Little Monastery, Bright Light

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12)

LUMEN CHRISTI Monastery in Kansas City, KS

"LUMEN CHRISTI" (the Light of Christ) Monastery was consecrated by Archbishop Joseph Naumann on September 14, 2013.  The "Little Monastery" is the new home for the Little Sisters of the Lamb in Kansas City, KS.  The monastery is the first of its kind for the Community of the Lamb in North America.  Gathering friends from across the world both on location and through live streaming, the grace of God was called down to dedicate this new home for the community to Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.  Under the patronage of St. Agnes, LUMEN CHRISTI Monastery will serve as a furnace of God's love and mercy.

The Sacred Liturgy and Blessing can be viewed here: Part One, Part Two and Part Three.  Also, be sure to check out the photos of the building process.

In an article for the National Catholic Register, Archbishop Naumann explains the unique charism of the Little Sisters:

The sisters came to Kansas City at the invitation of Archbishop Joseph Naumann who encountered their community in Rome. Archbishop Naumann believes that the effectiveness of their ministry flows from their poverty, which requires them to go out and beg for their daily bread and, in the process, share the Gospel with those they meet.
“By coming in poverty, many people welcome them,” the archbishop said. “Their strong and beautiful prayer life sustains them in living out this radical poverty.”
The sisters travel in threes to beg for their daily bread in the tradition of St. Dominic. They offer to pray with and for the people they meet and share the Gospel with them. Their motto is “Wounded, I will never cease to love.”

It was fitting that the dedication took place on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross considering how close the Community of the Lamb is to the Wounded Lord.  Seeking out the poor and suffering in any given neighborhood, the Little Sisters serve as beautiful instruments of the Holy Spirit for the New Evangelization.

"I have seen the Lord" (John 20:18)

Perpetual Adoration at the Little Monastery

Founded 35 years ago, the Community of the Lamb is still a relatively young and definitely growing community.  The newspaper for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, The Leaven, explains:

Foundress Little Sister Marie said she had no idea she was starting a community 35 years ago in France. As a young Dominican Sister, she only knew that she had a big question in her heart.
“In our world, evil seems so many times so triumphant,” she explained. “And this question was in my heart. I believe it is in all human beings’ hearts: Tell us, Lord, how are you victorious over all evil?”
The answer came to her during a night in silent adoration.
“In the middle of the night,” she said. “this sentence of St. Paul’s arose in my heart: In his own flesh, Christ destroyed the enmity; in his own person, he killed hatred! (Eph: 2:13-19)
“I understand now, the Community of the Lamb was born in that moment.”
The motto of the community is: “Wounded, I will never cease to love.” Its charism is to live the Gospel and Jesus’ life in community.
“United to Jesus and filled with the love of God, we become the sent ones,” Little Sister Marie explained.
“Through the mercy of God we go, ‘without gold or silver,’ in order to give out the name of Jesus,” she explained. “We go like Jesus went — poor and begging the love of mankind; we beg for our daily bread, announcing the Gospel to all.”
“This is the living water of the charism,” she added. “The living water, because it is always renewed in adoration and in prayer and in our union to Christ.”
Today, the Community of the Lamb includes 130 Little Sisters and about 30 Little Brothers from many countries serving in communities around the world.

At the end of the Mass, the foundress, Little Sister Marie, invited the supporters of the Little Monastery to become adorers.  She noted that 4,000 different donors had made the Little Monastery possible, and it was now time for them to become 4,000 adorers before Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

 "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life" (John 6:27)

The simplicity and joy of the Little Sisters is truly attractive and inviting.  Their way of life challenges a culture of excess while at the same time giving hope to the poor who they live among.

The cells for the sisters are extremely modest.  In addition to their own rooms, they now have four rooms for young women who want to visit the community and rooms for priests to have days of prayer away from the noise of the world.

As I toured the newly blessed rooms and saw the sincere interest of the guests and benefactors, my heart was warmed at the possibilities.  If these sisters could become so small so as to get out of Christ's way, others can as well.  Talking to the sisters after Mass and asking for their prayers, I was reminded how truly simple and straightforward their view of evangelization is: first you must live it.  That's it: first you must live it. 

