Little Sisters of the Poors' Victory (Let's Hope It Lasts)

The U. S. Supreme Court stated that the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order of Catholic nuns who run nursing homes,  do not have to comply with President Obama's healthcare law requiring employees to provide insurance that covers contraception. This is considered a partial victory, as litigation continues. There is a requirement in that religious groups will have to send a written notification saying they object to the contraception mandate, in order to receive the exemption.
The Becket Fund for religious liberty made this statement, "We are delighted that the Supreme Court has issued this order protecting the Little Sisters. The government has lots of ways to deliver contraceptives to people, it doesn't need to force nuns to participate."
This is good news for the Little Sisters of the Poor. I am very familiar with their excellent nursing homes. A priest I knew was living and receiving excellent care, for years,  in Queen of Peace Residence in Queens which is run by the nuns. The atmosphere they provide and the care is amazing to see. A friend of mine who was often at the nursing home calls the nuns, "The angels of the earth." I volunteered for a time at Queen of Peace helping with grant writing. The nuns were so appreciative.
Bishop Ignatius Catanello, who was a Brooklyn auxiliary Bishop was cared for at Queen of Peace residence during a long illness. He died in March of last year.  I know from having observed their good works,  that the nuns are  wonderful religious who care about each patient and show concern for them. It's evident the moment you walk into the nursing home that this is no ordinary facility.
So it couldn't happen to a better group of nuns to have this ruling, at this time. Let's hope it holds. It makes perfect sense.
NJA

Making the elderly happy, that is what counts
St. Jeanne Jugan-foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor

Caroline Kennedy's Brave Tweet To Bring Attention To Massive Dolphin Killing

I thought it was quite brave and noble of Caroline Kennedy, U.S. ambassador to Japan to tweet about her concern about the inhuman and barbaric slaughter of dolphins in Japan. She tweeted on Sunday, "Deeply concerned about the inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing." Her parents would be proud of her, she is certainly a credit to the Kennedy's. I have always admired her, though I don't agree with all her political beliefs. But as a modern day woman,  she has managed to balance raising children, while staying involved with charitable causes, writing books and now in her esteemed role as a U. S. ambassador.  Quite impressive! She feels comfortable enough in her "own skin," and as a woman in a important role, to give her opinion on an crucial conservation topic.
I never saw the documentary, "The Cove," but I was reading up about it and how it exposed the barbaric slaughter of dolphins which happen through drive hunts. Once again hundreds of dolphins were slaughtered in Taiji Cove in Japan by Japanese fishermen, a few days ago.  The U. S. government opposes these fishing techniques.
Drive hunt refers to the practice of herding dolphins into a cove and then killing them. This is legal in Japan but offensive and disturbing to people in many countries who see this as a slaughter of intelligent, beautiful animals that are trapped and destroyed, in large numbers.  I don't see this as a  time-honored tradition, as many in Japan claim, this is an ego-driven, selfish event which harms intelligent animals, that are known to help humans when humans are in danger. They are intelligent, they have a language and its a horrible injustice and cruel to treat these animals so barbarically.
Let's hope in the future, with international pressure and more enlightened thought,  these drive hunts will end. (I'll add my prayers as well that these hunts will end and become illegal in the future.)
Let's hope future generations in Japan and elsewhere learn to appreciate and protect the environment, and all of God's creatures and have more respect for ocean creatures, who are already in distress from environmental pollution in our oceans.
NJA

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Cardinal Dolan Officially Meet

