmann!

Patty will receive a copy of Everyday Justice: 365 Reflections, a $14.75 value.

Everyday Justice
Author: Alan J. Talley, Scott Holsknecht

Everyday Justice brings the principles of Catholic social teaching to teens, whether they are using it as a companion for a social justice course, to broaden their personal understanding for justice issues, or as a reflection guide while they are on a service project. But more than that, it inspires them to respond to our Gospel call. Each day begins with a quote from the Scriptures, a Church document, or an advocate of justice and is followed by a reflection, a prayer, and a call to action.

Everyday Justice
ISBN: 978-0-88489-858-0, paper, 384 pages

Catholic Schools Week

The Catholic school system in the United States of America is an amazing blessing in the lives of young people, families, and communities across this country. The contribution these schools have made and continue to make is immeasurable. Through the work of Catholic schools, young people receive a quality education, grow in their faith, develop leadership skills, and share the love of Christ through service. Saint Mary’s Press is especially grateful for the amazing work undertaken and achieved by Catholic schools. We are thankful to be partners in ministry with these schools.

A recent report from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) states that there are approximately 7,000 Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States, educating over 2 million children and teenagers. Unfortunately, the number of Catholic schools and student enrollment in Catholic schools has been on the decline. Although new schools open each year, the number of schools closing or consolidating exceeds the number of schools opening. Elementary schools have experienced the greatest impact in terms of school closures; however, secondary schools are also being affected. In the same report from the NCEA cited above, it is noted that the total student enrollment in Catholic elementary schools decreased by 500,000 students in the school years 1999–2000 and 2009–2010. During those same time periods, secondary schools experienced a decrease of 30,000 students. Although these numbers are cause for concern, they can serve as a call to action to promote and support the amazing work of Catholic schools in the United States.

One way we can promote and support Catholic schools is through participation in Catholic Schools Week; this year it occurs the week of January 30 to February 5. The theme for the 2011 Catholic Schools Week is "Catholic Schools Are A+ for America." As explained by the NCEA: "The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2011 celebrates the fact that Catholic schools are an added value ("a plus") for the nation. Because of their traditionally high academic standards and high graduation rates, all supported by strong moral values, Catholic schools and their graduates make a positive contribution to American society."Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of and involvement in the Catholic schools in a community. It is also an opportunity to recognize the wonderful contributions these schools make in the lives of young people, families, and the larger community. Many dioceses and schools will hold open houses, celebrate special liturgies, and plan activities for students, families, and faculty to promote and celebrate Catholic schools. NCEA has a variety of resources for sale to assist with planning, promoting, and implementing Catholic Schools Week activities (http://shop.klinemarketing.org/). I encourage you to participate in Catholic Schools Week in any way you can—through organizing an event, attending planned activities, sharing information about Catholic schools with a family with school-aged children, or simply praying for the ongoing mission and success of Catholic schools. Together we can play a part in sustaining these schools that are so important to our Church and our communities.

Catholic schools are truly a blessing in the world today, and Saint Mary’s Press is extremely thankful for the good works undertaken by Catholic schools, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and families. We pray for the continued success of Catholic schools and the development of the young people that they serve, and for the success of Catholic Schools Week. As always, I pray that God will continue to bless you and your ministry.

Peace,
Steven McGlaun

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Introduction, Ash Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday following Ash Wednesday
From Keeping Time: Praying Lent Throughout the School Day

Introduction
There is a rhythm to life. The Genesis promise of breathing in and breathing out is brought to life in the way our Church celebrates the seasons of the year . . . and in the way we move through our days.

As a Catholic high school, we invite our school community to walk in a prayerful rhythm. The natural cadence of our day includes all the bells and classes and adjusted schedules of any high school; however, we also build in moments of pause, moments of prayer, moments to notice the breathing in and breathing out of God’s Spirit.

This book offers young people a way to observe a Lenten pause at the beginning of every class. As we journey through Lent, we realize that our prayer, fasting, and acts of charity prepare us to receive the salvation of Christ. These prayers are offered as a way for young people to honor the rhythms of the day and of the season.

The format reflects a tempo that is familiar to us. The leader (teacher or student) begins with the sign of the cross:

We begin this class as we begin all things:
In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Each day of Lent begins with a passage from the Scriptures. The rhythm of repeating the passage throughout the day helps us remember it. A short prayer follows the Scripture passage. After reading the prayer, the leader may choose to move to the final blessing, include a prayer everyone knows by heart, or invite particular intentions from the class. The following blessing comes from the Dominican tradition and is rooted in the writings of Blessed Jordan of Saxony, later adapted by Sr. Mary Jean Traeger, OP, a Springfield Dominican. You may choose to end your prayer time with this blessing or with one that is unique to your school or order:

May God, Creator, bless us
May God, Redeemer, heal us
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
and give us all we need.
(Traeger, "A Dominican Blessing")

