Catholic Social Justice Talks. No, seriously.

Got the following e-mail in the ol' inbox:

I just wanted to alert you to a teaching series I have recently finished at my parish (St. Mary Magdalen in Altamonte Springs, FL) on Catholic Social Teaching.

We've put together a website which contains the audio recordings of each of the four talks we gave. The website also contains each of the PowerPoint presentations, links to other Catholic Social Teaching information around the internet, and--maybe of the most worth--a collection of book recommendations to explore these themes more fully.

There are few solid websites dealing with Catholic Social Teaching and social justice, specifically from a Catholic perspective. By putting up this website, we're seeking to contribute to Pope John Paul II's "new evangelization" and Pope Benedict XVI's call to harness the capabilities of the internet in order to evangelize the "digital continent". We hope the site will introduce these "best kept secrets" of Catholic spirituality to many people beyond even our own parish.

The four sessions were as follows:

• Session #1 - "Introduction" and "The Life and Dignity of the Human Person"
• Session #2 - "Call to Family, Community, and Participation" and "Rights and Responsibilities"
• Session #3 - "Option for the Poor and Vulnerable" and "The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers"
• Session #4 - "Solidarity" and "Care for God's Creation"

I co-taught the sessions with Monsignor Ed Thompson and popular Catholic author and Saint-expert Bert Ghezzi. For each session, Fr. Ed spoke on the Biblical basis for that night's themes, Bert detailed the lives of some lesser-known Saints that personified those themes, and I explored the themes further in light of Tradition and history, finally offering ways that we--'average' Christians in the 'average' pews--can live them out today.

The whole series of talks was framed not only by the Seven Major Themes of Catholic Social Teaching (as defined by the U.S. Bishops in 1998), but also by the elements of "story". We talked about the reality that we are all in this great Story, each with a crucial role to play. What is that role? Catholic Social Teaching says that our role, our mission, is to participate in the "putting together again of the world". Jesus ignited a rescue mission for the world, and we are joining along, sailing towards the Story's grand conclusion: the uniting of all of the world back to God. So how do we fit into this Story? And what is our Role? These sessions dived into those questions.

The website, with the audio and all of the resources, can be found at: www.StMaryMagdalen.org/CST

Feel free to share on Sonitus Sanctus or with anyone you know! Thanks!

Your brother,
Brandon Vogt

This looks like the real deal, folks -- none of that polyester pant-suit "social justice" schtick; real Catholic Social Justice teachings! Here are the links to the audio, but click this link to get the PowerPoint presentations and Prayer Notes.

Session 1: Audio (55 min.)
Session 2: Audio (57 min.)
Session 3: Audio (60 min.)
Session 4: Audio (59 min.)

Steubenville Conference 2009

For the kids:

Steubenville South 2009

The 15th annual Steubenville South Catholic Youth Conference was held on June 26-28 2009 in Alexandria LA. Here you will be able to listen and download the talks and homilies given throughout the weekend. You will also find more information about the speakers in the speakers section. You can listen here or get the talks through iTunes by clicking the link on the right.

Keynote: “Choosing Christ” – Mark Hart

This powerful and engaging talk was centered around choosing to pickup our crosses and following Christ. It is a radical choice that will cost something but in light of what we receive, it is nothing.

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2466, 2053, 520, 1816, 932, 618, 1709, 546, 1036
Scripture: Matthew 10:37-38, Matthew 16:24, Mark 1:17-18, Mark 8:38, Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 1:8

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Keynote: “Rooted in Christ” – Shannon Deitz

Shannon’s Sunday morning keynote led the teens into a time of prayer and reflection, introducing and guiding them through Lectio Divina.

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2708,2715,2612,2669,2601,1824,2719,2711,787,2700,2654,921,1995,2074,2701,2725,2709,2697,2564
Scripture: Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:46, Luke 11:1-6, Romans 12:12, John 15:4-9, Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 3:8

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Saturday Homily: “Jesus is the Lamb of God” – Fr. Jose Robles-Sanchez

The purpose of this homily was to highlight the role Christ plays in our salvation as the Lamb of God, to encourage the young people to move past a “What Would Jesus Do?” spirituality and move into a true relationship with Christ and to avoid temptations by saying “Adios Baby”

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 617, 603, 1339, 602, 1367
Scripture: John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Timothy 2:6, Mark 10:45

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Sunday Homily: “Living the Lordship of Jesus” – Bishop Ronald Herzog

In Bishop Herzog’s homily, he encouraged and challenged th teens to live under the Lordship of Jesus. To help them understand God’s authority, but also his protection and care that comes from submitting their lives to Him everyday.

