Today is the Name's Day of Abbot Neal Roth. Please join our community in offering prayers of thanksgiving for his life and ministry.

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Feast of Saint Cornelius
September 16

Cornelius, a Roman priest, was elected Pope to succeed Fabian in an election delayed fourteen months by Decius' persecution of the Christians. The main issue of his pontificate was the treatment to be accorded Christians who had been apostasized during the persecution. He condemned those confessors who were lax in not demanding penance of these Christians and supported St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, against Novatus and his dupe, Felicissimus, whom he had set up as an antibishop to Cyprian, when Novatus came to Rome. On the other hand, he also denounced the Rigorists, headed by Novatian, a Roman priest, who declared that the Church could not pardon the lapsi (the lapsed Christians), and declared himself Pope. However, his declaration was illegitimate, making him an antipope. The two extremes eventually joined forces, and the Novatian movement had quite a vogue in the East. Meanwhile, Cornelius proclaimed that the Church had the authority and the power to forgive repentant lapsi and could readmit them to the sacraments and the Church after they had performed proper penances. A synod of Western bishops in Rome in October 251 upheld Cornelius, condemned the teachings of Novatian, and excommunicated him and his followers. When persecutions of the Christians started up again in 253 under Emperor Gallus, Cornelius was exiled to Centum Cellae (Civita Vecchia), where he died a martyr probably of hardships he was forced to endure.

Blind Guides and Deluded Students
Homily for Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom
LK 6:39-42

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Blind guides, deluded students, and people with stuff in their eyes. These images given to us by Jesus have stayed with us over the centuries. They are powerful because we all know how well they describe the people we know and sadly ourselves at times.

Every culture and generation has its heroes, people who are placed on pedestals. We live in a time when actors and popular musicians are given our admiration. A look at the magazines sold in the checkout lines shows how we both want to be like them and are scandalized by them. We need to be cautious about those we place pedestals, though. We need to always keep in mind that they share in the same fallen natures as we do. Some will even use their fame to manipulate others. They can even try to get away with injustice and immorality knowing that people will be reluctant to challenge them. Ultimately, it is only God who deserves the pedestal and those who best reflect him in their lives.

We live in a democratic society; everyone’s opinion is seen as equal. Ideally, our education system should prepare all its students to be knowledgeable enough to be outstanding citizens. Instead, we see how informed opinion is shunned, and conspiracy theories abound. We are so easily led astray by our pride to suppose that we are experts in matters from religion to medicine to science and to ethics. We forget that we have teachers like the Gospel and the living tradition of the Church.

Our lives can seem like a constant struggle. Other people always seem to get in the way of our being happy. We can see how their fallen human nature is made manifest. “Why can't they see their faults!” we ask ourselves. Well yes, why can’t they? Maybe for the same reason we cannot see the planks lodged in our own eyes.

Christian life is not a simple affair. Saint Paul likens it to being an athlete striving to win the race. He suggests that we too should be deliberate in how we live our lives, always training to be better, always striving. This is good advice from a man who gave up so much for Christ and did not regret any of it. May we have the courage to do the same.

Fr. Peter Tynan, OSB
University Chaplain
Saint Martin's University

Although the church does not celebrate feast days of saints when they fall on a Sunday, today is the feast day of the Birth of Mary, mother of our Lord, and the name's day of our confrere, Fr. Marion Nguyen.
Let us remember him in our prayers and wish him a blessed feast day!