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RN-1 – Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez Episode 1

Episode 1 – Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Guiterrez – Introduction and Value # 1 – Jesus Christ

Discerning Hearts is blessed to present Omar F. A. Guiterrez, M.A. , Special Assistant to Archbishop George Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, in a groundbreaking series which breaks open the heart of Catholic Social Doctrine.

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We encourage you to visit “Regnum Novum – A New Kingdom: A Revolution” Omar Guiterrez’s blog site

We live at a very special time. The confluence of many things has brought forth the clear need to be able to articulate the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church in a way that is accessible and applicable. This is not to be an effort where high-minded theories are to be bandied about. Rather, this is a time of opportunity wherein we can apply the Social Doctrine to the concrete so as to bring about a New Kingdom, a Revolution. – Omar G. from Regnum Novum

From episode … 1. Jesus Christ
You may not believe how many advocates of social justice are only too ready to chuck Jesus out the window in order to get you to buy their plan. One such program of which I’m familiar actually includes materials that deny the divinity of Christ, several times, and deny the salvific work of the cross. As Pope Paul VI and Pope Benedict XVI have said, the Social Doctrine is evangelization. If it is not rooted in the truth, then it can be manipulated to mean whatever one wants it to mean. The truth is quite simply, Jesus Christ who, as Gaudium et spes states, reveals man to himself. The Social Doctrine and the work of charity must stem from an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ so that they might serve the whole person and point back to Christ.

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101

RN30 – Regnum Novum – “The Dignity of Work” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 6

Episode 30- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez – We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church” Chapter 6 – Human Work

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CHAPTER SIX
HUMAN WORK

I. BIBLICAL ASPECTS
a. The duty to cultivate and care for the earth
b. Jesus, a man of work
c. The duty to work

II. THE PROPHETIC VALUE OF “RERUM NOVARUM”

III. THE DIGNITY OF WORK
a. The subjective and objective dimensions of work
b. The relationship between labour and capital
c. Work, the right to participate
d. The relationship between labour and private property
e. Rest from work

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101

RN33 – Regnum Novum – “Economic Life” in the Compendium of Social Doctrine Chap 7 part 1

Episode 33- Regnum Novum: Bringing forth the New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching with Omar Gutierrez – We continue the study of the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church” Chapter 7 – What is “economics” and why does the Church have a role in how it is lived out? Who are the poor? How are we called to live out our Catholic faith in the area of the “economy”?

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CHAPTER SEVEN
ECONOMIC LIFE

I. BIBLICAL ASPECTS
a. Man, poverty and riches
b. Wealth exists to be shared

328. Goods, even when legitimately owned, always have a universal destination; any type of improper accumulation is immoral, because it openly contradicts the universal destination assigned to all goods by the Creator. Christian salvation is an integral liberation of man, which means being freed not only from need but also in respect to possessions. “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith” (1 Tim 6:10). The Fathers of the Church insist more on the need for the conversion and transformation of the consciences of believers than on the need to change the social and political structures of their day. They call on those who work in the economic sphere and who possess goods to consider themselves administrators of the goods that God has entrusted to them.

II. MORALITY AND THE ECONOMY

Also visit Omar’s “Discerning Hearts” page Catholic Social Teaching 101

“To Have a Relationship of Love” – The 2nd Saturday of Advent…The Retreat Continues – Discerning Hearts

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The Readings from the feast of St. John of the Cross:

FIRST READING 1 Corinthians 2:1-10a

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature,
but not a wisdom of this age,
nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
and which none of the rulers of this age knew
for, if they had known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

GOSPEL Luke 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

IP#242 Dr. Paul Thigpen – A Year with the Saints on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

What a joy to talk about the saints with Paul Thigpen. and discuss this INCREDIBLE book! Not just an ascetically gorgeous work, worthy of the mystery it contains, but “A Year With the Saints: Daily Meditations with the Holy Ones of God” is filled with guided meditations, teachings, and prayers with the “Great Cloud of Witnesses”. Dr. Thigpen, who earned his PhD in Church History, also guides through a wonderful catechesis of the faith through these “love letters” from history. The perfect gift…period.

In this conversation, we discuss many topics, including:

Why the saints? Do we need them? How can they help us grow in faith?

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You can find the book here

“Those who follow the saints”, said Pope Clement I, “will themselves become saints”. Their words and deeds provide a treasury of time-tested wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration for the pursuit of holiness.

Best-selling Catholic author Paul Thigpen opens up that treasury in A Year With the Saints: Daily Meditations With the Holy Ones of God. These 365 reflections draw from the writings and lives of holy men and women across two thousand years. Their spiritual and practical insights for Christian living are as fresh and relevant today as they were when they were first written.

IP#238 George Weigel – Roman Pilgrimage on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

“Roman Pilgrimage: The Station Churches” is a stunning work. A must have for those who love beauty, the heritage of the Catholic faith, and the celebration and depth of the Church’s liturgy. The lives of the saints and martyrs come alive in this work which features the spiritual reflections of theologian George Weigel, the exquisite artistic insights of art historian Elizabeth Lev, and the beautiful photography of Stephen Weigel. George opens with the history of the practice of visiting the tombs of Christian martyrs which began in the 4th century. No one tells a story quite like he does. The pilgrimage would eventually evolve into a journey to churches, basilicas, and cathedrals throughout the city of the Saints. Through this work, in a very real way, the gift of Rome comes to meet in your home. The spiritual contemplations are not only ideal for Lenten devotion, but are excellent for any time of the year. A gift to give to yourself and to anyone you may care about who is traveling the pilgrimage of faith.

