Happy New Year! And, a suggestion....

Have a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year to you, your family and friends!!! 

As at Christmas, I share this wish to you not only for myself but, also, on behalf of the officers, staff and volunteers of Queen of Peace Radio.

As we progress from the old year to the new, it is customary to reflect upon our goals, dreams and aspirations that we would like to see accomplished by this time next year.  We are motivated by such sayings that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  So, whatever you plan for yourself, I hope that you succeed so long as it is moral, ethical, and lawful.

I just want to give you a suggestion.  Add to your to-do list, this one simple thing - try each day to do one simple act of kindness.  Not a random act of kindness but one simple planned act of kindness for each day.  Just a smile or kiss to your family, opening a door for someone, letting a car into your lane, or a smile to someone. 

   

Now, this is very simple, I know.  But, think about it - if you do it, you will have done at least 365 acts of kindness by the end of 2013!  You will have made an impact on other people’s lives 365 times.  And, it will not have cost you anything more than a small act of planned kindness.

The strange thing about this is that it becomes habitual and a regular part of your life.  Just think how much this would accomplish if more and more people would do this on a regular basis. 

There was a story on television on a news program recently about a city where people regularly pay for the orders of the next person in line at drive through fast food restaurants and that it is not unusual to go for as long as an half hour with everyone paying for the orders of the cars behind them.

Maybe it sounds silly but I think that is great.  And, I think Americans are really that kind of people.  Look at how we step up for each other in fund raising and volunteer help whenever a bad storm or event strikes another community.  I just think that we all have it in us to do planned, not random, acts of daily kindness.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

THE Reason to Celebrate!

Merry Christmas to you, your family and friends!!! 

I share this wish to you not only for myself but, also, on behalf of the officers, staff and volunteers of Queen of Peace Radio.

On Christmas day, we celebrate the most remarkable event in human existence - the birth of God incarnate to live as a human on earth for the cause of the salvation of all humanity.  The love of God and His Divine Mercy is beyond our understanding.  But, as has been said since the annunciation - let us rejoice!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Whither the devil, evil and sin?

The tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, got me, like everyone else, to reflect about this incredible tragedy.  And, like so many of us, I was riveted to the television news programs to learn more about it.  Among so many other things, it really tragic that it comes during the happy holiday Christmas season for Christians and during the Channukah season for Jews.  The senselessness of these killings is certainly beyond our ability to fathom - a very young man shooting his mother in the face killing her and, then, killing the toddlers and their teachers at the school. 

Like so many previous senseless shootings, the media and politicians goes into their predictable tirade about guns and the need for more gun control.  Interestingly, the Governor of Connecticut admitted that his state has one of the strictest gun control laws in the country.  An interesting statistic is that over 16 million background checks for gun purchases occurred last year of which only 0.47% resulted in rejections.  In this case the guns were registered - to the mother of the shooter.  So, after so many similar shootings over the years, more gun control laws definitely do not appear to be the answer.  But, this is not about the pros and cons of more gun control legislation.

Parenthetically, it is interesting to consider that these same gun control advocates who are offended by the killings of these innocent are, at the same time, open advocates for abortions and assisting the  suicide for the elderly.

But, let me get back down to the point of this missive - no one, I mean no one, in the media coverage from the investigators to the friends and family to the politicians ever mentioned sin and the devil!  There were some mentions of mental derangement of the shooter in this case and of the shooters in other cases.  This is, most likely, a reasonable explanation for these shooters.  But, where does the stimulus for their actions to kill come from?  The devil?  No one mentions it despite our Judeo-Christian backgrounds?  Why not?  In other earlier times, it would have not at all unusual to think that the person who did such a thing was possessed by the devil.  But, in our contemporary 21st Century, ridicule will flow to those who suggest the role of the devil and of sin. 

I, certainly, do not know the answer in this instance, but pose the idea that, yes, the shooter was mentally ill.  But, what caused him to act upon that illness and kill people?  Even more so, what caused him to kill these harmless little children especially this otherwise happy time of year?  Is it so totally out of our 21st Century modernistic and cosmopolitan thinking to consider that the impetus and the stimulus to move this mentally ill man to such horrible actions was the devil?  Why do we not want to recognize the face of evil and the devil anymore?  Because we do not want to be viewed as being old-fashioned, primitive, unsophisticated?  But, we still go to our churches and proclaim our faiths.  And, our faiths recognize not only God but, also, a God who speaks to us about avoiding the devil, his evil, and sin. 

Every year during the Easter Mass we, Catholics, renew our Baptismal promises which cover the following: that we renounce Satan who is the author and prince of sin, his works, all his empty show, sin so as to live in the freedom of God, and renounce the lure of sin so that sin may have no mastery over us.  So, why do we not view this evil from the devil as the impetus to these shooters keeping our Baptismal vows in mind?  Even the media and the politicians call murderers, terrorists, child abusers, and like evil.  But, where does that evil come from?  Satan, our Baptismal vows would assert so why is that not mentioned in the public debate?  There was a public memorial for these victims which show our belief and faith in God and the rendering of our prayers to him.  There was a mention of free will by a rabbi.  But, where was the discussion of evil and the devil? 

