The Nature of Faith

Photo by Daniel Bartholmew

The Nature of Faith

We shape our lives 
by rebellion or acquiescence.

To rebel 
is to slingshot our identity 
into the netherworld

where questions stand 
thick and solid as skyscrapers.

To accept
is to ascend the tallest bell tower

with an overview of the city.

Most of us transcend 
then fall

transcend
then fall again 
trodding the same worn plot

like a sentry guarding city gates.

Determined to defend 
what seems unattainable

we guard we know not what

until, with faith,

we gain eternal entry.

By Marianna Bartholomew


Rebellion can either serve or defeat, as can acquiescence. To rebel against status quo in seeking excellence or truth is a great thing. If society tells us to "fit in," but also to set aside all that is moral or good, than obviously, we need to rebel against that pressure. 

Rebellion that sends us into the "netherworld"  is misdirected, often born of pride. To rebel, but then avoid a sincere search for truth, leads us to that existence "where questions stand thick and solid as skyscrapers." 


Fine. We are all inclined to rebel now and then, an instinct born of human nature. But do we use this instinct as a catalyst, taking time to really dig for reasonable answers? So often, people fling about in an orgy of experience and disbelief, seeking what "feels right," instead of filling in the gaps with some real answers born of research and reflection. 

Regarding tough questions about my faith, I've learned to launch an investigation, just as I would for any story I write. I explore early Church writers, Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, encyclicals. This kind of rigor is so satisfying when it comes to thinking and praying about life's great mysteries. In the end, I've discovered the beauty of informed acquiescence. 

Rebellion has another facet. Do we rebel against life circumstances? Sometimes, that type of rebellion can be productive, helping us transform a harmful home, school, work or even civic environment -- if we initiate change with a healthy respect and consideration of others. But if we are presented a tough circumstance, like a child with a terminal illness or a catastrophic accident, do we rail against that event, or accept and move on in faith?

Rebellion and acquiescence. How do I choose one over the other? God knows, my natural instincts lead me to push back fiercely at times, averse to pain or difficulty. But learning to thrive within certain limitations, builds rich character. To respect ourselves, we must put up a fight -- for the good -- learning to work optimistically and at peak level within restrictions. 


Who is God calling me to be? Moving blindly through an unexamined life is dissatisfying. Thank God for the light He gives, that turns rebellion into inspired acts, as the soul hungers to accept God's Will.

As for that "same worn plot," those old, ingrained sins get tedious after a while! Thank God for the Actual Grace of His sacraments, that frees us and strews flowers along the path. I am no Mother Teresa, who strived through decades of dryness. I've experienced time and again how God gifts the weak with consolations, like Padre Pio once fed chocolates to new converts. 


May our Holy Week be blessed! 


© By Marianna Bartholomew 2012


"Let us unite ourselves to the Passion and death of Jesus Christ in the conscious way we live each moment of our Holy Week so that our hope may grow." -- Father Pater John Cameron, OP, Holy Week, 2012, Magnificat.

Taking Techie Breaks for Old-Fashioned Domesticity

Photo by Daniel Bartholomew

How to balance high-tech living and a contemplative spirit amidst modern family life? Here's a project from last week that instilled a little bliss and peace into my otherwise crazy schedule. I decided to stop fighting my overflow of beloved cookbooks, take them out of the jammed cupboard and display them, covered decoratively so their dogeared covers wouldn't be an eyesore. That way, this collection I treasure is available, ready to use and even adds a style element to the room.

I've been too busy for crafts lately. But the idea of a sanity break, doing something out of the ordinary and just for pleasure, and something uplifting to the whole family, appealed. My Grandmother might have done a similar project, back when scraps of material and paper were salvaged, treasured, and turned into something useful and attractive. 


I remember stories of Grandma saving and ironing old gift wrap to reuse. I still have some of her gift tags, cut with decorative scissors from greeting cards she received. People during WWII learned to be the ultimate recyclers. My family inherited a footstool Grandma had made out of quart-sized tomato juice cans covered with fabric. As a newlywed, I reupholstered the "hassock" and presented it to my Mom. It's a surprisingly classy-looking stool, and you would never guess its humble origins. 