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You can find the book here

Fr. Robert Barron, Rector-President, Mundelein Seminary
“An astonishingly good book. George Weigel’s meditations on the liturgical texts of Lent and Easter are intellectually rich, spiritually alert, and rendered in beautifully crafted prose; Elizabeth Lev’s examinations of the station churches themselves are always informative, insightful, and witty. Equally impressive are Stephen Weigel’s artfully composed photographs. Roman Pilgrimage will delight your eye and feed your soul.”

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
“On cold, damp, late-winter early mornings, hundreds of priests, seminarians, sisters, and devoted lay people walk the Roman cobblestones to one of the Eternal City’s forty most venerable sites, the station church of that Lenten day. It’s a microcosm of the pilgrim Church and of life’s journey, and Easter is never brighter than after faithfully completing this sixteen-century-old pilgrimage tradition.”

On Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross – the brilliant radiance…In Conversation with Sr. Renee Mirkes

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We are joined by the incredible Sr. Renee Mirkes, a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity,

who is director of the Center for NaProEthics, the ethics division of the Pope Paul VI Institute. So many have already said so much about St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross’ life, but to really honor her is to explore (the best we can)

her incredible work. Sr. Renee is someone who has. Sr. Renee offers to us just the tip of the iceberg of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross’ tremendous legacy. Edith…brilliant. Sr. Renee…brilliant.

IP#223 Keith Merritt – Emails from Heaven on Inside the Pages

This book is a delightful surprise. Keith Merritt shares the beautiful life he had with Gayle, his wife of 27 years, who Keith-Merritt would one day be diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. He shares how Gayle came to be revered by so many for the depth of her courage against impossible odds, and her joy at saying to God, “I belong to you”. Gayle Merritt’s suffering, and victory in Christ is documented in emails sent to local parishioners to provide updates on her condition throughout her final months. A poignant work filled with hope, courage, joy and love.

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You can find the book here

IP#222 Joseph Pearce – Shakespeare on Love on Inside the Pages

Another outstanding addition to the Joseph Pearce canon! “Shakespeare on Love: Seeing the Catholic Presence in Romeo and Joseph-Pearce-1 Juliet” is a terrific read. Once again Jospeh Pearce helps us to see that the story we thought we knew is something very different when viewed with the Catholic Shakepeares len’s. Is Romeo a hero or a self indulgent cad? Is Juliet a free thinking woman or a relationship starved 13 year old victimized by an adult male predator? And how about those adults? Just look at what happens when Eros runs a muck, and virtue is replaced blindly in favor of vice! Let us not forget to mention the tragedy which occurs from bad parenting. Sexual desire and the gift of reason are explored in this compelling work by the prolific Pearce. Who would have thought a book about a 500 year old play would contain such important lessons for our lives today.

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You can find the book here

“Joseph Pearce’s book on Romeo and Juliet stands like a lighthouse in the murk of modern literary criticism. His approach challenges the assumptions that govern popular ‘scholarly’ work on Shakespeare in our time. It is massively researched, convincing, intelligent, and (happily) interesting. I commend it highly to all possible readers.” —-Thomas Howard, Author, Chance or the Dance?

IP#215 Joseph Pearce – Candles in the Dark on Inside the Pages

Joseph Pearce is one of my all time favorite writers!!! What a joy to speak to him about “Candles in the Dark: The Authorized Biography of Fr. Richard Ho Lung and the Missionaries of the Poor”. Fr. Ho Lung is a fascinating figure: poet, teacher, mystic, and musician (reggae, no less). The child of Chinese Buddhist immigrants, this Jamaican priest is the founder of one of the fastest-growing religious orders in the world, whose mission is to serve the poorest of the poor. With all those elements found in his story, Joseph Pearce, once again, paints an incredibly compelling portrait. As demonstrated in his numerous other biographies, which include the lives of Oscar Wilde, J.R.R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton and others (my favorite is “Old Thunder” on the life of Hilaire Belloc), Joseph captures the passion found in the heart of his subject. This work is highly recommended!

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From the book description:

Pearce takes us from his childhood in Jamaica, the son of impoverished Chinese immigrants, to his education and ordination as a Jesuit priest. He shows us the glamour of Fr. Ho Lung’s life as a celebrity musician, and the deadly danger of missionary work in Kingston s grittiest ghettos. He tells the story of one who has ascended the heights of worldly success, descended into the depths of suffering and discovered a joy there that none can take away.

In the tradition of Malcolm Muggeridge s classic documentary of Mother Teresa,Something Beautiful for God,Candles in the Dark takes us to a place of unimaginable poverty…and shows us the joy that comes from sacrifice, the irresistible attractiveness of holiness, and the power of God still at work in the world today.