Where is the discussion about the rejection of prayer at public governmental functions, the declining morals of our society, the declining attendance at religious services and the increasing ridicule of the faithful of all religions?  This, I posit is where the discussion for solutions in the public debate should be rather than in the tedious repetitions of gun control, more security at schools, and the identification and treatment of the mentally ill.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Wednesday, December 12, 2012, marks the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  This follows Saturday’s Feast of the Immaculate Conception which follows the celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  All of this is very appropriate this month in which we celebrate the birth of Christ.  After all, the baby comes from his mother.  Here, the baby Jesus comes from the mother Mary who bore him for 9 months.

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and her appearance to the native peasant is very remarkable in so many ways.  She appeared to a peasant nearly 500 years ago outside what is now Mexico City and not to a Spanish conquistador.  The Bishop did not believe Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin ("speaking eagle") who reported the miracle to him.  The Bishop, the story goes, asked for a sign that the lady who appreared to Juan Diego was, indeed, the Blessed Virgin.  It was December and roses did not grow in the vicinity but, as Juan Diego walked along, he came upon a rose bush full of roses.  Juan Diego, put these in his peasant apron called a tilma and took them to the Bishop.  When Juan Diego emptied the roses from his tilma for the Bishop, there appeared the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma.  The tilma was made from fibers from a cactus plant and do not usually last very long.  The tilma of Juan Diego with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe still remains in tact and shows no sign of aging.  

This is truly an amazing story and a true, indisputable, miracle.  A few years ago, Catholic scientists with digital cameras asked for and were granted permission to further photograph and study the tilma.  Their cameras discovered an amazing thing - on the retina of Our Lady’s eyes on the tilma shows what she observed which included the Bishop and those with him in his room!

This story never ceases to amaze me and my reverence for Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to grow.  I hope that you think the same.

Share your thoughts with me and please...

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Advent, The New Year and You

Advent has begun this Sunday and it is the new liturgical year.  This, also, brings on the anticipation for the birth of Christ and the celebrations.

In the northern hemisphere, it is a time of shortened days where Christmas and the beginning of longer days almost coincide.  Like Lent, this should be a time of reflection in which we should consider the blessings of the past year and contemplate what a new year will bring to us. It is a time to reflect upon what our new year resolutions will be.

So, instead of the dreads and the stresses over the right presents to buy, the reunions with family members with whom we don’t see eye-to-eye, and the financial demands of the season, take a break and reflect upon the blessings that each of us do have.  And, think of those blessings and the consolations of God and His strength through bad times over the past year.

Try to keep in mind the admonition of Jesus to “not let your heart be troubled.”  All is certainly easier said then done but take a moment to do so each day.

In Jesus Beloved Son: Daily Advent Meditations and Prayers by Henri J. M. Nouwen, there was a prayer for the day yesterday that we should, probably, keep in mind and say daily, “Dearest Lord, help me overcome my insecurities and discover what it is you want for me.”  At all ages and stages in our lives, this would certainly be appropriate for each of us. First, to overcome our insecurities which we all have in some respect would be a wonderful blessing from the Lord.  Second, to discover and learn what it is that He wants for each one of us.  This part of the prayer is interesting.  The first part of the prayer is paying to Him for His help so we are, in so doing, doing the talking to God.  The second part of the prayer is asking Him guidance for our life so, in this part, God will be doing the talking and we will be doing the listening. 

In praying, we are usually doing the asking of God but do we spend enough time in listening and meditating upon His desires for us in our lives?  I suspect not. Most likely, we think that the listening is only an activity the saints do.

Plus, we do not think we are worthy for God to speak to us.  Well, we do believe and accept the concept of inspiration.  And, the word comes from the concept that the idea or prompting comes from the spirit - divine inspiration?  The Holy Spirit?  Find out for yourself and let me know what you discover. 

Since the last blog I have been reflecting on how to deal with the beginning of Advent ane the new liturgical year and now you have it.  Share your thoughts with me and please...

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Thanksgiving and You

The annual celebration of the holiday Thanksgiving is upon us again which has caused me to reflect upon it.  What is it to me and to you?  The title of this blog is to stimulate you to think about what Thanksgiving means to you. 

Since my birthday falls near Thanksgiving, I grew up in my early years thinking that everyone celebrated my birthday by giving thanksgiving that I was born! 

As I got older, I discovered that it was not all about my birthday to my great chagrin!  I learned that it had to do with gratitude to God for helping the Pilgrims to have a good harvest which allowed them to survive up until then and into the new year.  So, it was gratitude to God for survival and for the provisions for a new year. 

So, this time of year, I reflect upon my survival since the last Thanksgiving in terms of life, health and blessings in the way of family, friends, food, shelter and other blessings from Him.  Even though I have not received the things that I have hoped and prayed for, I am grateful to God for what he has given to me.  We all have seen illnesses and death suffered by ourselves, family and friends. Therefore, we are grateful for the health and healthcare that we do enjoy.  We have seen disasters throughout the world including as near as the Northeast and see on the news stories about people in need of electricity for heat, for shelter and for food.  We see the developing conflict in the Holy Land between Gaza and Israel and all the deaths, injuries, destruction and suffering.  Therefore, in contrast to those tragedies we must be grateful for not having natural catastrophes and for not having war and terrorism.

