Is Near Eastern "Mystery Man" John the Baptizer?

MSNBC.com reported yesterday that scientists from the University of Oxford have determined that the reliquary bones discovered in an ancient monastery church on the small Bulgarian island of Sveti Ivan (St. John) all come from a near eastern (middle-eastern) man of the first century, CE.

While there is no way to positively identify the bones with the biblical figure of John the Baptizer, the discovery of the bones do fit with the ancient Christian practices of building saintly relics into church buildings. (These practices continue to the present day. Do you know what relic is imbedded in your church's altar stone?)

According to the msnbc article, "Historical research by Oxford professor Georges Kazan suggests that relics supposedly from John the Baptist were on the move out of Jerusalem by the fourth century. Many of these artifacts were shuttled through the ancient city of Constantinople and may well have been given to the Sveti Ivan monastery from there.... A program detailing the research will be aired on the United Kingdom National Geographic Channel on Sunday. National Geographic funded the research."

To read the article (including photos) by Stephanie Pappas, Senior Writer at msnbc.com, click on this URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47822985/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T9tIwZiwXM1

New England Educators in Conversation with Cardinal Archbishop

Members of the New England Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education (NECDDRE), (including BJ Daly Horell, Miriam Hidalgo and Mary Marsan of the Hartford Archdiocese's Office of Religious Education) met with Seán Cardinal O'Malley, OFM Cap this week to discuss the challenges of the New Evangelization and hopes for the American Church in the 21st century.

Faith as Hope, Endurance, and Loyalty

In their final lesson this year, our Advanced Year were asked to describe "faith," based on their reading of Hebrews 11-12. One student (who prefers to remain anonymous) submitted the following:

"First, in the Book of Hebrews, faith is understood as hope.
•    “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1).
•    “By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible” (Heb 11:3)
•    “…for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb 11:6)

"Second, faith is understood as endurance.
•    “But now [men and women of faith] desire a better homeland, a heavenly one” (Heb 11:16)
•     “[Men and women of faith] were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth." (Heb 11:37-38)

"Third, faith is understood as loyalty.
•    “By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son…” (Heb 11:17)
•    “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin” (Heb 11:24)

"By faith (endurance) Abraham set out to go to a place, the Promised Land, not knowing where he was to go. By faith (hope) Abraham conceived a son, Isaac, with Sarah and had descendants as numerous as stars in the sky. By faith (loyalty) Abraham was put to the test and was ready to offer up his son Isaac.

"Like the examples given in Hebrews, Jesus is completely loyal and obedient to the Father. He endures the shame and suffering of his painful crucifixion and death so that he can be a source of hope and inspiration to us through his resurrection to new life.

"I have come to understand faith to be a conscious desire on my part to believe in God and the promise of salvation and eternal life through him and in him. Faith is not a passive emotion, but it is a call to an active acknowledgement of God’s commands and his love for us. God tells us do not be afraid for he is with us always."

--submitted by an anonymous Biblical School student

Reminder: Mount Nebo Day

Men and women in their fourth year of the Biblical School are invited to a day of reflection on, and celebration of, our journey together as students in the Catholic Biblical School.

Saturday, June 2, 2012
8:30 am-2:30 pm

St. Thomas Seminary
Alumni Lounge

Bloomfield, CT

Bring photos, mementoes, and above all, your memories from the journey and your hopes for the future.