According to an article in today's New York Post, Mayor de Blasio met with Timothy Cardinal Dolan on Monday at the cardinal's residence behind St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was the mayor's first meeting with Cardinal Dolan since becoming mayor of New York City. De Blasio seems to be a fan of Pope Francis calling his voice, "the most powerful voice on this earth on inequality." Apparently both the mayor and Cardinal Dolan are hoping that the popular Pope will visit the "Big Apple," sometime in the future, which both men say would be a big blessing for the city.
I attended Papal Masses when Pope John Paul II visited NYC in 1979 and again in 1995. How fortunate I was to attend two papal masses in NYC, one at Shea Stadium (1979) and the other at Aqueduct Raceway (1995).  When Pope Benedict came to New York in 2008 I attended the Departing Ceremony at Kennedy Airport. All of those religious events were amazing and yes, filled with many blessings.
The mayor was baptized Catholic and raised Catholic by his Italian family but he has fallen away. He now considers himself "spiritual" but he is not practicing any particular religion. So where are the evangelizers in NYC, seems like the mayor could use some evangelization?
Perhaps if Pope Francis comes to New York then Bill de Blasio will be so moved by his presence that he will return to his Catholic roots. Or perhaps Cardinal Dolan can encourage him to return to the faith he was baptized into.
It is good that the new mayor and the Cardinal have met. It seems they have a lot in common when it comes to subjects such as affordable housing, the work of Catholic Charities and fighting inequality. They should keep the conversation going.
NJA

And it's my fervent hope that at some point, working closely with the Cardinal, we'll have the opportunity to bring Pope Francis to New York City.  Mayor Bill de Blasio

Mayor Bill de Blasio's Challenge of Affordable Housing in NYC

As most people have heard, New York City has a new mayor, Mayor Bill de Blasio. One of the challenges that Mayor de Blasio is facing, is the housing crisis in NYC. Brooklyn as well as the other boroughs (most especially Manhattan) has become unaffordable. New York City is a diverse, exciting, creative place to live, with good restaurants, great cultural events, world class museums, beautiful parks and ethnic diversity which makes it very stimulating. The down side to all this, is that young people (as well as not so young) from around the world want to live here as well as young adults from across the U.S. and that demand for housing has pushed real estate prices through the "roof." In an article in Monday's New York Daily News, writer Beth Stebner starts off by saying in her article, "So much for Bill de Blasio's middle class-it has officially been priced out of his beloved borough. " (Bill de Blasio owns a home with his wife in Park Slope, Brooklyn.) Rents and prices of apartments and homes in neighborhoods such as Park Slope, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and parts of Bushwick and Bed Stuy are now off limits to many in the middle class.
The middle class has helped NYC achieve its greatness. They've worked hard, raised families, built and supported churches and other houses of worship and helped their communities thrive. They are a necessary component of a thriving New York.
So one of the greatest challenges Bill de Blasio will face as mayor will be convincing developers to build more affordable housing for the poor and the middle class, through incentives and tax breaks. Something has to be done and it won't be easy but it's desperately needed.
Pope Francis has preached over and over again about economic justice for all.  His powerful words in seeking justice and economic equality for all God's people, has even made an impression in Washington, as religious leaders of all faiths and lawmakers speak about the importance of opportunities for all people.  They have been quoting Pope Francis, much to the delight of Catholic lawmakers.  This is according to a New York Times article I read titled, "Pope's Voice Is Resonating In The Capitol."  Let's hope and pray the Pope's message is acted upon in Washington, in New York City and throughout the world.  The poor and the middle class must not be forgotten or left out of a prosperous economy, as Pope Francis keeps reminding us.
NJA

