HMWN Radio Maria Web Magazine - November 2009
From the President's Desk
An Invitation to Young People in the Name of Friendship
“The concept of friendship has enjoyed a renewed prominence in the vocabulary of the new digital social networks that have emerged in the last few years. The concept is one of the noblest achievements of human culture. It is in and through our friendships that we grow and develop as humans. For this reason, true friendship has always been seen as one of the greatest goods any human person can experience.
We should be careful, therefore, never to trivialize the concept or the experience of friendship. It would be sad if our desire to sustain and develop on-line friendships were to be at the cost of our availability to engage with our families, our neighbours and those we meet in the daily reality of our places of work, education and recreation. If the desire for virtual connectedness becomes obsessive, it may in fact function to isolate individuals from real social interaction while also disrupting the patterns of rest, silence and reflection that are necessary for healthy human development.
Friendship is a great human good, but it would be emptied of its ultimate value if it were to be understood as an end in itself. Friends should support and encourage each other in developing their gifts and talents and in putting them at the service of the human community. In this context, it is gratifying to note the emergence of new digital networks that seek to promote human solidarity, peace and justice, human rights and respect for human life and the good of creation. These networks can facilitate forms of co-operation between people from different geographical and cultural contexts that enable them to deepen their common humanity and their sense of shared responsibility for the good of all...
I would like to address myself, in particular, to young Catholic believers: to encourage them to bring the witness of their faith to the digital world. I ask you to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives. In the early life of the Church, the great Apostles and their disciples brought the Good News of Jesus to the Greek and Roman world. Just as, at that time, a fruitful evangelization required that careful attention be given to understanding the culture and customs of those pagan peoples so that the truth of the gospel would touch their hearts and minds, so also today, the proclamation of Christ in the world of new technologies requires a profound knowledge of this world if the technologies are to serve our mission adequately.
It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this "digital continent". Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people. Human hearts are yearning for a world where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion. Our faith can respond to these expectations: may you become its heralds!"
(From the Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the 43rd World Day of Communications, May 24, 2009)
The Invitation
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe...” (Mark 16:15-17).
The Response
HMWN volunteers are Christians seriously concerned about the glory of God and the salvation of the world. Moved by their faith, they choose to participate in the growth of HMWN Radio Maria in the community in which they live, not for personal gain or interests, but solely for their love of Christ and His heavenly Mother.
To proclaim the Gospel to all creatures the voice of HMWN needs help from the listeners of each parish. Any person of good will that loves Christ and the Blessed Virgin can become a witness.
The “signs”...
Brian Moccia, an HMWN volunteer from the parish of “Merciful Redeemer” in Mississauga tells his way of developing the “Loaning Project”, which story is certainly related to the signs mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. To know more about it, listen to the audio recording below:
Behind the Scenes at HMWN Radio Maria
Christopher M. Galati
(Live: 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 9:00 pm; encore: 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday, 11:00 am).
Christopher M. Galati, LL.B., B.Ed., B.A. Spec. Hons.
A small sample of the question topics dealt with on “Catholic Response” include: Is there historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?; Did Jesus create the papacy?; Do the Crusades or Inquisitions disprove the Catholic Church as the one Church founded by Christ?; Heresies old and new; What is the correct approach to interpreting the Bible?; Is the Catholic Eucharist a mere symbol or the real presence of Christ?; Faith and science - how do modern theories of scientific evolution square with Catholic beliefs?; How should Catholics respond to claims that there is no God? Is Christianity just myth?; The dangers to the Catholic faith of secularism, and the new age movement; Aren't all religions equal - how can Catholicism be the one true faith with so many other religions in the world?
Many more topics and questions have been covered on past programs. People are encouraged to go to the “Catholic Response” program radio archives on www.hmwn.net as many of their questions will have been answered in past “Catholic Response” programs (which programs can be identified by key words corresponding to particular questions or topics). On the archives you can also listen to Chris' popular Christian Agora lecture: Defending the Catholic Faith: A Modern Day Apologetic.
Questions about the Catholic faith can also be sent to Chris at any time by email at chris.galati@hmwn.net.
Rosary in Our Schools
The Schedule for the month of November and December 2009 can be viewed as a PDF file by clicking here.
The Year of the Priests
"God's Calling"
Host: Theresa Medina Smith,
November's Interviewees:
- Fr. Bill Comerford: Thursday, Nov. 5, 9:00 pm, (encore) Friday, Nov. 6, 2:00 pm.
- Fr. John Pikauskas: Nov. 12, 9:00 pm, (encore) Friday, Nov. 13, 2:00 pm
- Fr. Roselle Azares: Nov. 19, 9:00 pm, (encore) Friday, Nov. 20, 2:00 pm
- Bishop Fred Henry: Nov. 26, 9:00 pm, (encore) Friday, Nov. 27, 2:00 pm
St. John Mary Vianney
A Prayer for Holy Priests
My dear Lord Jesus, You desire that we pray the Lord of the harvest that He send zealous labourers into His harvest. Deign to raise up in your Church, and especially in this diocese, numerous and holy priests who, taking your Divine Heart as their Model, will, in the exercise of their holy priesthood, promote the glory of your heavenly Father and the salvation of those souls whom you have redeemed with your Precious Blood. Give us truly holy priests who, inflamed with the fire of your divine love, seek nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. O Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us; obtain for us a number of holy priests.
In addition, there is mention every day of the names of a great number of saints and, in particular, the story of Fr. Francesco Giuseppe Bressani, one of the companions of the Canadian Martyrs, is presented. (Excerpts from Luigi Pautasso, The Holy Martyrs of Canada, Pal’s Books).
Finally, you will find the teachings of the Church about the Year for Priests (Letter of Benedict XVI, June 16, 2009).
How to Help HMWN Radio Maria
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Click the link below to make a secure and safe online donation using PayPal, Visa or Mastercard. For more information on donations to HMWN, click here.
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