Look for God’s ‘tender mercies’

By David Myers
Southwest Kansas Register

A few days ago, just hours after I had spotted a full-sized rabbit grazing in my back yard, I was out mowing when I saw a blur of a tiny creature darting away from the mower. I thought at first that it must be Wayne, a toad that lives in my backyard, but upon further inspection I noticed it was furry and had little ears.
I reached down and gently picked up a baby rabbit, which was uninjured.
His eyes were half closed and he lay quietly in my hand as I marched into the house, sat at the computer and “Skyped” my family. On the computer screen, my dad, mom and sister – all tired and a bit stressed for various reasons -- came into view: “Awwwwe!” they all said, looking at the little guy’s face as I held him up to the webcam, smiles stretching across their tired faces. At that point, I imagine the bunny must have been thinking, “Wow. That’s really cool,” because Skype is really cool, and that’s what everybody thinks.
My sister, who has rescued many a critter in her time, suggested I put the little bunny back, and that the mama would eventually come looking for him. So, after a few more “oohs” and “awwwes” I marched him back out to the yard, and once the bunny was an inch from the dirt, it took off like a rocket, leaving a dust trail in its wake like a car racing across the desert.

Immigration reform ‘must be achieved’

By Mar Muñoz-Visoso
Assistant Director of media relations, USCCB
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, recently testified, along with other faith leaders, before the House Subcommittee that deals with Immigration and Border Security. The bishop, whose diocese runs along the whole of the Arizona-Mexico border, spoke on the ethical imperative for reform of our immigration system.
Bishop Kicanas’ written testimony, though 17 pages long, is worth reading regardless of where one stands on this issue. It is a clear summary of the principles that guide the U.S. bishops’ position on the issue, as well as their recommendations in moving forward. It can be found at http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/documents/kicanastest.pdf.

The greatest love of all

By Father Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
One of the events I enjoyed most as a parish priest was First Communion liturgies. I always preached vigorously on the awesome wonder of Christ being our Food from heaven, fulfilling our deepest longings.
Each year our parish provided each family with a video of the First Communion Mass. One year, the music that the company we hired placed on the video was “The Greatest Love of All.” It played as scenes of each of the children and their families were shown.
The lyrics of the song are as follows:

Christ chose frail humans

to guide his church

Editor’s Note: The following was published April 30 in the Catholic Anchor, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska. It was written by Joel Davidson, the newspaper’s editor.

Is the Catholic Church separate from the sins of her members?
In one sense she is not. The wounds inflicted by one member affect all others, sending shock waves through the whole community.
It is even more difficult when the church’s spiritual leaders are implicated in grave sins, especially when believers have turned to them for leadership, wisdom and in moments of great joy and sorrow. We are embodied, relational beings, and it is impossible to untangle personal faith from our experience as fellow believers.

Pain and suffering

just plain stink!

By David Myers
Southwest Kansas Register

The other day I stood in front of Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Dodge City and, with my pen and paper in hand, asked a little boy around age 6, “Why do you think God allows there to be suffering?”
He stood there for a moment looking at me with these big, innocent eyes and answered, “I’m not ‘opposed to talk to strangers!” and then he stomped on my foot and ran off in the other direction.