Christian Campuzano – Forever In Our Hearts

Today I received the news that I didn’t want to hear – Christian Campuzano went home to the Lord at 9:45 PM last night. It makes it especially difficult that Christian was only 2 months old. We have been praying for him at The Catholic Truth ever since I first received word of his plight from my friend Damian Wargo on August 18th.

Over the past few months, I have been deeply touched by the outpouring of prayers and inspirational messages from people on Facebook and Twittter. Every time I would post an update, people would respond. We would rejoice when things were going well and shed tears when things were looking bleak. Even though the majority of us never met Christian and his family, we knew that he was our little brother in Christ and his mother, father and brother (Nicole, Jason and J.J.) were family also. This little boy reminded us of the fact that we are all God’s children and that we all need to pray for and love each other.

Nicole and Jason taught us what it means to trust in God’s will, even when it is difficult. When things were looking hopeless, they never gave up hope but resigned themselves to accepting God’s will. We can be sure that Our Blessed Mother Mary is watching over the Campuzanos right now. She knows all too well what it means to lose a Son and the suffering that it entails. Just as she assisted the bride and groom at the wedding in Cana and her relative Elizabeth when she was pregnant, Mary will stay with the Campuzanos and help them for the rest of their lives.

As Christians, we know that death is not the end of the story and can rejoice that today there is a new saint in Heaven. Christian’s parents had him baptized shortly after he was born, thereby wiping away his original sin and guaranteeing his entry into Heaven upon his death. We can now turn to Christian and ask him to intercede for us.

Even though we are sad because we lost a member of our family, we can take comfort in the fact that Christian is at peace tonight, running and laughing and perfectly happy with all of the angels and saints. He is free of surgeries and ventilators and is in the place where we all aspire to end up one day.

Please remember the Campuzano family in your prayers. I also encourage you to leave a comment for them on this blog entry and I’ll be sure to pass it along to them.

Did Jesus Really Not Know?

Today’s gospel reading (Mk 13:24-32) contains one of Jesus’ more confusing statements:

"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Is it true that Jesus really doesn’t know when the end of the world (the General Judgment) will occur or is there more to this statement than meets the eye? Fortunately, we can relax because the Church teaches very clearly that Christ’s human knowledge is free from ignorance or error. How then can we interpret His statement?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states:

By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to reveal. What he admitted to not knowing in this area, he elsewhere declared himself not sent to reveal (Acts 1:7). (CCC 474)

Furthermore, in the highly regarded reference book Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, author Ludwig Ott states:

In explanation of the scriptural passage Mk 13:32, the Fathers of the Church submit 2 interpretations:

1. Christ should not, in accordance with the will of the Father, reveal the moment of the General Judgment to mankind. “It was no part of His teaching duty to make it (the day of the General Judgment) known to us.” (St. Augustine)

2. Christ as man knew the day of the General Judgment indeed, but He did not have this knowledge from His human nature. (Pope St. Gregory the Great)

So, fear not, Jesus most certainly knows the date of the General Judgment, but we don’t. That’s why it is so important to be ready. As the liturgical year comes to a close the Church reminds us that we should be prepared for judgment. While the General Judgment may still be thousands of years away, we can be sure that our own Particular judgment (occurring immediately after our death) will take place much sooner.

Are you ready?

What Does It Mean To Be Catholic?

A good friend sent me a link to a very interesting article today. It is a letter from Providence Bishop Thomas Dolan to Congressman Patrick Kennedy in response to Kennedy’s statement, “The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues (primarily abortion) does not make me any less of a Catholic”. We see this faulty logic echoed by many other Catholics in the world today, many of whom are in the public eye.

The bishop does an outstanding job of deflating Kennedy’s self-affirming argument and I highly recommend that you read it for yourself (link to article is at the end of this blog), but I would like to comment on a few things. This concept of “I can still be a good Catholic even though I disagree with the authoritative teaching of the Church” cannot be defended by any official Church document and I challenge anyone to produce evidence to the contrary.

The second problem I see with Kennedy’s statement is that he refers to the Church as a “hierarchy”. There are far too many people (Catholics included) who view the Church as nothing more than a bureaucracy. They view the successors to the Apostles, the bishops, as a group of men who covered up the despicable actions of child abusers or individuals who are out of touch with reality. Here is what Our Lord Jesus Christ said of these men:

“All power in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt 28:18)

We need to stop focusing on the leaders of the Church as a group of executives who are imposing their human will on us. They are our shepherds and it is their job to help us get to Heaven. Yes, abuses took place by imperfect human beings and horrible damage was done. That does not take away from the commission that the bishops received directly from Our Lord. The official teaching of the Church is protected from error by the authority of Jesus Christ Himself. When they state that abortion is murder, then we better listen!