But it's been awhile since I've stepped away from the daily grind, let the world spin on without me for a bit, and did something crafty and home-beautifying. 

We have a galley kitchen in a 1950's ranch-style house. I love cooking and baking, which makes for  too many fun gadgets for the space (like the grain grinder on the middle shelf above and my bean crock on the lower) -- plus a food processor, blender, a juicer, myriads of baking tins and stoneware, etc! To call the area cozy is being polite. I frequently pray for organization in our home. Grandma and Grandpa (God rest their souls) managed tidily with nine people sharing a two bedroom Chicago bungalow, back when front porches turned into sleeping chambers through sultry summers. In comparison, it seems ridiculous to admit that three children, aged pre-teen and up, and two adults, in a three-bedroom home, feels like a tight fit. 


However, a new floor plan and way of using that kitchen space came to me so strongly the other day, it felt like a Holy Spirit moment and an answer to my organization prayers. I jettisoned an extra piece of furniture out of the kitchen, leading to a grand reorganizing: a drop-leaf table dragged before the shelves, and a coffee and toast center set up on a squat, vintage dresser nearby. On a day jammed with way too many other things to do, I cleared my mind of worries, donned an apron and reveled in domesticity for a while. My cluttered, unappealing shelves, suddenly bore a new, cheerful aspect. The minuscule table usually used in the corner for overflow produce and miscellany (we usually eat in the dining room), took center stage and became usable, even offering an alluring snack and reading nook.

Photo by Daniel Bartholomew

No sooner had I taken out a couple of old wallpaper sample books to find some good scraps for covers to complete the effect, when my 17-year-old daughter perked up, and sat cross-legged nearby to work out some great calligraphy and art.

We all love the result. Over the weekend, we found ourselves gathering in the kitchen over coffee in a space that finally works well for that purpose -- making even a galley kitchen the "heart of the home." 


I'll think of my girl and that shared time being creative, every time I grab a cookbook embellished with her designs. We were definitely in "flow" together on this project. There is something soothing about paging through fine wallpaper...the colors and textures are satisfying. If you have never gone to your local wallpaper store and asked if they have books of retired samples you can take, then consider doing so, especially if you still have children at home. It's fun just paging through the samples, and we've used the paper for everything from homemade coffee can banks and pencil containers, to greeting cards and paper doll clothing.

Anyway, in this age of hi-tech everything, I loved this project that brightened and made useable an otherwise cramped and unattractive spot in our kitchen -- and carved some pure pleasure into an overly-busy day. Bill-paying, doctor's appointments, school and sports activities, endless dishes and cleaning, and time spent on computers, iPhones, vocations and careers -- that's daily fare. But how often do we remember to call even a short recess, put our burdens and gadgets aside, and experience the sheer pleasure of crafting something beautiful to make our house more a home?

Monsignor Reilly, Great Jazz and an Amazing Week

A score of tough days resolved for me on a high note yesterday, thanks to a famous Irish priest from New York, some great jazz and a flurry of Holy Spirit activity.


My sleep has been troubled, lately. The same week I wrote Pushing 'the Pill' leads to loss of Liberty for the Catholic News Agency, I was awakened by nightmares, filled with a sense of how dangerous this world is becoming. 


So, when I heard world-renowned Monsignor Phillip Reilly was visiting Chicago last weekend and giving a talk entitled "Be Not Afraid" at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Hinsdale, I felt drawn to attend. Stations of the Cross, benediction, and Monsignor's powerful message (see below), put everything into perspective. 


At a little reception afterwards, I found myself face to face with this lively, Irish priest from Brooklyn. I mentioned my Pushing 'the Pill' article and how it was the most controversial topic I had ever tackled. Monsignor Reilly took my face in his hands, looked warmly into my eyes, and said, "Marianna, relax!" 

Steve Vining's inspiring album,
featuring "Choose Life."

