Success & Faith, an inspirational series published in Maria News Magazine, is pleased to present a Q and A with LifeSiteNews.com co-founder, John-Henry Westen.

How did Life Site News get started?

For my part, I came to join the pro-life movement in what I feel was a direct call from God. I had graduated from the University of Toronto with an M.A. in child clinical psychology and had a scholarship to do the PhD. However, I did not feel called to go on [with my education]. Newly married, I assured my then Protestant wife that St. Joseph would surely find me work. The year was 1995 and we were visiting my in-laws at their summer cottage. I attended daily Mass and was able to say a rather lengthy thanksgiving after Holy Communion. When I was ready to go, the Church was normally deserted. This one day however, when I looked up there was a young woman in my isle with a head-covering. The priest came by and introduced us. She was waiting for me on the steps of the Church and the very first thing she said to me was “Do you have a job?” I was dumb-struck for a moment, knowing that what ever was going on was from God. “Um, well no,” I replied. “Good,” she said. “I have a job for you.”

She told me that Canada’s pro-life newspaper needed people to sell the paper and gave me contact information for the paper’s distribution manager. I didn’t stop to consider the circumstances but instead raced back to my in-laws to blast to my wife the amazing news of God’s call for me to this new work. Reality set in rather quickly when I informed my wife of the position. “You mean to tell me you gave up seven years of post-secondary education and a PhD scholarship so you could become a paper boy?” she told me with evident displeasure. However, as I felt this was a call from God, I set about trying to sell subscriptions to the paper, with a relatively small readership of some 30,000 across Canada. In the week before my interview I was able to sell only five subscriptions, which would have garnered me some $50 in commission. Nevertheless, I drove the three hours to Toronto for my interview and after it was done, I was asked if I’d like to meet Jim Hughes, the National President of Campaign Life Coalition, the largest pro-life group in the country.

It was a strange first meeting. As I approached Jim (he was at the back of a local restaurant at the time) he didn’t look at all pleased with seeing me. When I got to him his first words to me were “What the hell is this?” as he tossed onto the table a bunch of papers. I looked down to see my resume, and so I replied to that effect. “Are you for real?!,” was his only reply as he picked up and began to leaf through the papers. He read off my credentials, my academic awards and scholarships, my having worked as a researcher at University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, and for a short stint at the University of Florence in Italy, and then said with obvious mistrust, something to the effect of “all of this and you want to sell the paper for us?”

As he walked me back to his office, he explained that I could, in fact, work for him, but I would definitely not be selling the paper. He set me on to research projects of various kinds, an area where I was most comfortable as that had been my main occupation in my educational career. Those research reports were conducted first in libraries then on the Internet and sent out via email and as their frequency increased they became a regular email, Campaign Life Coalition News or CLC News it was called.

In 1997, one of Jim’s closest associates at CLC, Steve Jalsevac was asked to do a website for the organization and so LifeSite was born. My CLC News became the news section of the LifeSite webpage and was a sort-of under the mast-head of The Interim – the pro-life newspaper I was told to sell. Years later as the news became the main focus of the website and grew wildly in popularity, LifeSiteNews emerged as its own entity eventually separating from Campaign Life Coalition and The Interim. It is now separately incorporated both in Canada and the United States, with offices and staff in both nations. Additionally LifeSiteNews has reporters in Rome, Mexico and France.

How many page views does the site get per month? Where are your readers from?

Just last month we had 927,346 page views, so we at nearly 1 million per month.    In this past year we had readers from 225 different countries. While over half of our readers are in the U.S. and one fifth from Canada, we are quite popular in the UK, Australia, the Philippines, Ireland, India, Italy, Germany, and Brazil.

What kind of a role does faith play in your daily and business lives?

Faith is the whole reason for my life as I see it. It serves as my rock of stability. I go to Jesus through Mary since this was the means of my conversion to Christ – St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. The Rosary is also a daily practice for me as it is a beautiful meditation on the life of Christ through the eyes of His Mother. I am blessed to be able to attend Mass daily which I feel is nearly a necessity for me, it unites me with my Savior without Whom I would already be doomed to hell. Also prayer is a daily guide for all the staff at LSN we begin every meeting and conference call with prayer. I regularly encourage the staff to keep Christ first and foremost in this work, and they remind me too.

How do you juggle the responsibilities of business and family?

That is tough. I have a large and young family and very demanding work. I work from home and my work is also my hobby, so I spend what would normally be commuting time and hobby time at this. Also, My family is part of my work; we often use my trips away to conferences or speaking engagements as “family vacations.” We have very often “camped,” all nine of us, in a single hotel room, where the children have a pool for entertainment, meals, and Mass all in the same place.

At home, I like to get up with the children in the mornings to give my wife a chance to rest. I work at home and my children are home schooled, so we are able to spend much time together.  Dinners are a family affair, we have time to read to the children, and in the warmer months, play outside and do sports.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs trying to launch a business?