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 450, 304, 648, 1216, 144, 1269, 2097, 1995, 2280, 1900, 2046, 901
Scrpiture: Romans 5:19, John 3:36, Romans 6:16, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 8:7, Romans 10:3, James 4:7

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “Making Godly Decisions” – Mary Bielski

This workshop was to provide a basic foundation for determining right and wrong and some practical skills to help young people choose holiness and God’s will.

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2343, 1696, 1728, 1777, 2826, 1787
Scripture: Matthew 7:7, Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:17, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 4:17

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “Mary and the Saints” – Melea Walden

This workshop was to help teens not only discover the role Saints and Mary can play in their faith lives, but to give them practical tools for developing devotions to these saints.

Catechism and Scripture Reference:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2030, 956, 2683, 828, 2675-2679, 948, 957, 1475, 962, 721
Scripture: Revelation 3:16, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 4:11-12, 3 John 1:11, Hebrews 6:11-12

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “Living Justice/Living Mercy” – Shannon Deitz

Shannon presented a workshop designed to help teens understand the Church’s call to love and serve the poor and to give them practical tips to put this service into practice on a local level.

Catechism and Scripture References:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1033, 1825, 2405, 2443-2449, 1929, 2832, 1889, 1397, 2053, 2820
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 19:21, Matthew 20:25-27

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “Vocations: The Path to Holiness” – Fr. Darrin Merlino

In this workshop, Fr. Darrin inspired and challenged the young people to embrace the universal vocation of love and holiness that is each of theirs through Baptism. And as they immerse themselves in this vocation, they will be more disposed to hear the call of God to the religious or married life.

Scripture and Catechism Reference:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1877, 44, 2392, 2085, 2232, 2030, 784, 1603, 2820, 1642, 2331, 826
Scripture: Matthew 9:1, Matthew 4:17-20, Mark 6:7, Luke 6:12-16, Romans 1:1,6-7, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “The Mass – The Power and Presence of God” – Mark Hart

This workshop given by Mark Hart was designed to reinforce in the minds and hearts of the teens that in the Mass, no matter where they are, Jesus is there – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. To challenge them to prepare their hearts and minds to give and receive as much as possible during the Mass.

Scripture and Catechism References
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1374, 1358, 2827, 1324, 1325, 1365-1367, 1394
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:20, John 6:1-6, Revelation 19:7-9, Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 24:35

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Workshop: “Exposing Lies” – Bob Lesnefsky

This is a talk given by Bob Lesnefsky that focuses on helping teens understand the lies that permeate youth culture, to give them tools to help them see through the lies, and to expose the lies that might be already infecting their thoughts and hearts.

Scripture and Catechism Reference:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2852, 2484, 392, 2486, 2483, 2847, 844, 2470, 1954, 215, 2466, 2468, 2500
Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, John 14:6, 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 John: 5:7, John 8:44, Romans 1:25, Colossians 3:9

Standard Podcast: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Robert George, Natural Law, God, and Human Rights

Natural Law, God, and Human Rights
Robert P. George, Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University
Princeton University
6/11/2008

Mp3, flash video also available at the link.

It's not Joan Chittister, but...

From the USCCB (via reader Wayne) come the Social Justice teachings of the Church:

Father Larry Rice is the Director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center, the center for Catholic Campus Ministry at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. His work at the OSU Newman Center includes responsibility for the overall mission and vision of the Center’s staff of 16 and the campus’ Catholic community, and maintaining a professional focus on ecumenical and interfaith dialogue. Since 2000, Fr. Rice has been a weekly contributor to Catholic Radio Weekly (www.catholicradioweekly.com), the flagship radio program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Fr. Rice earned a Masters of Divinity from the Catholic University of America (1989), and a B.A. in General Arts and Sciences from the Pennsylvania State University (1983). He entered the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (the Paulist Fathers) in 1983, and was ordained a priest in 1989.

