The Origin Story of All Saints Museum Part 3:  Prayer

I knew from my love of the Saints and my Catholic faith that when one receives a calling in their heart from the Lord the best thing they can do is pray and listen more intently.  Most of the time God doesn’t just lay out the whole plan for people – otherwise we would get cold feet and back away entirely, because God’s plans are always greater than our own minds believe we can achieve.  Rather, God lays down one section of the road at a time, leading us through the labyrinth one leg at a time, one foot in front of the other, step by step.  If we are attentive to the voice of God, and we follow his lead and his promptings, then we find that where one door might close, another one opens up.  We just have to keep knocking, asking, seeking.  He will honor our feeble attempts at stumbling around in the dark.  He shines the light where our eyes need to focus. 

And so with this, I prayed.  I listened.  I dreamed.  I imagined what could be done.  I poured my heart out to our Lord.  I spoke to him about the pros and cons of a museum.  I talked to him about how this idea could really help a lot of people grow closer to their faith.  I also talked to him about how I don’t like working weekends, especially Sundays – and that I would want this museum to honor the Lord’s day.  I brought to the Lord all my feelings and desires, all my thoughts and ideas, and I just laid them all at his feet. 

I also sought spiritual advice from several priests I knew.  One priest in particular (Father Michael Pintacura) was also in the process of making his own museum (I encourage everyone to pray for him and the museum dedicated to Blessed Anna Maria Taigi http://taigivision.org/).  God speaks to us in many ways – mostly through Scripture, but also through other holy men and women. He also speaks to us through the voice of his Saints.

This is what prayer really is.  It isn’t so much about me asking this, and God granting my wishes.  It’s a dialogue between a Father and a son, between family.  I have to constantly remind myself of this, because it can feel very one-sided at times… me doing all the talking.  I have to learn to listen more.  I’m still learning.  Still praying.  And I’m still listening.

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The Origin Story of All Saints Museum Part 2:  Disneyland

Now, as much as I am dissatisfied with the direction Disney has taken with many of their movies as of late – not necessarily its “woke” agenda in general, as much as its attack on traditional family values more in particular (most especially their treatment of what it means to be a real father)…  as much as I try NOT to support this, I can’t help but LOVE the Disneyland park. And I know I’m not alone in this sentiment.  Our family usually goes once a year to enjoy time together and experience the thrill and shear entertainment of the magical land.  There is something just special about it.  It didn’t really hit me at first, but I think more and more – especially after my haunted house – I realized that there is something good about our human experience.  God gave us our senses.  It seems obvious.  But God really did give us all our senses, and after He had created everything he said that they were “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  This is why the Mass is so very special – because it appeals to our whole human person – body and soul.  The sights, sounds, smells, tastes of the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament – they all appeal through our body to our soul.  This is actually why Jesus instituted the Sacraments.  It is in fact why Jesus himself became man – he came to experience our humanity, so that our humanity might experience his divinity!

St. John of the Cross wrote his famous book “The Dark Night of the Soul”.  And in it he steps through what many Saints have experienced – a spiritual darkness, where God seems to have abandoned the person (recall Jesus on the cross – “my God, my God! O Why have you abandoned me”).  This experience is oriented at stripping a person of their attachments to feelings in order to re-orient those feelings toward God. The Dark Night, just like the Mass itself, is a grace given by God which appeals to the whole person (body and soul) in order for them to Love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength!

It is an unfortunate fact that many Catholics go to Mass expecting some sort of entertainment value.  And while the Mass itself isn’t meant to be that for us – the Mass of course has a much greater purpose – the desire for some holy entertainment is not without merit.  Yet – where can Catholics go for such wholesome, whole – person, holy entertainment?

It was the combination of all these thoughts where God placed the idea in my heart of a Museum for the Saints – but not just a run-of-the-mill museum with pictures on a wall.  Rather, I want a place that might replicate the Disneyland experience but with more to it than just the thrill of a ride.  My thought was that our Catholic faith is always a “both / and” faith.   If Disney could offer this kind of enjoyment with no real depth behind the characters, and rides etc..  Why could we not have something similar that actually teaches people about the Catholic faith in an unsuspecting way?  I wanted to call it The Dark Night Museum, in honor of St. John of the Cross.

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The Origin Story of All Saints Museum Part 1: The Haunted House

The idea for All Saints Museum didn’t come in a single instant.  It was born from several events over multiple years that has developed with time.

Nevertheless, there is one critical moment that stands out above most others.

