Sunday, September 25, 2011 VO L . 6 5 N O. 0 3 9The Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

TO K E N O F FA I T H

[God] has assigned as a duty to every man the dignity of every woman..

Bld. John Paul II

INSIDEAnnouncementsCatholic SchoolsCatholic SchoolsChurch & SocietyDevotion & SpiritualityFamagu’on Yan ManhobenRegional and InternationalSunday Gospel & ReflectionWeekday Mass Memorials

0302040610080403

U Matuna Si Yu’os is pleased to announced the develop-ment of umatuna.org, the presence of the newspaper of the Roman Catholic Archdio-cese of Agana on the world-wide web, which will be fully operational beginning Octo-ber 1. At umatuna.org, our cover-age of Guam, our region, and the world, will be updated dai-ly in addition to each week’s print edition available in pdf downloadable format. We are also pround to an-nounce that we will shortly begin the weekly distribution of the U Matuna e-zine that will bring you the best in news, events, and commentary from the Catholic world from some

of its best and brightest lead-ers, defenders, and thinkers. All readers need to do is regis-ter as a subscriber of umatuna.org, and our free e-zine will be sent to your email each week However, umatuna.org is not limited to digital editions. Readers will also have access to daily updates of Catholic news from around the world as it becomes available. This includes: multiple national and internation Catholic print media outlets; various bish-ops’ conferences world-wide; multiple video feeds from the US, the UK, RP, Korea, and the Vatican; and links to major international Catholic blogs, some of which have reader-ships in the hundreds of thou-

sands. As part of our mission to inform our readers, over the next few months umatuna.org will also be providing podcasts, presentations, lectures, and ebooks from numerous speak-ers worldwide on a variety of topics, to include theology, apologetics, catechesis, and political/economic reflection as it pertains to the Catholic faith. These podcasts will in-clude both general-level in-struction as well as university-level lectures as we strive to bring high quality catechesis for adults in the comfort and privacy of your home In addition, we will strive to provide tips and ideas for in-cluding umatuna.org (and U

Matuna Si Yu’os in print) into the educational plan for your child or student. This will aid students not only in knowing their Catholic faith, but also in incorporating our cover-age into their content areas as well as developing skill sets. Umatuna.org intends to be a resource for every Catholic family, and we hope to be able to assist in the informing and education of every Catholic on Guam and in the region. The staff of U Matuna Si Yu’os look forward to putting the best we have to offer right at your fingertips. Please con-tact us at letters@umatuna.org for your comments and sug-gestions on how we may better meet your needs..

Umatuna.org Launch to Bring Daily Catholic News to Guam

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The president of the U.S. Con-ference of Catholic Bishops is urging priests across the coun-try to preach about “the terrible toll the current economic tur-moil is taking on families and communities.”

In a letter to his fellow bishops, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York said he was writing at the recommen-dation of the Administrative Committee, which directs the work of the USCCB between general assemblies.

The committee “wanted something more than a public statement,” he said in the letter, dated Sept. 15 and made public Sept. 19.

“I hope we can use our opportunities as pastors, teach-ers and leaders to focus public attention and priority on the scandal of so much poverty and so many without work in our society,” Archbishop Dolan said, noting that special re-sources and materials to assist in that effort would be posted in an Unemployment and Pov-erty section of the USCCB web-

site, www.usccb.org. “Widespread unemploy-

ment, underemployment and pervasive poverty are dimin-ishing human lives, undermin-ing human dignity and hurting children and families,” he said.

The archbishop pointed out that the U.S. Census Bureau had released statistics during the Sept. 13-14 Administrative Committee meeting showing that 46 million people, includ-ing 16 million children, were living in poverty in the United States in 2010.

“These numbers bring home to us the human costs and moral consequences of a broken economy that cannot fully utilize the talents, energy and work of all our people,” he said. “The common good will not advance; economic secu-rity will not be achieved; and individual initiative will be weakened when so many live without the dignity of work and bear the crushing burden of poverty.”

He said African-Ameri-

BISHOPS CONCERNED ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT,POVERTY AMID NATION’S POOR ECONOMY

‘70 ‘75 ‘85‘80 ‘90 ‘95 ‘00 ‘05

number of individuals living in poverty(in millions)

percent of populationliving in poverty

economic recession

©2011 CNSSource: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey

33.6 36.4

31.6

37

12.314 13.5

25.4

12.6 13

33.1

29.3

25.9

13.811.3 12.6

46.2

15.1

‘10

A RECORD 46.2 MILLION PEOPLE — just more than 15 percent — were living in poverty last year.

U Matuna Si Yu’os has recently noted the need for Catholics to evaluate specific ways to meet today’s economic challenges. It is not enough to bewail the situation, wring our hands, and then give up; we must look for viable solutions and then act on them. Justice demands such an approach. It is refreshing that Archbishop Dolan has specifically men-tioned “job creation” as a part of the solution instead of endless government programs. Tax funded programs are necessary to a degree, but long-term solutions require human beings keep their dignity through work for a just and living wage. In light of the ongoing debate in the Guam Legislature re-garding economic policy, job creation, bond viability, and budgeting, all of us need to be attentive to what is best for the common good and encourage our senators and governor to do what we have elected them to do: govern for the good of all.

From the Editor’s Desk

See Poverty, page 5

Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate Restored

See page 11

Mary and Islam: A Means for Conversion

See page 6

12

U Matuna Si Yu’os wel-comes Carmen Terlaje to our staff. This senior from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam will be assist-ing in writing and edit-ing as she participates in our work. We know that her contributions to our mission of informing our readers will be successful. Welcome, Carmen.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

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Three students from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School attended the In-ternational Water Forum in Shizuoka, Japan during the week of August 15-19, 2011. During the forum Teryn Catahay, Sarahgin Dumaraog, and Alissa Shida participated in discussions on environ-mental and policy issues re-lated to clean water and sani-

tation, as well as submitting their research project which won the first place trophy in the category “Water and Life.”In addition to their academic participation, as part of the forum’s activities these three students gave a presentation on the culture of Guam to stu-dents from various countries. They were accompanied by Mrs. Marcelle Diambra-Odi.

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School Scholars Shine in Japanby Dr. Hauhouot Diambra-Odfor U Matuna Si Yu’os

On Tuesday, September 6, 2011, Dr. Kimie Oshima, an As-sociate Professor at Bunkyo Gakuin University in Tokyo, Ja-pan, and her Foreign Language class visited Notre Dame High School to do a series of presen-tations. Professor Oshima and her students treated Sensei Na-oko Hirota’s Japanese Class to an English Rakugo. Rakugo is comic Japanese sto-rytelling through performance. The nine English Communica-tion majors also described the March earthquake and shared stories about the natural disas-

ter and nuclear power plant leak in Fukushima, Japan. The final presentation was a fashion show of Harajuku style as well as traditional Japanese kimonos. Professor Oshima has been active as an English Rakugo performer since 1997. She has performed in fifteen different countries and over thirty cities around the world. Dr. Oshima is a graduate of University of Colorado and received her Ph.D. at the International Christian University in Japan in Sociolin-guistics.

