F
r
. B
arron
From page 4
made us for yourself; therefore our heart is restless until it rests in thee.” You’ve no-
ticed that I’ve slipped God somewhat slyly into the discussion! But I haven’t done so
illegitimately, for in the Catholic philosophical tradition, “God” is the name that we
give to absolute or unconditioned goodness, justice, truth, and life.
Now we can see the relationship between God and the basic goods that ground the
moral life: the latter are reflections of and participations in the former. As C.S. Lewis
points out in Mere Christianity, the moral absolutes are, therefore, signposts of God.
And this is precisely why the negation of God leads by a short route to the negation
of moral absolutes and finally to a crass subjectivism. Removing God is tantamount
to removing the ground for the basic goods, and once the basic goods have been
eliminated, all that is left is the self-legislating and self-creating will. Thus, we should
be wary indeed when atheists and agnostics blithely suggest that morality can endure
apart from God. Much truer is Dostoyevsky’s observation that once God is removed,
anything is permissible.
Father Robert Barron is the founder of the global ministry, Word on Fire, and the
Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at University of St. Mary
of the Lake in Mundelein. He is the creator of a new ten episode documentary series
called “Catholicism” airing on PBS stations and EWTN. Learn more about the series
at
From the Apostolic Nuncio
Your Excellency
,
As the personal representative of the Holy Father in the United States, I
write with gratitude for the check in the amount of $28,388.20, which you sent
to the Apostolic Nunciature as the Peter’s Pence contribution from the Diocese
of Biloxi for 2013.
“The Pope ... must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace
with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the
weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on
love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison
( cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
-- Mass, Imposition of the Pallium
and Bestowal of the Fisherman’s Ring
for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of
the Bishop of Rome,
Homily of Pope Francis
,
March 19, 2013
I assure you that this sum will be transmitted to the Secretariat of State on
your behalf.
May God, who is infinitely generous, reward you and continue to bless you
and the faithful under your pastoral care.
With prayerful regards, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Carlo Maria Viganò
Apostolic Nuncio
F
ilipino
S
kater
From page 3
Teresa Martinez said they had set their sights on him being a serious contender in
the 2018 Olympics and were surprised he qualified for this year's games.
She said to train for the Olympics, Martinezʼs lone sponsor, a Philippine retail and
development corporation that owns the only two rinks in the country, gave Martinez
more than $22,000, and the Philippine Skating Union kicked in some $11,000. She
was thankful to have money enough to cover three competitions, but from August to
November there were five pre-Olympic contests.
As for support from the Philippine government, “I donʼt even think anyone at
the presidentʼs office knows thereʼs a Filipino skating in the Olympics,” said Teresa
Martinez, who said she has written the office several times asking for help.
“My house is mortgaged. Itʼs a crazy investment,” she said.
Teresa Martinez said the family farm was hit hard by recent typhoons, and they
have received financial help from family, friends and even strangers -- mostly Filipi-
no-Americans.
But itʼs worth it to Martinez, who said he hopes to place in the final 24 that com-
pete in Sochi so he can get into serious training for 2018.
“I just need to qualify ... if I get support I will continue to do this,” said Martinez,
whose fallback plan is to be a coach and study sports medicine. If not, “then I'll just
... study.”
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the
Gulf Pine
Catholic,
call
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for more
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Gulf Pine Catholic
•
January 31, 2014
7
Letter to the Bishop
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