Look for the Lord’s Will in your life. Let Him guide you in all things, business included, leave nothing from Him.

Know that any business means hard work, but all work can be offered up as a sacrifice in union with the Ultimate Sacrifice of Calvary.

In the midst of all the business don’t forget your faith and family.  Since as the Lord said, “For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mat 16:26)

Is there anything else big in the works?

Right now LifeSiteNews is having to deal with a $500,000 lawsuit launched by a Quebec priest-turned-politician. He did not appreciate LifeSiteNews broadcasting his statements opposing legal protection for children in the womb and taking issue with the Vatican on homosexuality. Many readers expressed their concerns to the Vatican and other Church authorities. He was eventually forced from politics after the Vatican took action to compel his bishop’s hand in the matter.

How can our readers help the pro-life movement or Life Site News?

Subscribe to LSN and take action on the many opportunities. Donate if you feel so called, but please keep our writers and staff in your prayers.

Consider seriously giving your lives to the pro-life movement. This war against children in the womb has been raging for decades and most are not recognizing it. Abortion’s victims are not only the children in the womb, but also the mothers and fathers who undergo it, the doctors who carry it out, and our whole society which approves it. As the Scriptures say, “Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them” (Rom 1:32).

The culture of death is a struggle which all of us face. In deciding what you wear, and what you watch, you are – whether you know it or not – already taking sides in the culture war.

———————————————————————————————————

Interview conducted by Royce Hood / Maria News Magazine, featured in Issue 3.

Special Thanks for Mr. Westen for taking the time to answer our questions!

For More information on how to support the Pro Life Movement, please visit www.LifeSiteNews.com

Vatican City, May 21, 2011 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI’s planned satellite address to the crew of the International Space Station is a reminder of the humanity of astronauts and of the God-given curiosity that drives mankind to explore, Vatican astronomer Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., said.

“The astronauts are not just robots collecting data; they are people, people like us. And we human beings are motivated to study the universe, and to live and explore in new and exciting places, precisely because of our very human desire to know about and enjoy this creation,” Br. Consolmagno told CNA on May 20.

The Pope’s address reminds us of “the wonderful human side” of exploring astronomy and space, he added.

Pope Benedict will address the space station at 7:11 a.m. Eastern Time on May 21. He will particularly address the two Italian astronauts, Paolo Nespoli and Roberto Vittori. Vittori arrived at the station on the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour, which launched its final mission on May 16.

The event will be streamed live on the internet at the Vatican Radio-CTV website.

Br. Consolmagno said the broadcast had precedent in Pope Paul VI’s direct television linkup to the Apollo 11 astronauts who landed on the moon in 1969.

Though the Vatican astronomer was unsure whether the message was delivered directly to the astronauts, the Pope’s speech read:

“Honor, greetings, and blessings to you, conquerors of the Moon, pale lamp of our nights and our dreams! Bring to her, with your living presence, the voice of the Spirit, a hymn to God our Creator and our Father.

“We are close to you, with our good wishes and all our prayers. Together with the whole Catholic Church, Pope Paul the Sixth greets you.”

The Jesuit astronomer noted Pope Benedict has previously discussed his predecessor, Sylvester II, an astronomer and notable mathematician of the tenth century. Sylvester introduced much Arabic knowledge into the Christian world, including Arabic numerals, the abacus and the armillary sphere.

Br. Consolmagno explained that the desire to know and explore is at its base “a hunger for God.”

“Curiosity is a gift of God, and the ability to satisfy that curiosity with our ability to do science is a particularly human gift,” he said. “St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that from the beginning of time, God reveals Himself to us in the things he has created.”

“Even a scientist who might think of himself as an atheist, is nonetheless driven by this desire, and is hungry to know the truth. They too worship Truth. Studying the universe, finding that Truth, is an act of worship.”

The shuttle Endeavor’s final mission will last 16 days. The shuttle brought an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and a pallet loaded with spare parts to the International Space Station. NASA says the spectrometer is “a cutting-edge physics experiment designed to look for anti-matter in the cosmos and perhaps unlock the mystery of what makes up most of the mass in the universe.”

Endeavour’s mission commander, Mark Kelley, is the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was severely wounded in an Arizona shooting in January.

Source: CatholicNewsAgency.com

The Stuff Saints Are Made Of: Blessed John Henry Newman and St. John Fisher

By Richard Wimer, LC

“No one can have a more unfavourable view than I of the present state of the Roman Catholics,” stated the then Anglican priest John Henry Newman (1801-1890) on the eve of his conversion to the Catholic Church. His feelings opposed, he saw the sad situation of the Church yet he knew her to be the true bride; he felt no desire to give up friends, position, and his old life yet he did; he admired few, if any, Catholics, but he became one. He believed, so he acted.  This was no convenient choice. It would have been easy to justify his conscience because he was doing wonderful works of God where he was. He was a zealous young Anglican priest whose priority was the care of souls in Oxford University, working with the students and leading them to Christ. He was a leading figure in the renewal movement for Anglican Church, a fabulous preacher, well known and loved by countless. Then suddenly he was Catholic. Overnight he became an apparent enemy to all in his previous life.

