By Deacon Pat Knier, Pastoral Associate
Saints Peter & Paul Parish, Kiel; St. Ann Parish, St. Anna; Holy Rosary Parish, New Holstein

Darwin had it all wrong. Vanity of vanities, we think we know it all. I was reading an article recently from “The National Catholic Register” titled “Real Presence Challenges Science” by Patti Armstrong (1). The article focuses on an interview with Ron Tesoriero, co-author of the book “Unseen New Evidence: The Origins of Life Under the Microscope.” The book examines three well-documented Eucharistic miracles that uphold the Catholic belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The scientific investigation reveals that what was previously bread (a host), had transformed into living heart tissue, and that complex life has come into existence spontaneously from non-living matter.

A previous article documented the Eucharistic miracle in Argentina that occurred in 1996. Similar studies were performed by different teams of scientists on the miraculous bleeding host that occurred in Lanciano, Italy in 750 A.D. and the most recent miracle that occurred in Sokolka, Poland on October 12, 2008. All three findings of each scientific examination by separate teams of scientists concluded with the same results. They were all in fact human heart muscle living tissue, with human DNA, and the same AB blood type.

The book mentioned in this article “formulates an argument that goes to the very question of the origin and evolution of life.” According to Tesoriero, “the standard set out by Darwin, the father of the Theory of Evolution, is no longer tenable. [This is] because it states that all life forms of Earth today are the product of an evolutionary process over billions of years and must have evolved from a single, ancient cell created by chance.” Darwin had claimed in his book "The Origin of Species," “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.”

So, it looks like by Darwin’s own words, God has completely blown his theory out of the water, (or element pool so to speak). So, where do we go from here to understand the origins of life and species? Do we need to re-write all of the textbooks and re-teach all of the minds that were convinced of the idea that chimpanzees are our cousins? How can we ever find the funds or the initiative to begin such a monumental undertaking?

Maybe a good place to start is by looking to the past. Perhaps looking at a time when people respected the ideas of others and weren’t inclined to lead protests when we disagreed with them. We could look at attitudes of people in times when all human life was sacred (all lives mattered). We may look to a system that guided our thoughts so we knew the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. The very thought, a time when humans believed they were divinely guided for a purpose, other than individual interpretation? Let’s think for a moment what most people believed in those days. It was written in a book called Genesis, and started with a familiar phrase; “In the beginning, when God created the Heavens and the Earth…”

(1) National Catholic Register, July 10-23, 2016

Author Unknown
Shared by Deacon Dennis Bennin
Good Shepherd Parish, Chilton

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Walmart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. 

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.  Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, "Mom let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked.  "Let's run through the rain!" she repeated. "No, honey, we'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited a minute and repeated, "Mom, let's run through the rain." "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!'"  

The entire crowd stopped dead silent...I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. 

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God lets us get wet, well maybe we just need washing," Mom said.  

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked. They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
 
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...so don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.  
 
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. 

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
 
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Send this to the people you'll never forget and remember to also send it to the person who sent it to you. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
 
If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a hurry. Take the time to live! Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other - and don't forget to run in the rain!

Author Unknown
Shared by Deacon Dennis Bennin
Good Shepherd Parish, Chilton

​I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen before they had a name for it. A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. 

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dishtowel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. 

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. 

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. 

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away ... never to return. So ... While we have it ... it's best we love it ... And care for it ... And fix it when it's broken ... And heal it when it's sick. 

This is true. For marriage ... And old cars ... And children with bad report cards ... And dogs with bad hips ... And aging parents ... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with. 

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special ... And so, we keep them close! 

Shared by Joe Zenk
Holy Rosary and St. Ann Parishes, New Holstein
Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Kiel

Pope Francis offered these words on "FAMIGLIA" (the Italian word for FAMILY) at the Synod on the Family, October 24, 2015.

F - Forming new generations to experience love seriously, not as an individualistic search for pleasure then to be discarded, and to believe once again in true, fruitful and lasting love as the sole way of emerging from ourselves.

A - Approaching others, since a Church closed in on herself is a dead Church.

M - Manifesting and bringing God's mercy to families in need; to the abandoned, to the neglected elderly, to children pained by separation of their parents, to poor families struggling to survive.

I - Illuminating consciences often assailed by harmful and subtle dynamics which even attempt to replace God the Creator.

G - Gaining and humbly rebuilding trust in the Church, which has been gravely weakened as a result of the conduct and sins of her children.

L - Laboring intensely to sustain and encourage those many strong and faithful families which, in the midst of their daily struggles, continue to give a great witness of fidelity to the Church's teachings and the Lord's commandments.

I - Inventing renewed programs of pastoral care for the family based on the Gospel and respectful of cultural differences, pastoral care which is capable of communicating the Good News in an attractive and positive manner.

A - Aiming to love unconditionally all families, particularly those experiencing difficulties, since no family should feel alone or excluded from the Church's loving embrace, and the real scandal is a fear of love and of showing that love concretely. 

Shared by Deacon Dennis Bennin
Good Shepherd Parish, Chilton

"Deep within we long for unity because, at the most fundamental level, we are already one." Fr. Richard Rohr's daily meditation prompts us to reflect on how human beings across the globe are connected. Are we actually one in being with each other? Do Christians acknowledge one another as sisters and brothers in Christ? He also reminds us that we must not confuse unity with uniformity as we seek to celebrate the diversity that is the "fruit of love."

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Richard-Rohr-s-Meditation--We-Are-Already-One.html?soid=1103098668616&aid=peT9iHzksTw%E2%80%8F