 We cannot take these for granted as New York City has learned from 9-11 and from the superstorm Sandy.  However, we can, must and should thank God for what we do have.

It is very disconcerting to have this wonderful holiday of depth and meaning turned into one of superficial self-indulgences.  Food, drink, football games, black Friday sales starting on Thanksgiving evening to get an earlier start of sales and, thus, depriving those employees and their families the opportunity to enjoy the day. Just as the consumerism and marketing have taken away the meaning of Christ out of Christmas, our society is diminishing the meaning of Thanksgiving by removing God as the focus of our thanks. 

Please reflect upon your blessings during the last year including your life, your health such as it may be, your intelligence and ability to just read this blog, and everything that you can recall.  Think of the meaning and fortitude of your tribulations during the last year.  Then, thank God for your survival and blessings and thank Him for the survival and blessings given to family and friends.  And, remember those who have passed in the last year and pray for them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Are You Welcoming?

Over the years, I have attended Masses, weddings, baptisms, first Communions, confirmations, investitures, and funerals at many Catholic churches locally and while traveling for business and pleasure.  One of the common things that I have noticed and have been chagrined over is the fact that other attendees do not seem very welcoming to strangers.

And, then, many in the welcoming line, if there is a welcoming group, do not look at you or say anything to you while they “greet” you because they are engaged in conversations with the others in the welcoming line or other friends of theirs. Why do we fail in this behavior?  We are all going to a celebration of the Mass and the Holy Eucharist.  After I started observing this, I became very aware of my own behavior and found that I was, also, guilty of such behavior.  So, I started to smile and wave at other attendees as I got out of my car and walked into the church and as I left it to my car. I swear that some people mistook my welcoming behavior and thought I was some sort of freak and some women, of all ages, sizes, and marital status, thought I was flirting with them!

Over the years, this lead me to thinking about comments of Catholics who have left the Church for Protestant churches and the popular non-denominational mega-churches.  These wayward Catholics speak about how welcome they feel their and how nice the parishioners in those churches are from their welcoming committees to their new-member committee and the after-service snacks and socialization.  What is wrong with Catholics who constantly bemoan the loss of members and declining conversions and sustainment of converts?

I write this blog now to recommend to you the article in this current issue of the St. Augustine Catholic entitled “How Welcoming Are You” by Lilla Ross.  As the title suggests, she deals with this very topic.  She relates from a book by Richard McCorry entitled Company’s Coming: A Spiritual Process for Creating More Welcoming Parishes. He has traveled all over the country assisting parishes to become more inviting.  In doing so, he relates that his “common experience is feeling invisible.”

I can attest to that very feeling.  It is not unusual for a visitor to attend a Mass and never speak or have eye contact with another attendee.  This is so true.  We can go to a public social or entertainment event and not have such an isolated experience.  But, we Catholics are going to the celebration of the Mass so why don’t we make all other co-attendees feel the friendship and love of Jesus Christ?  The first step is awareness of this situation and the second step is self-examination of our own facial expression and actions. The third step is to make others aware of this situation. The final step is to change our behavior. And that is the point of this blog, the article and the book.

He directs us to the passage from I Peter 4:9: “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”

Who should do this - everyone.  McCrorry writes that “best welcoming committee is the entire parish.”  You can learn more at www.catholichospitality.com.

Thanksgiving is upon us as is Advent, Christmas and the new year - what a great time to start!  Please join me!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasure

Why American Christians Slept

The title of this blog is a play on the name of a thesis later published as a book by a college student named John F. Kennedy entitled “Why England Slept.”  It was a study about England’s unpreparedness for war with Germany in 1939.  

I am sitting here a couple days after our national election and wondering why American Christians and Catholics slept during this election.  A substantial number did not sleep and worked actively in support of our Catholic beliefs.  But, look at the initial data - less Republicans came out to vote for Romney than they did for McCain;  73% of the non-Cuban Hispanic population voted for Obama; the majority of unmarried women voted for Obama; and, a large number of the Jewish population voted for Obama.  What is going on with this?

In my last blog and earlier blogs on voting, I encouraged people to vote for their beliefs and principles instead of persons and their parochial self-interests.  But, this did not happen.  I am puzzled.  For all of my life, I always heard the saying that people voted their pocketbooks. And, usually, the people in office during economic problems are not elected or re-elected.  Based upon that alone and the dismal failure of the administration in its first term, it seemed like a no-brainer that the incumbent would not be reelected.  So, why did not the Republicans get out and vote for their party’s candidate?  Did they so much believe in this saying that they did not think their vote was necessary?

The Cuban Hispanic vote went by a greater number than the non-Cuban Hispanic population for the challenger.  But, why did the non-Hispanic population vote so overwhelmingly for the incumbent.  They are mostly Catholic or fundamentalist Christians who oppose abortion.  So, did their belief in legalizing illegal immigrants so overwhelm their religious principles?  Apparently, it is so.