Bunkyo Gakuin University Visits Japanese Class at Notre Dame By Jessica Perez-Jackson, ‘96for U Matuna Si Yu’os

(Top Left) Hirota Sensei (far right) and her Japanese language students pose with Bunkyo Gakuin University student performers.

(Above and Left) Bunkyo Gakuin University perform Rakugo and discuss traditional Japanese dress.

Photos Courtesy of Jessica Perez-Jackson

InternCarmen V. Terlaje

Sunday, September 25, 2011 SUNDAY GOSPEL & REFLECTION 3

ArchbishopAnthony Sablan Apuron,O.F.M. Cap., D.D.

Refleksion Ibangheliu ginen Atsubispo Duranten i sumaga-na giya Afrikan San-papa’, si Mohandas Ghandi malak un gima’ yu’os kilisyanu hihot yan annai sumasaga. Despues este sinangan-na put ayu na gima’ yu’os: “I man estaba guihi kulan ti manmananaitai; kulan un dinana i ti mansinantusan na taotague, ya kulan un grupun man ga’tano’ na taotague ni manhanao para i gima’yu’os para ufan magof yanh put para u makumple i kustumbre.” Put los uttimu ha sangan na taya i kilisyanu hafa i ti esta ha’ gaige giya guiya. Malingu si Ghandi para i gima’yu’os kilisyanu ya i titufungun na minalingu para India yan para i tano’. I maprufesan i hinengge ya ti tinattitiyi ni ma praktikan hinengge sumen taibali ya sina ha mumalingu. Mientras i sigundo na grupu manmas mangilisyanu ke i fine’nana na grupu, i fina’akomparasion ha sangangani hit na ni unu gi dos sen tunas. Ti para un ayek unu pat i otro gi dos lahi--i unu ni timalagu macho’cho’ gi gualo’ ya humanao ya macho’cho’ pat i unu ni yumamak i prinimeti-na. In lugat, i maolek na patgon ha sangangani si tata-na, “Hunggan, saina,” ya ma’pos para u cho’gue hafa matago’-na. I prinimeti ti sina ha tulaika i macho’gue-na, yan i fino na finiho, ti siha umatulaika yan i finu na cho’cho’. I sigundo na lahi ha oppe yan kottesiha si tata-na, lao i kottesiha-na fa’fa’baba. I magahet na kottesiha ayu i inesge, i “hunggan’ magogof yan mannana’i megagai. Ohalara mohon ya u bula guinaiya i ha’anen-miyu ya i todu hana’sina na Yu’os infambinendisi gi na’an i Tata yan i Lahi-na yan i Espiritu Santo. Amen.

Sisters and Brothers: During his stay in South Africa, Mohandas Ghandi attended Christian services in a church near his lodgings. After some time, he made the following observations. “The congregation did not strike me as being particularly religious; they were not an assembly of devout souls, but appeared rather to be worldly-minded people going to church for recreation and in conformity to custom.” He concluded that there was nothing in Christianity which he did not already possess. Ghandi was lost to the Christian church with incalculable consequences to India and to the world. Profession of faith without corresponding practice impresses no one and may simply wither away. While the second group of people may indeed lead more Christian lives than the first, the parable tells us that neither group is perfect. It is not a matter of choosing between the two sons--the one who refused to go to the vineyard but went and worked or the one who broke his promise. Rather, the ideal son or daughter tells the father, “Yes, sir,” and proceeds to do what he asked. Promises can never take the place of performance, and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds. The second son replied courteously to his father, but his courtesy is illusory. True courtesy is obedience, a

“yes,” willingly and graciously given. May your day be filled with love and may Almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

IBANGHELIU (MATEO 21:28-32) Ilek-na si Jesus nu i manma’gas mamale’ yan i manamko’ i taotao siha: “Hafa upinion-miyu put este? Guaha un taotao ni gai lahi dos. Malak guatu gi amko’ ya ilek-na, ‘Ihu, hanao huyong ya un facho’cho’ gi gualo’ pa’go na ha’ane’. Manoppe i lahi-na, ‘Mungga yu’’ lao despues ha tulaika hinasso-na ya humanao. Despues malak guatu i taotao gi sigundo na lahi-na ya finaisen gue’ parehu ha’. Este na lahi ilek-na, ‘Hunggan, sinot’, lao ti humanao. Hayi gi dos chumo’gue hafa minalago’-na i tata? Ilek-niha, “I amko’.” Ilek-na si Jesus nu siha, “Maila, ya bai na’klaru na i taotao kontribusion yan i famalao’an benta manhahalom gi Rainon Yu’os antes di hamyo. Annai matto si ya sumetmon put un klasen sinantusan na lina’la’, ti inhengge gue’; lao i taotao kontribusion yan i famalao’an benta manmanhongge giya guiya. Lao achokka’ in li’e’ ennao ti manmanotsot yan manmanhongge hamyo.

Please visit the school’s website at www.aolg.edu.gu or call 477-8203 for more information.

• OCTOBER 3-6: 1st Quarter Exams

• OCTOBER 7: Teacher Record Day, NO CLASSES

• OCTOBER 10: Columbus Day Holiday, NO CLASSES

• OCTOBER 14: Early Dismissal, 1:45; Faculty Meeting, 2:00

• OCTOBER 20: Wiener Roast, 5-9 p.m.

• OCTOBER 21: Parent/Teacher Conference, NO CLASSES

• OCTOBER 28: Early Dismissal, 1:45; Staff De-velopment, 2:00

• OCTOBER 10: Columbus Day Observed --No Classes

• OCTOBER 11: Teacher Record Day -- No Classes

• OCTOBER 12: PSAT for Grades 9-11

Please send any announcements to: news@umatuna.org.

The 8th Island-wide Guam Catholic Men’s Con-ference will be held Saturday, January 21, 2012 at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Toto. For in-formation, please contact Pat Wolff at 649-7502 or Deacons Steve Martinez or Larry Claros.

GUAM CATHOLIC MEN’S CONFERNCE

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

PIGO CATHOLIC CEMETERY

First Friday Mass at Pigo Cemetery is cancelled for October and November because of a clergy retreat and All Souls’ Day. Please rejoin us for First Friday Mass at Pigo Cemetery on Friday,

• OCTOBER 5 & 6: 1st Quarter Exams• OCTOBER 7: 1st Quarter Break - No Class-

es• OCTOBER 10: Columbus Day - No Classes• OCTOBER 12: PSAT• OCTOBER 17 : Parent Teacher Conference

-No Classes

FATHER DUENAS MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Announcements

Please visit the school’s website at www.ndhsguam.com or call 789-1745 for more information.

ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF GUAM

Applications for one internship in web design and multimedia at U Matuna Si Yu’os will be accepted until September 27.

Sunday, September 25, 20114 REGIONAL

MANILA, Sept. 21, 2011— Cath-olic bishops have attributed the Church’s high public trust rat-ing in their attempts to uphold morals and faith particularly in the sociopolitical arena. Specifically, Jesuit Archbish-op Antonio Ledesma of Cagay-an de Oro said, Church is one of the most trusted institutions in the country because of its in-volvement on social issues for the common good. He said Church will not aban-don such mission because it also has an obligation to protect the people against government abuses and corruption aside from teaching “moral guide-lines” to the society. “That public’s high trust rating for the Church is welcome news but at the same time it carries responsibility for us to maintain that credibility,” Ledesma told Church-run Radyo Veritas. “It is our responsibility to be the guardians of the morals of the nation. The fight against cor-ruption is part of our campaign with other faith-based groups to have good governance,” he said.

Result of the first Philip-pine Trust Index conducted by public relations firm EON Inc showed that the Church and the media are the “most trusted” in-stitutions in the Philippines. According to the survey 51 percent of the respondents had “great trust” in the Church, followed by the media with 22 percent. The government got the lowest trust rating at seven percent only. EON said 500 people aged 25-60 years old, who had com-pleted college education, were interviewed for the survey to determine the level of public trust in private, government and non-governmental organi-zations.Balanga Bishop Ruperto San-tos, meanwhile, stressed that the survey is an affir-mation that many people believe in what the Church teaches in matters of morality.

“That is the role of the Church … helping all regardless of posi-tion and social status,” Santos said. [CBCPNews]

RP Church’s High Public Trust Ratings Attributed to Fight Against Corruption

Leaked US embassy cables reveal a power struggle between the communist government and the Holy See as more believers are arrested on vague charges, writes Simon Roughneen on the National Catholic Register.

Weeks after the arrest and jailing of 12 Catholics in Vietnam for allegedly “attempting to overthrow the government,” it has emerged that American officials believe that Catholics who disagree with the communist regime are being

“thrown under the popemobile.” (Simon Rough-neen, National Catholic Register)

The colorful image headlined one of a tranche of recently leaked diplomatic cables from the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. According to the same document, dated Nov. 25, 2009, then-Holy See under secretary for Relations With States Archbishop Pietro Parolin (now the Holy See representative in Venezuela) “sharply criticized”

former Hanoi Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet over his handling of land-rights disputes with city of-ficials — remarks which U.S. officials speculated contributed to the archbishop’s subsequent res-ignation.

In 2008, Hanoi’s Thai Ha Church was the scene of 15,000-strong prayer vigils to try to save the church grounds — the former residence of the papal nuncio — from confiscation by the state. However, the meetings were forcibly bro-ken up by police and security forces in the form of state-sponsored gangs, with most of the church grounds subsequently transformed into a public park.

Later that year Vietnam’s bishops visited the Vatican, and Pope Benedict XVI instructed the group to “make personal sacrifices, show restraint in disagreements with the government and to obey the law,” according to the same U.S. diplomatic cable. Vietnamese law makes it an of-fense to question the authority of the one-party state or to call for democratic elections, among other things, and the country’s commitment to freedom of worship has been widely questioned.

In a cable issued by the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican, dated Dec. 12, 2009, Ambassador Miguel Diaz gave the assessment that “Holy See priorities in Vietnam are to protect religious freedom and progressively expand it, to resolve the outstand-ing property disputes between the Church and the government, and, when conditions permit, to establish diplomatic relations in order to protect and expand the Catholic Church in Vietnam with a formal diplomatic presence. By confronting the GOV (Government of Vietnam) so forcefully on property issues alone, Archbishop Kiet may have put at risk the other long-term Vatican goals.”

The plight of Catholics in Vietnam, which has the second-highest Catholic population in

Southeast Asia after the Philippines, has long been a concern, with a U.S. State Department report released as recently as Sept. 13 slating Hanoi for continued abuses of religious free-dom.

This report is provide courtesy of UCA News.

Regina Pacis (Queen of Peace), St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hanoi, Vietnam (UCA News)

The Plight of Vietnamese Catholics

Seminarians carry statues of Mary and the Christ Child before a Mass as part of the holy year cel-ebrations at the La Vang Basilica in Vietnam’s cen-tral Quang Tri province Jan. 5. (CNS)

Sunday, September 25, 2011 5REGIONAL

AN INCREASING PERCENTAGE OF AMERICANS are living in poverty.

BY AGE BY RESIDENCE

children adults18-64

seniors Northeast Midwest South West in principal

cities

outside principal

cities

2009 2010

ALL $50,599 $49,445 -2.3%White $55,360 $54,620 -1.3%Black $33,291 $32,106 -3.6% Hispanic $38,667 $37,759 -2.3%Asian-American $66,147 $64,308 -2.8%

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME2009 2010

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ©2011 CNS

BY REGION

2220.7

13.712.9

98.9

12.312.8 13.313.915.7

16.9

14.615.3

18.719.7

1111.8

change

cans and Hispanics “live with unemployment and poverty at far higher rates than others” and immigrant workers were “espe-cially vulnerable to exploitation and unfair treatment,” in contra-diction to “our national pledge of ‘liberty and justice for all’” and “the consistent teaching of our church.”

Archbishop Dolan said “the best way out of poverty is to work at a living wage.”

The nation’s “economic failures have fundamental insti-tutional and systemic elements that have either been ignored or made worse by political and

economic behaviors, which have undermined trust and con-fidence,” he said.

“However, this is not time to make excuses or place blame,” the archbishop said. “It is time for everyone to accept their own personal and institutional re-sponsibility to help create jobs and to overcome poverty, each in accord with their own abili-ties and opportunities.

“Individuals and families, faith-based and community groups, businesses and labor, government at every level, all must work together and find effective ways to promote the common good in national and economic life,” Archbishop Dolan said.

POVERTYcontinued from page 1

“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD.

“I will protect them from those who malign them.”

Psalm 12:5

AMERICANMEDICALCENTER“Guam’s Medical Home”

Phone Numbers Clinic Phone: (671) 647-8262 ~ Fax: (671) 647-8257 • Administration Phone: (671) 647-8263 ~ Fax: (671) 647-5252

• email: amc@guamcell.netClinic Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00am – 9:00pm, Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

(Sundays and certain holidays: closed)1244 N.Marine Corps Drive, Upper Tumon, Guam 96913

Dr. Keiko TochikuraOn September 21 Dr. Keiko Tochikura joins the team of fully- qualified professionals fully committed to our patients’ needs. With specialists in Pediatrics and Family Practice as well as X-Ray, Lab Services and Pharmacy all under one roof, let us be your first choice for all your health care needs.Call for appointment with Dr. Tochikura or any one of your doctors who truly care about you and your health.

