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Archives: October 2020
The ongoing pandemic, unrest in our city and country, and the upcoming elections are causing many of us to experience feelings of anxiety, grief, and loss. Janet Grove, coordinator of The Basilica's Mental Health ministry, offers some ideas and resources in mental health. The Basilica is here for you - either through our ministries and programs, or to help you navigate the broader mental health system. Janet's contact information is listed at the end of the video.
Are you a practicing Catholic? That was the rather impertinent question a friend on mine was asked by another guest at a dinner party. They had been discussing “Church” issues and my friend had shared her opinion that married priests and women priests might not really be harbingers of the end of the world. The other guest responded to my friend’s declaration with the question: “Are you a practicing Catholic?” My friend, who is much quicker on her feet than I am, replied: “Yes, and I’m going to keep practicing until I get it right.”
Now if the truth be told, I don’t think the person who asked my friend if she was a practicing Catholic was really interested in her answer. Rather I suspect she did so to suggest that somehow her ideas disqualified her from being a “real” Catholic.
Perhaps it is my imagination, but it seems to me that more and more often in our Church today people think it is okay, not just to question someone’s thinking, but also to question their faith in general, and more specifically their loyalty to the Catholic Church and their “bona fides” as a real Catholic. Frankly, this disturbs me.
I am increasingly concerned by those who choose certain issues and make them a litmus test for whether one is a practicing Catholic, or even a Catholic at all. Personally, I don’t know anyone who is 100% in accord with the Catholic Church 100% of the time. Certainly even the most saintly among us had gotten angry, or made a judgment about someone, or had failed to share with those in need, or had a jealous thought, or ………… you name it.
We are all flawed and imperfect human beings who try hard to live rightly and in accord with the beliefs and tenets of our faith. Often, though, for a variety of reasons, we fail in our efforts. Does that really mean, though, that we aren’t practicing Catholics? Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d like to think that we are all practicing Catholic, and like my friend that we will keep practicing until we get it right.
Visit The Basilica Icon Festival online this year.
26th Annual Icon Festival
Some of the Icons from The Basilica’s collection will be displayed in the sanctuary November 1-22.
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Our Lady, Untier of Knots: This Icon finds its origins in a meditation of St. Irenaeus. He wrote about how Adam and Eve tied the knot of human disgrace for the human race by disobeying God, while Mary undid it by saying yes to God and becoming Mother of Jesus. We all have knots in our lives; knots of alienation, addiction, discord, hurt, fears, a lack of respect, or the absence of peace or harmony. We hope to invite people to invoke the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin as we seek her assistance in untying those knots that hold us bound and keep us moving forward in our relationship with God. -
Saint Mary of Magdala: Saint Mary was the first to see the Risen Lord, and the first to announce to Caesar the Resurrection of Christ. -
Theotokos Supplicating (Deisis): See how Mary stretches forth her arms in petition, connecting to her son through prayer. She tells those who pray with this Icon that she is entrusting not only her own cares and needs to her Son, but embraces those who pray with her for God’s life and true joy. -
The Merciful Jesus/Divine Mercy: Christ appears in white representing the Resurrection. His white robes are created with shades of blue and shades of red denoting the nature of His humanity and His Divinity. The rays are rendered in light blue and light red signifying John 19:34: “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.” Water represents baptism and blood represent communion. -
Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Holy Family, for centuries Saint Joseph has been one of the most beloved saints of the Church. The saint holds a flowering staff which was the miraculous testimony that signaled God's choice of Saint Joseph as the betrothed of the Blessed Virgin. -
Saint Dymphna: Patron Saint of those with mental illness. -
Saint Josephine Bakhita: Born in Olgossa in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of 7, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate. After being resold several times she was declared free by a judge in Italy in 1885. Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her profession. Assisting her religious community in Schio she soon became well loved by the children attending the sisters’ school and the local citizens. She once said, “Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!”
In our weekly video series "Art That Surrounds Us," Johan van Parys, Ph.D., our Director of Liturgy and Sacred Arts, shares information about a piece from The Basilica of Saint Mary's art collection. In this week's shorter installment, Johan describes four carvings in The Basilica walls near our chapels and shares a little mystery about Saint Patrick and Saint Anthony.
