William Hemsworth's Blog, page 9

Knights of Columbus Council #6848 Receives Top Award

Tucson, AZ – Knights of Columbus Council #6848 in Tucson, AZ was awarded the distinction of
Star Council, the international organization’s top honor for local councils.
The Star Council Award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of growing membership, promoting
Knights of Columbus insurance benefits, sponsoring Catholic faith formation programs and volunteering
time through service-oriented activities.

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See.

I belong to this council, and we are thrilled to receive the award. Beyond that, we are honored to serve the community of Tucson, St. Francis De Sales Parish, and Christ and His church.

She Has Loved Much

Today on July 22nd the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene has been one of the most misunderstood and closely scrutinized saints in the Christian tradition. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia: In the New Testament she is mentioned among the women who accompanied Christ and ministered to Him (Luke 8:2-3), […]

She Has Loved Much

Praying Reverently

Prayer ought to be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering, and accompanied with great reverence. One should consider that she stands in the presence of a God, and speaks with a Lord before whom the angels tremble from awe and fear. -St. Mary Magdalen di Pazzi St. Francis de Sales, even when he was alone, remained before […]

Praying Reverently

U.S. Military Catholics Salute Faith at National Eucharistic Congress

INDIANAPOLIS, IN —More than 100 U.S. Military-affiliated Catholics will join the celebration of faith at the National Eucharistic Congress opening today at Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, is leading the Catholic military delegation, along with Auxiliary Bishops Neal J. Buckon and Joseph L. Coffey.

Father Marcel Taillon and Mark Moitoza, Th.D, D. Min., of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), will also play central roles, supporting and coordinating the military group’s participation in the July 17-21 event, bringing Catholics together from across the country to praise and ponder the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, a central tenet of Catholic teaching. Father Taillon is Director of Vocations. Dr. Moitoza is Vice-Chancellor for Evangelization.

The Congress is the centerpiece of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival set in motion by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2022 to counter a perceived decline among American Catholics in the belief that Christ is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine. It is the first National Eucharistic Congress the Catholic Church has held in the U.S. since 1941.

Archbishop Broglio, the USCCB President, said: “This is a moment of history, but also a time of great grace, not only for the participants, but also for the whole Nation.  We gather in prayer, celebration, and moments of learning so that we might return renewed for the task of making Jesus Christ known and loved.”

Dr. Moitoza said, “The National Eucharistic Congress reminds all across our land, and those serving far from home, that the Lord is always with us – even when we have doubts. The gift of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist brings joy and invites a response. We are called to share the enthusiasm of our relationship with the Lord. May our witness, expressed in both word and service, help others to be open to respond to Jesus Christ and to be nourished in the community of faith too.”

Throughout the days of discussion sessions, liturgies, service opportunities, Eucharistic adoration, and confession, the AMS will staff a booth in the exhibit hall, inviting the more than 50,000 participants to pray for more priests to serve as U.S. Military chaplains and bring the body of Christ to those who serve and their families. Participants are invited to stop by Booth Number 1351 and pick up a prayer card to pray for an increase in young men discerning priesthood and military chaplaincy. Active-duty priests are in short supply due to attrition: aging chaplains are retiring from the U.S. Military faster than they can be replaced. On Thursday, Archbishop Broglio will celebrate Mass at 8:00 a.m. in the Bishop Chartrand Memorial Chapel in Marian Hall at Marian University, praying for, among other things, an increase in vocations.

Members of the AMS group include Catholics from Fort Knox in Kentucky, Joint Base (JB) Langley-Eustis in Virginia, Fort Cavazos in Texas, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Ohio, JB San Antonio in Texas, Fort Polk in Louisiana, Fort Meade in Maryland, Los Angeles Space Force Base in California, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, and a number of retired U.S. Navy personnel and seminarians.

