CSC in 1-2-3: Mary, Mother of God

1. When people hear that Mary is the "Mother of God" or the "Queen of Heaven," they often get nervous. Isn't God our only King and Father? When Elizabeth greeted Mary at the Visitation (Lk 1:42), she declared, "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!" When we talk about Christ and His glory we, like Elizabeth, always have to emphasize Mary's role in God's plan for our salvation.
  
2.   Calling Mary the "Mother of God" safeguards Jesus' real and full humanity - Mary wasn't just a "tube" through which Jesus came into the world, but she heard the Word of God so well that He became incarnate within her womb, "consubstantial" with her very flesh! She fulfilled Jesus's own words: "Blessed is she who hears the word of God and keeps it" (Lk 11:28). That's why, as in the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians (4:4), we can never talk about Jesus without mentioning Mary as His mother, who points us back to Him, saying, "do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2:5).  

3.   But Mary isn't just some person in the past; she is our model of Christian discipleship, keeping the Word always in her heart (Lk 2:19), she is the model of the Church, our Mother in grace (Rev 12:1), she understands experienced the pains of our sins when she suffered with Christ on earth (Lk 2:35), she brought about Jesus' first miracle at Cana (Jn 2:3) and she intercedes for her children today. Christ made her the mother of all Christians when He said from the Cross, "Son, behold your mother," (Jn 19:26-27) and we are all called to honor our heavenly Father and our spiritual Mother, Mary, by putting ourselves and the needs of our world in her immaculate hands: Pray for us now and at the hour of our death! 

Written by Br. James Rooney, OP  

Join us as we celebrate Mary and all mothers at our special Mother's Day Mass at 11am in Graham Chapel this Sunday, May 13.

CSC in 1-2-3: Environmental Stewardship

1. Defining Sustainability: Sustainability focuses on meeting present needs without sacrificing the ability of others (including future generations) to meet their needs. Three interwoven issues act as the basis for sustainability: Economic Development, Social Development and Environmental Protection, which will be our focus today.

2. Catholic Call to Environmental Stewardship: As Catholics, we are called to be good stewards or caretakers of the environment by a variety of sources. First, there is the Bible. In the book of Genesis, we are told the beautiful story of how God created the Earth, giving humans responsibility for the land and the animals, and reminded “how good it was.” Later, we are given accounts of great misuse of the environment, such as Ezekiel 34:2-4, 17-18. Finally, we are informed of the beauty that comes from good stewardship in verses such as Leviticus 26:3-4, 6. Various Popes and Saints have also urged greater commitment to environmental stewardship, including John Paul II in his Joint Declaration on the Environment in 2002, Pope Benedict XVI in “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation” in 2010, Saint Francis of Assisi and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

3. Moving Forward: Sunday, April 22 is annual Earth Day, but it’s important to treat every day as an ‘Earth Day.’ Decide on a pledge for the environment to follow. Take the St. Francis Pledge or WashU’s Sustainability Pledge. Educate yourself, your friends and family on sustainability and ways to help the environment. At the CSC, join us on Sunday, April 22 as we celebrate Earth Day at our 11am and 9pm Masses. Make a conscious effort to use the recycling bins located around the CSC, and sign up for the weekly e-mail rather than relying on the paper bulletin each week. There are so many ways to get involved and make a difference, and we are here to help! Contact Theresa Schmidt at schmidt@washucsc.org for suggestions or additional ideas.

Written by Theresa Schmidt, Intern-in-Service (2011-2012)

CSC in 1-2-3: Graduate Legacy

1) The CSC Graduate Legacy is a $1000 pledge for graduating students to support the mission, core values, and future students of the Catholic Student Center at Washington University over the next 5 years.

2) The Graduate Legacy Program was established in 2008 by graduating students who wanted to find a way to leave their mark on the Catholic Student Center and provide community for future students as others have done for them.Since then, 85 students have chosen to support to the community that served them throughout their time here by pledging to give $1000 within 5 years of graduation.

3) All 2012 Graduate Legacy participants will be invited to a celebratory dinner at the home of Schlafly Beer founder, Tom Schlafly on Monday, April 30, and will have a group photo taken to be posted at the CSC as a representation of all alumniwho support us.