American Medical Center proudly announces the addition of

Family Practice, Board Certified with qualifications in Geriatric Medicine

Standing left to right:Luis Cruz, MD, Family Practice, Sports Medicine

Hoa Nguyen, MD, Family PracticeArania Adolphson, MD, Family Practice,

Women’s HealthVincent Akimoto, MD, Family Practice

Milliecor Fojas, MD, Pediatrics

CHURCH & SOCIETY

Sund

ay, S

epte

mbe

r 25,

2011

6

by Tim Rohr

Last week’s column, entitled the “Long War”, concluded with a message from the Tali-ban vowing to assign the U.S. to “the dustbin of history”, and my promise to share a unique-ly Catholic answer to the challenge of Islam.

First, we should clarify what we mean by the “Long War,” or Endless Jihad. Islam holds that all Muslims must wage Jihad un-til the whole world is subject to Allah. The fact that some Muslims believe Jihad to be a spiritual struggle and not a violent one does not negate the belief of Muslims who believe otherwise. 

The problem is that Islam has no cen-tral authority to definitively define Jihad or anything else in the Quran. Thus, interpreta-tion of Quranic teaching is either the domain of the Imams (clergy), or, as is the Wahhabite view to which Bin Laden subscribed: “who-ever can read the Quran can judge for himself in matters of doctrine.” In other words, the interpretation of verses like “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them” (Surah 9:5), is up for grabs. 

Islam considers Christians to be idol-aters because Christians worship Jesus as God. Thus, we see the renewed persecution of Christians now unfolding in the Muslim world as secular regimes fall. In Iraq, Chris-tian children are killed and nailed to crosses staked in front of their homes, and in Egypt, Christians are massacred at Christmas Mass. (Arab Spring?)

Moderate Muslims might decry such vi-olence, but the Quran also has strong instruc-tions about what to do about them: “If you do not go to war, he [Allah] will punish you stern-ly, and will replace you by other men” (Surah 9:38-39). 

But regardless of the conjecture of Muslim scholars, the actions of Muhammed provide the definitive understanding of Ji-had, and there can be no doubt as to how he understood it. Europe may have been able to hold off Islam at the gates of Vienna and even-tually drive the Moors from the Iberian Pen-insula, but Christianity in northern Africa and the Middle East has never recovered from the sword of the Saracen.  

In 1953  Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote: “The Christian European West barely escaped destruction at the hands of the Moslems. The Church throughout northern Africa was prac-tically destroyed by Moslem power, and at the present hour, the Moslems are beginning to rise again.”

Sheen also observed that Islam has nev-er declined either in numbers or in the devo-

tion of its followers, and warned: “At the pres-ent time, the hatred of the Moslem countries against the West is becoming a hatred against Christianity itself. Although the statesmen have not yet taken it into account, there is still grave danger that the temporal power of Islam may return and, with it, the menace that it may shake off a West which has ceased to be Christian, and affirm itself as a great anti-Christian world power.”

Today, with European economies col-lapsing, a Muslim majority in Europe assured by 2050 with Muslims out-birthing Europeans 3 to 1, and the U.S. on the verge of moral and economic implosion and about to commence a weary retreat from a decade of war in the mountains of Afghanistan, Sheen’s 1953 as-sessment is frighteningly real.

Sheen believed that the only answer to Islam is Christianity, but he believed that the conversion of Islam would happen “not through the direct teaching of Christianity, but through a summoning of the Moslems to a veneration of the Mother of God.”  In “Mary and the Moslems”, Sheen relates that Muslims already hold Mary in high regard and that Muhammed himself placed her as the highest woman in Heaven. Sheen notes that there is more said about Mary in the Quran than our own Bible. Also, the daughter of Muhammed,

“Fatima”, is regarded as the second highest woman in heaven next to Mary. In this, Sheen sees a sign:

“I believe that the Blessed Virgin chose to be known as ‘Our Lady of Fatima’ as a pledge and a sign of hope to the Moslem peo-ple, and as an assurance that they, who show her so much respect, will one day accept her Divine Son, too”. 

This is why I promised a “uniquely Cath-olic answer”.  Only Catholics regard Mary as the door to Christ, and, as regards Islam, she may well be the only door.

Sheen concludes: “Missionaries in the future will...see that their apostolate among the Moslems will be successful in the mea-sure that they preach Our Lady of Fatima. Mary is the advent of Christ, bringing Christ to the people before Christ Himself is born...our missionaries should be satisfied merely to expand and to develop that devotion, with the full realization that Our Blessed Lady will carry the Moslems the rest of the way to her Divine Son.”

Let us pray.

This column reflects only the views of the au-thor and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and management of the Umatuna. It can be commented on and shared via email and social media at www.themassneverends.com. Hyperlinks to supporting data are pro-vided on the online version.

Mary and the Moslems

ITE, MISSA ESTFrom the Mass to the Market:

Engaging the World Beyond the Church Doors

Sunday, September 25, 2011 7CHURCH AND SOCIETY

The Visit of Pope Benedict XVI evoked for many people the spiritual reality of life and rekindled hope and faith: hope in the goodness that is within people and in our society, and faith in God. Even if it is not easily articulated, a spiritual yearning is to be found within most people. This yearning is found also among Catholics who have lost touch with their faith or whose faith was never deeply rooted in a personal re-lationship with Christ. Wishing to respond to this yearning but perhaps lacking in con-fidence in talking about their own spiritual life, many Catholics are asking how they can witness to their faith; what can they do to help introduce their faith in Christ to oth-ers in simple and straightforward ways?

The Bishops of England and Wales rec-ognise that simple acts of witness, accom-panied by sincere prayer, can be a powerful call to faith. Traditional Catholic devotions such as making the sign of the cross with care and reverence, praying the Angelus, saying a prayer before and after our meals, to name only a few, are straightforward ac-tions which both dedicate certain moments in our daily lives to Almighty God and dem-onstrate our love and trust in His goodness and providence. If these devotions have

been lost or even forgotten, particularly in our homes and schools, we have much to gain from learning and living them again.

The Bishops have looked again at the role of devotions and the practice of pen-ance, both of which can help to weave the Catholic faith into the fabric of everyday life. Our regular worship at Holy Mass on Sunday, the day of the Lord’s resurrection, is the most powerful outward sign and wit-ness of our faith in Jesus Christ to our fam-ily, friends and neighbours. Sunday must always remain at the heart of our lives as Catholics.

The Bishops also wish to remind us that every Friday is set aside as a special day of penitence, as it is the day of the suffering and death of the Lord. They believe it is im-portant that all the faithful again be united in a common, identifiable act of Friday penance because they recognise that the virtue of penitence is best acquired as part of a common resolve and common witness.

The law of the Church requires Catho-lics on Fridays to abstain from meat, or some other form of food, or to observe some other form of penance laid down by the Bishops’ Conference. The Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that

this penance should be fulfilled simply by abstaining from meat and by uniting this to prayer. Those who cannot or choose not to eat meat as part of their normal diet should

abstain from some other food of which they regularly partake.

