Areopagus during Advent

Greetings,

    The Areopagus during the Advent season was quite successful. I’m sure the Areopagites one and all thank the Kucels for their generosity is hosting the meeting. There was an unexpectedly large number of questions in the box this month, which was wonderful.

Here are some of the questions that were retrieved from the depths of Ulysses-the-Box during the meeting:

When I say my examination of conscience at night, do those sins go away after saying the Act of Contrition if you are sorry?

How do I make my brother become stronger in his faith instead of leaving the Church because his wife is not Catholic and they go to different churches?

Are you supposed to chew the Holy Eucharist when you receive it, or let it dissolve?

What do Catholics who have left the Church need to do to come back? What happens to them if they know the Church is right, but will not “officially” rejoin because of family conflicts?




Why are some Bible passages interpreted literally and some metaphorically?

Is it moral to go on dangerous rides such as roller coasters and extremely high swings?

How vast is the universe? Are there other habitable planets? Is it possible that God created aliens?

Were Indian marriages lawful?

Should Catholics marry someone whose parents are divorced?

How far does a person’s moral obligation go in defending unborn life?

May a person be anointed after death?

Is it bad if a priest always wears lay clothes?

Will Pentecostals, Lutherans, Baptists, etc. go to Heaven? If so, why does it matter what type of Christian you are?

    In January, we will be meeting at the Ren house.  The address is: 15824 Hough Rd. Allenton, MI 48002.  I hope everyone will be able to come!  If you have not been receiving emails from me lately, or you would like your email address to be added to the list, please let me know.

In Christ,

Lois Gagnon

Art Credit: The Nativity, by Gerard van Honthorst, from http://christianityinview.com/

Nifty November

Salutations,


    The November Areopagus was terrific! Thank you again Peters family for hosting us; you did a wonderful job. Fr. Ward opened this month’s meeting by continuing to read from a work by St. Cyprian. As usual, I have listed the questions that were pulled out of the box and discussed after the stimulating opening topic so that those of you who could not make the drive can ponder them at your leisure.



In catechism class, the instructor said that all Creation is good. Does this mean abortion is good?

Is it a sin to steal money from terrorists even if they were going to buy weapons with it?



above: Aristotle

Is early Christian spirituality Platonic? If so, is Christianity authentic, or just mixed up with Greek stuff?

Is it stealing to give your friends copies of music you like on CD’s?

Does God have opinions?

How do you feel about nuns who don’t wear their habits?



   Next month, we will meet at the Kucel’s house. Their address is 14565 Cornell, Sterling Heights, MI 48313. Hopefully everyone will be able to make it. If anyone would like their email address to be added to my list, please let me know. Don’t forget to bring some food for snacking.

In Christ,
 
Lois

photo credit: essentialthinking.wordpress.com

Outstanding October

Fellow Areopagites, philosophers, and sundry,


    We all wish to extend our thanks to the Romstad family for allowing us to convene at their house. Fr. Ward opened the meeting with a few words from a work by St. Cyprian. Then, once again, the Areopagites came, defined, and conquered some of the most confounding conundrums of our day. For those who could not join us, these puzzling questions included:

If your dad has mental issues, and you tend to be violent with him, in what ways can you control your anger?

Is there any way for a Catholic stuck in China to go to Mass?

I’m trying to get my little sister to leave my stuff alone, especially my journal. What commandment is this sin is against?

How could Jesus be of the line of David if Joseph was not His father?



If someone was a Catholic, but later became immersed in another religion such a buddhism, what does he have to do to come back into the Church?

What is a good way to show a parish that they are not following what they are supposed to do, especially regarding the Mass?

What exactly is wrong with “Lord of the Dance” and “Amazing Grace?”

Is it sinful to listen to music with swearing or blasphemy in it even if you skip those parts?

An email said that Olive Garden and other restaurants support Planned Parenthood. Can we still eat at those restaurants?

Is it wrong or immature for girls to go after every new boy that comes along or is that just how a girl is?

Why are psychics and fortunetellers bad?