The ship of his life was not tossed about with the rudder of how he felt, the approval of others, or personal ambition, rather his guide was the kind light of truth amid the encircling gloom. Truth was his criterion with which he measured his decisions, not the changing fads of the day, not one day Anglican, another Buddhist, and yet another Muslim, then at the end to top it all off an Agnostic. Nor did he run when the life-changing implications of truth knocked on his door. This is the stuff saints are made of.

Another great British saint who bears the same name and rank of Cardinal, St John Fisher (1459-1535), shared the same spirit as he publicly opposed Henry VIII’s unlawful divorce and re-marriage just as the Baptist did to King Herod. But why did he make so much fuss? It was just about a marriage. Today with the fad of co-habitation, the more than fifty percent of marriages ending in divorce, and all the crass private lives of countless Hollywood stars that dominate in newspapers and TV program, how ridiculous it would be to defend traditional marriage. Fisher believed in the sacredness of marriage. Be he king or pauper, no man has right to wave aside its value on the rush of a whim, on the desire for a new experience or spouse. And when King Henry decided to proclaim himself sole head of the Church of England in 1531 the rest of the bishops signed the document while St John refused, at the cost of his very life. All he needed to do was be silent, turn a blind eye to the actions of the king, not get involved by pleading the cause of the rightful wife of Henry, Queen Catherine of Aragon, and everything would have been alright. A little signature to the royal decree and all would have been healed again. A little concession to his conscience and he would have retained his head. But that is not the stuff of saints.

The Saint is no intellectual lightweight, no flimsy willow blowing at the least breeze on a sunny day.  Rather he rises like the oak upon the mountaintop that stands amid the gales, or the rock that juts out of the sea while crashed upon by the surging waves and swelling tides. The raging royal anger of Henry did not daunt St Fisher, nor did the intellectual snobbery of the age and loss of social prestige budged Blessed John Newman from his resolve. They chose to ride the storm of time and misfortunes to come forth heroes, while those who swayed and faltered amidst the strife are unknown, forgotten.

The saint does not sacrifice the truth in the face of prevailing opinion, criticism, or acclaim. Do does not fall for the trap of human respect or waver under the mighty name of tolerance. He cannot serve both God and mammon.

Countless men marginalize the truth. They cut it down and trim it to size like a tailored suit. The courage to be a hero, to build their life not on the shifting sands of opinion and fads but on the rock of truth escapes them. They do not receive the joy of chancing the tides, of riding the rugged storm, of coming forth a champion and a hero. They choose to wait. They choose to dig their head in the sand wishing to see the world change by a miracle without lifting a finger to change it. They choose to see what the others are doing, afraid to be squashed as they stand up against the Goliath of prevailing opinions. They are neither hot nor cold, just decent people, never did anything really bad, but nothing worthy of merit. They are the forgotten masses who have no face and no name for they feared to rise above counting the cost.

But not the saints. They are the men who having risked it all on the gamble of truth and have come forth victorious. For St. John Fisher the price he paid was his blood spilled upon the scaffold of London that warm summer’s day of June 1535 as the executioner swung his axe. As for John Henry Newman, the man the Church beatified recently, he scorned career, positions, possibilities, and fame to embrace the truth. This is the stuff saints are made of.

Marching for Life
By John Mahoney
Contributor | Naples, FL
Article featured in Issue 3 of Maria News Magazine

When I left Florida for Washington D.C. in the middle of January, I made sure to prepare physically by packing lots of warm clothing, but as I sat on the plane I wondered whether I was ready emotionally for experience that lay ahead in the land of our forefathers.

There was an aura of excitement as we landed in our Nation’s Capital. Fifty Ave Maria Law students including myself were eager to proudly March for Life! We were ready to make history yet again in the annual gathering of Pro-Life protestors expressing their grievances towards current abortion policy. Marching through the city to the steps of the Supreme Court is a very popular and powerful form of protest, especially when 400,000 people show up to participate. The march was scheduled for Monday, but since we arrived on Saturday we filled the time with other adventures and educational endeavors.

Our first night in town, we were invited to an exclusive Ave Maria Law alumni gathering at the famous National Press Club. The Club is located in the National Press Building and is renowned for its legacy of visits by U.S. Presidents and other distinguished diplomats the world over. When we first entered the club, we were greeted by security that directed us onto a secret elevator and went to the highest floor of this huge building. This meeting was a great opportunity to network and overall a very classy way to start our D.C trip.

