The CatholiCity Message
Volume XX, Number 1 – January 28, 2016
Dear CatholiCity Citizen,
Welcome to the beyond-cool twentieth year of the CatholiCity Message, the trailblazing Grandaddy of Catholic e-letters! First a brief (and final) update on our annual Christmas appeal, then lotsa stuff you won't read anywhere else. Our group prayer at the end will not be easy—but you do need to pray it, and you'll be glad you did.
Jesus
Our theme this year is going to be...Jesus. Your relationship with Him. Your prayer life with Him. Your sacramental life with Him. How to be closer to Him. We'll start today. We're planning to release a new CD soon on Jesus. This will be a theme of my upcoming novel. Connecting with Him will be the entire focus of my upcoming public speaking initiative (more on that in my February Message).
Are You One of the One-Forty?
Because of your generosity we are only $12,000 shy of what we need to keep our apostolate going strong in 2016. This means just 140 more of you contributing $30 to $100 (including a dozen or so new monthly credit card donors) will get us there. Please, if you can, be one of the one-forty. It takes just a few moments to donate online:
Our Thank You gifts this year are the best ever: a lovely Latin-inscription Miraculous Medal and a striking 8x10 art-print (see pictures on the link above). The medals have all been blessed by a priest and I've personally touched every print and medal to the True Cross and first class relics of Saints Jude, Joseph, Therese of Lisieux, Anthony, Maximilian Kolbe, and Francis Xavier. Powerful stuff.
Fridge Magnet for Spiritual Donations
If you can't afford to send a monetary donation, reply to this email, include your address, and pledge at least one Rosary or offer one Holy Communion to help us reach our goal and we'll send you a lovely Miraculous Medal fridge magnet (also touched to the Cross and relics).
The Power of the Interwebs
If you're comfortable putting in a good word for us, please email this message to your family and friends and post a link on Facebook and other social media. Share how the CatholiCity Message and our materials have helped change your life.
The bad news? This is your last chance to join this year's appeal. The good news? This is your last chance to join this year's appeal! (Promise.) You guys are the best!
And More Jesus
Here are four things you can do—that anybody can do—to grow closer to Jesus.
- Tell Jesus today and every day that you will do what he wants you to do, say what he wants to you to say, and go where he wants you to go. This is what St. John of the Cross called the Nothing Doctrine: nothing comes before Jesus.
- On your way to Mass, and again just before the Scripture readings, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten your heart and mind through the readings. Pay attention—don't let your mind wander (I've been there). Jesus is speaking to you through His Word.
- Pray after Mass. Spend as long as you can after receiving Him, several minutes at least, praying to Jesus. Bring our extremely helpful "Powerful Prayers" booklet with you—it contains excellent Communion prayers, novenas, and daily prayers. He is in you. Ask Him what he wants for you. Listen.
- Promise yourself that following Jesus completely starts today, starts this year. How many years have you been putting this off? A good place to begin is with Fr. McCloskey's legendary booklet, Seven Daily Habits for Faithful Catholics.
From personally corresponding with so many thousands of you via email for over twenty years I know most CatholiCity Citizens are decent and holy. Jesus needs you to be even better.
Dark Days Ahead?
Despite my sunny and hopeful temperament, I must admit that I sense confusing and dark days ahead for our country, the world, the economy, and especially for the Church itself. I'll be providing more details in coming months. Do you feel it too? Either way, let me know.
Speaking of February...
Who was speaking of February? Not me, until now. I know it seems crazy, like Christmastime was last week, yet Ash Wednesday is just around the corner! On February 10, in fact. In addition to us helping you have The Best Lent Ever (Copyright, the CatholiCity Message, Only Kidding), it's never too early to stock up on Mary Foundation CDs and booklets for parishes in your area:
https://secure.catholicity.com
Is the Internet Rewiring Your Brain?
Yes. And not in a good way. Why and how will be a theme in coming months as well. And this has an impact on your relationship with Jesus. If you have children you need to understand what's going on so you can prudentially order your family life accordingly. For now I recommend Nicholas Carr's The Shallows. Life-changing; a truly enjoyable writer.