    The Peters family has generously volunteered to host Areopagus next month. Their address is 402 S. 6th Street in St. Clair.  As always, come with your questions, queries, comments, trivial matters, and good jokes. Don’t forget the snacks!

In Christ,
 
Lois
 
Art Credit: The Holy Family stained glass window from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Wyandotte, MI, from fisheaters.com

Spectacular September

 Greetings Areopagites and friends,

    Our September meeting was fantastic!  It would have been better if more had been able to attend, but there was a reasonably-sized group nonetheless.  We are all extremely grateful to the Manteys for letting us congregate at their house; they deserve special thanks for the delicious caramel apples!  This month, Fr. Ward read part of an English translation of Pope Benedict's homily at World Youth Day.  This excerpt concentrated on faith.  Then, Odysseus the Box having made his rounds, we discussed the burning questions of our times:

Is it a sin to imitate Gideon and other great men by smashing idols, (such as any of the 300,000,000 hindu gods?)

 Is it sinful to insult Muslims and politicians?

Is there moral objectivity when it comes to music - can you draw a line between good and bad?  On the same line - can you do the same with everything?

Should teenagers wear chasitity rings?

When  Pope John Paul II said "I charge you to profess your faith" what does he mean?  Does it mean to go out of your way to quote the Bible to random people?

lastly (and most importantly)
 Did you know that ATM's have braille on the buttons for all those blind drivers?

As usual, we had a great time.



Pope Benedict XVI at World Youth Day in Madrid

    Next month, Areopagus will be held at the Romstad's house.  The address is 249 N. Force Road, Attica Mich 48412.  We will be meeting on the usual 3rd Friday this time, which is the 21st of October.  Remember to invite anyone who you think may be interested in attending the meetings.  Also, if any of you have not been receiving the reminder emails lately, please let me know.  Don't forget the snacks!

In Christ,

Lois



Gideon and his men rout the Midianites

Art credits:
http://zayzay.com/news/pope-in-spain-for-world-youth-day/
http://www.textweek.com/art/gideon.htm

In the Second Week of September

Greetings fellow Areopagites!


The next Areopagus meeting will be held on September 9th, the second Friday of that month. The date was changed from the third Friday to the second Friday because Fr. Ward will be out of town on the 16th, and will thus be unable to assist us in our quest for the truth at that time. The September Areopagus will be held at the Mantey’s home. Their address is:

2834 Oakview Dr.

Dryden, MI 48428

I hope everyone will be able to make it to this meeting. If you have met anyone who is interested in coming to Areopagus or if your email address has been updated, please let me know so I can make the necessary adjustments to my mailing list. See you on the 9th, and don’t forget to bring plenty of snacks!

In Christ,

Lois

Summer Break

Odysseus the box has been found at last!  He was able to join us for the gathering on Fr. Ward's patio yesterday.  HUGE thanks to Fr. Ward for allowing us to meet at the Rectory for this month's Areopagus!  The location of September's meeting is still undetermined, and there will be no Areopagus during August, giving us a short break.
For those of you who weren't there, (physically, or mentally for that matter) Fr. Ward started the evening off by reading the sixth part of a letter from the Pope to the youth of the world, warning of temptations from within ourselves as well as from the world around us.
A short summary of the questions asked yesterday evening:
-What does Gollum represent allegorically, and why did Frodo choose him over Sam in the movie?
-What is eternity, and can it be defined with making reference to time?  Is time a human concept?
-Is is a big deal if you swear as long as you aren't swearing at anyone in particular?
-Can a good angel become bad and turn into a fallen angel?
-What are the conditions for receiving a partial indulgence?
-Is sabotage in wartime acceptable?
-If euthanasia is wrong, then why is it all right to kill someone in prison who has received the death penalty?
-Where do dinosaurs come into creation?
-A catechism teacher said it's not a sin to attend Protestant services.  Is this true, and if so, is it all right to attend SSPX Masses?
-Will people have personality traits in Heaven?
- Is there a personal demon assigned to each of us as described in the Screwtape Letters?
- Why are some of the prayers of the Mass said quietly?

