Writer's Wednesday -- Benedict XVI

Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness … is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity. Love — caritas — is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. ….

All people feel the interior impulse to love authentically: love and truth never abandon them completely, because these are the vocation planted by God in the heart and mind of every human person. The search for love and truth is purified and liberated by Jesus Christ…and he reveals to us in all its fullness the initiative of love and the plan for true life that God has prepared for us.

In Christ, charity in truth becomes the Face of his Person, a vocation for us to love our brothers and sisters in the truth of his plan.

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Charity is at the heart of the Church's social doctrine. .. according to the teaching of Jesus… It gives real substance to the personal relationship with God and with neighbour; it is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones). ..

For the Church…. instructed by the Gospel, charity is everything because… everything has its origin in God's love, everything is shaped by it, everything is directed towards it. Love is God's greatest gift to humanity, it is his promise and our hope.

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Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived. Truth is the light that gives meaning and value to charity. That light is both the light of reason and the light of faith, through which the intellect attains to the natural and supernatural truth of charity: it grasps its meaning as gift, acceptance, and communion.

Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality. Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way.

In a culture without truth, this is the fatal risk facing love. It falls prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions, the word “love” is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite.

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A Christianity of charity without truth would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance. In other words, there would no longer be any real place for God in the world.

---Pope Benedict XVI's new social encyclical Caritas in Veritate ("Love in Truth.") The quotes above are excerpts from paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4.

[Photo credit].

Among Women Podcast #16

Join us for this week's Among Women podcast. Topics include how women can change the world. Plus Pat offers a brief reading of excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI's new social encyclical Caritas in Veritate.

"Blessed are They" features Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha's feast day (today), and "Among Women" discusses Christian service and "action" with Franciscan sister and professor, Sr. Joan Mueller, author of "Living a Spirituality of Action: A Woman's Perspective".

The Domestic Church (and House and Garden)

My latest on CatholicMom.com is linked above.

(True confession.... this was inspired by the combox over at Faith & Family Live... but I had way too much to say to fit in that forum!)

About persevering in faith....

My article at Today's Catholic Woman.

Wading into the Catechism

Today, I'm featured over at Faith & Family Live!

Writer's Wednesday - Blessed Mariam Baouardy

My enraptured spirit contemplates all you works.

Who can speak of You, O God so great!

Omnipotent ONe, my soul is carried away!

His wonderful beauty delights my soul.

Who can tell what the Almighty looks upon?

One look!

You who gaze at me, come to me, a little nothing,

I cannot remain here on earth, my soul longing.

Call me close to You, awaken me.

You alone, my God, my All.

The heavens, the earth, the sun rejoice at your Name so great.

I see You, supreme goodness: you gaze is maternal.

My Father, my Mother, it is in You that I sleep,

It is in You that I breathe. Awaken!

My soul is mad with yearning, it can do no more, take it.

When will we see Him forever world without end!

----A hymn of praise from Blessed Mariam Baouardy;

excerpt from Rhonda Chervin's Prayers of the Women Mystics.

Among Women Podcast #15

This week's episode features some thoughts about Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and also a book giveaway of her writings. Among Women's guest is writer/blogger Kate Wicker. Kate and Pat discuss the struggles and joys of mothering young families.

Envoy Institute Conference is next weekend!!

Sign up now for Envoy Institute's Answering Atheism and the Culture of Doubt! Great speakers include Patrick Madrid, Dawn Eden, Ken Hensley and more.

Still Proud to be an American

Among Women, runner up to Catholic Moments (and all is right with the world!)

Who could complain coming in second to the incomparable Lisa Hendey of the Catholic Moments? Not me! Lisa has been a source of inspiration through my entire initiation into the podcasting world. It is a pleasure to be in her good company. Indeed, I'm her fan. But I'm most honored to be her friend.

Thanks to those who took the time to vote!

(And yes, AW also placed 4th in both the "Best New Podcast" and the "Most Spiritual" categories.) Again, thanks to you! Click on the title link above to see all the results.