In their view, the New Evangelization occurs through witness before words.  From the beginning, the vision for the Little Monastery kept that call to live the Gospel in mind.  The National Catholic Register article from three years ago highlighted this vision:

Sister Bénédicte described the planned monastery as a simple structure in keeping with their charism. “It reflects in its architecture the message of the Gospel,” she said. “A simple building to be part of the New Evangelization, to go back to the basics. Each aspect of our life reflects the simplicity and beauty of the Gospel.”

The Refectory at the Little Monastery

Such simplicity flows from their encounter with Jesus Christ in prayer.  As Archbishop Naumann was blessing the monastery, the sisters prayed the following prayer, between chanting antiphons of "Behold, the Lamb of God, resplendent of the glory of the Father, of the Glory of his most holy Passion, Light and complete joy of our hearts":

In the last few months one has often heard the complaint that many prayers for peace are still without effect.  What right have we to be heard?  Our desire for peace is undoubtedly genuine and sincere.  But does it come from a completely purified heart? Have we truly prayed "in the name of Jesus," that is, not just with the name of Jesus on our lips, but with the spirit and in the mind of Jesus, for the glory of the Father alone, without any self-seeking?

Might we all be less self-seeking and more fervent to call on the name of the Lord.  St. Agnes, pray for the Community of the Lamb!

If you want to hear more about what the New Evangelization looks like in Kansas, check out a new blog effort from the Office of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas: EVANGELIZED KANSAS.

Big News ...

From left: Archbishop Naumann, Pope Benedict,
Fr. Brian Schieber and Fr. Gary Pennings

I wanted to take this opportunity to let blog readers know about a big change in my own life that could have an impact on the blog.  I've been accepted as a seminarian by the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas.  My last day with the law firm is Friday, May 4.  After that, I'll be headed off to Olathe, Kansas, to help out around the Archdiocese over the summer. God willing, I'll start pre-theology at Kenrick, in St. Louis, Missouri, in the fall.

I'm incredibly excited for what the future holds, and wanted to share two things in particular related to this blog.  First, the parish I'll be helping out in is Prince of Peace, under the watchful eye of one Fr. Andrew Strobl, Shameless Popery's clerical anchor.  That's not a coincidence, but an example of the largesse of my vocations director, Fr. Mitchel Zimmerman (who, I should add, is a blogger himself). Fr. Andrew has been a great spiritual mentor to me over the years, and I look forward to all that I can learn from him.

The second thing I'm excited for is the text that I got today, from Fr. Andrew, asking:

Is it OK if I call the apologetics series we're doing this summer at the parish “Shameless Popery”?

Seriously... so excited!  (I said yes, of course).

Altars to Un-Religion?

In today's readings for Mass, we hear proclaimed both the apostasy of Solomon (1 Kings 11:4-13) and the casting out of the demon from the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30). In the first reading, we see the swapping of the one, true God for false Gods. In the Gospel reading, we see the swapping of a false god (the demon) for the one, true God. While we are fortunate that Jesus Christ is still making the latter type of swap in the hearts of those who seek Him, the swap of Solomon is still all too prevalent.

In 1 Kings, we find:

When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God, as the heart of his father David had been. By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites, Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done. Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab, and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites, on the hill opposite Jerusalem. He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (for though the LORD had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods, Solomon had not obeyed him).

The act of turning to false gods is disturbing in itself, but the truly horrendous nature of the gods Solomon chose to honor should be eye opening. One of the gods chosen was Moloch. Moloch was worshiped through child sacrifice. Parents would turn their children over to be burned. Solomon's apostasy had dire consequences for Israel. For example, in 2 Chronicles 28:1-3 we see the fall of Ahaz:

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even made molten idols for the Baals. Moreover, he offered sacrifice in the Valley of Ben-hinnom, and immolated his children by fire in accordance with the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD had dispossessed before the Israelites.

The Valley of Ben-hinnom is also known as the Hinnom Valley or Gehenna. It is remembered as a place where a King of Israel "immolated his children by fire." At the time of Christ, Gehenna was a garbage dump where refuse was burned. Jesus refers to the flames there as an "unquenchable fire" (Mark 9:43).

When the Syrophoenician woman comes to Jesus, it's no shock that her daughter is plagued by a demon since one of the idols the Phoenicians worshiped was Moloch. Phoenician parents had handed their children over to Moloch for generations. In turning to Jesus, this desperate mother was breaking that trend. She gave her daughter to the one, true God. By healing her daughter, Jesus demonstrates his absolute authority over Moloch and all the powers of Hell.