About 10 years ago my children were much younger, and I was coaching one of their recreational soccer teams.  It was fall-time, and I thought it would be a great team experience if I held a Halloween Party for the kids and their families – but not just any Halloween Party… I wanted to convert my garage into a haunted house!  I got to work with the plans, drawing up sketches, taking measurements, putting together ideas. With few funds, little materials, but a whole lot of creativity, the 20 x 20 garage space was turned into a wonderland of amusement.  There were steps and stairs, a  slide down into a bottom-less pit illusion, with a house of mirrors, an electric chair, and doorways to nowhere.  We had pneumatic lines to add spooky puffs of air in unsuspecting places, and strobe lights, candles, with motion detectors and black lights to add special effects. My brother-in-law is a tech expert, and he helped put together all the pneumatics, infrared cameras, electric chair prop, with a computer and TV monitors so that the parents could see what was going on from outside! The parents were blown away by the haunted house.  And needless to say, those kids still talk about it to this day.  It was a-maze-ing!

I learned some things from this experience.  I learned that kids minds are already a land-mine of imagination ready to explode at the slightest trigger.  It only takes a little bit of mystery, some seeds of anticipation, and some hints of expectation, and the kids eyes are wide and their hearts pounding  They love adventure and the unknown – some more than others of course. 

I also learned that God was speaking to my heart in all of this.  I had built things before, like the deck I built in my first house, among other diy projects.  I love rolling up my sleeves, getting my hands dirty, and creating things.  We are, as you know, made in the image and likeness of God – who is the Supreme Creator.  So, naturally it is in us to want to make stuff.  I was blessed by my father, who taught me how to use tools.  He taught me the honor and joy in hard work.

But it wasn’t until this haunted house that I understood how such gifts, when stewarded properly, can really and truly bring people together and put smiles on children’s faces.  I saw this and I felt like there was a holy market for such entertainment and joy…

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Understanding Catholic devotion to the Saints

If you have a hard time understanding the Catholic practice of praying to the Saints, or want to learn more about why Catholics believe what we do about Saints, then my new book – Dear Saints: Catechesis on Saints – is for you.

Written in an easy Question and Answer format, this book is full of scripture references and practical advice that explain and defend Catholics devotion to the Saints. It is divided into 5 sections, and covering a total of 40 questions, which makes this book is ideal for a 40 day devotion.

My prayer is that this Catechesis will be a source of answers for both Catholics and non-Catholics alike in understanding the Saints and their important role in our lives.

From the Heart

This message is from God the Father, who spoke it to St. Catherine of Siena while she was in ecstasy – it is documented in the book “The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena”.

“And I would that you know that, more darkness and division have come into the world amongst seculars and religious and the clergy and pastors of the holy Church, through the lack of the light of justice, and the advent of the darkness of injustice, than from any other causes.”

“Neither the civil law, nor the divine law, can be kept in any degree without holy justice, because he who is not corrected, and does not correct others, becomes like a limb which putrefies, and corrupts the whole body, because the bad physician, when it had already begun to corrupt, placed ointment immediately upon it, without having first burnt the wound. So, were the prelate, or any other lord having subjects, on seeing one putrefying from the corruption of mortal sin, to apply to him the ointment of soft words of encouragement alone, without reproof, he would never cure him, but the putrefaction would rather spread to the other members, who, with him, form one body under the same pastor. But if he were a physician, good and true to those souls, as were those glorious pastors of old, he would not give salving ointment without the fire of reproof. And, were the member still to remain obstinate in his evil doing, he would cut him off from the congregation in order that he corrupt not the other members with the putrefaction of mortal sin. But they act not so today, but, in cases of evil doing, they even pretend not to see. And do you know why? The root of self-love is alive in them, wherefore they bear perverted and servile fear. Because they fear to lose their position or their temporal goods, or their prelacy, they do not correct, but act like blind ones, in that they see not the real way by which their position is to be kept. If they would only see that it is by holy justice they would be able to maintain it; but they do not, because they are deprived of light.”

This passage stood out to me in regards to administering the Sacraments.  God the Father is giving St. Catherine a more perfect understanding of the application of the Sacraments through authentic Mercy.

In Matthew 9:9-13 our Lord Jesus tells the Pharisees “Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, I did not come to call the righteous but the sinners.”  Yet, in the midst of this emphasis on mercy, there still seems to be a misunderstanding by many faithful in regards to what Mercy really means. And because of this confusion, what should be universal teaching has become fodder for secular news to scandalize the Church. 