Sunday’s itinerary had several options and our team leaders neatly compiled a list of recommended activities and directions to reach these destinations. Not wanting to waste a single moment of the day, I chose to attend an early morning Mass with several other classmates at a small Church across the Potomac River. Immediately afterwards, we explored the historic campus of Georgetown University. The school is over 200 years old and the cold campus air smelled of accomplishment and the buildings were very distinguished looking as if they had only ripened with age.

Sunday afternoon arrived and we took the Metro to a Convention Center where my classmates and I sat together in a small personal meeting room as Congressman Chris Smith delivered a very powerful and compelling speech. He geared his address towards the legal arguments that support the pro-life movement. “We will win in the law […] so let’s keep chipping away until the walls of injustice crumble,” he opened. He continued the discussion by paralleling our countries current pro-choice policies with that of China’s current one child per family laws. China is currently having a difficult time keeping an equal female to male population, and if this trend continues it ,will lead to millions of Chinese men unable to find wives. He then described several legal solutions that could solve our countries abortion problem, but he cautiously reminded us that the women who choose abortion are not evil, but the industry soliciting and performing abortions that is the evil. He concluded by charging us, the law students, with helping solve this problem because one good lawyer can make a difference in this fight, but a great group of lawyers can change history! This was a truly moving speaking engagement and we were all very touched.

March Monday had finally arrived, a day that our school had planned and prepared for all year long. The hours of prayer and the fervent fundraising efforts had finally paid off and we were now on our way to meet the crowds at the historic National Mall. Weather reports were predicting a chilly afternoon in downtown D.C. so we brought warm hats and gloves along with our rosaries. The outdoor mall seemed to stretch for miles and it looked like every inch was jam-packed with an array of Pro-Life supporters. There was so much diversity present as I saw people of all different ages, genders, and races. It also appeared that some of these people had traveled from all over the world. Although, I think the young people (of college and high school age) were the most prominent group. Overall, this was truly an incredible example of organization and cooperation. Everyone was energized and excited despite the bitter coldness of the day.

Now, there was a giant stage area set up at the end of the National Mall closest to the capital building. This is where they were hosting what I called a “Pro-life Pep Rally,” where the leaders, collaborators, and other distinguished orators of the movement gave inspirational speeches to the protestors. The speeches were a mix of emotion, passion, morality, and politics which uplifted the spirits of the crowd and got everyone ready to march to the steps of the Supreme Court and demand justice. Our group, Ave Maria School of Law, was very close to the starting point since we were asked to be one of the first groups to march down Constitution Avenue. After a few hours, the speeches were over and the march was readied for action.

Some of my classmates had the honor of carrying the official parade flags, which marked the beginning of the marching line. Following directly behind them was a handful of prominent Politicians who came to show support for the cause. This also served as a reminder that there are pro-life government representatives who remained strong. Once the political officials were settled in, our group took its place line. We didn’t stay in third place for long though, as immediately after we lined up we were being pushed backwards to make room for another group. This mysterious group dawned all black attire and very sullen faces, they forced their way into the line, which was now getting crazier as the crowd started packing in like sardines. I was beginning to get a bit agitated when one of the sad women in black turned around and said to me “I really hate the fact that we have to squeeze in front of you happy young kids, it kills me inside.” Then this woman proceeded to show me a sign she was holding that read, “I regret my abortion!” I was instantly overcome with a mixed array of emotions. I felt bad for her and angry at the same time, it was a very morally confusing. After a moment, I came to and realized that these feelings were in essence the nature of the pro-life battle. Then, as this woman turned back around, the crowd began to move forward and the March for Life was officially beginning.

The actual walk from the National Mall to the Supreme Court was only about a mile and a half, but seemed much longer because of the snail-like pace at which we inched forward. There was a heavy police force put in place to protect and direct the crowd, but I did not notice any pro-choice opposition present. I did take note of the many priests and clergy who had gathered groups to walk together in deep prayer. I also witnessed some wild teens walking while singing in unison to songs blaring from an iPod. There was literally a wall of people moving down the street and I couldn’t help but feel happy being surrounded by so many people supporting the same cause. I also felt very patriotic as we walked by all the official Senate buildings. I noticed that one Senator was standing outside on the balcony with his family waving to us as we marched on. I felt the presence of the Holy Mother all around me so I silently said a Hail Mary and proceeded to climb the steep road that led to the Supreme Court.

I was pushed all the way up to the steps of the Supreme Court building before being ushered onwards down the street to keep the flow of traffic moving. In the hysteria of the March, I had lost my group and wasn’t quite sure if the March was over now. This was a very anti-climatic ending to a very emotional experience; I didn’t receive a hand-shake or even a pat on the back for what I had done. This bummed me out because I wanted to feel like I had accomplished something. But maybe point of all this was to address the huge problem in our country and wasn’t a celebration. This march was about the persecution of the fetal livelihood. I regained my happiness that I had marched and that I had stood up for what was right, but even as I found my group again, I wondered if a fetus in was being aborted somewhere at that very moment. It was honestly a bittersweet moment for all of us, and as we left together, we felt a little heavy. Although the March was over, the fight was still going on and we were right in the center of ground zero. The congratulations we received were not a nice hallmark card, but a draft card, enlisting us in the army of advocates that seek to protect the unborn life. This year’s March for Life may have ended at the steps to the Supreme Court, but one day we pray that the battle will be won inside the building.

