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When Theology Must Fall Silent: A Reflection On A Teaching From St. Bonaventure Saints sometimes say daring things. I’d like to reflect on a saying from St. Bonaventure. First, though, let’s consider a certain idiom he used, drawn from biblical times. In Scripture, there is an “absolute” way of speaking that many of us moderns misconstrue. For example, Jesus says (quoting Hosea 6:6), For I desire mercy not sacrifice (Matt 9:13). Click on the link below to keep reading.....

Popes in a Year Number 148 ~ Gregory VI Pope from May 1, 1045 - December 20, 1046 Died: 1048 Birth name: John Gratian Give me the scoop on Gregory VI. Pope Gregory VI was born John Gratian, serving as a priest in Rome at the church of St. John by the Latin Gate prior to being pope. He was the godfather of Benedict IX, and as a result was offered the papacy by him when Benedict sought to resign and get married. Gratian took the name Gregory VI upon his election on May 1, 1045. When monasteries and churches throughout Europe heard the news, everyone reacted like a kid on Christmas morning, not least of which was the great St. Peter Damian, a Benedictine monk who would later serve as cardinal in brighter papal times, under Pope St. Leo IX (No. 152). Gregory tried to restore order in Rome, writing letters and holding meetings to handle spiritual strife and toughening up his armies to handle the temporal outrage. Opposition proved to be a bit too steep, leading Gregory ultimately to convene the Council of Sutri at the request of Emperor Henry III in 1046. It was there that he was charged with simony and voluntarily resigned from office. The simony charge, however, seems to have only been leveled because of the public scandal Gregory created by buying the papacy. It wasn't because the purchase itself wasn’t well-intentioned or even (arguably) necessary given the extraordinary circumstances. Nevertheless, ends don't justify the means. After resigning, Gregory traveled with the emperor to Germany, where he died just two years later. What was he known for? Though he’s known as “The Man who Bought the Papacy,” Gregory VI, renowned for his virtue and upstanding character, likely only agreed to the sale because it would get his reprobate godson out of office. In any case, Gregory probably wasn’t sporting a pencil mustache, slicked hair, and tuxedo with rose boutonniere when Benedict sold it to him. Fun fact: One of Pope Gregory VI’s closest advisors (and biggest fans, apparently) would soon become one of the greatest men and pontiffs the Church has ever seen. Hildebrand, serving as Gregory’s chaplain, helped the pope in his attempt to restore order, traveled with him post-resignation to Germany, and ultimately took the same name -- as Pope St. Gregory VII -- when he himself was elected in 1073, in homage to his former boss. What else was going on in the world at the time? In 1045, after King Edward the Confessor married Edith of Wessex, construction began on the great Westminster Abbey in England.

Divine Mercy Daily Daily Reflections from the Diary of St. Faustina Part Four of Conference Meditation: Conference on Spiritual Warfare. Do not become discouraged by ingratitude. Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you. When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My Heart. Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us (Diary, 1760). My Prayer Response: Thank You, Lord, for the instruction on what to do when discouragement, fatigue, and struggles come upon me. Help me to run away from myself and hide in Your Heart. Give me courage in the midst of the struggle.

Day 6 - St. Anne Novena Today, let's pray for those who struggle with an addiction to sin of any kind. In particular, let's pray for those who struggle with impurity. May St. Anne's intercession free us all from attraction to sin so that we are entirely reliant on God alone. Here are the prayers for today: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Glorious Saint Anne, mother of the Mother of God, I beg for your powerful intercession for the freedom from my sins and the assistance I need in my troubles… (State your intention here.) What can I not hope for if you deign to take me under your protection? The Most High has been pleased to grant the prayers of sinners, whenever you have been charitable enough to be their advocate. Therefore, I beg you to help me in all spiritual and temporal dangers; to guide me in the true path of Christian perfection, and finally to obtain for me the grace of a happy death, so that I may contemplate your beloved Jesus and daughter, Mary, in your loving companionship throughout all eternity. Amen. Pray for us, Saint Anne! That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Minute Meditations by Franciscan Media Risk Everything Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require. —from the book Saint of the Day: The Definitive Guide to the Saints by Pat McCloskey, OFM

Divine Mercy Daily Daily Reflections from the Diary of St. Faustina Part Two of Conference Meditation: Conference on Spiritual Warfare. Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds. Bear with yourself with great patience. Do not neglect interior mortifications. Always justify to yourself the opinions of your superiors and of your confessor. Shun murmurers like a plague. Let all act as they like; you are to act as I want you to (Diary, 1760). My Prayer Response: Thank You, Lord, for teaching me about my personal response in spiritual warfare: to set aside self-love, be patient, and make use of mortifications. May I act as You want me to.