For more information, visit the CSC Graduate Legacy Page on our website, or contact Linda Domeyer .

Written by Kara Sikorski, Advancement Assistant

CSC in 1-2-3: Catholicism and Contraception

1) The Church teaching on contraceptives and the realistic application of that teaching are complex and nuanced.  To understand the relationship between Catholicism and Artificial Contraception a basic understanding of the Church's teachings on pro-life and marital love is necessary.  The Church's pro-life stance is an unfailing commitment to protect the dignity of life from conception to natural death.

2)  Often, the term pro-life is equated to anti-abortion, and while that is included in a Catholic understanding of pro-life it is only one piece.  Major pro-life issues of the Catholic Church include:  abortion, contraception, death penalty, embryo research, end of life issues, love and marriage, persons with disabilities, and reproductive technologies.  Modern technology has identified that human life begins at conception, the moment that the egg is fertilized.  In very basic terms; many common forms of artificial birth control cause abortions by not allowing a newly conceived human child to implant in the mother's womb.

3)  To fully appreciate the Catholic Church's pro-life stance, its important to consider that the conception of, birth and raising of a child does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of spouses, but springs from the very heart of that mutual giving.  With that in mind, the Church teaches that each and every marital act is unitiveand is open to the possibility of conceiving a child.  Artificial contraception is contrary to this teaching on marriage, as it separates conception from the sexual union.

Ready to delve deeper?  Join us for Foundations of Catholic Theology: Religious Freedom and Contraception on Tues., April 17 at 7pm in the CSC Social Hall.

Written by Cynthia Enghauser, Service & Social Justice Campus Minister

CSC in 1-2-3: Easter Vigil

1) Basics: The EasterVigil is the highlight of the liturgical year. It is a celebration you don't want to miss. It begins in darkness and ends with a festive party. There are four main parts to the EasterVigil. This liturgy does count for your Sunday mass.

2) History: The Easter Vigil traditionally is the holiest night because Christians gathered in vigil waiting for the Lord to return. When he did not come in person they celebrated his presence with the Eucharist. While they waited they read the scriptures which described all of salvation history and they sang psalms and the bishop baptized the elect who joined the community in great joy and celebration. It is a night that marks the passage from death to new life. And with the newly baptized we all renew our baptismal promises and celebrate the resurrection.

3) Ceremony: A blazing fire is prepared and the paschal candle is lit from the fire, then the priest and deacon process into the dark church chanting "The Light of Christ" and lighting each person's candle from the Pascal candle (The Lucernarium). Immediately the church is transformed from dark to a glow of light. TheVigil continues with a series of readings from the Old and New Testament, beginning with the creation story and concluding with the Gospel of the Lord's resurrection. After the homily the baptismal liturgy begins, those who have been preparing for Baptism and Confirmation now receive the sacraments. This is followed by the 4th part, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, at which time all receive communion together. As the liturgy ends with a triple alleluia all are invited to come to a party in the hall and the celebration continues.

Written by Sr. Linda Straub, Campus Minister

**Join us for our Easter Vigil Mass at 7:30pm Saturday, April 8 in the CSC Chapel, with a great party to follow!**

CSC in 1-2-3: Spiritual Formation

1) What is spiritual formation? The process of formation is about being formed into something. But what? Philosophically speaking, according to Aristotle, humans are made up of form and matter. Form is the essence of who we are as humans. What is our essence? Spiritually speaking, Catholics believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God and so our essence is being God-like. What does all that mean? Spiritual Formation is the process of becoming more (and in some ways rediscovering) ourselves and realizing our essence - fully human in the image of God.

2) Why make time for spiritual formation? Fully human in the image of God, concisely, means to be truly free (spiritually, not legally), ordered toward God's goodness, and united in love with God and all of creation. What is the end product of becoming fully human in the image of God? True happiness. With each step we take to spiritually form ourselves into God's image we will become more happy.