Even though I didn’t buy any souvenirs, I did gain something much greater, a cause for life. I now possess a deeper level of appreciation for life and gained much respect for those who dedicate their time to help in these enormous efforts. As we boarded the plane back to Florida, we reflected on the intense weekend we had just shared. The words of the Congressman had tuned our ears to the harsh realities of this struggle and the actual March revealed the true pain of the entire country. The plane was a bit heavier on the way back because of the extra luggage we now carried in our hearts.

When a man takes an oath
By Kevin H. Govern, Associate Professor, Ave Maria School of Law
Contributor | Naples, Florida
Article featured in Issue 3 of Maria News Magazine

“When a man takes an oath […] he’s holding his own self in his hands. Like water (he cups his hands). And if he opens his fingers then — he needn’t hope to find himself again” (1).

On 14 April 1534, St. Thomas More was summoned to Lambeth to take an oath under the Act of Succession; where on his refusal, he was committed to the custody of the Abbot of Westminster. Four days later he was removed to the Tower, and by the following summer, he was martyred.

St. Thomas More sacrificed his life in an effort to remain “the King’s good servant, but God’s first,” refusing to alter the order of his allegiance if only by words (2). The trials he faced demonstrate but one instance of the personal and spiritual connection that binds an individual to his or her oath, and the extensive prescriptions and proscriptions of truth-telling and oath-taking remain an important facet of many systems of belief. This article will review a bit of the history behind Christian sacraments, along with the similarities and differences between the Judeo-Christian notions of oath-taking and those of Islam, and the significance of such differences in regard to current policy considerations and issues within the U.S. legal system.

As far back as early Roman civilization, an oath has been acknowledged as invoking a higher authority to witness an individual’s statement. This distinguishes the idea of an oath from that of a mere promise, granting it greater significance based on both its sacred nature and the magnitude of the consequences faced if it is not maintained. While a promise is limited by certain boundaries, an oath represents an ongoing personal commitment with serious implications, placing a tremendous emphasis on the importance of an individual’s word. A Roman citizen, for example, could only become a Roman soldier via an oath of allegiance, or sacramentum. After this allegiance had been sworn, he could only be released from the sacramentum by two things: death or demobilization. Further, without taking this oath, a Roman citizen could not gain the authority granted to a soldier, including the ability to free oneself from the constraints of their conscience and from personal responsibility for their actions. Once an oath of allegiance had been taken, a Roman soldier, acting at the will of the General, could claim a defense of “superior orders” such that as the General’s agent, he would bear no responsibility for the actions he would commit for the General. Even the garments worn by a legionary, a blood red tunic, were intended to denote that the blood of the vanquished would not stain him (3).

It wasn’t until the time of the governor Pliny in roughly 112 (AD), that the term “sacrament” was first applied to Christian practices. It is believed that Pliny misunderstood Christian sacraments to be oaths not to commit crime (4). The Greek mysterion, or divine plan, was translated into the Latin sacramentum, and the practices of Baptism and Eucharist became designated as sacraments. In addition to the Judeo-Christian traditions of oath-taking (Genesis 21:23-24; Joshua 2:12, 23:7; 1 Samuel 30:15; 2 Samuel 19:7; 1 Kings 2:42; Psalm 63:11; Jeremiah 12:16; Amos 8:14; Zephaniah 1:5; Deuteronomy 6:13), consider the following passage pertaining to vows and the significance of King Solomon’s own word from Ecclesiastes 5:2-7:
“Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”

Consider, too these words of wisdom from James to those nascent followers of Christ, instructing them to follow both the letter and the spirit of the law in their word and deed:
“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” (James 5:12).

Christ’s exhortations to keep one’s word echoed the divinely inspired wisdom of prophets and wise men before the coming of the Savior:
“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (HYPERLINK “http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/23526/eVerseID/23526″Matthew 12:36).

An emphasis on keeping one’s oath is common among many religions; however, the presence or absence of this characteristic in the Islamic faith has recently been a topic of debate. Islam, as a religion and philosophy, is based upon the belief that God (Allah) transmitted knowledge to Muhammad (570–632 AD) and other prophets. No oath is to be taken lightly by any Muslim, and all should be done only in the name of Allah, lest the oath-taker commits shirk, or apostasy, for which the penalty is death. Nonetheless, non-Muslims considering the Muslim perspective of oath-taking (and breaking) may view it as being “voidable” insofar as impossibility that prevents adherence to the oath can be seen as excusing performance. This perspective has caused some non-Muslims to question the credibility of oaths taken by those who proscribe to the Islamic faith, as evidenced by recent controversial events. In early 2007, for example, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress, was permitted to swear in on a Quran rather than the Bible. Those opposed to this action cited several passages of the Quran in an effort to denounce the Islamic conceptualization of an oath as running contrary to fairness, human rights, and a democratic system of government (6). One passage commonly utilized to support this argument is Surah 5:89, which instructs Muslim individuals that a futile oath may be disregarded and a deliberate oath expiated. One translation of this passage reads:
“Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His signs, that ye may be grateful” (7).