He told me the "Pill" had brought great evil to the world, and we needed to speak out on this topic, but that we did not do so alone. He gave me the sense of this great cloud of believers standing together for life. 


Monsignor's face shows effects of cancer. His nose appears to have been surgically reconstructed. But he exudes peace and down-to-earth humor and joy that is contagious. He is a great advertisement for embracing life to the fullest.




That night triggered several days' worth of amazing events. Also attending were my friends Vicky and Steve Vining and their young daughters. As we chatted, Steve mentioned he had produced a CD and was soon to release another. Before we parted, Steve dug around in his car and handed me Telling Visions, which he produced and wrote with the help of his wife, and performed with the accompaniment of some of the finest jazz musicians in Chicago.

Chicago area musician Steve Vining

I popped in the CD and listened to it all the way home, volume cranked. Now, I knew Steve was a musician who played and sang in bands, but he also worked full-time at DePaul University, so I thought his musical "hobby" involved a casual garage band. 


To say I was pleasantly surprised by his music would be an understatement. My family and I listened to the CD for the next several days, returning again and again to the amazing vocals, harmonies and soaring jazz riffs.



One of my favorite songs is Choose Life. This truly epic arrangement uplifts the spirit, inviting it to soar to an appreciation of life's beauty, and how only one "choice" leads to fulfillment:


"The answers are laid out before you
yet the questions are all that you see, 
You curse at the lock and you kick at the door 
not admitting that you hold the key..."


 and: "You're making your decisions constantly, 
with each thought and each passing breath, 
Gliding on the cutting edge of life, 
on the cutting edge of death."




Bravo, Steve and Vicky. Especially moving, is that this CD evolved after the couple experienced a full-term pregnancy loss. They were later blessed by the birth of their now 12-year-old daughter, and have a five-year-old girl they adopted from Guatemala. Their life is that wonderful jumble of not-always-controlled joié de vivre and chaos found in any home with little ones. I could picture the scene perfectly when Vicky described their family "exercise" time, when they all walked "laps" and romped in the basement.




Never would I have guessed that this busy mom had written songs and vocalized, and her husband also wrote songs, sang, played guitar in and produced, an album reminiscent of "Sting" and "Steely Dan," but with its own irresistible sound. 


By Monday, I could not settle to anything until I shared this music with Deacon Tom and Dee Fox, who produce Catholic Vitamins podcasts, affiliated with the Star Quest Production Network (SQPN). I have been contributing little Missionary Moments to these podcasts for several months, ever since being interviewed for Catholic Vitamin W -- Witness, about living our faith daily. 


I knew Deacon Tom was interviewing the star of the soon to be released movie October Baby that afternoon. He was preparing a special podcast with a pro-life theme, and I could not get the thought out of my mind that Steve's song, Choose Life, would be a perfect addition to the show. 


Deacon Tom and Dee are amazing in their flexibility. By bedtime last night, the special October Baby podcast was posted, featuring Deacon Tom's exclusive interview with leading lady Rachel Hendrix and musical interludes and the entire Choose Life song by Steve Vining! I can't resist saying it -- modern technology rocks. Jesuit Father John Hardon would be so pleased. This renowned Servant of God, theologian, friend and spiritual director of the Vinings, had often encouraged Steve to put his musical talents to use for spreading truths of the Faith. So:


* If you have never heard of Monsignor Phillip Reilly or his groups, Helpers of God's Precious Infants, then do a search and learn more. His loving, compassionate approach has been saving babies and mothers across the world for 50 years.


* Go see October Baby when it is released in theaters March 23. You are sure to be inspired by this gripping film produced by the creators of Fireproof and Courageous.


* Check out Steve Vining's CD Telling Visions, especially his song Choose Life. The CD is available through various online suppliers, including Catholicmusic.com.


* Listen to Deacon Tom and Dee's special J -- for Justice Catholic Vitamins broadcast featuring October Baby's leading lady, Rachel Hendrix, and Steve's song.


* Pray for Father Hardon's cause for beatification to move forward.


* Finally, pray daily that life might be cherished and freedom honored everywhere.