Why did single and unmarried women vote for the incumbent by some 63% of their vote?  So, they could obtain insurance coverage for contraception and abortion?  And, because they feel that the incumbent would do more for them?

Another puzzler, the incumbent’s policy towards Israel has been much cooler than in the past and very limp in regard to Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver them.  Yet, I have heard that the American Jewish community supported the incumbent.  It appears to me that is similar to one lamb opening the gate to its cousin lamb’s pen for the wolf.

In the 1960 election, there was the question as to whether or not there was a latent as well as overt anti-Catholic sentiment in the country and, in fact, there was although very few people would admit it.  The question from this election is whether or not there was a latent as well as overt anti-Mormon sentiment reflected in votes against Romney or those who could not bring themselves to vote for him because of his religion and who would not vote for the incumbent.

Another thing that we wonder and, I am sure, they are wondering is why did so many Catholics not follow the leadership of the Church and why did so many fundamentalist Christians not follow the leadership in their respective teachers.  I am sure that they feel like the general who orders a charge only to look behind and discover that his army was not following him.  What is going on?

   

I closed my last pre-election blog by writing - “So, what do we stand for, if anything?  When I hear people talking about their own pedestrian issues instead of their Catholic beliefs, I think of the saying WIIFM - what’s in it for me!  So, the question is will people vote because of what’s in it for them and their pet projects while tossing to the side their religious beliefs?”

Now, we know the answer - WIIFM prevailed.  That is why America slept in this election.  Let us now pray!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Vote your conscience as a Catholic

I voted early the other day after waiting in long line that I have not seen in years.  Yesterday, I reheard the Bishop’s message urging Catholics to vote on this radio station.  Both of these events and what seems like an endless campaign brought me to thinking about the reasons we vote the way we do.  Let’s see - do you vote for a candidate because of his stand for unions and not for his stand favoring abortion?  Do you vote for a candidate for her stand for delivering universal healthcare but ignoring her stand on homosexual marriages and for her stand on compelling company’s to provide contraceptive devices and abortions contrary to Catholic beliefs? 

Do you vote for candidates because of their appearance and/or the way they sound?  Boy, if you do, you would have undoubtedly voted against Abraham Lincoln and you might not have like George Washington’s smile with his wooden teeth!

So, what do we stand for, if anything?  When I hear people talking about their own pedestrian issues instead of their Catholic beliefs, I think of the saying WIIFM - what’s in it for me!  So, the question is will people vote because of what’s in it for them and their pet projects while tossing to the side their Christian beliefs?  Regrettably, that is what happened 4 years ago when 54 per cent of the fundamental Christian and Catholic vote went in favor of the candidate who supported public funding for abortions!!!  How could that be?  It was because of their WIIFM.  Will that happen again in this election? 

Neither the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, church leaders nor I can tell you how to vote.  But we all ask you to vote your Catholic and Christian beliefs when you do vote.  Vote for substantive and meaningful reasons based upon your values and beliefs and not just on superficial and self-serving interests.  By now, you most likely believe that you have heard it all if not too much and are tired of it all.  But, please keep foremost in your mind that your vote is meaningful or I would not be writing this blog on this topic.  You might remember the value of the vote when you think of President Burr, Gore, and Nixon instead of Kennedy in 1960.  Each of these people came within a hair’s breadth of being elected President.  So, voting does matter.

Please do vote and vote your Catholic and Christian values and beliefs in this and in all elections!

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Fortitude from the Holy Spirit

Recently, my niece’s teenage daughter received the Sacrament of Confirmation and she, as well as the family, was very excited to receive it.  That got me to reflecting about the Sacrament of Confirmation and what it means.  I think Confirmation represents fortitude given to us by the Holy Spirit to defend, protect, and evangelize as well as to give us the peace of the Lord.

We all can understand how the Apostles and disciples of Jesus felt after He ascended into heaven after being with Him for some 3 years.  Can you imagine - they had been with the Son of God for that time and He gave them comfort, wisdom, strength and purpose; and, then, He was gone?  We can imagine their uncertainty, fears, anxiety and confusion over what they should do next.  Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit who did come upon them on Pentecost. 

This gave them the fortitude, strength and purpose to spread the Gospel and they did so immediately going out on the street and converting many people to Christianity.  Within a few years, Christians faced the test of ostracization and persecution not only in the Roman Empire but, also, in other places where they went to spread the gospel.  But, fortunately, they had the fortitude of the Holy Spirit to help them.

I think of the fortitude that all of us need to be Christians in the contemporary world.  I think of the challenges that young teenagers face from society as well as their peers to stay strong in their faith.

Do we demonstrate our Christian faith in the smallest of things such as saying grace before meals in public and making the sign of the cross? 

Or, are we embarrassed to do so?  But, we do condone public displays of affection to others.  So, why not public displays of affection to our Lord?  One of my very favorite sayings comes from St. Francis of Assisi to his followers who asked him what they should do when he told them to go out into the streets and villages.  He said, “(p)reach the Gospel!  If necessary, use words.” 