This decision will come into effect from Friday 16 September 2011.

Bishops in England, Wales “Re-institute” No Meat on Fridays

We, the family, would like to invite

our family and friends to join us in

prayer as we commemorate the

First Anniversaryof our mother, grandmother,

great-grandmother and

great-great-grandmother’spassing unto Eternal life.

Mass Schedule as follows

Wednesday, September 28Friday, September 30Saturday, October 1Sunday, October 2Tuesday, October 4Wednesday, October 5Friday, October 7

7pm7pm7am & 5pm7am & 9am7pm7pm7pm (�nal night)

I CCLeonGuerrero

sabelsabelruzruz

Mass of Intentions are being o�ered beginningSeptember 28 at San Miguel Parish in Talofofo

Sunday, September 25, 20118 FAMAGU’ON YAN MANHOBEN

When I grow up, I want to be… a child. As strange as it may seem, this re-version is our best bet for making our way to Heaven. In the Gospel of Mat-thew, Christ explained that the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and those who enter it, are the ones who become like children. The idea that kids would be preferred over older folk may come off as confusing. After all, our culture teaches us to respect our elders because of the wisdom and experience they have gained throughout the years. However, as the parish of Santa Tere-sita celebrates the feast of their patron-ess, we are reminded of an extraordinary saint who teaches us about what Christ meant when he spoke of becoming like a child. St. Therese of the Child Jesus was known for living her life in the “Little Way.” Her theological ideas born out of her prayer and simplicity even earned her the recognition of being a Doctor of the Church. After some consideration, the idea of becoming a child again doesn’t sound so bad. Many of us spend quite a bit of time thinking about what life was like as a kid. We know childhood to be a pe-riod of immaturity in the skill of taking care of ourselves. Yet, our worries were

much fewer then because our parents took care of us. We trusted them and fully depended on them without a second thought or even a first thought

– it was the only choice. To gain eternal life in Heaven, Jesus is telling us that we should have complete trust as children of God. The number of worries we face in the world continues to grow as we be-come more independent. These worries can make us forget that we have a Father who has everything under control and a Mother who is always looking out for us. This is not to say that our lives will al-ways be perfect. Parents cannot make everything right for their children, re-gardless of how much love they have for them. Santa Teresita faced many tri-als during her life, from initial denial of becoming a nun, to illnesses and family deaths. Like an obedient child, however, she remained faithful to the Lord. St. Therese also teaches us how to love God in all our actions. Known as the Little Flower, she did every activity, no matter how small, in praise of God. Therese’s cloistered life as a Carmelite nun prevented her from becoming a global superstar and icon – at least not yet. No matter what situation in life we find ourselves in, we can live every ac-

tion in love of the God who enables us. Even acts that may be insignificant to others are worthy for the Lord. In a daisy or a sunflower, petals sur-round a central area in a bright show of beauty. What is uncommonly known is that each petal and each small piece in the central area are actually separate flowers. By themselves, these tiny flow-ers would seem uninteresting. When they come together, they become one of the most popular gifts and displays of love.

Like St. Therese, let us become like chil-dren, keeping our dependence on God and always offering our little flowers to Him. Though her earthly life was con-fined to a monastery, Therese’s eternal life is spent showering roses all over the world. Let their sweet fragrance fill our souls, that we may be encouraged to serve God as His little ones.

Gabriel M. Lapid is the editor of Famagu’on Yan Manhoben for U Matu-na Si Yu’os

God’s Little Flower by Gabriel M Lapid

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Cross “Flipper” with “Rocky” and you get “Dolphin Tale” (Warner Bros.), an inspiration-al film about a perky mammal who, against mighty odds, overcomes her disability with the support of her loyal human friends. Based on a true story, “Dolphin Tale” has a refreshing motto for a Hollywood film -- “Family is Forever” -- and sends a rare but powerful pro-life message in its respect for persons -- and animals

-- who are physically challenged. Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) is 11 years old and depressed. He misses his dad, who has abandoned his mom, Lor-raine (Ashley Judd). He’s also upset that his champion swimmer of a cous-in, Kyle (Austin Stowell), a big brother to him, is also leaving, having enlisted in the Army. Cycling to summer school one bright Florida morning, Sawyer sees a female dolphin in distress on the beach, tan-gled in a fishing trap. He frees the badly hurt animal, their eyes meet and an unusual friendship is forged. His new pal is transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, run by Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) and his father, Reed (a grizzled Kris Kristofferson), with a little help from Clay’s young daughter, Hazel (Cozi Zu-ehlsdorff). Hazel christens the dolphin

“Winter,” but her discontent grows

when Clay is forced to amputate Win-ter’s severely injured tail. No dolphin has ever survived with-out a tail, its only means of propulsion. Winter’s sorry tale -- make that tail

-- unites her new human “family” and transforms a sullen Sawyer into an ac-tion hero. “I’m seeing something a mother dreams of -- a turned-on kid,” Lorraine says. “He’s so engaged, and it’s not with a Game Boy.” Winter’s not the only one in trouble. Kyle returns from war, badly injured. He may never walk, let alone swim, again. When Sawyer visits him in the veterans’ hospital, he marvels at the wounded soldiers and their recovery, thanks to some space-age prosthetics designed by Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman). Could the good doctor also work his magic on a dolphin’s tail? “Just be-cause you’re hurt doesn’t mean you’re broken,” McCarthy says, as he takes up the challenge. Directed by Charles Martin Smith (“Air Bud”), “Dolphin Tale” is that rare family-friendly film that is wholesome and fun, while offering lessons in faith, perseverance, and respect for those who are physically challenged. The Catholic News Service classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

MOVIE REVIEW: “Dolphin Tale”

By Joseph McAleerCatholic News Service

Sunday, September 25, 2011 9FAMAGU’AN YAN MANHOBEN

ANGELANNUNCIATIONARCHANGELBOOK OF TOBITCHERUBIMDEFENDERDOMINATIONS

GABRIELGOSPEL OF LUKEGUARDIANHEALERMESSENGERMICHAELPOWERS

PRINCIPALITIESPROTECTORSERAPHIMTHRONESVIRTUESWHO IS LIKE GOD

WORD SEARCH: BOOKS OF THE BIBLEThe sentence below is encrypted using a secret code. Your job is to break the code by substituting the correct letter for the ones given. Each letter given in the code always represents the same letter throughout the puzzle.

Here are your clues: P = O, and S = U

LWKI XOTFVA XP XOI NPBM, EPB OI WA

LPPM: EPB OWA HIBQR IFMSBIA EPBIKIB.

Scriptural Cryptogram

Last week’s solution: “Know this, my beloved brethren: let every one be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” (Luke 7:47)

7. Say the Apostles’ Creed.I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was bur-ied. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He as-cended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the Body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

8. What do we mean when we say that God is the Supreme Being?When we say that God is the Supreme Being we mean that He is above all crea-tures, the self-existing and infinitely perfect Spirit.