From The Department of Gossiping is Evil
For your edification, a few nuggets from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2489 Charity and respect for the truth dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have a right to know it.
2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty of...
-Rash Judgment, who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;
-Detraction, who, without objectively valid reason, disclose another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;
-Calumny, who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.
2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way...
Quotations, All Brief, Including from the Three Theresas
Pray, hope, and don't worry.
– Saint "Padre" Pio
Give respect to whom respect is due.
– Saint Paul the Apostle
Pray the Rosary for peace in the world.
– Our Lady of Fatima
I am the Immaculate Conception.
– Our Lady of Lourdes
God alone suffices.
– Saint Teresa of Avila
Onward! Be daring!
– Saint Josemaria Escriva
I say nothing to Him. I love Him.
– Saint Therese of Lisieux
Suffering is but a kiss from Jesus.
– Soon-to-Be Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Ask and you shall receive.
– Jesus
The short words are the best and the old words best of all.
– Winston Churchill, Illustrating His Point
From the CatholiCity Message Archives
From the 2005 CatholiCity Message: if there were brown scapular bumper stickers...
The Brown Scapular: Don't Get Dressed Without It
The Brown Scapular: Just Wear It
The Brown Scapular: Catholic Under Armour
The Brown Scapular: You Bet Your Eternal Life!
The Brown Scapular: You're Better off Dead
The Brown Scapular: Plenty of Time to Itch in Heaven
The Brown Scapular: I Put Stock in Simon Stock
The Brown Scapular: It's a Shirt. It's a Shield.
The Brown Scapular: Because, Heaven.
Some Upcoming Feastdays
Thursday, January 28. Saint Thomas Aquinas. My friend. His sublime "Prayer Before Work" is included in our Powerful Prayers Every Catholic Should Know booklet.
Tuesday, February 2. Presentation of Our Lord. Simeon's prophesy to Mary, "Your soul too a sword shall pierce..." inspired the title of my first novel.
Wednesday, February 3. Saint Blaise. Don't forget to get your throat blessed.
Wednesday, February 10. Ash Wednesday. First day of Your Best Lent Ever! The world has Black Friday. The Church has Black Forehead.
Thursday, February 11. Our Lady of Lourdes. Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing!
Sunday, February 14. Saint Valentine's Day (not the official Church feast day). Forget her not (you know who you are). Suggestion for 2016: sisters, nieces, and goddaughters too.
Let Us Pray
Every time we pray together the world changes for the better. Mostly by Jesus changing us. You might want to pray this one two or three times. I composed it off the top of my head. Sin stands between us and Jesus. If you need to go to Confession, go as soon as you can. If it has been a while since you have gone to Confession, go soon. All of us together, we Citizens of CatholiCity, for the first time in this fine year, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of Holy Spirit...
Dear Jesus, please forgive me. I am so sorry for making so many things in my life more important than you. Show me what these are. Forgive me for my sins—my indulgent, stupid, repetitive, and self-centered sins. For stealing time from you, for holding grudges, for skipping daily prayer and frequent sacraments, for being lazy, for lying, for remaining silent when I should speak up, for watching too much television, for being a slave to my cellphone, for lust and impure acts, for destroying others with my words, not giving a reasonable effort where I work, for the sins of my tongue. For taking my own frustration and anger and unforgiveness out on the people in my life. For my gluttony. For losing hope in the possibility of my holiness, which You desire. For cruising along for year after year. The same sins, over and over again. I know that frank, fearless, and heartfelt repentance is the path to being closer to you, so I am so truly sorry. I open my arms and beg you to hold me close. Your grace and your will are all I want. Amen.
Thank you. If you want, pray it again. Hey, I just wrote you a poem:
Rhymes with Dirigible
And so it goes
Sisters and bros
From high to lows
From buck to does
To chuck and throws
Now everybody knows
My poem is terrible.
And thar she blows! Thanks for reading all the way down to here. You, me, Jesus, and your fellow Citizens: we're going to have a great year!
With Mary,
Bud Macfarlane
Founder