In our daily lives we not only need the peace of the Lord but we, also, need the fortitude to live as practicing Christians.  We are inundated by all sorts of temptations on an unprecedented scale as a result of modern technology.  So, we need this fortitude and comfort offered by the Holy Spirit just as much as the early Christians but in a different way in order to avoid temptation and sin but, also, to evangelize and spread the Gospel without words.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

Being Offended - On My Soapbox!

Being offended has gotten a great deal of attention in the media over the last quarter-century.  This person is offended by this and that person is offended by that, etc.  The end result is that no one wants to offend anyone.  So, this political correctness (pc) causes many people to hide or suppress their real beliefs so they don’t offend anyone and this is especially true of politicians.

Well, guess what?  I am offended.  I am offended by all politicians who fail to stand for their own religious beliefs because they don’t want to “impose” their views on others.  What brought me to discuss this and to be on my high-horse and soap box was Joe Biden’s response in the recent Vice Presidential debate about what his Catholicism means to him.

He spoke about what a devoted Catholic he was and how much it has meant to him during his lifetime.  The, he offended me by saying that in the matter of abortion he does not follow the teachings of his Church in public life because he does not want to “impose” his views on others.  Well, that comment was like a bomb going off under my seat!

In my last blog I wrote that we, Christians, should never be intimidated with the idea of being intolerant when being accused of trying to “impose” our views on theologically unacceptable behavior.

Remember, so were Abraham Lincoln and those who opposed slavery.  They drew the line and what was wrong.  So, should we today. Bishop Sheen wrote that tolerance does not apply to principles.  Remember, also, Biden is the same person who announced this administration’s commitment to same-sex marriage and who has been supported of his administration’s imposition of contraception devices and abortion in healthcare on religious based organizations including his own Church. 

So, in his failure to support his faith, he has opposed its ability to exercise “its free exercise” of beliefs as required by the First Amendment.  Consequently, the question is - do Biden and other leaders like him believe in anything by failing to “impose” or stand up for their own beliefs?  Will they go back to tolerate slavery?  Will they tolerate polygamy as many Muslims practice it in their own countries and allow the immigration of Muslim men with their multiple wives into this country?  Where does it end, Joe and Nancy (Pelosi) and others like you?  Do you believe in anything and will you do anything to be proactive against the policies of your administration on healthcare?

Readers - pardon me for being “offended” and for letting me get on the soapbox this time.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Broadmindedness, Tolerance, and Intolerance - Further Thoughts

In my previous blog on this subject I stated that my observations have led me to the conclusion that Western societies have engaged in self-destructive behavior by their misplaced view of this subject.  So-called political correctness or pc  has developed into a form of pc tyranny.  I quoted at length from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen from his writings some 80 years ago in which he wrote, “America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance - it is not.  It is suffering from tolerance...Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded....There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance is always supposed to be desirable because it is taken to be synonymous with broadmindedness. Intolerance is always supposed to be undesirable, because it is taken to be synonymous with narrow-mindedness. This is not true, for tolerance and intolerance apply to two totally different things. Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles. Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons. We must be tolerant to persons because they are human; we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine.

We must be tolerant to the erring, because ignorance may have led them astray; but we must be intolerant to the error, because Truth is not our making, but God's. And hence the Church in her history, due reparation made, has always welcomed the heretic back into the treasury of her souls, but never his heresy into the treasury of her wisdom.

Unfortunately, pc has caused this confusion to take very regrettable and dangerous turns of events - the killing of the unborn is viewed by many as acceptable and the advertising consultants gave it the attractive name of “pro-choice” instead of pro-abortion; the acceptance of homosexuality unions to be synonymous with the Divine anointment of men and women in “marriage;” the idea that all religions are co-equal contrary to the commandment against false gods; the idea that tolerance applies to principles and to all behavior. The unintended consequences of many of these pc ideas over the last 50 years is manifested by such things as the high number of people living together instead of getting married, the high number of children born out of wedlock, the fact that Protestantism is no longer the largest denomination in the United States because such a large number of people no longer identify themselves with any religion, and the widespread acceptance of homosexual unions being called “marriages.”  Abortions and birth control in Western countries as well as the U. S. and Canada have caused the birthrates in those countries to decline radically. 

On the contrary, Muslims families have large birth rates.   It is in the foreseeable in Western European countries that there will be Muslim majorities.  If so, then what happens?  Will there be an imposition of Shari’a law which forbids the practice of free speech?   The Muslims are not restrained by our ideas of broadmindedness and could outlaw Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and all other faiths.  And, then, look at what has happened and is happening now -  the burnings of Christian churches in the Middle East the persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Do we, as Catholics and Christians, have the fortitude to draw the line?  It seems as though we do not and that our broadmindedness and misplaced tolerance has taken us past the breaking point for this country and the Western world to save itself.  Charles Colson in his book with Harold Fickett The Faith Given Once, For All writes of this - “All societies experience what Lincoln in his Lyceum Address called ‘the silent artillery of time;’ that is, there is built-in inertia as a culture matures.  People get comfortable in their ways and become less creative and inventive - and certainly less adventuresome.  In later generations people lost their drive and become self-indulgent.  Entropy and decadence sets in.”    But, the authors quote Chesterton for the idea that Christians are “change agents” because we are optimists and are always trying to do good things. 