Another passage cited to is Surah 2:225, which states that “Allah will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts; and He is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.” Those opposed to using the Quran for oath-taking procedures have argued that the Islamic faith extends beyond personal spirituality and proscribes notions of social and political significance as well (8). References have been made to Muhammad dissolving his formal treaty with the pagans at Mecca in support of this claim. In regard to this action, the Quran states that “freedom from obligation [is proclaimed] from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom he made a treaty.” (Surah 9:1).

The opposing viewpoint on this issue also received much attention in 2007, when a case decided by Wake Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway permitted Muslim individuals to swear on the Quran prior to serving as a witness in any North Carolina court. The case allowed not only the use of the Quran, but also other religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible. In support of his decision, the judge noted that “the highest aim of every legal contest is the search for truth” (9). When considering this viewpoint it is important to note that many Muslim traditions prohibit swearing by anything other than the name of Allah, and that such oaths may even be viewed as Haraam, or forbidden (10). When viewed in conjunction with the Federal Rules of Evidence, which provide that an oath should be “administered in a form calculated to awaken the witness’ conscience and impress the witness’ mind,” it becomes evident why the use of the Quran may be viewed by some as best furthering the truth-seeking interest of the court (11). In addition, an examination of passages from both Judeo-Christian and Islamic texts reveals that comparable ideas on the subject of maintaining one’s oath do in fact exist across religions, specifically at a personal level. Both texts instruct their followers to speak the truth, highlighting the spiritual consequences of not adhering to this rule. Surah 48:10, for instance, states that “any one who violates his oath does so to the harm of his own soul,” a notion similar to that expressed in Matthew 12:36 that “for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Insight into the cross-cultural emphasis on personal responsibility can be found in the origins of oath-taking and their historical relation to the Christian sacraments. This may perhaps be best articulated by the adage sacramenta pro propulo, or “sacraments exist for people,” which, as expressed by one author, conveys the idea that “sacraments are intended to better humans as human” (12). Among the varying definitions of an oath across religions, consistency may be found in the common desire among all to maintain and uphold the sanctity of their faith. In a discussion of St. Thomas More’s life as a “servant of the truth,” Yves Congar writes, “for this sacrament […] we have less resources than for any other reality, because our conviction of its truth depends upon faith alone” (13).

Endnotes
(I) Bolt, Robert. A Man For All Seasons. 1990. Vintage International, New York.
(2) http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/moreburnet.htm
(3) http://www.roman-empire.net/army/becoming.html
(4) http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-sacraments.html
(5) http://lexpres.org/pdfs_other/Sacraments-brief-history.pdf
(6) http://www.muhammadanism.org/Government/islam_quran_oath_congress.pdf
(7) http://www.muslimaccess.com/quran/arabic/002.asp
(8) http://www.muhammadanism.org/Government/islam_quran_oath_congress.pdf
(9) http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/258480/north_caroline_judge_rules_that_religious.html?cat=17
(10) Attributed to Fat’hol- Bari, in Islam: The Qur’an, Oath of Office and the U.S. Congress
(11) http://article.nationalreview.com/299598/oh-say-can-you-swear-on-a-koran/eugene-volokh
(12) Bernard J. Cooke, Sacraments and Sacramentality (7th ed.) (2006).
(13) http://www.domcentral.org/preach/tasermons/4sermons2.htm

Man vs. Wild: A Topsy-turvy Ordeal
By Thomas A. Flynn, LC, Editor of Catholic.net
Contributor | Rome, Italy
Article Featured in Issue 3 of Maria News Magazine

The totem poles of the twenty first century are approaching absurdity as man finds himself at the bottom while everything from birds to seals rest upon his shoulders. It seems like the classic saga of man vs. wild has finally tipped to one side leaving the Homo sapiens at a disadvantage. Laws are promulgated to safeguard creatures for such ideas as “they were here first” or “their species is endangered”. Yet, with so much emphasis given to the animal, the rational side is left in the dark. In the US, an eagle’s egg is protected by law and any delinquent who tries to destroy one is punished by imprisonment. But, in the same country the human embryo is not only killed lawfully, but its termination is promoted by independent interest groups.

In Milan, Italy, a man was recently fined 5,000 Euros for passing by a dying dog and not stopping to help. His act was considered inhuman and unjust. This is the same country where Eluana, a young woman in a vegetative state, was legally killed by starvation in her hospital bed. Though I do not know the status of eagle eggs in Italy, judging the circumstances I would assume that the eggs can rest peacefully.