Here's the troubling truth underlying the encounter: we all worship something. Solomon and Ahaz knew the names of the idols they turned to when they turned away from God. Just because we don't hear the names of the idols the Syrophoenician woman worshiped before Christ, doesn't mean they don't exist. While the names of certain idols and demons are no longer prominent, they are still being worshiped today.

When we remove God from His rightful place, the place of honor does not remain vacant. Something fills the void. Today in America and many parts of the world, God is being swapped out. Some would like to frame this trend as simply a shift toward neutrality. However, what is really happening is a shift in honor from God to realities that just go unnamed. Bishop William Lori put it this way when he addressed the US bishops last November as the head of the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty:

But let us make no mistake. Aggressive secularism is also a system of belief. In failing to accommodate people of faith and religious institutions, both law and culture are indeed establishing un-religion as the religion of the land and granting it the rights and protections that our Founding Fathers envisioned for citizens who are believers and for their churches and church institutions.

There is no such thing as being "religiously neutral." We no longer have the luxury to pretend that secularism is neutral. Secularism has its own altars and we are still sacrificing our children.

Outrageous Discipline-Only Health Education: Let's Move!

The Obama Administration is celebrating the second anniversary of the controversial Let's Move! campaign to combat the rise in obesity in the United States. If you don't think it's controversial, you should. Even a cursory glance at the many initiatives undertaken through the guidance of First Lady Michelle Obama should note a frightening trend: health education in America is not comprehensive. The Administration is so wrapped up in making healthy food choices and fitness that one could get the impression that a Discipline-Only approach to health education is the best approach to health education. Has no one considered how focusing only on discipline and not all options to address obesity is misguided? Shouldn't a nation with such a diverse population with a plurality of views expect a federal campaign to at least mention all the options available? Are we going to be forced to live under a system that doesn't provide a comprehensive approach to "preventative services" when it comes to health?

Obesity is a very serious problem in the United States. Studies show that almost 10% of all health care costs are related to obesity. It is difficult to imagine a more serious threat to the health of our nation than obesity. Since that is the case, should the Federal Government really be so narrow-minded in its approach to educating the young about obesity? That's exactly what the Administration has chosen to do by embracing the stringent and old-fashioned Let's Move! campaign. If we want to really take obesity seriously, we should look to a more comprehensive approach**. Such an approach could include, but shouldn't be limited to:

• Greater availability of diet pills and other diuretics for young people and the poor
• Free shots of insulin in all school vending machines
• More affordable access to Lap-band Surgery and Liposuction
• Sensitivity training about the positive contributions of eating disorders
• Give people the option to execute unwanted obese children***
  

If we are going to take obesity seriously, we need to take a seriously comprehensive approach. It is close-minded to think that Discipline-Only Health Education is the best public policy. As long as we cling to regressive and unrealistic approaches to health, we have little hope for real change. Health Education is too grave a responsibility to pin our hopes on kids eating better and embracing exercise. Unless we start framing a comprehensive approach that values preventative services like diet pills and weight loss surgery, America will be stuck in our obese tracks.

**It seems the Administration has no problem embracing a comprehensive approach to sex education so a more comprehensive approach to health education seems appropriate. If it's deemed a fundamental right to have "preventative services" like contraception, abortifacients, and sterilization, why should combating obesity be any different? If it's unrealistic to think abstinence-only sex education is sufficient, why should health education be based on a discipline-only approach of eating right and exercising?

***This post is of course sarcastic. I just wish the absurdity of the Culture of Death was more readily seen.

Religious Liberty: Mapping the Developing Landscape

As the debate regarding religious liberty gains attention and momentum, it is prudent to regularly examine the landscape and tone of this crucial discussion. Clarity and proper emphasis are of paramount importance when sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are just as crucial in politics. The White House Blog has made one attempt to map the developing landscape. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops quickly responded. Here's my take on some themes worth noting:

