MV's Diaconate Journey

06/01/2026

As we ponder, "what is truth?"

“We must reject the absolute state that posits itself as the source of truth and law. We must also reject a strict relativism and functionalism, because the elevation of truth to the unique source of law threatens the moral dignity of man and tends toward totalitarianism” (Ratzinger, 146).

Ratzinger, Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI). "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

05/31/2026

Some words of wisdom for us in these times:

"Rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you" (2 Cor 13:11, NABRE).

05/28/2026

Some Church wisdom on governments. . .

“In communist systems, collectivism is carried to its furthest extreme, with a minimum of private ownership and a maximum of planned economy” (Brittanica).

Communism “always undermines the Church . . . denigrates the Church . . . destroys confidence in the Church” (Ratzinger, 224).

Ratzinger, Joseph. "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

https://wabcradio.com/2026/01/07/nyc-homeowners-blocked-from-selling-under-zohran-mamdani/

In my words:

We have got to be very careful. . . We must always consider human dignity, the common good of every person, and our Creator's inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in New York City, U.S. December 22, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper/File Photo(New York, New York) – Homeowners and small landlords are facing what

05/27/2026

“People should go to church to be able to sit in peace, worship as they please, without having to worry about people coming in and harassing them,” said Idaho Sen. Mark Harris, a Republican who co-sponsored legislation criminalizing protests inside places of worship. “I think the thing that happened in Minnesota was kind of a shock to some of us, that churches would be used as a place to berate people.”

https://apnews.com/article/church-protest-laws-first-amendment-1e8cc645f697aba74e325b96ab244689

In my words:

The Church is primarily concerned with the salvation of souls. Interrupting worship services interferes with this primary concern. Our Constitution's Freedom of Religion supports this stance, directly.

At least four states have adopted laws this year making it a crime to disrupt worship services, a reaction to a high-profile protest inside a Minnesota church that prompted outrage from faith leaders.

05/26/2026

And some good news for our nation's children:

"Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) has entered into agreements with the [United States Justice] Department and the Texas Attorney General that include commitments to not perform such procedures on children, which include the administration of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. TCH has also agreed to collectively pay over $10 million in damages and civil penalties and to dedicate millions to the provision of medical care to children harmed by the provision of such procedures (i.e., 'detransitioners')."

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-landmark-resolution-end-pediatric-gender-affirming-care-and

In my words:

Politics aside, this is about protecting our children and providing healthcare that most benefits them. We should provide passionate, empathetic, scientifically-based, and effective care. Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are not the right answers. . .

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the first resolution secured under the Department’s ongoing national investigation into violations of federal law in connection with the provision of sex-rejecting procedures on minors (often euphemistically called “gender-affirming care....

05/09/2026

Collectivism is “any of several types of social organization in which the individual is seen as being subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, a nation, a race, or a social class. Collectivism may be contrasted with individualism (q.v.), in which the rights and interests of the individual are emphasized (Britannia, “Collectivism,” accessed 02-03-2026, https://www.britannica.com/topic/individualism).

“Collectivism has found varying degrees of expression in the 20th century in such movements as socialism, communism, and fascism” (Brittanica).

“It is not men’s consciousness which determines their being, but their social being which determines their consciousness” (Karl Marx, in Brittanica).

“Obedience to the truth . . . must stand higher than any human tribunal or any type of personal taste” (Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, 118; cf. Acts 5:29).

Ratzinger, Joseph. "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

05/07/2026

Some more wisdom from Pope Benedict XVI:

“It is not the task of the state to create mankind’s happiness. . . It is not the task of the state to change the world into a paradise” (Ratzinger, 138).

Ratzinger, Joseph. "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

05/06/2026

From Pope Benedict XVI:

"The concept of truth has been virtually given up and replaced by the concept of progress. . . Progress loses its direction and becomes nullified. For if no direction exists, everything can just as well be regress as progress” (Ratzinger, 119).

Ratzinger, Joseph. "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

05/04/2026

Some wisdom from Pope Benedict XVI:

Communism “always undermines the Church . . . denigrates the Church . . . destroys confidence in the Church” (Ratzinger, 224).

Ratzinger, Joseph. "Faith and Politics." San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.

05/02/2026

This!!!!!!!

The truth doesn’t sound like hate unless your heart already rejects the truth. ✝️🔥