Congressman Kennedy makes the same mistake made by Adam and Eve. He has authorized himself to declare what is right and wrong, without even considering the inerrant teaching of the Church which he claims to “embrace”. The bishop refers to Kennedy’s support of abortion as a “deliberate and obstinate act of the will” and I would most definitely agree. Those of us who are members of the Church founded by Jesus Christ should listen to His words granting authority to the Apostles, shouldn’t we?

Are the individual leaders of the Church imperfect? You bet!

Can they collectively teach infallibly when united with the Holy Father? You bet!

Who says? Jesus!

Read the full story HERE

Having A Bad Day?

Did you ever have one of those days where you just don’t feel God’s presence? If you’re like me, it happens from time to time and it’s not fun. I am having one of those days today and it could be caused by tiredness, Satan trying to put doubts into my head, God trying to “stretch me” a bit, or any number of reasons. Since our faith shouldn’t be ruled by how we feel, we need to keep going when we have "one of those days". Following that course of action, I took a walk outside and prayed my usual daily rosary (The Luminous Mysteries) even though I didn’t feel like it.

Here are some thoughts I received while praying:

The Baptism of Jesus – Jesus displayed great humility by allowing Himself to be baptized. Lord, thank you for allowing me to fail or make mistakes sometimes. It allows me to increase my humility and become more like you. It helps me to remember that I can do nothing without You.

The Miracle at Cana – Mary noticed that the wine was gone and went to Jesus to seek help. Mary, thank you for noticing that I’m having a bad day and asking your Son to help me out. I know that He’ll never abandon me.

The Proclamation of the Kingdom – Jesus calls us to repent and follow Him. Jesus, thank you for the gift of bad days so that I will never think that I can survive without You. Help me to cast aside my negativity and fear and continue to follow You each day.

The Transfiguration – Jesus appears to Peter, James and John in all of His heavenly glory. Lord, help me to look past the problems of this life and contemplate the joy that awaits me if I follow your commands. May I never lose sight of the promise of eternal life in Heaven with You!

The Institution of the Eucharist – At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Jesus, thank you for the unbelievable gift of Yourself. Help me to remember that your Divine Presence can overcome any problem that I could possibly have.

As I finished the rosary, I became aware of the beads in my hand and felt that I was holding Our Blessed Mother’s hand and being led closer to Jesus. Then I felt a breeze and was reminded of the Holy Spirit who dwells within me. I recalled that I received Our Lord in Holy Communion this morning and remembered His words, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Not only did I see Jesus this morning, but I saw the Father…Wow!

As I finished my walk, I felt the peace of God’s presence. I’m really glad that I made the effort to pray today…Even though I didn’t feel like it!

All Souls Day – A Day To Remember

Today the Church celebrates the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, commonly referred to as All Souls Day. Once again, I’d like to turn to the Daily Roman Missal for a great explanation of this celebration:

The Church, after celebrating the feast of All Saints, today prays for all who, in the purifying suffering of purgatory, await the day when they will join in their company. The celebration of the Mass, which re-enacts the sacrifice of Calvary, has always been the principal means by which the Church fulfills the great commandment of charity toward the dead. We can also relieve their sufferings through our prayers, suffrages and penances. Even after death, links with our fellow travelers are not broken.

Today, in addition to praying for the souls of all our deceased relatives and friends, we should pray for those souls who have no one to pray for them. This includes the souls of just about all non-Catholic Christians, as most of their denominations don’t believe in the practice of praying for the deceased.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

The Solemnity Of All Saints

I didn’t want to let this day pass without reflecting on the Solemnity of All Saints. It is a day to celebrate all of those who have been blessed with eternal life in Heaven. The Daily Roman Missal has a great explanation of today’s celebration and it’s importance to each of us:

Today we celebrate the feast of all the unknown saints who are now in Heaven. The Church reminds us that sanctity is within everyone’s reach. Through the Communion of Saints we help one another achieve sanctity.

October 31 – St. Michael Pray For Us!

Today is a scary day and not because it is Halloween. October 31 is a satanic holy day and many people are participating in celebrations of evil around the world. Often we make the mistake of denying that the devil exists or that people worship him. I am not going to publicize any of these websites, but a quick Google search will confirm their existence.

Evil is real, my friends, and we need to pray to counteract its effects. The devil is very real, but he is not all powerful. Through the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel, let us pray that good will overcome evil today and every day!

