Pope Francis Visit to USA 2015 WNY media coverage

Papal Visit 2015

Click for a link to the schedule of Pope Francis' 2015 Apostolic Journey to the United States of America.

Time Warner Cable News will provide complete coverage of the Pope's visit to the U.S. on various media platforms. 

Channel 199 will air non-stop papal coverage, including daily recap shows and national call-in shows from September 20 through September 27th.

Channel 1020 has begun on-demand coverage, including pre-visit preparations, documentaries and previous papal visit programming, and will continue through November 30th. 

The cable outlet will feature coverage with a local perspective on their news channel as well as a special papal visit section on their TWC news app. 

Visit http://www.twcnews.com/papalvisit, beginning September 1st for a video chronicle of the Pope's visit.

Christmas Masses 2011

Christmas Masses
St. Benedict's Church
Main Street & Eggert Road
Amherst NY

PLEASE JOIN US FOR:
Christmas Eve Vigil Mass (services)*
4:00 p.m. Mass (preceded by a children's pageant at 3:45 p.m.)
8:00 pm Mass
12:00 Midnight Mass

Christmas Day Mass  (services)*
10:00 a.m. Mass
11:30 a.m. Mass


*FYI - the most important form of Catholic worship is called the Mass.  This is a celebration of the Word becoming flesh for us. It is a single act of worship comprised of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Other Christians will sometimes use the word "service" or "services."  For Catholics, however, "service" is a general term for religious activity other than Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, or the sacraments.

Directions and more information available on our website - http://www.saintbenedicts.com/.

Catholics "Recovering Faith" - interview

Lorene Hanley Duquin, wife of our parish Business Manager Dick Duquin, is a well-known author on Catholic topics, particularly evangelization. She writes for OSV - Our Sunday Visitor.

Here she is interviewed on FOX News about her recent book "Recovering Faith: Stories of Catholics Who Came Home."  OSV, 2011.

Catholics in America - survey results

Fifth survey of Catholics in America released

http://ncronline.org/news/fifth-survey-catholics-america-released

The latest version of American Catholics is the fifth in a series of surveys of Catholic attitudes conducted every six years. Taken together, they make up one of the deepest and most consistent portraits ever compiled of the membership of the country's largest religious denomination.

During the last quarter century, Catholic attitudes and practices, as well as the makeup of the church itself, have changed markedly even as Catholics have maintained a steady conviction about certain core beliefs. Stated in simplest terms, Catholics in the past 25 years have become more autonomous when making decisions about important moral issues; less reliant on official teaching in reaching those decisions; and less deferential to the authority of the Vatican and individual bishops.

The full contents of the report and an explanation of how it was done are contained in a special section of the print version of the National Catholic Reporter and is reproduced here [2], a total of 13 essays accompanied by a variety of charts and graphs illustrating the findings.

Some significant points:
Foundational theological convictions and the sacraments remain at the core of belief for most Catholics.For 73 percent of Catholics, belief in the Resurrection is very important while teachings about Mary as the mother of God are very important to 64 percent.Sixty-three percent say that sacraments such as the Eucharist are very important.

Sixty-seven percent rate "helping the poor" as very important, ranking it nearly as essential to their beliefs as the Resurrection.Mass attendance rates remain fairly steady but vary across generations. The attendance rate of the youngest generation of Catholics, known as Millennials, or those coming of age in the 21st century, is lowest of all generations surveyed. But even most Hispanics, whose attendance rate is higher than non-Hispanics, agree that weekly Mass attendance isn't necessary to be considered a good Catholic.

The generation known as the "pre-Vatican II" generation is disappearing. At the same time, the Millenial generation of Catholics is filling the ranks. One of the distinctive characteristics of Millennials is that 45 percent are currently of Hispanic background and that number is expected to grow over the next two decades.

Hispanics and non-Hispanics disagree on a number of issues. One significant difference: 70 percent of Hispanics say helping the poor is important while 56 percent of others say it is. Hispanics also are more traditional in their views of the necessity to agree with church teachings on a range of issues, including remarrying after a divorce and abortion, than non-Hispanics.

According to the survey: "One in five Catholics … says that church leaders such as the pope and bishops are the proper arbiters of right and wrong" in such matters as divorce and remarriage, abortion, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality and contraception, while maintaining that either the individual alone or the individual considering the teaching of church leaders is the proper locus of authority for deciding on such matters.In a sign that religion as well as politics is local, most Catholics give favorable reviews to the leadership of the U.S. bishops as a whole, and particularly of their local bishops.

At the same time, the survey "finds a consensus among American Catholics that the bishops have come up short in their handling of the sex abuse issues," with most Catholics saying the issue has damaged the political credibility of church leaders and impaired the ability of priests "to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of their parishioners.