As an example, there has been situations in news where an actively homosexual person dies – and there is an intersection between the Corporal Work of Mercy to bury the dead, and an obligation at the same time to the Spiritual Works of Mercy to Instruct the Ignorant and Admonish the Sinner (the deceased person’s partner or family as an example).  According to Our Blessed Lord’s instruction to St. Catherine, it would be right and just to BOTH bury the dead AND at the same time admonish and instruct.  If we neglect the Spiritual Work of Mercy in this example situation, then we cause great scandal which could lead to the destruction of many souls – and what did it cost?  We bury one dead person, but neglect hundreds whose souls may be dead.  And conversely, if we only admonish without burying the dead, we have also scandalized the community – those who need God’s Mercy the most. 

And to the Eucharist, Our Lord Himself?  St. Paul explains (1 Corinthians 11:29) “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves”.  So, we understand how important it is not to merely permit anyone to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Our Lord unworthily lest they be condemned.   Although, we know we cannot judge the state of a soul aside from our own (and St. Paul says that he doesn’t even judge his own soul)!  What are we to do?  This is answered, again, through authentic Mercy.  We don’t judge, but we admonish and instruct (works of Mercy).  And then the burden of judgment is between them and God. 

These are concrete examples of how Justice helps to illuminate the right application of Mercy.

The problem is that in practice we don’t do this.  We are timid in admonishment for fear of offending someone.  However, if we don’t admonish, then the Word of God convicts us (Ezekiel 3:17) “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.“

Genuine Mercy is illuminated by the Cardinal Virtue of Justice – CCC 1807 – the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor.  This is why God the Father is emphasizing this to St. Catherine.  Because we cannot give Mercy without the light of Justice.  It isn’t merciful to apply the ointment without first having treated the wound.  Justice isn’t opposed to Mercy therefore, but it illuminates it.  Wherefore, Instructing the Ignorant and Admonishing the Sinner are both indeed Spiritual Works of Mercy. 

Confirmation – At What Age?

Amidst the scandals and the news that has left many of us grieving – trying to process how those we trust as the heads of the Bride of Christ, His Church, have stooped so low -, I was also rocked by some more acute personal news that our Parish School will be dropping 8th Grade Confirmation.  Our oldest daughter being in 8th Grade this year has left me digging deeper on what this Sacrament really means, and if there is any significance to when one should receive it.  And I would like to share my findings with you.

Now first of all, our Parish isn’t the only one that has punted this Sacrament out to the high school years and beyond.  It has been general practice in our Diocese – which is one of the reasons our School felt so special when they adopted an earlier Confirmation practice.

Nevertheless, the reasoning behind our Parish’s decision is that the 8th Graders are not yet mentally mature enough to know what it means to live a fully Catholic life in the faith, and that they should gain some real-life experience before they make this leap into full initiation.

Right off the bat this didn’t sit right with me, because after-all the Sacrament itself is in aide to maturity.  And secondly, taking the same stance with other Sacraments, why do we let 7 year olds recieve the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament when they can’t even tie their own shoes let along grasp the concept of our God in the appearance of bread?  But yet, they somehow are mature enough to receive this Sacrament.  So what gives with Confirmation?

Here’s what I’ve come to understand –

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1290), “In the first centuries Confirmation generally comprised one single celebration with Baptism…”  this was done on infants.  Furthermore, in CCC (1307) “For Centuries, Latin custom has indicated ‘the age of discretion’ as the reference point for receiving Confirmation. “

The age of discretion of course being around 7 years. This is around the same time we traditionally give children the Sacrament of Holy Communion (the Body of Jesus Christ).  – and as noted, we allow Children to receive Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe!  For many years, and for this very reason, Holy Communion wasn’t given until after Confirmation, if not given together.

In other words, for the better part of the entire Church history Confirmation has been given to children – not to young adults.  And additionally – in CCC (1308): “Although Confirmation is sometimes called the ‘sacrament of Christian maturity,’ we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need ‘ratification’ to become effective.”  And CCC (1314) “Indeed the Church desires that none of her children, even the youngest, should depart this world without having been perfected by the Holy Spirit with the gift of Christ’s fullness.”

In general, the Catholic Church doesn’t tent toward the idea of waiting.  On the contrary, the caveats and exceptions in the CCC all lean toward giving the Sacrament even earlier – i.e. especially if there is danger of death as an example.

And this is because Confirmation isn’t supposed to be “the end” so to speak of our Christian development in maturity.  It is merely the beginning!   This Sacrament strengthen and Confirms a faith – fortifies it for battle.  The Sacrament of Confirmation allows the recipient to receive the full spectrum of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit – weapons that they can use to do real battle in the Spiritual life.  These are tools they absolutely need in order to have the best chance of retaining their Faith through high school and into adulthood.

Sacraments are a gift, freely given.  And therefore, whether the child receiving it is ready at that moment or not, sooner or later they will be.