Saint Apollinaris Saint of the Day for July 20 (d. c. 79) Saint Apollinaris’ Story According to tradition, Saint Peter sent Apollinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century. Reflection Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.

Minute Meditations by Franciscan Media The Natural is Also the Supernatural The natural is, of itself, also the supernatural. Both natural elements and animals are not just objects for our plunder. Francis granted true dignity and subjectivity to nature by calling it Brother Sun, Sister Fire, Brother Wind, and Sister Water. No wonder he is the patron saint of ecology and care for creation. Once we grant subjectivity to the natural world, everything changes. It’s no longer an object and we’re the separated and superior subject, but we share subjectivity with it. We address it with a title of respect and allow it to speak back to us! For so long, creation has been a mere commodity at best, a useless or profitable wilderness, depending on who owned it. With the contemplative mind, questions of creation are different than those of consumption and capitalism, and they move us to appreciate creation for its own sake, not because of what it does for us or how much money it can make for us. For those with spiritual eyes, the world itself has to be somehow the very Body of God. —from the book Yes, And...: Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr

Day 4 - St. Anne Novena Today, let's pray for all those with marital difficulties. This is a great source of suffering and we pray that those who are suffering through difficulties in marriage are comforted by St. Anne & St. Joachim, Mary and Jesus. Here are the prayers for today: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Glorious Saint Anne, I kneel in confidence at your feet, for you also have tasted the bitterness and sorrow of life. My need, the cause of my request, is… (State your intention here.) Good Saint Anne, you who did suffer much during the twenty years that preceded your glorious maternity, I beseech you, by all your sufferings and humiliations, to grant my prayer. I pray to you, through your love for your glorious spouse Saint Joachim, through your love for your immaculate child, through the joy you felt at the moment of her happy birth, not to refuse me. Bless me, bless my family and all who are dear to me, so that someday, we may all be with you in the glory of heaven, for all eternity. Amen. Pray for us, Saint Anne! That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Anticipated Mass times for this weekend, July 20 - 21: Saturday, July 20 6:00 p.m. Mass in Bilingual 7:00 p.m. Third Saturday Holy Hour of Adoration and Confessions Sunday, July 21 9:30 a.m. Praying of the Rosary 10:00 a.m. Mass in English 1:00 p.m. Mass in Spanish 5:00 p.m. Mass at St. Michael's, our mission parish in Centre, AL

Brother Simeon Gagnon O.S.B., Brother Marion Sanchez O.S.B., Father Rick Chenault and Horencio and Griselda Perez speak to the 7-12 graders during the night class of Vacation Bible School on the vocations of Monastic life, the Priesthood and Marriage.

Vacation Bible School at Our Lady of the Valley in Fort Payne is always a blast! Thank you to our Totus Tuus team for making this a most memorable week for our youth!

Preparing for a water balloon battle. More photos to come later. Preparándose para una batalla de globos de agua. Más fotos por venir más tarde.

A reminder that our WEEKDAY Mass times for this week are changed due to Vacation Bible School. Mass times this week are: 11:15 a.m. Mass Begins Tuesday - Friday Vacation Bible Schools Hours are: 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Monday - Friday Grades 1 - 6 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Sunday - Thursday Grades 7 - 12

Vacation Bible School has begun at Our Lady of the Valley and takes place each day this week! Grades 1-6 go 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and grades 7-12 attend classes at 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Saint of the Day for July 16 The Story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in northern Israel in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726, it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and often championed the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. Saint Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” Saint John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus believed that Mary cured her from illness. On her First Communion day, Thérèse dedicated her life to Mary. During the last days of her life she frequently spoke of Mary. There is a tradition—which may not be historical—that Mary appeared to Saint Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way. Reflection The Carmelites were known from early on as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” The title suggests that they saw Mary not only as “mother,” but also as “sister.” The word sister is a reminder that Mary is very close to us. She is the daughter of God and therefore can help us be authentic daughters and sons of God. She also can help us grow in appreciation of being sisters and brothers to one another. She leads us to a new realization that all human beings belong to the family of God. When such a conviction grows, there is hope that the human race can find its way to peace. Mary, under the Title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is the Patron Saint of: Chile

The youth practice a song today at Vacation Bible School that they will sing at the 11:15 a.m. Mass Tuesday. Be sure to come to Mass to encourage and hear them proclaim this message!! Los jóvenes practican una canción hoy en la Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones que cantarán en la misa del martes a las 11:15 a.m. ¡Asegúrese de venir a misa para animarlos y escucharlos y proclamar este mensaje!

A portion of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy today during Holy Communion. Una porción de la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia hoy durante la Sagrada Comunión.