The Spokesman

Sponsored by the Holy Name Society

Reflection by: Joe Phillips

Text Box: Code of Canon Law Can. 1251 Abstinence from eating meat or some other food according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops is to be observed on ,of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year of age. The law of fasting, however, binds all those who have attained their majority until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Nevertheless, pastors of souls and parents are to take care that minors not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are also educated in a genuine sense of penance.

Text Box: http://catholicbibleresources.net/Bible/Miracles-Blind.htm Blindness is a fearsome thing. We depend so much on our sense of sight. We often take it for granted, even though our every waking movement is governed by seeing people, places and things essential to our daily activities. We would be severely handicapped if we could not see; it could lead us to lose our ability to work, to interact with others and to care for ourselves in the manner to which we have become accustomed. It would lead us to depend on others for most things. No wonder then that we visit the eye doctor whenever we notice peculiarities in our vision. The doctor is a professional who can either treat the issue directly, or carefully prescribe eyeglasses to adjust our vision back to normal. Jesus showed great compassion for blind people when he walked the earth. There are at least six instances in the New Testament when he cured people of physical blindness. The cured men varied in their responses; some clearly thanked Him for the gift while others apparently defied Him by proclaiming the gift openly and causing Jesus to retreat to the wilderness. Why do you suppose that the Gospel authors took such pains to illustrate the miracles of Jesus curing the blind? They were clear that there were many other signs “…not recorded here…,” but they gave full details about Jesus’ curing the blind. Is there something more to blindness than the inability to see with our eyes? Jesus many times indicated that the people of Israel had “hardened their hearts,” or rejected His teaching because they had always believed something else. Perhaps they were spiritually blind. Maybe they just did not want to “see” the truth of Jesus’ message. How often are we blind to the truth? There are many clear objective evils in our lives if we would just open our “eyes” and see them. Jesus used the metaphor “…remove the plank from your own eye first. Then you will see clearly the speck in your brother’s eye...” This is the kind of blindness that Jesus was most concerned about, not the physical handicap but rather the unwillingness to see evil and do something about it, whether it be evil in our own lives or in the larger community around us. I have been spiritually blind. Occasionally I have been innocently unfamiliar with a particular evil. Sometimes I conveniently failed to learn the teachings of the church and just hoped that something was alright when deep down I knew it might not be. It can also be that I was overly influenced by other people, the mass media or the culture to see evil as good and good as evil. Does that sound familiar? That’s what the serpent did to Eve in the Garden and it remains the devil’s favorite pastime. We must learn to “see” past all that and recognize evil for what it really is and fight it. Jesus is the “eye” doctor. When we see evil, we should recognize it and act upon it in the manner most appropriate to our state in life. We can’t go wrong by asking ourselves WWJD (“What Would Jesus Do?”). Thoughts expressed here are solely my own interpretation of the Gospel in my own life and are not to be confused with teachings of the Catholic Church or of any ordained minister.

Text Box: The primary objectives of the Holy Name Society are the honor and glory of our Triune God and the personal sanctification of its members by acts of love and devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus. The spiritual life of its members is a perpetual act of reverence and love. A monthly Communion Mass and member gatherings have become the regular spiritual practices of the Society. Other basic practices are the public profession of faith through the wearing of the Holy Name pin or button, making an annual retreat to Malvern, the participation in public religious programs and similar activities, and the observance of the promises contained in the Holy Name pledge. Members are also dedicated to the canonization of Blessed John of Vercelli, founder of the Holy Name Society. In the overall picture, the objectives of the Society are identical with those of the Catholic Church and our pastor; Fr. Janton. These objectives can be summed up in this time honored phrase; “The salvation of souls” For more information in regard to the Holy Name Society, please check out the following links; http://www.pahns.com The Pennsylvania association of Holy Name Society http://www.pahnu.org The Philadelphia Archdiocesan Holy Name Union PAHNU http://www.holynamesociety.info/index1.shtml The National Association of the Holy Name Society

Issue: 15

The Gospel and the Homily

Third week of Lent

John 2:13-25

“The spiritual person will spend most of the time contemplating spiritual things, by contrast the worldly person becomes engrossed in the temporary pleasures of the world. This is surely the way to perdition unless there is change”…..The Homilist

Oval: Click the Bible for this Gospel andHomily

Oval: Click Here for more information on : Code of Canon Law -

Text Box: CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Catechism 632 Christ Descended into Hell 632-The frequent New Testament affirmations that Jesus was "raised from the dead" presuppose that the crucified one sojourned in the realm of the dead prior to his resurrection.477 This was the first meaning given in the apostolic preaching to Christ's descent into hell: that Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Saviour, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.

16-Point Star: Catechism website The entire text

Text Box: The spokesman is a monthly periodical sponsored by the Holy Name Society of Our Lady Help of Christians parish in Abington, PA and is supported by our pastor and friend Father Anthony Janton. The primary focus of the spokesman is to give Catholic men, particularly those affiliated with the Holy Name Society, an outlet to share their “faith” with one another. Each issue features a different “spiritual reflection” on sacred scripture or a more “personalized reflection” that witnesses to the power of Jesus Christ in the writer’s life. By spreading and teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and also by witnessing to others the truth of His divine Name, we obey the law of Christ. The spokesman also serves as a means of Catholic education. The topics displayed can range anywhere from early Church history to more modern concerns that face the church today, such as abortion.

Text Box: “Everyone against abortion, Please Raise your hand !” The Priests for Life website has a mantra…. “America will not reject abortion until America sees abortion.” Other websites to check out…..

Year of Saint Paul

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16

The Trinitarian Order

During the 12th century, Trinitarian friars would often exchange places with Christian slaves so that the slave could be free.

Click the Trinitarian flag for more history on the order from a local parish website

Year of Saint Paul

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light”

Ephesians 5:8

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
			1	2	3	4
5 Palm Sunday	6	7	8	9 Holy Thursday	10 Good Friday	11 Holy Saturday
12 Easter Sunday	13	14 HNS Mtg. 7:15pm	15	16	17	18
19 HNS Mass 10:30am	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30

Blessed John of Vercelli, Pray for us !

Lord, I approach you with humility. I can have doubts in

understanding your word and can suffer from spiritual blindness, but I trust in your love. You will teach me what I need to know. Amen.

Prayer provided by Click here

Abstinence

Oval: Saint Thomas “ Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails,... And place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” John 20: 24-29

Saint Patrick

Why a Shamrock ? Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity and has been associated with him and the Irish since that time.

Listen to a Podcast and Pray the Rosary !

Please visit the following link http://divinemercypodcast.com click Lenten Special at the top.

Scroll down and click the first of the 5 sorrowful mysteries. Each podcast will pray a decade of the Rosary while helping the listener to meditate on each sorrowful mystery. You will need some type of Audio software in order to listen. If you should have any difficulty listening or accessing the website, please let me know at seanpclarke@comcast.net and I will try my best to help you.

seanpclarke@comcast.net