3) How do I do spiritual formation? There are many ways to form yourself spiritually, far too many to list here, but essentially it is anything that gets to the heart and soul of who we are. Some practical examples that are offered at the CSC: Prayer (conversing with God about who you are), Mass (Diving into the mystery that is God, within community), Bible Study (listening to God's Words of wisdom), Spiritual Direction (guidance in the spiritual life), Retreats (spiritual work-outs), Reconciliation (recognizing the room for growth in fully realizing our humanity), Service (encountering the depths of humanity outside yourself), Education - such as our Foundations Series, books, RCIA, Theology on Tap, etc. (gaining knowledge about who you are and who God is).

Written by Troy Woytek, Campus Minister

**Don't miss either of tonight's special opportunities for spiritual formation: Yoga Stations of the Cross from 7-8pm and Lenten Mass on the S. 40 at 10pm!**

CSC in 1-2-3: Confession

1. Why do I need to go to confession if God can forgive me any time? While this is true, there is often still a grief or a shame that we are holding onto if we are not able to bring ourselves to share openly our shortcomings with this other person. In freely and fully confessing our sins, we are liberated from the emotional and spiritual grip that they have on us. The priest stands in for the community of the human family whom we have sinned against, serving as the voice of their love and forgiveness - and God's - in light of our desire for healing and wholeness.

2. What happens in Catholic confession? You can prepare for Confession by examining your conscience and being sincerely sorry for your sins. At Confession, state your sins openly and honestly to the priest, feeling free to ask for advice or ask questions. The priest will then assign you a penance (an act or sacrifice performed to show sorrow or repentance for your sin) and provide you with a copy of the Act of Contrition for you to recite. The priest concludes with "The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace," to which you respond, "Thanks be to God."

3. We all have people who we know love us very much, but from time to time we still need to hear those precious words "I love you" that sink so deeply into our hearts. In the same way, there is something about so powerful about hearing the words "I absolve you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Written by Mark Zaegel, Campus Minister

Don't miss our Confession Marathon on Wed., March 21 from 2pm-12am for a chance to gain peace and reconciliation. Confession is also available 15 minutes before weekday Masses or by appointment; contact Cathy D. to schedule a time.

CSC in 1-2-3: Saints and St. Patrick

1. Jesus tells us that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the living, not of the dead (Mk 12:27). From the earliest statements in the Letter to the Hebrews that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1) to the Nicene Creed, Catholics have constantly held to the belief that our Church isn't restricted to those alive in body alone but includes the "Church Triumphant" in heaven. The communion of saints is not merely an optional "flavor" to Christianity, but tells us something important about our own final destiny - true life is found in Christ and love of neighbor does not end with bodily death.

2. To quote the Baltimore Catechism, we have one end in life: "God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life so as to be happy with Him forever in the next." Sainthood isn't the destiny of the few, but our common - our ordinary - destiny as Catholics. The saints in heaven are, as the new Mass translation puts it, "co-heirs to eternal life" - co-heirs with us.

3. As we celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with a special celebration at Tuesday Mass and Soup on March 20, we see a shining example of love of God and neighbor in Patrick, but also someone who can pray for us so that we too can be saints with him. Worthiness of God's grace is not a concern when we have such great friends in heaven who can bring us to that day when, as St. Patrick says, "...we shall rise again in the brightness of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as children of the living God and co-heirs of Christ, made in his image; for we shall reign through him and for him and in him." Saint Patrick is just one of those holding a place for you in heaven - are you going to RSVP?

Written by Br. James Rooney, OP

CSC in 1-2-3: The Rosary

1. History: The traditional devotion of praying the Rosary is thought to be traced back to the early middle ages when Irish monks would be heard praying the Psalms throughout the day by workers in the fields. Since the Psalms were difficult to memorize, the workers began reciting prayers that were easier to memorize, such as the Lord's Prayer, while they worked. By the 12th & 13th century the Rosary as we know it today, with 5 sets of 10 (decades) Hail Marys and an Our Father preceding each Hail Mary, was being used as a prayer within the Church.

2. Purpose: Praying the Rosary is a meditative prayer style in two particular ways. First, it is repetitive, so it is easy to pray, but as a result it becomes like a mantra that is conducive to meditation. Secondly, while praying the rosary we meditate on the life of Christ with each decade of Hail Marys focusing on an aspect of Jesus' or Mary's life.