The Italian canine was not the only dog making headlines. In Fort Worth, TX a $4.4 million hotel has gone up exclusively for dogs and cats. Priced at $200 a night, pets are treated to facials, walks in the garden, and doggie naps in satin and chenille blankets. There is a wellness center along with elegant halls for hosting pet weddings and birthday parties. Or, if you pet is more extravagant, it can pick up a diamond studded collar at the luxury pet store. As thousands of men and women lose their job due to a poor economy, it is nice to hear that Fido and Paws will not be affected. And, yes, they do have clientele.

The role of man and beast are not only becoming equated, but topsy-turvy.

Not too long ago I walked along a beach in Cape Cod, taking in the beautiful eastern shore. I noticed a sign cautioning tourists to beware of the seals that tend to sun on the shoreline. It seemed reasonable enough, for I would hate to anger one and have it chase me up and down Cape Cod all the while seeking to eat me. But one of the indications on the sign caused me to chuckle. It said that I should avoid watching the seals for a long period of time so as not to give them stress. I think the only stressful one that day was myself, as I had to find a different beach to walk upon.

Rousseau tried to convince us that the ideal man is nothing more than a savage. The human being should follow his animal instincts and race off into the wild jungle where he will find a utopia of foliage and fun. Although a few such people can be found on the Appalachian Trail, for the most part man seems to be doing much better in the suburbs and cities. Man was destined to tame the wild, not succumb to it. God did not create Adam to have him roam around Eden like a beast. In fact, the opposite happened; he began naming all the creatures and critters, thus giving order to the world around him.  This comes natural to man and can be seen in any child learning how to talk. It takes a reasonable man like Rousseau to act unreasonably.

But the wild doesn’t hold the only predators out there. Today, even man is toying with man. Scientists have crossed their scientific borders and now philosophize about the human person. They say that a person is one who is self-conscience; and therefore a fetus is not a person, but something that can be used, abused, and terminated. This is done to calm their own conscience and if we follow the logic of their definition, they would be no less a person while sleeping. Babies and terminally ill adults would also be outside this definition so that they too can fall prey to the scalpel knife of science.

Shakespeare had it right when he said, “What is a man if his chief good and market of his time is but to sleep and feed? A beast no more. Sure he that made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and God-like wisdom, to fust in us unused.” I do not hate animals, but I do believe that they should be put and kept in their place. Man is the apex of creation and has been given dominion over all other creatures. Not even the lion could boast of such a kingdom. But today the beasts of Eden are taking the forest back and being helped by man himself, while there is no more respect for human individuals; they have been degraded to mere objects. We should remember that man has been made “little less than the angels” and carries with him a dignity that should be respected by all.

Has man fallen so far down the totem pole that he has reached the end of the food chain? Though some would like to see it happen, the truth remains that man was given the greatest gift in the garden. He was formed in the image and likeness of God.

Click hear for more articles from Issue 3 of Maria News Magazine

Our Life, Our Sweetness and Our Hope
By Theresa C. Bird
Contributor | Anchorage, AK
Featured in Issue 3 of Maria News Magazine

Often the subjects of much skepticism and controversy, Marian apparitions should serve to remind us of the torrent of love and mercy Christ has chosen to bestow upon us through His Blessed Mother. Most recently, in the town of Champion, Wisconsin, Bishop David Ricken announced the Church’s approval of the first and only Marian apparition in the United States of America. This particular apparition, given to a young immigrant woman in a poor farming town, has much in common with more familiar apparitions such as those at Lourdes and Fatima. True to her profoundly simple role as “handmaid of the Lord,” Mary personally expresses an emanation of the Divine Word that has repeatedly punctuated time and space for centuries, beginning with the prophets of the Old Testament: she calls mankind to conversion through prayer and penance.

Practically speaking, what is penance, and what does this call mean for our individual lives? The practice of penance, to which we are called, is primarily of two kinds: internal repentance and external acts of penance. Internal repentance is the detestation of sin and the determination to make amends for it. External, or outward, acts of penance include particularly the acceptance from God, in a spirit of resignation and trust, all of life’s sorrows and hardships and of everything that involves inconvenience and annoyance in the conscientious performance of the obligations of our daily life, work, and the practice of Christian virtue.

In other words, we are called to cultivate a detestation of sin, which is firmly rooted in our baptismal vow to renounce Satan and all his works and pomps. This internal repentance extends beyond our baptism, and must be renewed with each sacramental confession if we are to grow in Christian perfection and conform our souls ever more closely to the Crucified Christ. Secondly, we are called to offer to God all manner of pains and difficulties associated with fulfilling the obligations of our state in life. This is summed up in the words of Christ, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (1). We may also be called to practice what are known as voluntary acts of penance, such as fasting on bread and water at chosen times, refraining from eating particular foods, or suffering some physical discomfort for a period of time. These voluntary acts of penance, if undertaken with the proper disposition and intention, serve to strengthen man’s will and more easily incline his mind and body to the service of Christ and the joy to be found in contemplating the highest things.