• Muddling of Conscience – The term "conscience" is being thrown around a lot already. Unfortunately, it's being used inappropriately in regards to the discussion at hand concerning the HHS decision to mandate coverage of morally evil procedures and products. Instead of focusing on the conscience rights of employers (like the Church services), some are trying to make this a discussion of the individual consciences of those who would receive the mandated coverage. I expected the National Catholic Reporter to muddy the waters in this regard (and they surpassed expectations here and here and here. Though to be fair, even NCR speaks out against the HHS decision here, and maybe, sorta, I'm still not sure: here). However, I'm still not sure why the Administration is making that appeal. On the White House blog, the claim was made: Contraception is used by most women: According to a study by the Guttmacher Institute, most women, including 98 percent of Catholic women, have used contraception. The USCCB responds to the validity of this claim here, but it is worth noting that this line of reasoning is extremely inappropriate and dangerous in this discussion. By appealing to the behavior (not belief) of a particular religious group, the Administration (and others) are trying to indict the validity of an actual well-formed Catholic conscience. The claim might as well be: No one really holds that religious view so why should we respect it? This is how a government begins to form a litmus test for who's conscientious objection is worth respecting. We must all be extra careful to not muddy the "conscience" pool further.
  

• Playing the Blame Game – After I read Archbishop Joseph Naumann's letter about the HHS mandate at Mass this past Sunday, I was surprised that I began receiving email blaming the bishops for getting us in this mess. Supposedly, even Rick Santorum claims, "I took issue with the Catholic Bishops Conference, because..., you may remember, they embraced Obamacare." While some see this whole situation as the bishops getting their "just desserts," that is a totally unfair characterization. One: Obamacare did not meet the bishops criteria for just health care reform and did not receive an endorsement from them. Two: while some Catholic groups dissented, the bishops were quick and clear to admonish such behavior. Three: some people have a problem that the Catholic Church does support universal access to health care for all people. However, just because we support universal health care access does not mean that the bishops supported Obamacare (universal access doesn't have to come through only the government). That would be like saying that since the Catholic Church supports women's health they must be supporting Planned Parenthood. We all need to look in the mirror. There is enough blame to go around. As one priest I respect put it: we've been fornicating, contracepting, and aborting ourselves to death. We all need to preach, practice and embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a fuller way. We can have a big blame game party, but it will just get in the way of the real work to be done right now.

• Denying Holy Communion: Some of the Catholic faithful think that if the bishops would just be more sweeping in denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians that obstinately support grave evil then we wouldn't have these types of headaches. I can see the reasoning, but let's remember that the Secretary of the HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, has been banned from receiving Holy Communion in both Kansas and Washington, D.C.. Obviously, more needs to be done than simply what the bishops have direct control over regarding the Sacraments.
  

• Conceding “Preventative Services” – Here's something really scary to consider: a trap is being set to get the Catholic faithful to support groups like Planned Parenthood. Bear with my wild speculations for a moment. No one is making a really strong case that the new HHS mandate is essential to ensure access to contraceptives, abortifacients and the like. An effective argument can probably be made that without the mandate there are still ways women can have access to "preventative services." Here's when I start to get afraid. If we want to make the claim that the new mandate violates religious liberty, that's one thing. However, we must be careful in becoming bedfellows with Planned Parenthood by claiming that the mandate is also unnecessary because women will still have access to contraceptives and the rest. DON'T GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION. Our ground is solid when it comes to religious liberty. There is no need to even discuss how people can obtain moral evils if they so choose. I'm starting to get paranoid that all this is a political game to see if Catholics will somehow admit the necessity of Planned Parenthood and "preventative services." If that happens, a political victory can still be had for the Culture of Death even if the HHS mandate is repealed.
  

Based on those observations, here are some recommendations on where we go from here:

• Storm Heaven and Earth – Remember, this is not merely a political contest. We must of course seek recourse to all the political tools we have at our disposal: Letters, Emails, Phone Calls, Blogs, Votes, etc. However, we must also make a real commitment in prayer to combat this new expression of the Culture of Death: Mass intentions, Rosaries, Holy Hours, Novenas, etc. Personally, I'm going to mention "religious liberty" in the petitions at Mass until this HHS mandate is changed.
  

• Support the Services at Stake – For as long as we're able to publicly practice our faith, we should take full advantage. I'm going to make a special effort to support those Catholic groups and activities that are particularly affected by the mandate. Even if you have a concern with some of these groups, this is the time to actively address them and become involved. We don't have the luxury to take the following for granted anymore: Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Schools, Catholic Hospitals, Catholic Campus Centers, Catholic Cemeteries, Catholic Media, Catholic Hospice, and many others.

• Get Educated – We need to be better informed. It's time we delve into our history, politics, and faith. I know I still have a lot to learn. Already silly phrases are being tossed around like: "well if the Catholic Church wants to get involved in health care and education..." A new story is trying to be woven. We must announce the truth boldly. Even a little research can bring up gems like the fact that the first non-military hospital in Kansas was a Catholic hospital. We were here before government over-regulation and we'll be here after it as long as we know what we're talking about and are willing to share it effectively. The USCCB has a site up to help specifically with the current religious liberty debate and they put out a helpful article on Six Things Everyone Should Know About the HHS Mandate.
  

• Get Ready – We are in the midst of a long endeavor for religious liberty. Don’t be surprised when other challenges start to emerge. Marriage is obviously already under attack and the assault will only intensify. If the story is starting to change about defining who can be licit employers, the story about who can licitly sign marriage licenses and for which couples is coming.

UPDATE 2/7/2012: Archbishop Joseph Naumann and Benedictine College have started a Memorare Army with the intention: We hope to gather a million memorares for the intention of religious liberty and stronger Catholic identity in public life in the United States. Please consider going to the site and making your pledge for 1,000 memorares.

UPDATE #2 on 2/7/2012: The St. Gianna Physicians Guild has a great petition worth signing that is endorsed by Cardinal Burke.

UPDATE #3 on 2/8/2012: Another petition that is worth checking out is on the White House site itself. It does require registration (name, email, zip code). At the time I signed, there were 27,281 signatures.

Fr. Andrew Strobl, Vampire Hunter

Fr. Andrew Strobl, (alleged) Shameless Popery co-blogger, and Vampire Hunter extraordinaire:

That's him on the right.  The priest on the left is the Priest at the End of the World.  They're at some sort of gamers convention, and apparently, nobody believed that they were really priests, since a lot of other folks were wearing weird costumes, too.

Anyways, if this isn't the perfect nexus of orthodoxy, nerdiness, and sheer awesome, I'm not sure what is.

A New Mass Translation Every Generation?

A brother priest pointed out a comment on the editorial over at National Catholic Reporter. My buddy's reply to the comment was: Everybody stop talking! This guy has said everything that needs to be said. Total win sir. Total win.

I agree. Sometimes caring about clarity and beauty helps. Alternatives are risky even if they are hilarious.

"Raised Eyebrow" wrote:

Here's a better translation of the Mass that I'm sure we can all support:

Priest: Uhm, like, hey guys, we need to, you know, get started, so let’s do the cross thingy. OK, so now we’re gonna say sorry and stuff to God because, you know
what? Nobody’s perfect.
All: I’m sorry if anything I did was offensive. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. My bad.
Priest: Ok, let’s, like, talk to God now and listen to the stories in the book.
Lector: [lector reads the day’s selection] This is from that book from God.
All: Thanks God.
Cantor: Now you all are gonna repeat after me, like row row row your boat and I’ll sing some stuff from the book.
Priest: Uhm, This next part is really important so let’s everybody stand up and do the cross thingy on our heads, mouths and chest.
Hey, peace y’all.
All: Right back atcha.
[the priest reads the Gospel of the day]
Priest: Jesus did this.
All: Thanks Jesus.
Priest: [gives pastoral, easily comprehensible homily]
Priest: Hey guys, now let’s say that long thing that talks about what we think about and stuff.
All: We like God. God is cool and really nice because He made me and this whole world – which by the way – we are totally polluting and it’s getting hot. Jesus was born in a little barn and every Christmas we have a play during church but then he died. But you know what? He loves me and wants me to be happy. There’s this spirit that talks to us in a book and he makes things live. I like my church because everyone here is so nice and the priest is nice and we sing nice songs about nice stuff and later when we get old and icky, after we die, we all get to go to heaven with Jesus. He’s really cool by the way. Amen.
Priest: Now let’s pray for a bunch of stuff.
[intentions are prayed]
Priest: hey you guys in the back? Can y’all carry that basket and pitcher up here? That’d help a lot. Thanks.
Priest: Hey y’all, be peaceful and stuff.
All: You too.
Priest: Let’s pray to God and, you know.
All: yeah, that’d be nice.
Priest: You know what? Angels and stuff sing to God so let’s sing along with them.
All: Hey God.
You are way bigger than us.
You make the world happy.
We love you big guy.
YAY!
Jesus liked you and he was cool.
YAY!
Priest: A long time ago, at dinner, Jesus gave His friend’s some bread and wine and stuff.
Because Jesus likes us, He wants us to have bread and wine too.
God wants us to have this snack also.
And you know what?
We really like snacks so let’s tell God and Jesus and that Spirit gal thanks.
All: Yeah…Thanks.
[all present themselves for communion]
Priest: (holding out a wicker basket) Uhm, like, here’s some bread for you from God.
Recipient: Yum, that’s good and nutty, is it whole grain by the way? I like it. Now where’s that dude with the vino?

[Note to Joe: consider "Raised Eyebrow" for co-blogger position]

John Paul II vs. Hugh Hefner: Take Two

Christopher West, renowned speaker and author, found himself in a bit of a controversy in 2009 after an interview on ABC News about his understanding of Bl. John Paul II's "Theology of the Body." After a six month sabbatical, West returned to the public stage with a new format and tone. The result is FILL THESE HEARTS: God Sex and the Universal Longing. This new production is promoted as "an evening of beauty and reflection on John Paul II's Theology of the Body." I jumped on the opportunity to attend the October 29th presentation of FILL THESE HEARTS in Overland Park, Kansas. The night was co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and filled the theater at a local community college.

As a parish priest that regularly works with youth, engaged couples, and married folks, I often use West's works on the "Theology of the Body" to foster a better appreciate of the nuptial meaning of the body and the deep longing for union with God that is part of the universal human experience. I'm still running off the fumes from the workshop West gives to seminarians at the Institute for Priestly Formation. I make sure each engaged couple I work with has two copies of the Good News about Sex and Marriage. The first of many books I have shared with our own Joe Heschmeyer was West's Theology of the Body for Beginners. I'm definitely a fan of his work. However, I'm even more of a fan of his humility. West is not afraid of looking at his own work with a critical eye. He has updated and revised a number of his books. After receiving criticism following the ABC News interview, West made a public statement in which he admitted some shortcomings to his approach. While maintaining that the interview misrepresented his approach and message in many ways, he stated, "I want to thank those of you who offered thoughtful critiques of my work and helpful suggestions on how to improve it. I have taken them to heart. Indeed, I have always weighed my critics' observations carefully and prayerfully. They have helped me refine my approach a great deal over the years and I remain very grateful for that."


In FILL THESE HEARTS, Christopher West presents the most current refinement of his approach. As is the case with any authentic reform rooted in real humility, the new approach is worth the purification process that preceded it. West and his team have gone all out to make the new presentation an experience that engages that ache each person has for nuptial union. Centered in a deep appreciation of beauty, the program features an adept use of music, visual art, dance, and film. Mike Mangione and The Union provide the live soundtrack for the evening that challenges the audience to go beyond being entertained and risk meditating. West blends the thoughts of Bl. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Fulton Sheen, and St. Teresa of Avila with his own experience and love of the "Theology of the Body." The result is an intense opportunity to take seriously the desire for union that is glimpsed on earth and fulfilled in Heaven. I was especially taken by how West presents Jesus and Mary as the New Adam and New Eve. I would sacrifice another evening just to experience that one meditation again. Considering the additional reflections on the Eucharist, the challenge of sharing the "Theology of the Body," celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, and the beauty of marriage, FILL THESE HEARTS is a comprehensive but accessible experience. He even takes on the connection between Bl. John Paul II and Hugh Hefner that drew so much ire after his controversial interview. I'm glad he did. I'm also glad his humility is for real. FILL THESE HEARTS is the fruit of that humility and it is very good fruit. It's definitely worth attending. If it's not scheduled to come to a nearby location, it's even worth finding out what it would take to become part of the tour. To ensure that the experience isn't wasted, each person in attendance also receives a high quality 30 page program that contains the complete outline and "notes" for the entire evening, song lyrics and art. Overall, FILL THESE HEARTS accomplishes Christopher West's goals of adopting a new tone and sharing the brilliance of the "Theology of the Body" in a compelling way.