A Message from Monsignor Phillip Reilly's March 9, 2012 talk, Be Not Afraid:


When planes crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Monsignor Reilly was praying at an abortion clinic a few blocks from New York Harbor, across from the twin towers. A black cloud enveloped the area, but babies continued to be killed at the abortion center, so Monsignor stayed to pray, only reaching Ground Zero around midnight. 

At the site, he closed his eyes to pray a rosary and had a vision. He saw workers within the building at 9 AM, getting coffee and water, preparing for their day, secure within their familiar work environment. When planes slashed through the building, these workers had nowhere to flee, no way to save themselves. Monsignor then "saw" in his vision a mother's womb, invaded by weapons of terrorism, the abortionist's tools. Ground Zero, said Monsignor, is all around us.

Go to the abortion mills to pray, he urged, to be witness to this tragic taking of human life. Do not be afraid of "Golgotha." Accompany these little souls in spirit as they are so brutally evicted from their earthly home by their own mother's choice. Monsignor reminded us that these babies are safe with God. These women are "mothers forever," who emerge from abortion centers wounded and needing unconditional love and forgiveness.


On a final note, Monsignor told how a priest friend was on the scene with the firefighters, before they went into the World Trade Center. They asked the priest for general absolution, saying, "Father, you know we're not coming out alive." 


Who were these firefighters? Many were family men -- fathers with little ones at home, said Msgr. Reilly. They turned and went up into the burning towers, saving literally thousands of workers, "doing the right thing" step by step, fulfilling their vocations, until the very end.

Noisy World is Enemy of Prayer

Overview of a busy, Chicago street.
Photo by Bartholomew

Noisy world is enemy of prayer, says Pope Benedict 

By David Kerr  

Vatican City, Mar 7, 2012 / 11:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The constant noise that accompanies modern life is an enemy of God’s word being heard in prayer, Pope Benedict XVI said. 

“Interior and exterior silence are necessary in order to hear that Word,” and yet, “our age does not, in fact, favor reflection and contemplation,” the Pope said March 7. On the contrary, “it seems that people are afraid to detach themselves, even for an instant, from the spate of words and images which mark and fill our days.” 

The Pope was addressing over 10,000 pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience. This was the first audience of the year held in the open air. It was also the last in the Pope’s series of catecheses on the personal prayer of Jesus. 

Today, his particular focus was on Christ’s silence on the cross, as well as the need for silence in our own prayer. 

Photo by Bartholomew

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is repeatedly “withdrawing alone to a place far from the crowds, even from his own disciples, where he can pray in silence,” he observed. 

The “great patristic tradition,” the Pope said, also teaches Christians that “the mysteries of Christ are linked to silence, and only in silence can the Word find a place to dwell within us.”

 He then explained to the pilgrims that this “principle” of silence “holds true for individual prayer” and for Catholic liturgies, which, “to facilitate authentic listening, must also be rich in moments of silence and of non verbal acceptance.”

Silence has “the capacity to open a space in our inner being, a space in which God can dwell, which can ensure that his word remains within us, and that love for him is rooted in our minds and hearts, and animates our lives,” taught the Pope. 

Even when people feel “a sense of abandonment” in the silence of prayer, and they worry that “God does not listen and does not respond,” Pope Benedict said that they should be reassured that “this silence, as happened to Jesus, does not signify absence.” 

“Christians know that the Lord is present and listens,” the Pope assured, “even in moments of darkness and pain, of rejection and solitude.” 

This is why the prayer of Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels, “is a reminder that we need to stop, to experience moments of intimacy with God, ‘detaching ourselves’ from the turmoil of daily life in order to listen.” In doing so, we return “to the ‘root’ which nourishes and sustains our existence.” 

Pope Benedict then quoted from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as he reflected on Jesus’ silent prayer reaching its apex during his passion and death on Golgotha. 

During that time of suffering, when “his cry to the Father from the cross encapsulated ‘all the troubles, for all time, of humanity enslaved by sin and death, all the petitions and intercessions of salvation history are summed up in this cry of the incarnate Word,’” he said. 