1. Option for the Poor
2. Peace and Disarmament
3. Political Participation
4. Role of Government
5. Social Justice
6. Stewardship of Creation
7. Common Good
8. Dignity of the Human Person
9. Economic Justice
10. Global Solidarity
11. Individual's Rights

Justice Scalia

From Jimmy Akin:

Below is an hour-long video interview with Justice Antonin Scalia which was aired on the Charlie Rose Show.

Charlie Rose comes across at numerous points not as a serious journalist as a hard leftie who thinks he's a serious journalist and who insists on viewing every issue through an ideological lens--although in fairness to him he does at times try to view things from what he takes to be Scalia's perspective.

Despite the annoying Rose-factor, though, the interview is still well worth watching due to the remarkable candor and insight of the man being interviewed.

ISI Lectures - Western Philosophy and Christianity

Here's some new material from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Having attended a few ISI lectures, I can say firsthand that this is a great program and that their lecturers are of the highest caliber. Do give them a listen

	The Spirit of Capitalism: Why Weber Was Wrong About The Commercial Society — NEW Samuel Gregg The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 3/12/2008	Flash MP3
	Ben Franklin and the Traditions of American Diplomacy — NEW Harvey Sicherman Wilmington, DE 3/6/2008	Flash MP3
	Transforming Business: Enterprise, Ethics, and the Elimination of Poverty — NEW Peter Heslam Flint McGlaughlin The Hardvard Club, New York, NY 3/4/2008	Flash MP3
	Does Globalization Trump Culture?: The Future of Music In a Flat World — NEW Tyler Cowen Georgetown University, Washington, DC 2/26/2008	Flash MP3
	Are Unions Destroying American Education? — NEW Peter Brimelow Richard Kahlenberg Ohio State University, OH 2/12/2008 From ISI's Cicero's Podium: A Great Issues Debate Series.	Flash MP3
	Coincidentally: Unserious Reflections on Trivial Connections — NEW Fr. George Rutler, Pastor, Church of Our Saviour, New York City, NY Wilmington, DE 1/31/2008	Flash MP3
	It Takes a Family to Raise a Village: The Social Significance of the Family for the Free Society — NEW Jennifer Morse, Senior Research Fellow, Acton Institute UCLA School of Law, LosAngeles, CA 1/30/2008	Flash MP3 PDF
	America: Republic or Empire? — NEW Michael P. Federici James R. Stoner, Jr., Professor of Political Science, Louisiana State University Georgetown University, Marriot Georgetown Conference Center, Washington, DC 1/29/2008	MP3
	How to Put Your Soul on Ice: Freedom and Autonomy in Dante's Divine Comedy — NEW Anthony Esolen ISI's F.M. Kirby Campus 12/6/2007	Flash MP3
	Wendell Berry's Unlikely Case for Conservative Christianity — NEW Darryl Hart, Director of Academic Programs, ISI Seelbach Hotel, Louisville, KY 11/20/2007	MP3

Moral Issues

From St. Martha's in Kingwood, TX, comes a series of talks on Moral Issues:

Title PPts Speaker Date MP3 Links Conscience & Conscience Formation Dr. Sandra Magie 02/12/08 mp3 Moral Teachings 1 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-1 Moral Teachings 2 PPt 1 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-2 Moral Teachings 3 PPt 2 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-3 Moral Teachings 4 PPt 3 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-4 Moral Teachings 5 PPt 4 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-5 Moral Teachings 6 PPt 5 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-6 Moral Teachings 7 PPt 6 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-7 Moral Teachings 8 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-8 Moral Teachings 9 Robert Trahan Summer, 2007 mp3-9 Moral Issues Moise Arrah 09/29/07 mp3 Annulments Ann Bryant mp3 Sin Jeff Crandall 01/26/06 mp3 Sin and Conscience Ed Kleinguetl mp3 Homosexuality Msgr. Borski 09/29/04 mp3 End of Life Issues TJ Dolce 04/17/07 mp3 Humanae Vitae/Sexuality Jeff Crandall / David Garcia mp3 Consistent Ethic of Life David Garcia 02/23/06 mp3 Immigration, Legislation, and the Gospel Mark Zwick 06/06/06 mp3 Prison Ministry: Ministry on the Green Mile Deacon O'Brien 08/01/06 mp3 Death Penalty in TX David Atwood / Deacon O'Brien 01/24/06 mp3

Wherein I Show That The Secular Media Is Not All Bad...