Obamas Didn't Attend Church on Christmas-It Does Matter

There is some controversy over the fact that the Obama Family, vacationing in Hawaii during Christmas Time, didn't find the time or choose to attend Church Services on Christmas Day. There is a lot of commentary and opinion on whether this matters and whether other presidents in the past have attended Church services on Christmas. To me it matters. One thing I do as a religious educator is give talks to parents and children and I always make a point, during the talks to say how important religious rituals are to children and adults. Psychologists also say that rituals, even religious rituals are important for the security and well being of children and adults. There are numerous studies that suggest that attending worship services (of any one of the major world religions) is good for the body, mind and soul. Yes, prayer is good for you and so are religious services and Mass. Besides that, if you are going to be a believer, if you are going to believe and profess faith in Jesus Christ then on the second holiest feast day (at least in Catholicism, which is my tradition) shouldn't you spend time in adoration and prayer, with a faith community? I understand that some Protestant congregations do not have services on Christmas and I don't get that at all. Jewish people believe that adoration of God and praise of God is the highest form of prayer. Shouldn't Christmas be a time of prayer and reflection, in a communal setting for Christians. Why wouldn't a believer spend some time (one hour) in prayer and adoration on Christmas? It says in Scripture that Jesus said, "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Don't we want to spend quality time with Jesus on Christmas Day?" If not then, when?  I think it's important and more importantly, I think for the President of the United States, who states that his religion is important to him, to spend one hour on Christmas Day in prayer with his family sends a positive message to the country, to the journalists covering his stay in Hawaii, to his two daughters and to believers all over the world. That's just my opinion.
NJA

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year Too!

I pray you will have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May all of God's blessings be upon you and your family.
I'm busy breading shrimp and making rice balls. Each member of my family does some of the cooking for Christmas Eve. And so I'm preparing my part of the meal. "Food is love" as a psychology professor once stated, but I learned that from growing up in an Italian American household in Brooklyn.  Good food, cooked with love is part of what is best about being Italian American.  Growing up we always had lots of family, friends and neighbors eating over, sharing meals, yes food is love. I learned that early on.
And so, this is Christmas, a beautiful time of the year, made ever so glorious by the knowledge of Christ and His gift to humankind and to me personally.  To know Christ, to love God that is the fullness of life and the hope of existence.
To know Christ, to be part of the great Christian tradition is a gift beyond measure, beyond words. I can't wait for Mass tomorrow, before the Christmas Eve meal, my family will attend a beautiful family Mass which will engage my senses and give me a feeling of awe and completeness.
To know Christ is to realize life without God is lacking depth, lacking real meaning, lacking the fullness of truth.
The older I get the more I can appreciate the Incarnation, the extraordinary gift of God that is and what it means for my life, as a human being.
Knowing Christ means appreciating the encounter, the communion that Christ offers and being aware of what that adds to life. Christmas brings hope, hope that "all will be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing will be well"  (Julian of Norwich).
God Bless You!
NJA

Dustin Friedland-Laying Down His Life for The Woman He Loved

During the holidays it should be a time for joy, celebration and greater compassion but unfortunately it is also a time when violent crime increases. There is a horrific story in the news from New Jersey about a young man who was out shopping with his wife for Christmas presents when he was involved in an attempted carjacking. In trying to save his wife, who he had just placed in the car, he struggled with the evil attackers and was shot and killed. He was a good man, well liked, hard working, a loyal husband and instead of wrapping presents, he's dead. How can one fathom such evil and violence? What kind of depraved, heartless human beings kill a man during the Christmas season or during any season for that matter?
Jesus said, "there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend." Or for a loved one, for the woman you love.....Jesus knows what it is to give, not counting the cost, to give of oneself totally for love.  In this sad incident, an instant decision, made out of love, cost Dustin Friedland his life. He wanted to protect the woman he loved and he did that.  It's such a tragic, yet romantic story.
A few years ago I was out shopping late and I returned home with a lot of packages. I was followed without realizing it. A man started to walk up my driveway as I was taking the packages out of my car.  I ran into the house. Luckily I was alert because I later read that it was happening to others. People were followed and then robbed.  I don't shop anymore in the evening, when it's dark. I changed my shopping habits because of that incident.
Our country is a great country but we live in a society with great income inequality.  And that inequality keeps growing. Such a disparity in wealth causes problems in society. Problems that no one can escape from.
Dustin Friedland was the best of human beings and he was killed senselessly by the worst of human beings. He died a hero, protecting the woman he loved. How fortunate she was to be married to such a wonderful man who gave up his life trying to protect her from violence. May his soul be at peace.
NJA

They do not love, that do not show their love.  
(Shakespeare, "Two Gentlemen of Verona)