“Here the Father accepts them and, beyond all hope, answers them by raising his son,” he concluded. “Thus is fulfilled and brought to completion the drama of prayer in the economy of creation and salvation.” 

Pope Benedict then addressed the pilgrims in various languages before leading them in the singing of the Our Father in Latin and imparting his apostolic blessing.

Spring is Stirring!

Photo by Daniel Bartholomew

If not for their brilliance, I could have easily missed these first crocuses blooming by my front door. They are tiny, just thumbnail sized, and only two, poking through a 15-foot expanse of crusty leaves and other fall debris. Their eye-popping color can be seen ten feet away. They shine like spotlights from the drab landscape, promising better things to come. 

Now is the time for Lenten discipline. A time to clean away the rubbish. But these crocuses are like heralds, announcing, "Take heart, take heart. New life will spring from the old!"

Study Freedom and Stay Free

Early morning in Yellowstone, by E.G. Bartholomew

Study, work and pray to stop America's liberties from disappearing as swiftly as morning mists from sea to shining sea...

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." -- Written by Thomas Jefferson in a private letter

Digging into primary sources is an exciting way to learn. Interested in Civil War medicine? Then browse teaching manuals and letters written by patients, doctors and nurses of that era. Want an in-depth retelling of an event such as the St. Louis Expedition or the Chicago Fire? Then find eye-witness accounts. I cherish my first-edition "Barriers Burned Away," written by Edward Payton Roe. This Civil War correspondent and New York minister traveled to Chicago in 1871 while the city burned to gather material for a powerful novel. His book describes terrified residents ducking into Lake Michigan to escape embers and victims seeking aid at hastily-established soup kitchens. 

Barriers Burned Away
By E.P. Roe

Tracking down primary sources turns anyone into Sherlock Holmes and the lure of uncovering topical tidbits becomes irresistible. My daughter, a Junior in high school, became fired up about Dante Alighieri this winter. After reading a mention of Dante's lesser-known La Vita Nuova, a work inspired by Dante's courtly love for pure Beatrice, my daughter ranged over town to the college library on a wintry day to find an obscure copy. That kind of interest fuels real learning.


Americans need to re-ignite a like passion for liberty. What is "freedom," rightly used? How is it maintained? How was it won for America? If we cherish our liberty, we should be brushing off and reading our copies of the Constitution. Many public schools are dropping mandatory requirements to learn cursive, but children should master this art, so they, too, can study copies of original documents like the Declaration of Independence. In our home, we have a facsimile of that document on a parchment scroll, that we bring out for patriotic holidays. 

Portrait of Thomas
Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale, 
courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Image in public domain

What did early founders of America say about liberty? Snatching just a phrase or two out of context -- usually all we get in textbooks or articles --  is like eating the cherry, but leaving the hot fudge sundae. Digesting speeches, letters and other documents in their entirety helps us see famous quotes in context and better savor our nation's unique flavor of liberty. My son, a Freshman in high school, is reading original American documents from a book called Words Aptly Spoken, compiled by Jen Greenholt. Included is Patrick Henry's famous March 23, 1775 speech to Virginia Congressional delegates in which he exclaims, "Give me liberty or give me death!"


Taking five minutes to read this entire speech fleshes out Henry's ideas.  Fellow patriots like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison also have much more to offer than faces on currency, or a pithy phrase or two. Sacrificing everything for the cause of liberty, these men's' reflections on the topic are not only still timely, but prophetic, and worth investigating. 


A friend shared powerful Thomas Jefferson quotes with me this week, spurring my resolve to put these quotes into context, and explore more of this statesman's speeches and writings:


"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe...




"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not...


"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which, if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world...


"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical..." -- Thomas Jefferson

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government."


In 1802, Thomas Jefferson said, "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property -- until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."