I am the First, and I am the Last, and besides me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)

9. What is a spirit?A spirit is a being that has understanding and free will, but no body, and will never die.

To whom then have you likened God? Or what image will you make for Him? (Isaiah 40:18)

For decades, the Baltimore Catechism was the primary tool used by CCD teachers throughout the US to help teach young people the basics of the Faith. Presented in a simple, question-and-answer format, the Catechism also gives a citation from Scripture that helps us to understand that the Catholic faith is indeed “Bible-based.”

The U Matuna Si Yu’os is pleased to be able to offer this weekly series as both in-strution for youth and and a refresher for adults.

The Baltimore Catechism

St. Michael the Archangel

Sunday, September 25, 201110 DEVOTION AND SPIRITUALITY

Divine Mercy Moments by Fr. Joel De Los Reyes

We are now in the 6th month of the 9-month series following Unborn Jesus as He continues to grow and get stronger while still in His Blessed Mother Mary’s womb. Today, Unborn Jesus is 26-weeks old and weighs almost 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches from head to heel. By next week, His 27th week, His thigh bones and the foot bones will each have reached a measurement of about two inches long.

At this stage, we would be able to carry Unborn Baby Jesus right in the palm of our hand! If He were to start crying, we can softly sing to Him telling Him how much we love Him. We may even see some tears as He cries because at 26 weeks, Unborn Jesus’ eyes are sub-stantially developed and can produce tears.

Unborn Jesus’ highly-developed eye now contains light-sensing cells called rods and cones. These Rods are what allow our eyes to detect very low levels of light, while cones detect color and produce sharp, highly focused im-ages. There will be over 100 million rods and 7 million cones in each eye. Jesus’ pupils dilate and constrict in response to light as early as 27 weeks -- these di-lations and constrictions regulate the amount of light reaching the retina throughout the human life cycle. Un-born Jesus sometimes would be seen in the womb with his arm or hand across his eyes, as if shielding His eyes from the bright sunlight if Mother Mary might be enjoying the outdoors.

Since Unborn Jesus’ hearing will have also be developed even more with-in this 6th month in utero, I’m sure Un-born Jesus’ crying would turn to smiles with our soft and gentle songs of praise.

Certainly we should sing praises of joy and say prayers of devotion to Unborn Jesus even before our celebration at His birth! St. Louis de Montfort, St. Eliza-beth Ann Seton, St. Juliana of Cornillon and St. Louise de Marillac were among the saints who honored and had a Devo-tion to Unborn Jesus in the womb.

When we honor, pray to, and re-vive this devotion to Unborn Jesus, we do so for nine reasons. We are: prais-ing and glorifying God in a way that is pleasing to Him; thanking God for the gift of the Incarnation – and our own redemption; learning more about Jesus and His Incarnation Mission; participat-ing in the Church’s tradition of honoring the Christ Child; expanding our prayer life with the power of simple childlike prayer; acknowledging our Lord’s iden-tification and solidarity with unborn ba-bies-- especially those who have died or are threatened by abortion; honoring all

unborn children who are like Unborn Je-sus in many ways; opening our hearts to pray for all unborn children at risk; and finally, we are witnessing to the Gospel of Life in a beautiful and personal way with our Unborn Jesus.

St. Ephrem said: “Mary conceived the Divine Word. She has thus become the heaven that enclosed the Divinity in her womb for the purpose of exalting mortals to the great dignity of kinship with God.”

“God sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.”- Gal 4:6-7

Marilu Diaz Martinez is a pro-life ad-vocate and regular contributor to U Ma-tuna Si Yu’os

What did the Unborn Jesus Look Like In His Blessed Mother’s Womb?By Marilu Diaz Martinez

Way back more than forty years ago, the spark of the Di-vine Mercy devotion ig-nited in Po-land when the Lord ap-peared to St. Faustina Kowalska in a vision on the eve-ning of February 22, 1931.She wrote Jesus’ words; “ I desire that this image be venerated

, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world.” (Diary 47). “I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obe-dient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness. From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming”. ( Diary 1732.) In 1978, John Paul 11 offered his Pontificate to the Divine Mercy in Cracow, Poland. In 2002 he consecrated the new Divine Mercy Basilica, and on that occasion he entrusted the world to The Divine Mercy. In reference to Jesus’ words spo-ken to St. Faustina, Pope John Paul 11 said; “ From here there must go forth the spark which will prepare the world for Jesus’ final coming. This spark needs to be lighted by the grace of God. This fire of mercy needs

to be passed on to the world”. ( The Marians of the Immacu-late Conception).

We should therefore look at this soon-to-rise Blessed John Paul 11 – Divine Mercy Chapel in Astumbo, Dededo not on human terms of per-sonal yearning and desire as some may claim, but rightly so in the light of God’s Divine plan that the honor of His mercy be spread and vener-ated throughout the world. God has planned all this just as the Book of Talmud says; “ God sees but waits”. Isn’t it ex-tremely amazing that this tiny island of Guam in the Pacific was graced by the personal presence of Pope John Paul 11 who walked in its very soil in 1981? He was the front-liner and staunch promoter of the Divine Mercy. The occasion of his death in April 2006, and the event of his beatification on May 1, 2011 all happened on the Feast of the Divine Mercy. Someone said that it’s a divine trivia.

It’s a perfect tandem of the Merciful God and this humble servant who faithfully spread the message of Divine Mercy as revealed to St. Fausti-na on February 22, 1931. With absolute certainty, Pope John Paul 11’s papacy was incu-bated with the warmth of the Divine Mercy. He canonized

St. Faustina on April 30, 2000, known today the world as the Apostle of the Divine Mercy. She is the first canonized Saint of the great millennium. It was on this momentous occasion and for the very first time ever, Pope John Paul 11 declared to the whole Christendom that the first Sunday after Easter be

“The Feast of the Divine Mer-cy “. This must be his humble and obedient response to the Lord’s demand that a Feast of Mercy be solemnly celebrated. In her Diary entry no. 699, St. Faustina wrote Jesus’ words in this regard; “ The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind, will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.”

It is a dream come true especially to the devotees of the Divine Mercy for at last we will have a house of prayer especially dedicated and de-signed for the worship of God’s mercy and to the honor of Blessed John Paul 11. It will be a lighthouse of faith to brightly shine in this part of the world where “All Are Welcome”. This lyric is not only a line of lan-guage but a spirit of a song repeatedly sung by the Divine Mercy choir during the Mass and blessing of the site on that

beautiful Sunday morning of August 28, 2011. This song evokes the warmth and hospi-tality of the people of Astum-bo and our parish in general where strangers are welcome and visitors entertained. Fur-thermore, the substance of this song obliterates any claim or sense of exclusivity of this cha-pel, for the grace and mercy of God encompasses the whole mankind for there is only one race, the Human Race.