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

The Miracle Of Mary And Elizabeth

On this day 12 years ago, Mary and Elizabeth Zimak were born at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ. For those of you who are not familiar with their story, they were never supposed to have lived. Early in my wife’s pregnancy, it was determined that our identical twins were suffering from Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). To put it simply, TTTS is a disease affecting identical twins which causes the mother’s placenta to be shared unequally. At the time of the diagnosis, we were offered little hope that the girls would survive.

Upon receiving the news, we decided to name the girls in case they didn’t live. We wanted to make sure that we didn’t forget them and wanted people to know for whom they were praying. As for the names…you guessed it…they were named for two great Saints – Our Blessed Mother Mary and her relative Elizabeth. We then started to spread the word and ask for prayers. I wrote a letter to a columnist in our local newspaper and spread the word at the parish where I attended daily Mass. My wife’s family also sounded the prayer alarm. Before long we had teachers praying for the girls with their students, cloistered nuns praying in their convent, monks praying in the monastery, a newspaper columnist praying a daily rosary, neighbors from many different faiths praying with their congregations, priests praying before the Blessed Sacrament and at Mass. Some people who claimed to be “not religious” even started to pray for the girls. My wife Eileen and I prayed a rosary every night and blessed the unborn babies with a first class relic of St. Gerard Majella, which was given to us by a neighbor. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Eileen also put a drop of Lourdes holy water in her orange juice each day. When we had to go to our twice- weekly treatment at the hospital, I would pray the rosary as I sat next to Eileen. We later discovered that some of the doctors and nurses were praying as well.

As stressful as this time was, Eileen and I felt very close to the Lord. There was very little that could be done in the way of medical treatments and we were forced to trust Him! We took one day at a time and didn’t focus on the future. When we got to week 26 of Eileen’s pregnancy, Elizabeth was suffering from congestive heart failure and Mary was anemic. One of our doctors told us that the twins would be dead in a week and that our only hope was an experimental surgery. Although we were hesitant, we spoke to the surgeon and discovered that he had only done a few of these surgeries (without much success) and that he also performed what is referred to as “selective reductions”, a euphemism for murdering one of your twins in the hope that the other will survive. At that point, we decided that we wanted nothing to do with this doctor or the surgery. Once we made the decision, we felt completely at peace and trusted in God’s will.

On October 27, 1997 (28 weeks into the pregnancy), the doctors decided that it was time for Mary and Elizabeth to be born. Elizabeth was the larger twin, weighing a “whopping” 2.5 pounds. Mary weighed in at a mere 1.5 pounds. The next few weeks were very stressful with Elizabeth having to undergo a heart procedure and Mary having several problems with her lungs. The girls continued to struggle with various medical issues over the next few years, but all of them were relatively minor.

Twelve years later, I sit writing this blog in celebration of the birthday of my two miracle girls. Many of the people who prayed for the girls are no longer living, but Eileen and I will always be indebted to them and everyone else who prayed. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that God can’t perform miracles because Mary and Elizabeth are living proof that He can!

For with God nothing shall be impossible. ( Lk 1:37)

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth and Mary…Mom and Dad love you very much!!!

Don’t Listen To The Doubters

In the Gospel from today’s Mass (Mk 10:46-52), we hear the story of the blind man named Bartimaeus. While Bartimaeus was begging by the roadside, Jesus walked by and the blind man cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Immediately many people told him to be quiet, but he continued to cry out to the Lord. Eventually, Jesus called him over and asked what he wanted. Bartimaeus replied, “Master, I want to see.” Our Lord then healed his blindness, telling him “your faith has saved you.”

Whenever you choose to trust in the Lord or pray for a seemingly impossible healing or intention, it is almost certain that someone will try to discourage you. They will remind you that it is unlikely that your intention will be answered because it is “impossible”. Often the individual discouraging you and putting doubt in your mind is none other than Satan. While he may not appear to you in a visible form, he has a way of planting little doubts and discouraging thoughts in your mind.

Anyone who tells you that Jesus can’t do the impossible is a LIAR! Take comfort in the story of Bartimaeus and never stop praying for your intentions. While Jesus didn’t promise that we will get exactly what we what, He did promise that we will get what we need. If you still doubt, remember the words that the angel Gabriel spoke to Our Blessed Mother…

Nothing will be impossible for God (Lk 1:37)

The Responsibility Of The Baptized

In today’s First Reading (Rom 6:19-23), St. Paul reminds us that by virtue of our baptism we becomes “slaves of God”. While formerly we were “slaves of sin”, the Church teaches that all baptized Christians are “reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213)

Many Catholics don’t realize that they are called to share in the mission of the Church by following the commandments and even by…evangelization! While that word may strike fear into the hearts of most Catholics it really is our duty to spread the “Good News”. Does this mean that we have to stand on street corners and proclaim the gospel? While you could choose to use this method, it’s not the only way. We can evangelize in our homes by living good, holy lives and by teaching our children about the faith. In the workplace, we could offer to pray for coworkers and refrain from profane language. We could evangelize in public by making the sign of the cross and saying grace before we eat in a restaurant. There are many ways to spread the gospel in our daily lives, often without saying a word.

As “slaves of God”, this is what we are called to do. The benefit of eternal life comes with a price. We must die to our sinful ways and become new creations in Christ. Is it worth it? What’s in it for us? According to St. Paul…

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, ETERNAL LIFE.” (Rom 6:22)

The Faith of Abraham

In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul tells us the following about Abraham:

In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been told, “So shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that he was able to do what He had promised.” (Romans 4:18-21)

Are there things in your life that seem “impossible”? Such things as broken relationships, financial difficulties, medical problems and other situations often seem hopeless, but scripture tells us that “with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk 1:37).

Abraham truly believed that…

Do you?

St. Margaret Mary And The Sacred Heart

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Born in France in 1647, she was especially devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was responsible for spreading that devotion throughout the Church. In one of her letters, St. Margaret Mary wrote:

“It seems to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have His Sacred Heart honored in a special way is directed toward renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the Sacred Heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to His good pleasure. This Divine Heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need”

Today, let's take a few minutes and meditate on the love contained within the Sacred Heart of Jesus for each one of us. It is a love that will never cease, no matter what we do. By turning away from sin, following His commands, and loving one another we can show Our Lord that we love Him too. While it can be difficult...

It's nowhere near as difficult as dying on a cross

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us. Amen.

Practicing What We Preach

Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Rm 2:1-3)

Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk." Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, "Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too." And he said, "Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them. (Lk 11:42-46)

The readings from today’s Mass are very powerful, but can easily be misinterpreted. Both St. Paul and Jesus are admonishing their listeners to not only teach the law, but to obey it as well. Nowhere in these readings does it say that we should not criticize immoral behavior. Many times people use the Bible to incorrectly make an argument that it is wrong to condemn things that are sinful. Using that flawed logic, we are told that it is “judgmental” to point out that homosexuality, premarital sex, embryonic stem cell research, abortion, artificial birth control and drunkenness are sinful…but they are and we shouldn’t be afraid to say it! We must use prudence and charity, but we have an obligation to speak the truth. If we don’t, many souls could be in jeopardy.

As Catholics, we are blessed to have an unchanging body of teaching that has been passed down from Our Lord to the apostles and their successors. Today’s readings point out that while we should lovingly share these Church teachings with our brothers and sisters, we MUST practice what we preach.

Hearing And Observing The Word of God

While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed." He replied, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." (Lk 11:27-28)

While at first it appears that Jesus is putting His mother down, He is actually giving her praise because of her obedience to God’s will. Mary performed her role as the mother of God exceptionally, but her willingness to obey God’s commands was even more praiseworthy. By saying what He did, Jesus reminded the crowd (and all of us) that those who obey the commandments occupy a special place in the kingdom of God. Sometimes it’s not easy to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, but doing so guarantees that we will remain close to Our Lord.

…And His Disciples Believed in Him

When most of us think of the wedding feast at Cana, we rightfully focus on the Lord’s first miracle. However, there is another important subplot to this story…the power of the Blessed Mother’s intercession. When relating the details of this event (Jn 2:1-11), the apostle John states, “On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.” He then continues, “Jesus was also invited to the marriage, with His disciples.” Most scripture scholars will tell you that John’s gospel is very detail oriented and there is a reason for everything he says. Do you think it’s just a coincidence that he highlights Mary’s presence or is it possible he was trying to tell us that she plays an important role in this miracle?

When Mary notices that the wine has run out, she informs Jesus and He performs the miracle of turning water into wine. Not only are the bride and groom spared a great deal of embarrassment, but something even more important takes place – His disciples believed in Him. (Jn 2:11)

Mary was at the wedding...

Mary informed Jesus that there was a problem...

Jesus fixed the problem by performing a miracle...

The disciples saw what Jesus did and believed in Him.

Never underestimate the power of Mary’s intercession. Turn to Mary with all of your problems, doubts or fears. Just as at Cana, she will immediately take them to Jesus…who really can perform miracles!