We, Christians, should never be intimidated with the idea of being intolerant when being accused of trying to “impose” our views on theologically unacceptable behavior.  Remember, so were Abraham Lincoln and those who opposed slavery.  They drew the line and that was wrong.  So, must we do so.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Broadmindedness, Tolerance, and Intolerance

One of my closest friends regularly refers to the idea from Ecclesiastes that there is nothing new under the sun.  It is so true.  As I was thinking about this blog about the consequences of misguided broadmindedness, I received an email which contained a quote from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.  A little investigation about the original source document revealed that it was a quote from his 1932 book entitled "Moods and Truth." 

The reasons that I had for writing a blog on this subject has to do with the fact that my observations have led me to the conclusion that Western societies have engaged in self-destructive behavior by their misplaced view of this subject.  It has come to be called political correctness or pc but it has developed into a form of pc tyranny.  I will comment further in another subsequent blog but I don’t think that I can or need to express some key thoughts on the subject better than Bishop Sheen did some 80 years ago.  

The email that I received contained these quotes from this book regarding his assertion about the curse of broadmindedness: “America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance - it is not.  It is suffering from tolerance...Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded.”

He writes further, “There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance is always supposed to be desirable because it is taken to be synonymous with broadmindedness. Intolerance is always supposed to be undesirable, because it is taken to be synonymous with narrow-mindedness. This is not true, for tolerance and intolerance apply to two totally different things. Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles. Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons. We must be tolerant to persons because they are human; we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine. We must be tolerant to the erring, because ignorance may have led them astray; but we must be intolerant to the error, because Truth is not our making, but God's. And hence the Church in her history, due reparation made, has always welcomed the heretic back into the treasury of her souls, but never his heresy into the treasury of her wisdom.

“The Church, like Our Blessed Lord, advocates charity to all persons who disagree with her by word or by violence. Even those who in the strictest sense of the term-are bigots, are to be treated with the utmost kindness. They really do not hate the Church, they hate only what they mistakenly believe to be the Church. If I believed all the lies that are told about the Church, if I gave credence to all the foul stories told about her priesthood and Papacy, if I had been brought up on falsehoods about her teachings and her sacraments, I would probably hate the Church a thousand times more than they do.

“Keeping the distinction well in mind between persons and principles, cast a hurried glance over the general religious conditions of our country. America, it is commonly said, is suffering from intolerance. While there is much want of charity to our fellow-citizens, I believe it is truer to say that America is not suffering so much from intolerance as it is suffering from a false kind of tolerance: tolerance of right and wrong; truth and error; virtue and vice; Christ and chaos. The man, in our country, who can make up his mind and hold to certain truths with all the fervor of his soul, is called narrow-minded, whereas the man who cannot make up his mind is called broadminded.

And now this false broad-mindedness or tolerance of truth and error has carried many minds so far that they say one religion is just as good as another, or that because one contradicts another, therefore, there is no such thing as religion. This is just like concluding that because, in the days of Columbus, some said the world was round and others said it was flat, therefore, there is no world at all.

“Such indifference to the oneness of truth is at the root of all the assumptions so current in present-day thinking that religion is an open question, like the tariff, whereas science is a closed question, like the multiplication table. It is behind that queer kind of broadmindedness which teaches that any one may tell us about God, though it would never admit that any one but a scientist should tell us about an atom.

It has inspired the idea that we should be broad enough to publish our sins to any psychoanalyst living in a glass house, but never so narrow as to tell them to a priest in a confessional box. It has created the general impression that any individual opinion about religion is right, and it has disposed modern minds to accept its religion dished up in the form of articles entitled: "My Idea of Religion," written by any nondescript from a Hollywood movie star to the chief cook of the Ritz-Carlton.

“This kind of broadmindedness which sacrifices principles to whims, dissolves entities into environment, and reduces truth to opinion, is an unmistakable sign of the decay of the logical faculty.”

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Actions of Christians - Christianity in Action

A theme of quite a few of my blogs have to do with actions. Not necessarily just the theological issue of works and faith but, more so, our daily actions as people. The theme of this week’s scriptures at Sunday Mass was that whoever helps another will be rewarded while whoever leads another astray will be punished.  St. Francis would tell his followers to join him in teaching the Gospel and to use words if necessary.

It is very important to act in a civil and, moreover, a Christian way in our daily lives from greeting our family first thing each morning with a smile and throughout the day to all people with whom we are in contact.  At a reception after a dedication ceremony at my parish yesterday after the Mass, I noticed that our Bishop greeted everyone in attendance with a most winning and genuine smile.  I could not help but to think that was leadership in action.  I was considering this blog at the time and knew, at that moment, that I must include that observation of the Bishop in this blog.  He was never aloof but was a most kind and warm shepherd of his flock.  A wonderful example for us all.

It is not a matter of doing great things at all.  It just starts with a smile, being on time, saying please and thank you.  Let me share with you a couple of my favorite sayings of Mother Teresa: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless” and “God doesn’t require us to succeed; He only requires that you try.”  The theme of her life is love - love of God and love of each other.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  Sounds like the theme of the life of our Lord, Jesus.