Here's a video I watched today about Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone. Thankfully, this is a group of humans that the secular world actually believes are human (unlike the unborn) - and they're working, rightly, to improve matters. Credit where credit is due.

If you're completely unfamiliar with the subject, this half-hour video is worth watching.

Video Information

Length:

• 30 minutes

In this programme, Hollywood actor Michael Douglas, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, travels to Sierra Leone in an attempt to reunite the country's child soldiers with their families.

Following the long and brutal civil war, in which children were tortured, drugged and manipulated into becoming combatants, the UN brokered a peace agreement that guaranteed the release of Sierra Leone's child soldiers.

As a result, kids put down their guns, streamed out of the bush, and were told to go home. Sadly, most of them no longer knew where home was.

During his trip, Michael Douglas befriends a former child soldier who had been separated from his family during the war. The young boy, Abu, has been so emotionally devastated and detached that no one has been able to break through to him; that is until Michael spontaneously sings him a simple song.

The star's rendition of the Frank Loesser classic, I love you a Bushel and a Peck, proves to be the key that unlocks Abu's memories and eventually help the UN to reunite him with is family after a long and painful 10-year absence.

Download for video iPod here.

Female Genital Mutiliation

This post is rather graphic - please be forewarned.

I've been doing some work lately with various feminist topics. This post concerns the practice of Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM. For more information on FGM, check out www.fgmnetwork.org.

From the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family:

144. In traditional cultures, parents must not accept practices which are contrary to Christian morality, for example rites associated with puberty which sometimes involve introducing young people to sexual practices or acts contrary to the dignity and rights of the person, such as the genital mutilation of girls

.
Graphic video to follow:

Update: It looks like embedding has been disabled. Hard link to the YouTube video here.

While Doing Some Research...

...on the (quite polemical) legal debate surrounding Bush's veto of the embryonic stem cell research funding act, I came across a post on the blog Mirror of Justice which pointed to a "Justice Talking" program featuring Prof. Rick Garnett, one of my favorite Catholic legal theorists (and my friends tell me he's an excellent professor as well!). Here's the program:

In its first full term, the Roberts Court issued a number of blockbuster decisions on race and public schools, free speech, and abortion. In this special edition of Justice Talking, taped before a studio audience at the National Constitution Center, Supreme Court reporter for ABC News Jan Crawford Greenburg, Notre Dame's Richard Garnett and University of Chicago's Geoffrey Stone analyze the significant decisions of this term and tell us how the addition of two conservative Justices has affected the year's cases.

Highlights of the Supreme Court Term

How Has the New Conservative Majority Affected the Court?

Release Date: 7/10/2007

• Listen to Full Program • Download MP3 Version (Right-click and choose "Save As..." from the pop-up menu.) • Read Along with the Transcript • Read Along with Closed Captions (For assistance viewing captions, click here.)

Richard W. Garnett is the John Cardinal O’Hara, CSC Associate Professor of Law at Notre Dame University. His areas of research interest and expertise include school choice, church/state relations, free speech and expressive association, federalism and criminal law, and the death penalty. He previously clerked for Chief Judge Richard S. Arnold of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

Bioethics and the Intersection with Social Justice

More Bioethics from Wesley J. Smith:

He Speaks! "Why Being Human Matters"

I am often asked where people can see recordings of my speeches. The Discovery Institute just posted online one I made there last year, called "Why Being Human Matters: Bioethics, Animal Liberation, and the Threat to Human Exceptionalism." Hit this link, and I will appear after a very nice introduction from Bruce Chapman, the head of the DI. In the speech I address the importance of human exceptionalism, personhood theory, animal rights, transhumanism, and the all that jazz. I only have one question: When did I get so gray?