3. Opportunity: If you'd like to pray with a group of people you can join the Blessed Newman Prayer Corps any week on Sundays at one of two times: Five minutes after the 11am Mass in the Chapel Balcony or before the 9pm Mass at 8:45pm in the Living Room. Adoration, offered on Wednesdays between 8-9pm in the CSC Chapel, is another great opportunity to pray the Rosary on your own.

Written by Troy Woytek, Campus Minister

CSC in 1-2-3: RCIA

1. What is RCIA and who is it for? RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is a process of conversion for adults who seek to be baptized or who want to join the Catholic Church from another tradition or who want to be confirmed.

2. Is RCIA a new process? Actually, RCIA is not new. In the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians invited adults to join the community of faith. Those who accepted the invitation became candidates for the Sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) and entered into a step by step process toward full membership in the church. This process, called the catechumenate, included a lengthy period of formation, instruction and testing, lasting one to three years or more.

3. What happens during RCIA? Each week we look at the Sunday readings and a particular topic of faith. The catechists open up the Word and the lesson through their own faith stories, explanation, discussion and prayer. One of the most important elements of the process is the welcoming, prayer and witness of the community. This happens through the RCIA team members and the community gathered for Eucharist on Sunday and informally in between sessions.

Written by Sr. Linda Straub, Campus Minister

Congratulations to our 2011-2012 RCIA Candidates! Our thoughts are prayers are with you as you prepare for Baptism and Confirmation this Easter.

CSC in 1-2-3: Social Justice

1. Our Catholic faith tradition contains a long-standing commitment to social justice. Our Catholic understanding of Social Justice is rooted in our recognition of the dignity of each human being. Its relevance can be found in the Gospel narratives of Jesus, papal encyclicals on Catholic Social Teaching (CST), theology in the Catholic intellectual tradition, and a lived commitment in Catholic communities all over the world.

2. Social Justice is evident in the Church's social teaching on human dignity, human solidarity, and principles of justice and peace; the moral judgments about economic and social matters. The term "social justice" emerged in the Catholic faith tradition in the 1800s. The modern tradition of CST begins with Pope Leo XIII's encyclical, Rerum Novarum in 1891, since that time there have been more than 10 papal encyclicals on CST, the latest being Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict.

3. Social Justice at the CSC includes local service opportunities, domestic and international service trips, as well as on-going dialogues on issues of injustice and marginalization. During Lent we will be participating in Operation Rice Bowl and WashU's PB and Joy program.

Written by Cynthia Enghauser, Service and Social Justice Campus Minister

Please contact Cynthia at enghauser@washucsc.org to get involved in these or other Service and Social Justice initiatives.

CSC in 1-2-3: Science and Faith Scholars Program

1. The program is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, whose goal is to provide
congregations with the resources to collaborate with scientists and science educators in the development
of a deeper engagement between science and faith.

2. The CSC Science and Faith program will extend through 2012 and will include a series of discussions, led by a scientist and a theologian and facilitated by the CSC Young Catholic Scholars.

3. Our 2012 Young Catholic Scholars are David Bundy, a 4th year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, and Joe McDonald, a sophomore in Biomedical Engineering. Both of them bring a lot of great experience, passion, and enthusiasm to the program, and Fr. Mike Demkovich and Dr. Irene Schultze (our program directors) are very excited with what these two are capable of.

CSC in 1-2-3: Catholic Student Union (CSU)

1. Catholic Student Union (AKA CSU) is the Catholic Student Center's link to Wash U. Although the CSC has a great relationship with Wash U, the CSC is not part of Wash U, nor does the CSC receive funding from Wash U. The CSC is a separate entity (it's part of the Archdiocese of St. Louis). We're allowed on campus and in the dorms because we are a recognized organization that is linked to Wash U through CSU, which is one of many official student groups at Wash U.

2. CSU consists of a board of six Wash U undergrads who meet on a weekly basis to discuss, plan and execute various student-related activities at the CSC. Campus minister Mark Zaegel serves as the staff contact for CSU, but the CSC is merely a resource for CSU--the CSC does not control the CSU.

3. The Catholic Student Union is a great way for students to develop into leaders of church and society. And remember students: Even if you're not on the CSU board, you can participate in CSU by being a member at large or simply by participating in CSU events.