"The survey was conducted online among a sample of 1,442 self-identified Catholic adults who are part of the Knowledge Networks' KnowledgePanel. (See "About the survey" in accompanying stories for more detail on the methodology of the study. [3]) The interviews were conducted April 25-May 2. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.The survey's sponsors included an anonymous donor whose contribution was matched by donations from The Rotondaro Family Foundation, the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Sutudies, the Rudolf Family Foundation, the Donegal Foundation and the Luger Family Foundation.William V. D'Antonio, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at the Catholic University of America, led this fifth survey, as he has all the others. His colleagues this year were Mary Gautier, senior research associate at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University, and Michele Dillon, professor of sociology and chair of the department at the University of New Hampshire. 

KEVIN A. KEENAN
Director of Communications
Diocese of Buffalo
795 Main St.
Buffalo, NY  14203
(716) 847-8719
(716) 847-8722 {fax}

Wearing Rosaries - Religious Bracelets - Jesus Pieces

As my parishioners know, I travel often and I teach religion to 16 and 17 year old boys.  I would have to say that this is about the best possible combination of activities you can have to spot male theological and fashion trends!


Rosaries I bought in NYC (Coney Island) for $1 each

 I have the sense that we are near the end of the Catholic religious bracelet trend [photo below]. I know from talking to my students, that they often had little to no idea who was on their wrist. I would teach them about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the apparitions of Mary, or the many saints depicted on their bracelets. But I think the bracelet was not "noticeable" enough for our fashionistas. They are moving on....

The religious fashion trend that is peaking right now and will undoubtedly die out in a year or two (as all fashion trends must) is the wearing of rosaries. I see it everywhere I go.  It is particularly popular among Hispanic and African-American young men, though I see an increasing number of white men wearing rosaries too. Many of my white middle-class students wear chaplet rosaries around their wrists too. It's definitely a "guy thing." I have yet to see a woman wearing a rosary - though I'm sure some woman must have donned one somewhere!

The New York City subways are perhaps the best place to see the rosary trend in full blossom. Rosaries are now available from practically every corner vendor and kiosk operator in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and just about any city with a sizable young population.

I am conflicted about this trend.

On one hand, there is the traditional side of me that thinks rosaries are private devotional aids (a sacramental) to be kept in one's pocket.  I have no doubt that the Felician Sisters who taught me in the 1970's at my parochial school would be "freaked out" by the current trend. They would think it is disrespectful that rosaries are worn as jewelry. Part of me thinks they are correct.

On the other hand, I kind of like seeing people unashamed of their faith in Jesus. I suspect many of the wearers of rosaries today do not know the Marian aspect of the rosary or the prayers that comprise it. In fact, I am pretty sure that many of those wearing rosaries are not even Catholic. However, there is no doubt that the cross/crucifix at the beginning of the rosary marks it as a Christian thing. That puts rosary beads in the category of "Jesus pieces" or "Good Wood"  or Cross pierced-earrings or Cross tattoos for many of our young fashionistas. Our young people are simply proud of being followers of Jesus.  I am proud of them for that.

So now we Catholics must evangelize a bit. The "beads" are back! Now let's make sure they are not just a piece of bling in the mind of our young folk.  Think of this as an opportunity to speak about Jesus, Mary, Catholicism and your personal faith!

Here are three suggestions:
1. FOR THOSE WHO ARE SHY - Say a quick silent prayer for the person you see wearing a rosary or a "Jesus piece." Ask Mary to intercede for them that they may grow strong in faith, hope and love. Let the rosary wearer strengthen your faith too by reminding YOU of Christ and the Blessed Mother!
2. FOR THOSE WHO ARE A BIT BRAVER - Use rosaries as a conversation starter if you feel comfortable speaking to the wearer.  If you have rosaries in your pocket, (and shouldn't you?) take them out and compare.  Briefly tell your rosary story - when you got it, what it means to you, and especially how often you USE your rosary. Let them tell their rosary story. Maybe, just maybe, you will even trade rosaries!
3. FOR THOSE WITH HEROIC ZEAL & COURAGE - teach them the rosary. Have a card with instructions on praying the rosary in your pocket. The Knights of Columbus have a handy card - http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/cis/devotionals/1877.pdf  Make sure you have previously written the directions to your parish and its Sunday Mass times on the cards too.

Another useful site for learning to pray the rosary:
http://www.newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf

Whatever your personal view on fashion trends, now is the time for us to catechize our young people. They have taken the first step by adopting our iconography and sacramentals, so let us use their fashion sense to share the Good News of salvation!