The Blessed John Paul 11- Divine Mercy Chapel fundrais-ing activity last Sunday, Sep-tember 18, 2011 at the Seafood Chef in Tamuning was a great success. The turn-out was awesome and it was a prima facie evidence of our people’s strong support to our project. Kudos to the spear-headers of this activity. My attention was captured by the tireless and energetic work of the Astumbo Divine Mercy choir members, Ben and Fina Perez, and Mar-garet Blas among others man-ning the traffic and making sure that “ All Are Welcome” and everyone was rendered with finest accommodation for the occasion. The chemis-try and dynamism of this event are reminiscent of the early Christians’ fellowship where everyone was driven by char-ity and generosity to help each other. May the same enthusi-

asm and vigor continue to fire up as we look forward to our many more future fundraising efforts, all for the glory of God. A million thanks to our many friends from all over the island who have supported our cause. May the good Lord continue reward you for your generos-ity, bless you and your fami-lies with the abundance of His grace and mercy

The Blessed John Paul 11- Divine Mercy Chapel is a great gift of God in our time and so with grateful hearts we joyfully proclaim at the top of our voic-es; . BIBA Blessed John Paul 11- Divine Mercy, BIBA!!!

The Blessed John Paul II - Divine Mercy Chapel

Jesus,I Trust in You

Sunday, September 25, 2011 11DEVOTION AND SPIRITUALITY

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- At the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, history is literally etched in stone. From its monumental Roman base to the top of its newly restored Ottoman crown and its stones scarred by bullet holes, the city’s most elaborate gate has been witness to the comings and goings of centuries of conquering soldiers and rulers and remains the main gate into the Old City. In August, Israeli archaeologists com-pleted restoration work on the Damas-cus Gate, the last stage in a project begun in 2007 to restore and conserve the city’s 2.5 miles of ancient walls, said conserva-tion architect Avi Mashiah of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who directed the work. The Damascus Gate was the last of the gates to be restored not only because of its architectural complexity, but also be-cause of its role as the social and com-mercial hub for the Old City in East Jeru-salem, he said. The Israeli restoration of the Damas-cus Gate took 10 months, Mashiah said, and was conducted in coordination with the Palestinian merchants whose busy shops line the entrance into the old city. Work time was limited to evening hours at their request, he said, and no water was used to clean the stones so their merchandise and stores would not be damaged. During Roman times, the gate consist-ed of three monumental arches flanked by two unique still-standing towers built at an angle to the arches. It was an im-portant symbol of the Roman “Aelia Cap-itolina” city founded on the ruins of Je-rusalem by Emperor Hadrian in 135 A.D., said Italian Franciscan Father Eugenio Alliata, professor of Christian archaeol-ogy at the Studium Bibilicum Francis-canum of Jerusalem and director of the school’s museum. It was atop of the Ro-

man ruins that the Crusaders built their gate. The ancient Hebrews, the Fatimid, the Mamluk, Ottomans, British, Jorda-nians and Israelis have also laid claim to the city and its wall. “This was the most important monu-ment of Jerusalem, the most important entrance to Jerusalem,” said Father Al-liata. He said that, except under Ottoman rule, the Damascus Gate has always served as the main entrance to Jerusa-lem. In the time of Jesus there was only a minor entrance at the site but no re-mains of it have been found, he said. Reaching up with his hand to touch the remains of the Roman pillars that bordered the arches, the priest marveled at the towering height they must have reached. “When you look at them from above they do not look that big. Only when you come down here to the Roman level do you realize how big they were,” he said. He pointed out the six-feet-long base stones and said they were said to have been taken from the ruins of the Jewish temple built by King Herod. Inside the gate stood an impressive plaza with a marble pillar which, in an-cient times, served as a platform for a statue of the Roman emperor, he said. Though the pillar no longer stands at the gate, the Arabic name for the Gate -- Bab al Amud, or Gate of the Pillar -- still re-tains its memory. Also no longer standing is the small Crusader chapel of St. Abraham, which was built just outside the gate, though faint traces of paint can still be seen on the stones where archaeologists believe the chapel once stood. Some stones still bear the signs of marks by master stone masons during the Crusader period as a claim on their finest work. Today, the un-covered site of the chapel is strewn with horse manure and street garbage tossed by passersby and street vendors on the upper level of the gate. An Orthodox Jewish woman, her hair covered and eyes cast down on a book of psalms held open in her hands, walks up

the steps of the gate as she leaves the Old City. An Ethiopian priest passes by on his way inside the gate. The steps and entrance to the gate were gradually uncovered by excavations over the last century after having been almost completely covered up by dirt, said Fa-ther Alliata. The Jordanians were the last to conduct an excavation at the site in the 1950s he added. Inside the gate the road leads to holy sites for three different faiths: the West-

ern Wall, the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the al-Aqsa Mosque, he noted. It was through this gate that all pil-grims to the city -- early Christians, Jews and Muslims, came to pray, Father Al-liata said. “(The Israelis) did good work in main-taining and preserving the character of the gate,” said Father Alliata. “They pre-served all the history of the wall and you can see all three levels very clearly.”

Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate: Witness to centuries of historyBy Judith SudilovskyCatholic News Service

What did the Unborn Jesus Look Like In His Blessed Mother’s Womb?

Sunday, September 25, 201112 LOOKING AHEAD

Looking Ahead

I’M JUST SAYING JEFFREY L. FITZGERALD

Now that I have been the editor of U Ma-tuna Si Yu’os for three months—and, I might add, have received the support of a forgiving publisher, a patient director, and a fantastic network and staff—we might as well hit on one of my pet peeves. It’s the expression I’m just saying. Now if you use this phrase and are like-ly to be upset at my criticism of it, don’t bother to be offended. Why? Because you’re an idiot. I’m just saying. Obviously I’m just kidding, but if you are offended, then you make my point for me. “I’m just saying” is an interesting phrase because it is in effect a license to say anything you want without fear of consequences or repercussions. When I was in the Marine Corps, I dated for a profoundly short time a girl named Allison who was, in short, crazy. Not crazy in that “secretly built a shrine to you in her closet where she sacrifices small animals” sort of way, nor the Fatal Attraction eku “I can’t breathe without you!” variety either. It’s more like “Let me express how I feel about you through this interpretive dance” sort of way. She was, in the words of Simpson’s creator Matt Groening, “spooky girl” Oh, and speaking of spooky girls, I once went on a blind date with this girl who insisted on picked me up, only to find out once I was in the car that she wanted to take me to a secluded wooded area and show me the Tek-9 that she and her friends stole and were going to use to shoot a guy who jilted them out of cor-rect change at a convenience store. The fact that I’m relaying that very abridged story is testament to the fact that I ran as soon as I could find an opening, particularly since I didn’t want to be murdered, go to jail, or find out if her idea of a first kiss involved a closed-fist punch. I’m just saying.