Ash Wednesday

Opening Prayer
We begin this class as we begin all things:
In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Scripture Reading
Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says:

"In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you."
Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:1–2

First Hour
God of all times and places, our Lent begins. Whether or not it feels like Lent to us, these forty days serve a purpose: by walking through these days with you, we prepare our hearts for the Lenten days that will come to each of us in some season of our lives. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Second Hour
God of all times and places, ashes mark our foreheads; in a smudged sign of the cross, we are public Christians. We hope these forty days will help us to be ready for the times when we will struggle in our prayer. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Third Hour
God of all times and places, the rhythm of Lent assumes that we are fasting from something that matters. Today we decide what we can eliminate from every day that will move us a step closer to being more like you. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Fourth Hour
God of all times and places, help us to keep our promise to pray, to honor the fast we have chosen, to share what we have with those who need it, to forgive and ask forgiveness, and to consider the part that suffering plays in our lives. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Fifth Hour
God of all times and places, when you see us, you see the deepest parts of us—the parts you made to be good and holy. Help us to see those deepest parts. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Sixth Hour
God of all times and places, it is time to notice that you are here in this moment. Bless us as we try to discover you and be patient as we struggle to find you. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Seventh Hour
God of all times and places, all around the world, people are making Lenten promises. We will not say our promises out loud. We pray that our Lenten lives will tell the story of what we promise you today. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Eighth Hour
God of all times and places, as the school day comes to a close, we thank you for this season. Thank you for the chance to admit to each other that sometimes life is hard . . . and to know that life was hard for you too. "Now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Closing Blessing
We sign ourselves with the sign of our faith as we pray:
May God, Creator, bless us
May God, Redeemer, heal us
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
and give us all we need.

Thursday - following Ash Wednesday

Opening Prayer
We begin this class as we begin all things:

In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Scripture Reading
Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. . . . What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" Luke 9:23–25

First Hour
God of questions and answers, sometimes we don’t feel close to you . . . we don’t feel close to anyone. Sometimes we are in the middle of a terrible, very bad, no-good day. Is that what a cross is like? We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Second Hour
God of questions and answers, during Lent help us to face the tough questions about what it means to follow you. Lead us to the answer. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Third Hour
God of questions and answers, if the invitation is to take up our cross and follow, then we need to move from where we are to another way of thinking, another way of being in this school. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Fourth Hour
God of questions and answers, our "free will" can be a terrible and wonderful gift. We can freely will to follow you, to confront our own crosses—or not. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Fifth Hour
God of questions and answers, we would be less than honest if we did not admit that most of the time, we do everything we can to avoid suffering, sadness—anything that is painful or difficult. Is there something to be learned from the cross? We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Sixth Hour
God of questions and answers, it sounds like you expect every human being to have a cross to bear. This Lent help us to confront our personal crosses. Help us to be honest about the struggles and to somehow learn from them. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Seventh Hour
God of questions and answers, in our most honest moments, we admit that we want to run away from the cross. You loved your Apostles, and yet you told them they needed to struggle with the hard stuff. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Eighth Hour
God of questions and answers, our crosses are unique. Help us this Lent to face the challenges that make each of our lives exceptional. We wonder: can we actually follow you?

Closing Blessing
We sign ourselves with the sign of our faith as we pray:

May God, Creator, bless us
May God, Redeemer, heal us
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
and give us all we need.

Friday - following Ash Wednesday

Opening Prayer
We begin this class as we begin all things:

In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Scripture Reading
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless. . . .
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn.
Isaiah 58:6–8

First Hour
God in our real lives, today we will walk past people who are unjustly bound to the label others have given them—the label some of us in this room have given them. If we can admit they are children of God, that gift can set them free. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Second Hour
God in our real lives, what does it look like to walk through a school day and be oppressed—to not be free to let people know who we really are? We can sacrifice our judgments and give the gift of your truth. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Third Hour
God in our real lives, most of us had breakfast today, and it is hard for us to imagine what it is like to be hungry. What alms can we give that would feed someone who is hungry? It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Fourth Hour
God in our real lives, does everyone feel "at home" in our school? Could it be that homelessness is not only about having a roof over our heads? Today, teach us how we can make everyone feel at home in our classrooms . . . in the cafeteria . . . in the locker room . . . in the gym. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Fifth Hour
God in our real lives, there is someone who wouldn’t feel tied up in knots if he or she heard a word of encouragement from us. Perhaps that is the fast you want: to put aside whatever keeps us from appreciating and encouraging others. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Sixth Hour
God in our real lives, it is time to ask ourselves what goes through our minds when we hear someone talk about those who are homeless. Do we assume they are simply not doing anything about their situation, or do we ask what part we play in making sure everyone has a safe home? It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Seventh Hour
God in our real lives, it seems like you are telling us that there is some connection between a religious practice like Lenten fasting and justice. Help us to understand so that we can bring justice to our school. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Eighth Hour
God in our real lives, this Lent help us to do more than just go through the motions. We can talk about prayer, fasting, and acts of charity—this time teach us how to live prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. It is Lent: let your light break forth in us like the dawn.

