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Year of Faith Seminar Series. The Person: Role of Secular Leaders. Porta Fidei Benedictus PP.XVI. Apostolic letter introducing Year of Faith: 10/12 to 12/13 50 th Anniversary Vatican II 20 th Anniversary CCC Profound crisis of faith Rediscover the joy of believing
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Year of FaithSeminar Series The Person: Role of Secular Leaders
PortaFideiBenedictus PP.XVI • Apostolic letter introducing Year of Faith: 10/12 to 12/13 • 50th Anniversary Vatican II • 20th Anniversary CCC • Profound crisis of faith • Rediscover the joy of believing • Rediscover the enthusiasm of communicating Faith • Need to arouse every believer to express Faith with renewed conviction, especially in liturgy and Eucharist • CCC as indispensable tool
PortaFidei • “Faith…demands social responsibility” • “…faith is an act both personal and communitarian” • “in our cultural context, very many people while not claiming to have gift of faith are nevertheless sincerely searching…” • “faith is now being subjected to a series of questions…limits field of rational certainties to that of science and technology…cannot be any conflict between faith and science” • “Faith without charity bears no fruit, while charity without faith would be a sentiment constantly at the mercy of doubt”
Dr. Ernesto Cofino • 1899-1991 • Guatemalan • Pediatrician • Father of 5 • Researcher/Faculty member • Founder various charitable agencies • Strong pro-life advocate • Member of Opus Dei
Dr. Ernesto Cofino • Born Guatemala City 1899 • 1929 graduated with honors University of Sorbonne, France as surgeon • Pioneer in pediatric research • Chair of Pediatrics at University of San Carlos 24 years • Founder of Pediatric Association of Guatemala • Dedicated to patients physical health as well as personal difficulties
Dr. Ernesto Cofino • Church’s social teaching a reality • Inspired and promoted organizations for needy mothers, abandoned children and orphans • Caritas de Guatemala-director; distribution of food to poor villages • Children’s tuberculosis hospital • Society for Protection of Children • Interamerican Institute for the Child • “one of founders of pro-life campaign in Guatemala”
Dr. Ernesto Cofino • Age of 57 requested admission to Opus Dei • Cancer of jaw age 80—died age 92. • “imbuing his exquisite social sensibility and his great professional sense with an urgent zeal for the rechristianization of society” • Cause of Canonization opened July 7, 2000 • Reports of favors attributed to Dr. Cofino from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, US, Australia, Peru, France, Poland and Spain.
PortaFidei • “Faith…demands social responsibility” • “…faith is an act both personal and communitarian” • “in our cultural context, very many people while not claiming to have gift of faith are nevertheless sincerely searching…” • “faith is now being subjected to a series of questions…limits field of rational certainties to that of science and technology…cannot be any conflict between faith and science” • “Faith without charity bears no fruit, while charity without faith would be a sentiment constantly at the mercy of doubt”
Reflections • Do we know social teachings of Church, read the major encyclicals? • Do we examine our participation in social activities in which we can serve less fortunate with our skills? • Do we see our profession as way to bring others to Christ, and as our means of sanctity?
Dr. Jerome Lejeune • 1926-1994 • French Pediatrician and Geneticist • Discovered genetic basis of Down Syndrome • Strong Pro-Life Advocate • “Servant of God”
Dr. Jerome Lejeune • Down syndrome probably a chromosomal accident • Learned karyotyping technique • May 22, 1958 showed 47 chromosomes in child with Down syndrome • Initial skepticism but then further reports • New discipline cytogenetics • Goal: find treatments
Dr. Jerome Lejeune • 1963 presented the Kennedy Prize • 1964 first chair of Human Genetics at Paris School of Medicine • 1969 William Allen Memorial Award in Genetics • But ultimately his discovery led to exact opposite of his goal…prenatal diagnosis of Down, abortion • Spent life defending unborn, particularly those handicapped
Dr. Jerome Lejeune • “they brandish chromosomal racism like the flag of freedom…that this rejection of medicine--of the whole biological brotherhood that binds the human family—should be the only practical application of our knowledge of Trisomy 21 is beyond heartbreaking…” • “at no time is the human being a blob of protoplasm. As far as your nature is concerned, I see no difference between the early person that you were at conception and the late person which you are now.”
Dr. Jerome Lejeune • 1989 Maryville, TN court case over frozen embryos • Close affiliation with JPII • Lunch with JPII hours before assassination attempt on May 13, 1981. • Appointed head of Pontifical Academy for Life • Died lung cancer 1994, Easter Sunday • “…he was a great servant of the truth…he hated lies and pretense. White was white and black was black. And a human embryo was a tiny human being. Period.”
PortaFidei • “Faith…demands social responsibility” • “…faith is an act both personal and communitarian” • “in our cultural context, very many people while not claiming to have gift of faith are nevertheless sincerely searching…” • “faith is now being subjected to a series of questions…limits field of rational certainties to that of science and technology…cannot be any conflict between faith and science” • “Faith without charity bears no fruit, while charity without faith would be a sentiment constantly at the mercy of doubt”
Reflections • How well informed are we regarding Church’s teaching on biomedical issues? • How do we help the pro-life movement with our prayers, donations, active participation, apostolic conversations?
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • 1926-2011 • Abortionist turned pro-life activist • Co-Founder of NARAL • 75,000 abortions • Convert to Roman Catholicism with direction from Fr. CJ McCloskey
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • Born NYC • Father was an Ob/Gyn • Jewish (“atheistic Jew”) • Cold and heartless father • Family history of suicide—sister, grandfather, father attempted
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • McGill university MD—Ruth, first experience with abortion at age 19 in 1945 • Ob/gyn practice in NYC • Director of CRASH—largest abortion in clinic in world • C0-founder of NARAL—key success of Roe v. Wade • Aborted own child mid 1960s (girlfriend)
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • Ultrasound beginning of conversion—could see that embryo and fetus had characteristics of human life • Last abortion 1979 • The Silent Scream 1984—ultrasound of abortion • “Vector theory of Life” (pg 136-137)
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • 1989 witnessed Operation Rescue— “they prayed for each other but not themselves” • Intellectual seeker—CS Lewis, Walker Percy, Cardinal Newman • Dr. Karl Stern, The Pillar of Fire (pg. 44, 46) • Fr. CJ McCloskey • “seeking Faith but still wants reason” • Baptized by Cardinal O’Connor 1996 • “no religion matches the special role for forgiveness that is afforded by the Catholic Church”
Dr. Bernard Nathanson • Truths of science helped lead him to Truth of the Faith • Natural law (pg 198 Fr. CJ) • Brutally honest with himself—examination of conscience • Seeker of truth and wisdom--help of director • Cost of believing in God (pg. 195 Fr. CJ) • Ridicule from his colleagues and friends • Effect of faithless household with no moral code, cold and critical father
PortaFidei • “Faith…demands social responsibility” • “…faith is an act both personal and communitarian” • “in our cultural context, very many people while not claiming to have gift of faith are nevertheless sincerely searching…” • “faith is now being subjected to a series of questions…limits field of rational certainties to that of science and technology…cannot be any conflict between faith and science” • “Faith without charity bears no fruit, while charity without faith would be a sentiment constantly at the mercy of doubt”
Reflections • Do we realize power of Holy Spirit to move souls? • Do we shy away from people who we know have very different opinions than ours or do we “write off” those who we feel are very far from God? • Do we see conflict in the truths of science and religion? Do we help others to see how these truths are not contradictory?