I know I still don't have a complete email list, and I am still wrestling with the addresses I have being bounced.  It would be very helpful if you would tell me if you know of anyone who did not receive an email so I can add them or edit the address I already have.  Thank you!
Great meeting everyone, see you next time!

Lois

Picture credit: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/giotto/padova/3christ/scenes_1/chris
Web Gallery of Art
Two Archangels1002-19
Gold and precious stones
Musée de Cluny, Paris

Areopagus at the Parish

Our next Areopagus is on July 15, 2011, here at the parish. If the weather cooperates, we can gather on the back patio, which is splendidly arranged right now. Come with munchies, questions, and great topics of conversation so we can grow both as Catholics and Philsoophers.

I lost Ulysses the Box again! Anyone know where he went? To Ithaka, probably...

Special thanks to the Ianuzzi family for the spendid hospitatlity!

Jumping into June

Hello everyone! A warm thank you to the Peters Family for hosting May's meeting! I know the questions have yet to be posted, but it would seem that Ulysses has sailed away from Calypso and home to Penelope a.k.a. Sacred Heart, ironically in the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart.


This month's meeting is tomorrow, the third Friday as usual at 7p.m. sharp. The Iannuzzi Family has generously offered to take up the torch this time. Please feel free to message or text me for their address and directions. Please bring a friend and a finger food to share along with your questions!

Also, speaking of passing the torch, Fr. and I are looking for someone to take up my place as his assistant in all matters Areopagus. I will be leaving for U of M in August, and will no longer be able to carry on the honor, unfortunately. If you're interested in the commitment, please email either Fr. or myself. It's quite fun, I assure you!

God Bless,
Gabrielle

Meeting in the Month of Mary

A great thank you to the Gagnon Family for hosting last month's meeting! The Peters Family has kindly offered to take up the torch this month. The meeting will be held at their house this Friday, the 20th, at the usual time of 7:00 p.m. sharp.

I know we're all waiting on the edge of our seats for Summer, so let's throw some of that pent-up anticipation into learning some new aspects of our Faith. Bring questions, friends, and a snack to stop all our chattering teeth from this cold spell if you can!

Feel free to message or text me for directions.
God Bless,
Gabrielle

Photo Credit: La Visitation, Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1491.
In this month of Marian feasts, let us remember and emulate the fervent devotion St. Louis de Montfort held for Our Lady. All true devotion to Mary leads to Jesus Christ, for who better to instruct us in knowledge and love of the Son of God than His mother? We pray that like St. Elizabeth at the Visitation, we may recognize and revere Our Lady as our channel to God, Salvation, and the Resurrection. 

Going to the Gagnons'

Hello, fellow Areopagites!  The Gagnon family has kindly offered to open their home to our meeting this month! It will be this Friday, April 15th, at the usual time, 7:00 p.m. on the dot. Their address is listed below, and please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. Come with questions, friends, and a snack to pass if you can! 

The Gagnon Home

12351 Hegel

Goodrich, MI 48438

Also, I am looking for someone to save Ulysses the Question Box from the captivity of Calypso, as Fr. has so humorously dubbed me! I cannot make it to this Friday's meeting, and I would greatly appreciate a volunteer to take him to and fro. Please email or text me if you would be able to do so! :)

God Bless,

Gabrielle

Lenten Illumination

 A very warm thank you to the Kray Family for generously opening their home to our meeting on such short notice last night! I'm sorry Ulysses had to miss it; he was detained by Calypso, as Fr. so humorously explained! For others who missed it as well, a recap of yesterday's curiosity:

• I think it is in the Gospel of Luke (the wise men, and the finding in the temple), where it says a couple of times that “Mary kept all these things in her heart.” What exactly does this indicate? And why is it repeated?
• If Jesus said, “about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mt 24:36), and if Jesus is God, then why doesn’t he know?
• I heard something once about different levels of happiness in heaven. Can you explain this?
• If God can create Mary without original sin, why doesn’t he create everyone else that way?
• Does a marriage count if the priest does not bless the wedding rings properly?
• Can you explain why some Protestants do not include some books in the Bible, books which Catholics do include? Why is this?
• What do you do if your friends don’t respect your parents’ property, and you have to hang out with them?
• I want to be a nurse for babies when I’m older, and if the baby is dying and I want to baptize the baby, and the parents won’t let me baptize the baby, can I over-power the parental rights to baptize him/her? Because every child needs to be a child of God. Help me understand this please!
• How exactly does the Catholic Church feel on organ donations?       