But, love is meaningless if it is not put into actions on a daily basis.  Not just in great or cosmic actions but in the small acts of our daily life done with the love of God and of each other.  I will close with a final saying of Mother Teresa: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not yet come. We have only today.  Let us begin.”

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasure

Social Civility Observations of the Basics for Christians

This blog arises from observations of the conduct of people in various social and business environments recently and from thinking about what it means to be a Christian.  Will each of us be accurately described as a Christian by our behavior?  Or, will we get to heaven and have St. Peter ask us why we failed to act as a Christian during our lives?

This is not a theological blog as much as it is a practical one.  What are the basics in social conduct for a Christian?  Dan Sullivan and Babs Smith, the founders of The Strategic Coach, have maintained that the basics of civilized human behavior lie are: always being on time, always saying  please and always saying thank you.  Simple enough, isn’t it?  But why do so many people, ostensibly Christian, not regularly do these?  This behavior does not even get even get into the 10 Commandments but arise from the from the second great commandment to “treat others as you treat yourself” or, put another way in the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Yet, inexplicably, so many Christians put this aside when they leave church.  Perhaps, they conduct themselves by these principles with family and friends but not with others.

My observations include drivers cutting other drivers off while driving, people so busy with Ipods and  cell phones that they ignore the people around them and treat them rudely as a result, people always in a hurry (by the way, why are they in a hurry?) and cutting in front of others in line and numerous other un-Christian like behavior.  So, are all these people not really Christians or are they Christians who make the choice not to act as Christians?  I suspect that they think that they are Christian but get so self-absorbed in their own lives that they “forget” to act with the basics of social civility of all people and Christians, in particular.

I bring this up to remind everyone of these basics.  I know that we like and respect those people who treat us with the basics and we are appreciated more when we act by these basics.  So, let’s do it all the time. Let’s be aware of our actions, of our words, and act as Christians not only in the parking lot at church but, also, everywhere.  In other words, keep a high level of self-awareness of your social civility as a Christian.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Attention to Priests, Clergy, Church Leaders: Incredible Impact!

This blog is being written as a notice and warning to priests, clergy and church leaders of all kinds.

You have an incalculable impact on the souls of all people - Catholic and non-Catholic alike.  Unfortunately, few of you will read this blog but I put it our there anyway in the hope that it will reach some of you.

The reason for this blog does not arise out of the actions of anyone in this diocese but from an event in a church in another part of this country.  However, it does move me to write this blog as I hear so many stories about the good and bad impact of this category of leaders.  In this particular instance, a new pastor was assigned to be the pastor at a really solid parish.  No sooner does he unpack than he immediately starts making changes of long-standing practices in the parish and even goes to the home of the volunteer, non-paid, head usher and threatens to fire him if he cannot control some of the parishioners.  At another parish across country, another pastor comes in and makes dictatorial changes that are offensive to the parishioners.  Fortunately, the latter was moved to an administrative, non-pastoral position. 

Over the years, we have all heard many stories of offensive actions and statements by people in this category who alienate and offend Catholics and non-Catholics.  These cause the non-Catholics not to come forth and the Catholics to leave the faith.  So, please, priests, clergy and lay Catholic leaders from all ministries pay attention - you have a great impact on people on a daily basis.  And, this impact affects their souls.  Here we are evangelizing to retain Catholics, to encourage non-practicing Catholics to regularly practice their faith, and to non-Catholics to participate in our wonderful faith.  Don’t undo these good works by acting like a bull in a china shop.  Watch what you say as well as do and, certainly, do not gossip or say frivolous things subject to easy misunderstanding.  Be the living example of Jesus in all respects with care and understanding in your works and actions. And, be aware of the impact that your words and actions have on anyone who observes and/or listens.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasure

The Rewards from Joyful Giving

The theme of the Queen of Peace Radio fall 2012 share-a-thon that just ended yesterday was joyful giving based upon the idea that we should give with a joyful heart.  We did not want to use guilt techniques to get people to give, to talk about such ideas as “your fair share,” or to induce people to give because there was a tax deduction.  Not at all.  We wanted to follow up on the ideas from my last blog about giving because the listeners believe in this ministry.

During the slow period of yesterday during a storm front moving over the station studios, the volunteers, me included, had an opportunity to discuss our faith, works, theology, history, current events regarding the encroachment of the federal government on our First Amendment Rights and its implications, the trends of recent years regarding attendance at church services and trends of family life, marriage, divorce, living together, same sex union and a myriad of other topics.  Afterwards, Tom and I lamented that we had not broadcast this impromptu discussion on air since it was so broad-ranging, thoughtful, intelligent, and scriptural.

 It impressed us about the very high quality of talent, education and training of the volunteers who come to answer the telephones to take your calls and pledges.

 They are authors, business executives, entrepreneurs, some highly educated and intelligent as well as all of us from all walks of lives including mothers, students, retirees, immigrants, cradle Catholics, revert Catholics, and non-Catholics - a real richness of the range of the composition of our Church and community.  What a richness! 