You know, on second thought, maybe “spooky girl” crazy is a topic for a later date. Someone remind me. We can call it “Psycho Whisperer” since I apparently am one. Anyway, besides a profoundly irritat-ing knack of trying to guess everyone’s astrological sign, Allison (the non-armed spooky girl) was almost compul-sive about telling people exactly what was on her mind, regardless of time, place, or lack of necessity. Her excuse was always: “I was just be-ing honest.” That’s the spooky girl version of “I’m just saying.” It’s as if moral permission is granted to say whatever comes to mind, and the justification of “honest,” or as they say, “brutally honest,” is to my mind nothing more than being honestly bru-tal. The reason is that at its heart most modern men and women have forgot-ten basic civility (not to mention tact).Not everyone of course, but enough to make “I’m just saying” understandable in pop culture. I know that in part my upbringing in

the American South is showing here, but this is one facet of my breeding of which I am particularly proud. On the whole, Southerners tend to hold back a bit when criticizing and quite often at-tempt to put the best spin on things pos-sible. On a side note, besides sliced cheese, courtesy as a virtue is the one thing we share in common with Canadians. I’m just saying. The point is that utilizing that filter between the brain and the mouth would really go a long way if we would just em-ploy it a bit more. Let’s try a test case. My mother is re-nowned for being an amazing cook who loves to combine local ingredients with French techniques [NOTE: this is not an opinion but instead a metaphysical truth; I’m just saying]. Given that this was two decades before there was ever a Food Network, she was what we might call way ahead of her time. So one evening, in an exception-ally bold culinary move, she prepared a chilled avocado soup. Having never had avocado, much less cold green soup, I with my dad and sister dutifully ate this virescent masterpiece as she watched us warily but hopefully. Now anyone who has ever cooked anything from prime rib to fried bologna knows that all cooks (trained chefs or not) crave praise for their efforts –even if it’s just a “The seasoning was just right!” Being no different, my mother threw caution to the wind and awaited our re-sponse, but it was slow in coming. We all sat there in anxious, guilt-stricken antici-pation. It took a few moments, but the dear Lord supplied me with the gentlest words that my tender age could muster. “Mom, that was really really good. But if you decided not to ever make it again, that would be ok too.” That was quite possibly the greatest effort at diplomacy I have ever uttered.

Still, it made her laugh, so in the end her feelings weren’t hurt, and I never had to resort to getting a tattoo of a broken red heart on my chest with a banner that reads “Bad Seed” or “My Mama didn’t love me.” Ultimately, everything from marriages to children’s friendships would really benefit from a little courtesy. There’s no need to flatter or fawn over people, but surely something positive can be ac-centuated in our conversations. My wife knows all my faults, and I know hers. But honestly, where’s the fun in telling each other the most hurtful things we can think of when there are plenty of good things we can rest on? Truthfulness as a virtue, after all, isn’t really about the statement of the truth of things as it is a reflection of the prudence to know when and how to say what can be said. Otherwise, “truth” becomes a weapon that hurts, like gossip, rumor-mongering, or tale-bearing . If you doubt this, imagine everyone you know always telling you their blunt true feelings and opinions about you. I for one want no part of that life. That seems somehow cruel and inhuman. Truth would then becomes mangled into a vi-cious caricature of itself, and that’s what makes “truth-telling” as wicked as lying. One final note: I should in fairness mention that my mother still recounts the chilled avocado soup story to her friends. Thankfully, she doesn’t tell the one about how when I was a wee little tyke, I took one of those little Bingo stampers you use to mark your Bingo card, and in a moment of creative play covered my body with red spots in an ef-fort to transform into a leopard. Then again, even if she did tell that sto-ry, I could get mad all I wanted, but she’d probably say something like, “What, leopard boy? Get over it. I’m your moth-er. Besides, it’s funny. I’m just saying.”

Please send oinsults and criticisms because you are in fact “just saying” to jeff@umatuna.org.

Spooky-Girl and the Case of the Cold Avocado Soup

Jeff Fitz, Marine and Psycho Whisperer

Aug 26 Sts. Cosmas and DamianMon (Optional Memorial)

Aug 27 St. Vincent de PaulTue

Aug 28 St. WenceslausWed (Optional Memorial) St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions (Optional Memorial)

Aug 29 Sts. Michael, Gabriel, RaphaelThu Feast

Aug 30 St. JeromeFri

Oct 1 St. Therese of LisieuxSat

Although this week is loaded with famous and popular feast days, the me-morial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian is noteworthy precisely because almost nothing is definitively known about them. Over the centuries many legends have been attached to them, and they remain popular intercessors precisely because they were martyrs of the early Church with shrines located in Syria. St. Vincent de Paul is perhaps most famous for the St. Vincent de Paul Soci-ety, which is devoted to aid to the poor. The organization takes its name from this saint’s devotion to helping the poor and to missionary work, be it on the part of priests or the laity. He also founded, with St. Louise de Marillac (whose feast day is March 15), the Sisters of Charity. Born in the 10th Century, St. Wenc-eslaus was born in the royal family of Behemia. On becoming king, he worked to propagate the free exercise of the Christian faith in his kingdom until he was killed for his efforts by his brother’s allies. He is the patron saint of the Czech

Republic. Sts. Lawrence Ruiz and his compan-ions share a feast day with St. Wenc-eslaus. St.Lawrence was born in Manila to a Chinese father and Filipino mother. Married with three children, he was ac-cused of a crime and fled the Phliippines with a Dominican missionary expedi-tion. He was arrested by the Japanese authorities in Nagasaki and executed in September, 1637. He is the first Filipino martyr. This feast of the three great Archangels explicitly mentioned in Scripture should be a cause for great joy. St. Michael is noted in Revelation and is the patron of soldiers as well as Israel. Gabriel appears in the Book of Daniel and explains some of his visions, as well as his more famous appearance in the Gospel of Luke. Ra-phael is the angel who heals Tobit in the book with that name (which incidentally is not in the King James Version of the Bible, although it should be considering how awesome it is). St. Jerome was born in Dalmatia (the

area that was until recently known as Yu-goslavia), who after his baptism moved to the Holy Land. He is particularly fa-mous for translating the Scriptures into Latin (the first real edition of the Bible as we would call it today), as well as nu-merous commentaries on the Scriptures. Famous for his temper as well as his in-ability to suffer fools, he is perhaps one of the most interestly human of the Doc-tors of the Church. He is also the patron saint of translators and Scripture schol-ars. The most recent Doctor of the Church is St. Therese, also called the Little Flow-er. Born in France just over a century ago, her theology that was born from her prayer life focused on being “little.” Al-though she died at the young age of 24, she continues to be profoundly impor-tant today for Catholics. Of all her quotes, her most famous is “I will spend my time in heaven doing good on earth.” She is the patron saint of missionary work. The staff of U Matuna Si Yu’os wish you a safe and blessed week.