Jefferson took his liberty seriously and so must we, voting along lines of freedom and in the light of truth. The most important primary document -- Scripture -- informs our consciences and illuminates our minds about true liberty. We can access the leading of the Church each day through Scripture readings and the homily at Mass. Or, we can meditate on Scripture, and reflections of current theologians and early Church fathers, in our Magnificats or on online sources such as Universalis. Never has the Church wavered in teaching that we must cherish and protect inalienable rights of every person, from conception through death. 


May God save America's liberty and bless her current and future generations. May we do our part -- studying, working and praying to further the noble cause of human freedom.

"America, you are beautiful and blessed. The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." -- From another prophetic hero who loved human freedom, Pope John Paul II 

To see a great reflection on the United States Catholic Bishops' remarks about Americans being given one year to violate their consciences, see Marge Fenelon's article, "Literally Unconscionable," from the Catholic News Agency's Catholic Womanhood blog.

Illustration by Erin Bartholomew

Time is Precious: Use Media Wisely in 2012!

The media has "enormous positive potential for promoting sound human and family values…contributing to the renewal of society."  -- Blessed John Paul II, in “The Media and the Family: A Risk and a Richness,” released for 2004 World Communications Day.

My blogging break through Christmas took my site's focus to heart: balancing an active-contemplative family lifestyle amidst modern-day technology. Balance means knowing when to say "no" to technology and "yes" to more interactive living -- or even, silence! I know some try to avoid technology altogether, but Pope John Paul II urged us to "set out into the deep," and invited us to use creative, modern ways to help uplift the world. 


I love this great pope's call to renew society through media. Since the hearts and minds of all ages today are set on texting, tweeting and blogging, then technology can be feared -- or viewed as a vast, public square full of opportunity. We can cast our voices so widely. St. John Cantius Church in Chicago hosts Communications Days, urging parishioners to spread the Faith through various media. I learned about podcasting at one of these events years ago, but never felt attracted to the idea.


But this December, I learned to better use my Garage Band app on my Mac (with help from my 11-year-old son!), and prepared several podcast segments that now air on Dee and Deacon Tom Fox's site, Catholic Vitamins, also an affiliate of the Starquest Production Network, and on iTunes. (See banners at the bottom of this site for more links and information.)


I love this Arizona Catholic couple's homey approach to offering nutrients for the Faith "from A to Z," interviewing guests on topics such as "Adoration," "Blessings," and "Consecration." Asked to do a little "Missionary Moments" series, I offered my first spot on this topic last week, on the "B" for "Blooming" podcast. Giving a little overview of mission needs in America, I was excited "L'Angelus," out of the Diocese of Lafayette, LA, permitted Catholic Vitamins to use their "Ca C'est Bon" song for Missionary Moments. Irish-Cajun siblings who perform around the world, L'Angelus sang at World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011. Their music uplifts the spirit and makes me want to dance.

L'Angelus music -- "It is good!" Check out some of their
tunes here. I also feature this group's music
video in my blog post, "Sharing good music: an
act of charity made easy by technology."

But back to podcasting. It's tough to extemporize into a mike, but I'm enjoying the challenge! Podcasting reminds me of those early radio shows from the '20's and '30's. With the shows taped live, anything could happen -- and often did! 


Deacon Tom taped me at the end of 2011 for the Catholic Vitamin "W" for "Witness" show, and we chatted over the telephone about witnessing to our faith daily. At one point, I said I had always wanted to be a "ballet dancer."  Deacon Tom chuckled and reminded me his was a family show. Bewildered, I chatted on, as the interview continued. A moment or two later, I realized Deacon Tom thought I said "belly dancer." My kids got a kick out of that moment preserved in the show, and I'm learning to not take myself too seriously!


My husband reminds me not to let "perfect be the enemy of the good." Anyone who steps into media work is bound to sound goofy now and then. If the intention is pure, the overall effect achieved, and just a few glitches end up in the final product, then creative types should count their blessings! So, I'll pursue new podcasting projects, and continue blogging and tweeting --  God willing. I'll try to remember to pray for His guidance and grace every step of the way.


Let's all accept the challenge this year to "contribute to the renewal of society" through our wise, inspired use of media. 


God bless -- and Happy New Year!