Closing Blessing
We sign ourselves with the sign of our faith as we pray:

May God, Creator, bless us
May God, Redeemer, heal us
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
and give us all we need.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 23, 2011
Matthew 4:12-23

Opening Prayer
You may use the following short prayer or the prayer on page 6 of the peer leader's guide, or any member of the group may want to pray in his or her own words. Jesus, you invited Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow you by making them fishers of people. Help us understand how you are inviting us to use our skills and talents to build your Kingdom. We are excited to be your ambassadors in the world today. Amen.

Context Connection
After his baptism in the Jordan River, Jesus goes into the wilderness of Judea, which is southwest of Jerusalem, for forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:1-11). It is here that Jesus becomes aware of John the Baptist's arrest. Hearing this, Jesus goes back home to Galilee and makes Capernaum the center from which to carry out his ministry. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus begins his public ministry only after John has been arrested, whereas in the Gospel of John, Jesus is already preaching before John is arrested. Matthew's Gospel gives us the final account of John's execution by Herod Antipas in chapter 14, verses 1-12. For Matthew, both John's arrest and execution foreshadow Jesus's arrest and Crucifixion. In verse 14 of Sunday's Gospel, Matthew gives us the reason Jesus moves to Capernaum--to fulfill the words of Isaiah. That Jesus came to fulfill the hopes of Israel is a recurring theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is now positioned to begin his public ministry: "From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near'" (4:17). During the time of Jesus it was usually the disciple who sought out the teacher; however, Jesus reverses this and, from the outset of his public ministry, personally calls each of his disciples. In verses 18-22, Matthew recounts for us how Jesus calls Peter and his brother Andrew, the sons of Jonah, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee, to follow him. We discover later in the Gospel that Peter, James, and John become part of the inner circle of disciples that Jesus comes to trust in most. These four men leave behind their families and their work as fishermen to follow Jesus. Matthew expresses their actions in this way, "Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him" (4:22). These four men were integrally connected to the great fishing industry in Galilee, which was very profitable. It would be wrong to assume they were just country bumpkins; rather, they were a part of an established family business. They owned their own boats as well as nets and other fishing equipment. Interestingly enough, Jesus does not ask them to lay aside their skills as fishermen but, rather, to use those skills and talents for promoting the Kingdom of heaven: "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people" (4:19). In the final verse of Sunday's reading, we are told what Jesus's public ministry will consist of: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people" (4:23).

Tradition Connection
In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus personally calls the Apostles to follow him. Does Jesus continue to do the same today? Yes! Through Baptism, Jesus personally calls each of us to a life of holiness and Christian witness. This activity of Jesus in our life is called grace. God is the one who initiates the personal call to each of us through the Holy Spirit: The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."1 Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man."2 (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1989). The first Apostles came to understand that they were called to a special relationship with Jesus, which resulted in a unique co-ministry with Jesus: "Christ's apostles knew that they were called by God as 'ministers of a new covenant,' 'servants of God,' 'ambassadors for Christ,' 'servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God'"3 (Catechism, paragraph 859). Today Jesus continues to invite and help us to understand how we are being called to live out our Christian vocation, which began at Baptism, as ambassadors of Christ to the world.

Wisdom Connection
From the beginning of his public life, Jesus preaches a message of reform--repent and change one's life in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom of heaven. Throughout this year, Matthew's Gospel will provide insights on how to bring about this kind of change in our lives. Jesus's call for change can be as dramatic today as it was for the first disciples. Peter and Andrew left their nets, their means of livelihood, to follow Jesus. When James and John were called to follow Jesus, they left their boat, a symbol of possessions, and their father, a symbol of security. For Matthew, it is not only important to know what one is turning away from but also what one is turning toward. For Jesus it is not good enough to simply turn away from sin. We must also turn toward God with 100 percent of our heart and soul. God asks us to be who we are--fully and authentically--thus serving as credible witnesses of God in the world.

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. Matthew 4:17. 2. Council of Trent (1547): Denzinger-Schonmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum (1965), 1528. 3. 2 Corinthians 3:6; 6:4; 5:20; 1 Corinthians 4:1.

Saint Agnes of Rome

January 21 is the memorial for Saint Agnes of Rome.

Saint Agnes was martyred in Rome in the late 3rd or early 4th century. As a young girl, she was to be sacrificed to the pagan gods. At the time of her sacrifice, she made the Sign of the Cross. Enduring torture, she refused to renounce her devotion to God. The wool of two lambs, blessed on her feast day at the church dedicated to her in Rome, is used to make the palliums the Pope confers on archbishops as a sign of their jurisdiction.

For more information on Saint Agnes of Rome, go to http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-agnes-of-rome/.