Although I understand pastoral concerns for the children’s readiness of the 8th graders, I just cannot agree with the thought of withholding this Grace at such a precarious point in a person’s life.  How many souls could be at stake.  Just as a couple might be waiting until they are “ready” to get Married….  Or a Married couple waiting to be “ready” to have children..  There is a sweet spot where readiness cannot be measured.  We’re never ready to be Married, but if we are called to it, then God provides.  The same is true for having children.  If we waited until we were ready, then no one would ever have children.  And the same is true for the Sacraments.  How can we ever be ready enough to live Divine Life!?  But His Grace is sufficient.

Our children need this Sacrament in order to live their Christian life to the fullest.  Before high school is where this counts the most, because in high school it may be too late.  Why would we wait for them to enter into high school – the time where they will be the most tempted and tried in all aspects of moral question  – without first fortifying them and giving them this Grace?

I can guarantee that many children by their first year in high school will have lost any hope of being Confirmed, and for those that do get Confirmed after that first year it will have been too late in some cases of sin.  (Think of these major points – who they make new friends with, after school activities, will they start to work, starting to drive, starting to date).  Why would we allow them this chance at sullying their Baptismal gowns?

In a sports related example…, it would be like giving a football player all the training he needs to go out and play a game, but yet withholding the pads until he gains some experience in playing.  The athlete needs all of the training and the equipment in order to play the game without getting injured.    A coach can’t put a player out on the field and say – when there are ready to get hit, then they can come get the helmet.   They go out on the field with all the equipment already in place, whether the helmet is needed or not!

It is a mystery to my why Dioceses has done this for many years – that is to wait.  It may have developed more out of a sense of availability for the Bishop to get around and perform the ceremony.  It may also be a way to offer opportunities for those who are converting to the faith later in life to have that.  And dare I speak the more cynical – perhaps its a way of creating more “classes” so that the customers… err… I mean candidates can register for a small fee…  Praise God, as I understand it, the trend now is actually swinging back the other way.  And there are other parishes and articles on line that talk to this revival of the order of the Sacraments.

Now my final point of the matter is the question on where our Catholic elementary Schools stands.  If we want our schools to stand apart from the rest, then we cannot simply chase after academic prestige.  That is what the schools seem to be doing.  We should be offering a rigorous Religious Education, providing all the Sacraments of Initiation, raising and sending off well educated – yet more importantly – well-formed young adults.  This is the gift that Catholic education can give which will distinguish us from the others.   Kids get bombarded with Math homework, Science projects, English papers to write, and yet Religion is a touchy feely – basically pass or fail – class that has no deep content.  I’ve never seen any children pushed to their limit to understand the Sacraments, the Virtues, the Seven Deadly Sins, Angels or any such article of our Faith.  I totally understand that parents are the first educators.  But that’s the case as well for all the other subjects, and we don’t use that excuse to push the burden of education for math on children.  Yes, parents should know their faith, and we should pass our faith on.  But as we rely on the “experts” to help them with math and science, we should as well for our Catholic faith.  This is in fact the ministry of the Church to help our children learn the faith from the experts.

I encourage you all to please learn about this Great Sacrament, and urge our Schools and Dioceses to offer it earlier rather than later.  Our future generation of Saints depends on this.

God bless from your family here at All Saints Museum

Relics – Part 3 in a 3 part series

This is the final part of a talk I recently gave to a Youth Group.  I split the talk into 3 parts – Sacraments, Sacramentals, and Relics.   Check out Part 1, and Part 2, if you haven’t already.  I really hope you enjoy.

This is what All Saints Museum is all about.  Bringing the Saints and our Faith in a very special way to people.  Our motto is “Venerating Saints of the past.  Inspiring Saints of the future.”

Please say a prayer with us that talks like this will touch souls and bear much good fruit.

Also, please check out our website, and subscribe to your YoutTube Channel to stay  up to date on our latest.

 

Sacramentals – Part 2 in a 3 part series

This is the 2nd in a 3 part talk I recently gave to a Youth Group.  I split the talk into 3 parts – Sacraments, Sacramentals, and Relics.   Check out Part 1, if you haven’t already.  I really hope you enjoy.

Please check out our website, and subscribe to your YoutTube Channel to stay  up to date on our latest.

Sacraments – Part 1 in a 3 part series

I was blessed to be able to give a talk to a Youth Group recently.  I split the talk into 3 parts – Sacraments, Sacramentals, and Relics.  I really hope you enjoy.

Please check out our website, and subscribe to your YoutTube Channel to stay  up to date on our latest.