Get your beads ready: It’s Rosary Month! It’s also National Fair Trade Month, according to Fair Trade USA. As we assimilate the role of justice into our Christian purpose, these designations play together more meaningfully. So U.N.-sponsored World Habitat Day (2) enhances the Blessing of the Animals on the Memorial of Francis of Assisi (4). Sacred and secular don’t have to be in opposition.

One way to think of obedience is in terms of "listening"; in fact, "to hear" is at the root of the word obey. What is more, repentance, one of the themes of this week's readings, could be seen as a matter of obedience, of listening to—and doing—the ways of the Lord and the voice of the church. Where do you do obedient listening? How do you act on it?

Most families aim to be happy. While we may argue and accuse, take offense, assign blame, and carry grudges, our deeper goal is to celebrate that “complete joy” Saint Paul talks about. Our sovereign need to be personally right and to affix fault to others, however, is a serious obstacle to comprehensive happiness.

“Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to the first and said, ‘Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.’

The season was winding down. One more win and our eighth-grade 16-inch baseball team would be in the championship game against archrival St. Sebastian. I played right field, which was considered the spot for the weakest fielder.

We ask for the mercy of God, who gives to those who do what is right and just.

The fundamental thing for the member is to be united with all the other members of the Mystical Body; the essential Christian virtue is, then, the virtue which unites all members in Christ, that is, charity.