Christening a Church, by Ryan P. Hanson

When a new Catholic Church is built, it cannot be used right away; it begins as just a beautiful building. For it to become a church it has to be christened by the bishop of the diocese. This happens by giving the new church three things that reflect the Sacraments of Initiation, that is, Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation.

The Baptism of a Church happens when the bishop sprinkles holy water on the new building and on the people, called the living stones of the church, and the altar. The altar has been kept bare with no flowers, cloths, or candles up to this point.

The Mass continues with the Liturgy of the Word, and soon the church will receive its Confirmation. The Confirmation of the Church begins at the altar just like the Baptism of the Church. The bishop pours Sacred Chrism in the four corners and the center of the altar. The five places where he poured the oil symbolize the five wounds of Christ. If the church has twelve candles on the walls, symbolizing the twelve apostles, they are anointed by the bishop and priests.

Now the time has come for the Church’s First Communion. Before the church’s first Communion, though, two other Baptismal events happen. The altar is cleaned of all the Chrism and a white altar cloth is laid on it (only white cloths are permitted). This is also similar to how we wear a white alb when we are Baptized. The church has its altar candles lit, just like we had our Baptism candles lit. The church then receives First Communion by having its first Mass said in it.

Catholic Scientists, by Mary Catherine Vallejo

Many Catholic scientists have made major discoveries in the branches of the vast world of science.

Saint Albert the Great was a scientist and theologian who spent time studying Plato’s philosophical teachings and spent many years teaching philosophy to young Dominican friars. Albert wrote many works on minerals, plants, and animals, as well as very in-depth studies on early chemistry, not to be confused with alchemy. Saint Albert made sure all his work pointed back to the One who gave him the brain and resources to conduct his work: God. Saint Albert said, “In studying nature we have not to inquire how God the Creator may, as He freely wills, use His creatures to work miracles and thereby show forth His power; we have rather to inquire what nature with its immanent causes can naturally bring to pass.” Saint Albert the Great also taught Saint Thomas Aquinas, who is one of most brilliant minds among the Church’s saints.

Servant of God Jerome Lejeune is not widely known. Jerome was a pediatrician and a geneticist. He was a father of five and an active voice for the pro-life cause. Lejeune was concerned especially for children with life- threatening prenatal genetic diagnoses. Dr. Lejeune discovered that Down Syndrome was caused by an extra copy of Chromosome 21, and later discovered more diseases which are caused by chromosomal disorders. He received many awards, such as the William Allen Award, the highest award one can earn in the field of Genetics. He humbly accepted his award, praising God for the ability to learn and study diseases for future children of God who would suffer from them.

Blessed Nicolas Steno, a Danish convert to Catholicism who later became a bishop, is often referred to as the father of Geology. He also studied and made breakthroughs in Paleontology, Crystallography, and the study of Anatomy. He discovered how the Circulatory System circulates blood throughout the body, how muscles contract and work, and discovered that the heart is a muscle. The Stensen duct, which produces saliva in the mouth, is named for him. In the field of Paleontology, he discovered that the tooth-shaped stones that people believed fell from the sky on moonless nights were, in fact, the fossilized teeth of prehistoric animals. This led to Steno’s most significant discovery, which is the basic laws of Stratigraphy. This scientific law made it possible for us to understand which dinosaurs came from which time period in the timeline of the world. Eventually this led to scientists being able to determine the approximate age of the Earth. To this day, his law is still used.

Many Catholic scientists strived to change the world for the better, while at the same time glorifying God. In the world today we often hear that science is against the Church, but these holy men, among many more, helped to strengthen their brethren with their findings and help people in the future. May we always strive to follow these courageous examples we have been shown, to continue the work these people started, not just through science but with our own unique gifts God had given us. AMDG -Ad majórem Dei glóriam!- (For the greater glory of God!) Saint Albert the Great, Servant of God Jerome Lejeune, and Blessed Nicolas Steno… pray for us!

Editorial, by Thomas M. Cabeen

School has begun, football has begun, cool- er weather has sort of begun, and thinking about Thanksgiving dinner has begun. It is now the time of beginnings in our country. So in the spirit of beginning I urge you to begin a renewal of faith (which is always needed, no matter the time of year) with a helpful, and short, book: The Imitation of Christ.

An age-old classic, the Imitation was written just before the Reformation by a Catholic monk by the name of Thomas à Kempis. In his book, one of the most-published books of all time, I might add, he speaks in short, plain paragraphs on the way to model your life after that of Our Lord’s. The book is divided into three (or four, depending on the publisher) books, all about the same length, all treating on different subjects of the spiritual life. In a time where physical satisfaction and pleasure are revered as ultimate happiness, it is refreshing and necessary for us to die to this world, to spurn undue pleasures for the betterment of our souls and to attain eternal life. The Imitation of Christ. gives us clear instructions on how to do so.

So as we begin the busiest time of the year, we should look at our spiritual lives with scrutiny, finding how to grow our love and faith and how to cleanse ourselves of worldly habits and infatuations. St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.

Good News Team and Contributors

Editor in Chief: Thomas M. Cabeen

Co-President: Ryan Hanson

Webmaster: Benjamin Wells

Contributors: Avery Bidelspach, Emma Bidelspach, Evelyn Wagner, Benjamin Wells, Alex Hanson, Gabriel Ringwald, Ryan P. Hanson, Mary Catherine Vallejo

Poet: Benjamin Cabeen

Head of Distribution: Benjamin Cabeen

Note on this digital issue

This is the digital version of this issue. This is the best way to view our issues, but the original print version can be found here.