 I have had a few offers over the last few weeks to host our next Lenten meeting, on April 22nd I believe, but if anyone is sure they would like to host Areopagus please email me, thank you!

Photo Credit: Carl Heinrich Bloch- Christ at Gethsemane II
Let us remember throughout this Lenten Season that Jesus wept in the Garden for each sin, large and small, that we have committed in our lives. Let us keep His image on our hearts and minds so that we may console His sorrow with our penitence and wipe His tears with our gratitude for His sacrifice.

A New Year With New Questions

Thank you to the Kucels for hosting a wonderful talk last night; it was a great way to usher in the New Year!

A little recap of the evening:
-What is trust?
-What is your position on drinking?
-Are the Harry Potter books sinful to read?
-Is hypnosis a sin?
-Why is it that when we make the Sign of the Cross we go from left to right?
-What does it mean if you are Lutheran?
-Why do we pay money to light a candle at church? Are we paying for the donation of the candle? Or for the prayer intention?
-How does one handle a sister who is slowly leaving the Church and is rebellious to what people tell her?
-How do you explain the Immaculate Conception and deep devotion to a Christian that believes we are worshiping Mary as a God?
-Mark 15:32 says that both two criminals beside Christ during the crucifixion reviled Him, as well as in the book of Matthew. But in Luke 23:39-43 it says one criminal reviled Christ while the other one rebuked that criminal.
-Is it sinful to "bootleg" music? People justify it by saying , "it's sharing, not stealing."

The next order of business is our upcoming meeting. Father is going on a spiritual retreat for awhile, and has informed me we will be meeting in March next time. So, we're looking for a host for the 18th of March most likely. Please contact me if you're interested!

Photo Credit: Immaculate of Soult by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
Through her Immaculate Conception, Our Lady was the perfect vessel who brought our Lord and Savior into the world. Let us pray that  Our Lady will continue to bring great blessings into our new year, and pray that she will continue to bring our Lord to us every day of our lives.

To The Kucel's House We Go

 Once again, just to thank the Pilarskis for the wonderful meeting at their home last month. It was a wonderful way to spend a Blessed Advent day, firing up our Areopagites with fervor for the truth. This month we'll carry that fervor over into the New Year with a meeting on January 14th, at 7:00 on the dot. The Kucel's have generously offered their home to us this time. Come with a snack to share and an abundance of curiosity! Please don't hesitate to contact either the family or myself for directions.

A little recap of that truthful fervor of last month:

- Why must Catholics be married in a church? We have Mass outside; why is this any different?
- Is cloning animals a sin?
- Why did Jesus say such things to Peter, who He just named the visible head of the Church? (Matthew 16:21-23)
- Should everyone study Aristotle?
- Why do some Catholics believe that the Blessed Mother had no labor pains during the birth of Christ? In Revelations 12:2 it seems to explain it does.
- What do you do when your mom or dad makes you mad? They never let you argue with them (and of course, rightly so).
- How do you pronounce "ë" that is found in some Tolkien names? (This question in particular revealed some serious fervor in some of our Areopagites. Catholic symbolism in The Lord of the Rings or the Silmarilion, anyone?)


Photo Credit: Gentile da Fabriano, Adoration of the Magi (1423)
This month's photo was chosen with the Feast of the Epiphany in mind. The Magi traveled far for the truth; let them be an example to us in our own lives. No matter how long or difficult the journey, let the truth of Jesus Christ guide us safely on our way. Also, I thought it was very relevant considering a certain wise man we all know and love who travels all over Michigan, guiding us in our search for the truth. ;) Here's to our very own Dionysius!