‘Peace is sought, cultivated, purified over time’

If St. Augustine is correct in defining peace as the tranquility that one experiences when he lives in the proper order, which of the sons in the Parable of the Prodigal Son experienced true peace? A strong argument can be made for the younger son, particularly considering his contrition and return to his father following […]

‘Peace is sought, cultivated, purified over time’

A look at the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop

It is composed of the preparatory rites, the essential element, and the explanatory rites By Father Randy Stice On July 26, Bishop-elect Mark Beckman will be ordained and installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. In this column I want to explain the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop. The official liturgical […]

A look at the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop

Breaking News: Attempted Assassination of President Trump

Former President Donald J. Trump was rushed off a stage by Secret Service agents at a rally in Butler, Pa., after several pops that sounded like gunshots. Mr. Trump went to the ground and was immediately surrounded by agents, who then escorted him to a motorcade. The former president pumped his fist at the crowd…

Breaking News: Attempted Assassination of President Trump

Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Most Viral Video Ever: New Video Breaks Record with 358k Views in 24 Hours

Fr. Mike Schmitz is one of the most well-known faces on Catholic YouTube, but even he’s never seen something quite like this.

Garnering 358k views in just 24 hours, The Bible in 10 Minutes (feat. Fr. Mike Schmitz) has become Fr. Mike’s most viral video ever, more than doubling his previous 1-day record of 160k views set in 2022 with his review of The Sound of Freedom. 

The Bible in 10 Minutes is a new offering from Fr. Mike and Ascension, the multimedia Catholic network which hosts the Ascension Presents YouTube channel and produced The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast. Bible in a Year was #1 on Apple Podcasts for 3 weeks across 2021 and 2022.

“The Bible is amazing,” Fr. Mike begins, seated on screen. “But sometimes confusing and hard to read… We’d like to read it, but without a map, it’s easy to get lost. There is a narrative throughout the Bible that tells a single Story. The Story of God’s plan for our Salvation. Once we understand that Story, we can understand the context of every book of the Bible. So, here’s the Story in less than 10 minutes.”

Audience Reaction

Audience reaction to The Bible in 10 Minutes has been overwhelmingly positive, as seen in the comments on YouTube:

[image error]The First of Many Such Videos?

In addition to Fr. Mike Schmitz, a dedicated team of employees at Ascension spent months on the production of The Bible in 10 Minutes. The video’s animation was developed in collaboration with Coronation Media, a boutique animation company which specializes in unique, impactful Catholic videos.

At the end of the video, Fr. Mike invites the audience to decide whether or not they’d like to see more high-quality Catholic videos like this one. Those interested in supporting future projects like this from Ascension can contribute at www.AscensionPress.com/Support. 

“We would love to make more videos like this that impart the truths of the faith in such a beauty-forward manner,” comments senior video producer Sean Boyd. “It’s up to our audience to help us fund more videos and make it possible!”

BREAKING: Viganò excommunicated

From Vatican News:  Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former apostolic nuncio to the United States of America, has incurred excommunication latae sententiae for having abandoned communion with the Bishop of Rome and the Catholic Church. A press release issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith states: “On 4 July 2024, the Congress of the Dicastery…

BREAKING: Viganò excommunicated

Why This Catholic Curriculum is a Game-Changer

Join us in this enlightening discussion as we explore why the Word of Life Catholic Curriculum is a true game-changer! I’m William Hemsworth, and in this episode, I’m honored to welcome Dr. Ben Akers, Associate Professor of Theology and Chief Content Officer at the Augustine Institute.

We delve into the revolutionary aspects of this K-8 religious education program, developed in partnership with Ignatius Press. Dr. Akers explains how this curriculum uniquely integrates traditional faith teachings with modern educational tools, ensuring students, teachers, and parents are all enriched. We discuss the importance of forming both students and educators, the innovative digital resources, and how the program is designed to be engaging and effective across various age groups.

You’ll also hear about how the curriculum is structured to mature with the students, emphasizing scripture and the lives of the saints, making faith a central and serious subject. Check out this video to understand how the Word of Life curriculum not only educates but also evangelizes, aiming to deepen faith and foster a lifelong commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I highly recommend visiting wordoflifeseries.org to download free samples and see firsthand the impact this curriculum can have. Join us, and let’s discuss how this program can revolutionize Catholic education in your community. Don’t miss out on this insightful conversation! God bless.