The call to penance, which began with the prophets of the Old Testament, did not cease when the Son of God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. In fact, they became even more insistent, with John the Baptist proclaiming, “Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (2) and Jesus Himself inaugurating his saving mission with the same words. The reiteration of this call to penance is so frequent that it is imperative for Christians to recognize it as coming from the will of our Divine Redeemer. Following upon the words of St. Peter in the Book of Acts, the Holy Catholic Church has not ceased to transmit this call to us in her sacred liturgy, in the teaching of the Popes and the precepts of the Councils.

As observed by Pope Pius XI, “Prayer and penance are the two potent inspirations sent to us at this time by God, that we may bring back to Him our wayward human race that wanders aimlessly without a guide. They are inspirations that will disperse and remedy the first and foremost cause of all rebellion and unrest, man’s revolt against God” (3).

Some believers have found themselves wondering if Mary’s intercession and the fulfillment of her requests can bring about the widespread spiritual and cultural renewal that is needed in our country To answer this question, one need only look at the effects of Mary’s 1531 apparitions in Mexico. After the conquest of Hernan Cortez, an entire civilization began struggling to emerge from centuries of devil-worship which manifested itself through human sacrifice. Although the indigenous peoples of Mexico were justifiably wary of the presence of both corrupt Spanish rulers and Franciscan missionaries with honorable intentions, Our Lady’s appearance to Juan Diego served to heal many wounds and bring about the conversion of millions. Christianity effectively replaced the institutionalized violence of the Aztec culture through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The continent of North America was dramatically and forever changed.

North of Mexico, the United States was dedicated to the Blessed Mother through a decree of the First Council of Baltimore in 1846. This shows how important the Catholic bishops of the United States considered Mary’s role in the life of America. Just thirteen years later, Mary appeared to Adele Brise in the Belgian-settled farming town of Champion in northeastern Wisconsin. Together with a request that Adele offer prayers for the conversion of sinners, our Blessed Mother said to Adele, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation…teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments…Go and fear nothing. I will help you” (4). Adele immediately began catechizing the children throughout the Bay Settlement and Green Bay Peninsula, eventually building a school which ministered to the spiritual, educational, and temporal needs of poor children in the area.

The miraculous nature of Our Lady’s appearance to Adele became apparent to all when the Peshtigo Fire raged through northeastern Wisconsin in October 1871. Overshadowed in history because it occurred on the same day as the great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire was the deadliest in American history, claiming 2,500 lives and 1.5 million acres in Wisconsin and northern Michigan. Encircled by the inferno, Adele and her Sisters, along with schoolchildren and farmers, flocked to the chapel which had been built at the site of the apparition. They prayed throughout the night for preservation, and after several hours, rains came in a downpour, extinguishing the flaming fury outside the chapel. Though the fire singed the chapel fence, it was clear that something beyond the scope of rational explanation had taken place: the chapel, school, convent, and the five acres of land consecrated to the Virgin Mary were virtually untouched by flame, even though the entire area for miles around was scorched and lifeless.

In a formal declaration on December 8, 2010, Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, approved the 1859 apparitions and stated that they exhibit the substance of supernatural character and are considered worthy of belief. The timing of this declaration is providential, recalling the vital importance of Mary’s message: teach children the fundamentals of their faith, in order that we may resuscitate the moral framework of our decaying culture. In our own day, generations of Catholics in America have been denied proper catechesis, as well as the all-important knowledge of how to approach the sacraments worthily. However, the religious education of our children which will aid in stemming the bloody tide of the Culture of Death must occur concurrently—and indeed, be nurtured by—a fulfillment of Our Lady’s request for prayer and penance. Only thus will our moral sense be revived and our culture renewed.

Mary has appeared in different places around the world, always at the service of Her Son, Who often chooses to accomplish the work of His saving mission through the lives and actions of individual men. One of the first manifestations of His Divinity occurred at the Wedding Feast at Cana, prompted by the maternal love and concern of His mother Mary. If we wish to grow ever closer to Christ and to bring others to union with Him, we ought to hearken to the words of Our Blessed Mother, “Do whatever He tells you.” Then we can take up our cross and follow Him, as Mary did, all the way to the Foot of the Cross and, eventually, the Gates of Heaven.

(1) Luke 9:23
(2) Matt. 4:17
(3) Caritate Christi compulsi, 1932
(4) www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/htmPages/g_hst_p3.html

For more on Mary’s apparition in Champion, WI, see www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com
For more on Mary’s apparition at Fatima, see www.wafusa.org
For more on Our Lady of Guadalupe, see “Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Conquest of Darkness,” by Warren Carroll