All the volunteers, not only were they financial donors to Queen of Peace Radio but, also, they were giving of their valuable time and talent.  Interestingly, they were not there to get a take-away from their help but they were there because they  believe in this ministry and knew of the value and impact that it has on them as well as other listeners.  In the process of giving, we all had an incredible unintended reward from God - we were all enriched by each other and the experience of our involvement of being in the process of soliciting money for this ministry. We heard from our listeners who told us wonderful stories about how this Catholic radio station brought to them messages to help their faith from all ranges of belief, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

So, everyone came away with rewards of immeasurable value - not in money - but of a great and deep spiritual richness. 

For this, I thank God and we, the Board of Directors of Queen of Peace Radio, thank everyone who participated in this share-a-thon and, in particular, we, again, give special thanks to Tom Moran, our General Manager, who always overcomes the obstacles to produce another successful share-a-thon as he did again this week.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

Gratitude

Thank you.  Thank you for your support of this lay Catholic radio ministry!

In the next few days, we will be having our semi-annual share-a-thon to ask you again for your financial support to keep this ministry on the air.  This is not a capital campaign where we can show you the fruits of your donations.  It is a campaign to ask you to pay for the bills such as utilities, payroll for one employee, the monthly mortgage payment and the other many bills such as our contract radio engineer who keeps our signal going out to you and the maintenance expenses.  All of these add up quickly and significantly but, nevertheless, we run a lean and mean operation that is often cited to others around the country on how to run a high-quality Christian Catholic radio ministry on the cheap.  Come to the station during the share-a-thon this week to see for yourself. We have now been doing this for over 16 years and are very grateful for your support.

The results or ROI (return on investment) are amazing and miraculous.  And, this last statement comes from a critical and analytical person as me who will always ask “prove it” or “where’s the beef?”  The results are not financial but are inspirational and soul-saving.  We can not measure the number of people who daily get spiritual comfort from our ministry not to mention the converts and reverts that we have had.  It does not measure the many people of all faiths who listen.  And, we know that because many of these people have told us by calling in or by writing to us.  And, most of those have also contributed to our support.

I, with all the hats that I wear for this ministry, do not ask you to contribute to sacrifice, to get tax deductions, to shame you or to guilt you.  But, you will hear me ask, implore, and beg of you to contribute because you believe in it and because of your faith and your firm conviction to spread it - to evangelize your faith.  A reading this weekend was from James 2: 14-18 from which I partially quote “What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works?...So, by faith itself, if it has not works, is dead.”  Therefore, I ask you to support this ministry with your time, talent and treasure.  Come to help us during these share-a-thons or in other capacities to joyfully assist us.  And, of course, we welcome your financial support.  Please show your belief in this ministry and your faith by making a contribution.  For each of you listeners and supporters, we appreciate you and treasure you very much and we are very much grateful for you and what you do.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer

9-11-12 Deja Vu

A few days ago, we took the time to reflect upon the events of 11 years ago.  Then, the actions of that anniversary have shocked us all over again.  Is this deja vu all over again as the famous Yogi Berra would put it?  The Muslim world in the Middle East is in an uproar ostensibly over a movie that may or may not even exist which allegedly is critical of the prophet Mohammed.  Demands are made from abroad to curtail the First Amendment rights of Americans to prohibit criticism of Mohammed or the Muslim faith.

Well, these new attacks and protests which appear to be led by Al Qaeda leaders to avenge the death of Osama Bin Ladin again put strains on the Western World and the relations between non-Muslims and Muslims.  Our Bishop, Felipe Estevez, properly asserted in his recent 9-11 message that we, Catholics, reject extreme ideologies while embracing all people of all faiths.  How should we view and deal with Muslims when they seem to embrace terrorism against us?

A couple of days ago, an American of Egyptian birth who immigrated here over a quarter century before, called the Neal Boortz radio show to apologize, on behalf of all mainstream Muslims, for the attacks of 9-11-01 and the attacks of this week.  He explained with great clarity, as did another Muslim caller, that the majority of mainstream Muslims reject terrorism and such extreme actions.  He pointed out that these extremist are not correctly taught Islam and do not know it well at all.  But, they are duped by their leaders into emotional anti-Israeli and anti-American frenzies to further the agenda of their leaders. 

The problem we have had in being more loving towards our Muslim brothers and sisters may lie in our media.  Our media loves to show conflict in order to get readers and listeners.  So, they, apparently, do not consider it important to report on how the vast majority of Muslims do not support extreme terrorist activities.  It is vitally important to the cause of truth and for us to have the correct view of Muslims to know this. 

The second danger we have is to give into demands that we change our American way of life, especially, our First Amendment rights to free speech, to shut down any criticisms of Mohammed the prophet or Islam.  All religions from Judaism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism and many others have all been subject to media criticisms and inaccurate accounts.  But, it is a small price to pay for the greater good to protect our rights to protest the government openly when it infringes on our other First Amendment rights to the free exercise of our religious beliefs.

We must have fortitude to get through these times and we must, as our Bishop directs, to embrace all peoples of all faiths. Again, pray for those who suffered and died and for their families and friends, and assess your own reaction and your own faith.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer