---

Bulletin for September 2009

Sunday Mass Times

0730 Mass in Thai
0930 Mass in English

Weekday Mass Times

18.00 Mass in Thai in Chapel of Building 3
18.00 Mass in English in Chapel of Building 2 [when there are English-speaking retreatants]

---

Intentions of Pope Benedict XVI

SEPTEMBER

General:  That the word of God may be better known, welcomed and lived as the source of freedom and joy.

Mission:That Christians in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, who often meet with great difficulties, may not be discouraged from announcing the Gospel to their brothers, trusting in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Also in September

In October

Collection

The Sunday Offertory Collection for the month of July was 25,010 Baht. We thank you for your very generous support of the mission & outreach of The Seven Fountains Spirituality Centre.

Meditative/Contemplative Prayer Experiences you can download

Pray-as-you-go can be found at
www.pray-as-you-go.org

Sacred Space may be found at www.sacredspace.ie

livesimply is a challenge to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with people in poverty.

www.progressio.org.uk/livesimply/AssociatesHome2/92990/livesimply/

  Creation at the Heart of Mission
Two hundred and forty persons from eighty-two religious institutes, fifty-seven countries and five continents gathered in Assisi from 12-16 May 2009. “Creation at the Heart of Mission” was jointly sponsored by SEDOS and the JPIC Commission of the USIG/USG where both religious and lay collaborators were led by theologians Séan McDonagh and Denis Edwards in considering ecology and our Christian life.
Séan McDonagh, SSC gave us an understanding of the origins of the universe and the effects of climate change. We are aware that God’s creative process is an evolutionary one, spread over a period of 13,7 billion years. This work of God is now being threatened by some types of human activity and by greed. Fires, droughts, the extinction of species, the destruction of forests, the extension of deserts, the pollution of our oceans, and the melting of polar glaciers — all of these phenomena are indicators of climate change.
Ecology, economics and justice are intrinsically linked and the abuse of Earth is a cry for urgent action, lest future generations inherit a sterile Earth.
Read more... and comment
 http://www.ocipe.info/index.php?id=223
Seminar documents:
http://jpicformation.wikispaces.com/EN_Assisi09

  Pope Benedict XVI walks a path while on vacation in Les Combes, Italy, July 21. (CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters) 

Though few might have cast him in advance as a "green pope," Pope Benedict XVI has amassed a striking environmental record, from installing solar panels in the Vatican to calling for ecological conversion. Now the pontiff has also hinted at a possible new look at the undeclared patron saint of Catholic ecology, the late French Jesuit scientist and philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. 

Benedict's brief July 24 reference to Teilhard, praising his vision of the entire cosmos as a "living host," can be read on multiple levels -- as part of the pontiff's rapprochement with the Jesuits, or as a further instance of finding something positive to say about thinkers whose works have set off doctrinal alarms, as Benedict previously did with rebel Swiss theologian and former colleague Hans Küng.

The potential implications for environmental theology, however, are likely to generate the greatest interest among Teilhard's fans and foes alike -- and more than a half-century after his death in 1955, the daring Jesuit still has plenty of both. Admirers trumpet Teilhard as a pioneer, harmonizing Christianity with the theory of evolution; critics charge that Teilhard's optimistic view of nature flirts with pantheism. 

Benedict's comment came during a July 24 vespers service in the Cathedral of Aosta in northern Italy, where the pope took his annual summer vacation July 13-29.

Toward the end of a reflection upon the Letter to the Romans, in which St. Paul writes that the world itself will one day become a form of living worship, the pope said, "It's the great vision that later Teilhard de Chardin also had: At the end we will have a true cosmic liturgy, where the cosmos becomes a living host.

"Let's pray to the Lord that he help us be priests in this sense," the pope said, "to help in the transformation of the world in adoration of God, beginning with ourselves."

Though offered only in passing, and doubtless subject to overinterpretation, Benedict's line nevertheless triggered headlines in the Italian press about a possible "rehabilitation" of Teilhard, sometimes referred to as the "Catholic Darwin." That reading seemed especially tempting since, as a consummate theologian, Benedict is aware of the controversy that swirls around Teilhard, and would thus grasp the likely impact of a positive papal reference.

At the very least, the line seemed to offer a blessing for exploration of the late Jesuit's ideas. That impression appeared to be confirmed by the Vatican spokesperson, Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, who said afterward, "By now, no one would dream of saying that [Teilhard] is a heterodox author who shouldn't be studied."

Teilhard's most prominent living disciple in Italy, lay theologian Vito Mancuso, told reporters that he was "pleasantly surprised" by Benedict's words and that they have "great importance."

Teilhard, who died in 1955 at the age of 73, was a French Jesuit who studied paleontology and participated in the 1920s-era discovery of "Peking Man" in China, a find that seemed to confirm a gradual development in the human species. Teilhard has also been linked to the 1912 discovery of "Piltdown Man" in England, later exposed as a hoax.

On the basis of his scientific work, Teilhard developed an evolutionary theology asserting that all creation is developing towards an "Omega Point," which he identified with Christ as the Logos, or "Word" of God. In that sense, Teilhard broadened the concept of salvation history to embrace not only individual persons and human culture, but the entire universe. In short order, Teilhard's thought became the obligatory point of departure for any Catholic treatment of the environment.

Yet from the beginning, Teilhard's theology was also viewed with caution by officials both of the Jesuit order and in the Vatican. Among other things, officials worried that his optimistic reading of nature compromised church teaching on original sin. In 1962 -- seven years after his death -- the Vatican's doctrinal office issued a warning that his works "abound in such ambiguities and indeed even serious errors, as to offend Catholic doctrine."

In 1981, on the 100th anniversary of Teilhard's birth, speculation erupted about a possible rehabilitation. It was fueled by a letter published in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, by the then-Cardinal Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli, who praised the "astonishing resonance of his research, as well as the brilliance of his personality and richness of his thinking." Casaroli asserted that Teilhard had anticipated John Paul II's call to "be not afraid," embracing "culture, civilization and progress."

Responding to ferment created by the letter, the Vatican issued a statement insisting that its 1962 verdict on Teilhard still stands -- to date, Rome's last official pronouncement on Teilhard. (The statement was issued in July 1981, four months before then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, took over as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.)
Across the years, Benedict has sometimes seemed to be of two minds himself. 

In his 1968 work Introduction to Christianity, Ratzinger wrote that Eastern Christianity has a deeper appreciation for the "cosmic and metaphysical" dimension of Christianity than the West, but that the West seemed to be recovering that perspective, "especially as a result of stimuli from the work of Teilhard." He argued that Teilhard gave authentic expression to the Christology of St. Paul.

As pope, Benedict has occasionally used language that seems to reflect a Teilhardian touch. In his 2006 Easter homily, the pontiff referred to the theory of evolution, describing the Resurrection as "the greatest 'mutation,' absolutely the most crucial leap into a totally new dimension that there has ever been in the long history of life and its development."

Yet Ratzinger's ambivalence about Teilhard is of equally long vintage. In a commentary on the final session of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), a young Ratzinger complained that Gaudium et Spes, the "Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World," played down the reality of sin because of an overly "French," and specifically "Teilhardian," influence.

Overall, the impression is that Benedict finds much to like about Teilhard's cosmic vision, even if he also worries about interpretations at odds with orthodox faith.

Benedict's July 24 remark on Teilhard builds upon the pope's strong record on the environment, considered by many observers to be the most original feature of his social teaching. Most recently, Benedict devoted a section of his new social encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, to a call for deepening what he called "that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God."

In her recent book Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice, Catholic writer Woodeene Koenig-Bricker described Benedict as "the greenest pope in history," arguing that he has not only made strong environmental statements but also put them into practice.

In that light, one wonders if Benedict's shade of green could eventually allow Teilhard to be named the patron saint of Catholic ecology de jure, as well as de facto. If so, July 24 could be remembered as the first stirring of an "evolutionary leap" in the late Jesuit's reputation and official standing.
John L. Allen Jr. is NCR senior correspondent. His e-mail address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

THE HEYTHROP INSTITUTE FOR RELIGION ETHICS AND PUBLIC LIFE
www.heythrop.ac.uk/HIREPL

Thinking Faith   http://www.thinkingfaith.org/index.htm

Thinking Faith is a free on-line publication of the British Jesuits.

Subscribe to these Thinking Faith alerts using This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Date: 31 October 2009.
Venue: Seven Fountains Garden
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

The Annual Seven Fountains Christmas Dinner and Fundraiser that normally takes place in December will take place on October 31 this year (Halloween – the Eve of All Saints/All Hallows).

As you know, this annual fundraiser raises funds for the Seven Fountains Education Sponsorship Program which currently supports 450 needy children.  Help us to make this event a successful one as these needy children will not receive an education unless they receive funding from Seven Fountains.

Entertainment planned for the whole family on October 31st:

• International buffet supper
• Silent Auction 
•  Door prizes
• Piano recitals by gifted young pianists from Chiang Mai Land Music School.
• Bake Sale
• Make or buy  your own Krathong
• Face-painting for children
• Christmas Cards, Christmas Decorations
• Gifted Musician Pornpattana Vichitvejpaisal
• Catholic students choir

We need volunteers to help us locate fabulous items for the Silent Auction and to bake cakes, cookies and desserts for the bake sale.  If you can help us, please contact:

Silent auction items:  K. Urunii Fung-Atsakul 086-893-1409
Baked goods:  Than Hartman 053-365-349 /Ajaan Nid   053-278-713
If you are willing to help in any capacity: 
Tuyet Cahill  081-032-1116 
Vicky Nimmanahaeminda 081-885-3352

On 6th September, 10.45
(straight after the 09.30 Mass)
Through the scholarship sponsorship programme, the Seven Fountains community supports the educational paths of some 450 Karen children. For her doctoral dissertation, Pia M. Vogler has been engaged since late 2007 in ongoing anthropological research on life transitions and migration of Karen children.

Based in Catholic Huay Tong village, the village of Fr. Vinai, Pia has been following the daily lives of Seven Fountain scholarship children and their peers, accompanying them to school, on their household tasks, as well as during leisure activities. During this time, Pia noted seasonal changes in the children’s lives as well as major life course transitions as the children move towards adulthood.

In the presentation, Pia will make her preliminary research findings available to the Seven Fountains community and learn from their feed-back questions and insights. The presentation will focus on the value of school and work in the children’s lives and the cultural differences between the children’s home and school cultures. Pia will also highlight the importance of migration for education, and the challenges and opportunities young people encounter as they leave their homes to study in other highland villages and/or in wider Thai society."

Pia M. Vogler, is a DPhil canditate in the Department of International Development (QEH), University of Oxford and an affiliated researcher at the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Chiang Mai University

Please mark your diaries:-
Celebration of Fr. M's 50th on Saturday December 12th 2009,

50 years ago to the day, on 8th December 1959, a young Miguel Garaizabal entered the Jesuit Noviciate in Spain.

This year Fr. Miguel celebrates 50 years a Jesuit – a life of fidelity and dedication, to God and to others, particularly to those often overlooked by the world, and sometimes even by us. The Seven Fountains Community is hoping to celebrate the occasion in some appropriate manner.

Than Hartman has very kindly and very generously offered to co-ordinate our efforts. If you would like contribute to marking Fr. Miguel’s Golden Jubilee as a Jesuit, please contact Than.

85M3, 2 king size bedrooms
2 bathrooms, living and dining combo,
kitchenette, refrigerator, hot plate,
microwave oven, television etc.

15,000 THB per month

Please call 053 365-349, 081-169-530

Cardinal John Henry Newman will be beatified in Birmingham, England, May 2, 2010, reports say.
The date and venue have been proposed by the Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes and are expected to be accepted soon by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, a church source has told Catholic News Service. The source said the cardinal will be beatified in the Birmingham Oratory, which he founded following his conversion to Catholicism in 1845 at age 44.
May 2 is seen as a favorable date because it is the feast of St Athanasius, the fourth-century “champion of orthodoxy” admired by Cardinal Newman, CNS says.
Pope Benedict signed the decree authorizing the beatification earlier this year after Vatican medical and theological experts approved the 2001 healing of Deacon John Sullivan of Marshfield, Mass., who was ” bent double” by a severe spinal condition, as a miracle attributed to Cardinal Newman’s intercession.
The decree was made public by the Vatican July 3

We are looking for more people to contribute articles or relevant quotes and sayings to this bulletin – if you have something to offer then please don’t hesitate to contact me either by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone 081 288 2210. We also welcome some lighthearted stories if you have some to share with us.

If you would like to receive the bulletin via email you can contact me and we will add your name to our distribution list.

Finally - don’t forget to put October 31st into your diaries now. We expect to have an enjoyable and successful evening, raising funds for young girls and boys who would otherwise not receive an education.

Laus Deo Semper