Note from the Editor

Dear Reader,

My daughter recently enlightened me on the "Dead Internet Theory," which claims that what we encounter online is mostly artificially generated through bots, rather than genuine human interaction. This was surprising to me and reminded me of the theme of this issue: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

In today’s digital landscape, dominated by social influencers, meekness—a quiet strength rooted in humility—seems countercultural. Social media rewards boldness, self-promotion, and the illusion of control. Yet Christ, who described himself as "meek and humble of heart" (Matt 11:29), teaches us that true strength lies in gentleness and trust in God. People who are meek do not seek recognition, yet Scripture tells us that they are the ones who will, in the end, "inherit the earth."

As we explore this theme, let us reflect on how we can embody meekness in our world today, perhaps in quiet service, or in small acts of love. May we be truly be “blessed” through our patient, faithful love and reliance not on ourselves, but on God's strength always.

In faith and fellowship,

Dr. Esther Tan
Editor, Catholic Reflexions Magazine

Interview with A Catholic: Tina Colaco

Each month, we have an intimate chat with a practicing Catholic. We discuss why they believe what they believe, the difference Christ has made in their lives, and any lessons learned from their faith journey. For this month, we feature TINA COLACO, a long-standing staff member in DGACM with close to 30 years at UNHQ. She is the third member to join the group that eventually grew to become United Nations Catholic Club.

How do you understand the beatitude "Blessed are the meek"? In what ways do you see meekness as a source of strength in your life and faith journey?

In Numbers 12:3, we learn that Moses was the meekest person on earth. I used to think of meekness as being quiet, gentle, and perhaps even passive. But the Moses I see in Scripture was far from that—he was a murderer and a man with a fiery temper. After surrendering himself to God, however, he was able to channel that anger into self-control. It was through this meekness that he found the courage to approach Pharaoh and demand freedom for the Israelites. The Bible has taught me that true meekness is not weakness, but strength in self-discipline.

Meekness has taught me to channel my emotional instincts with purpose. As my faith has deepened, so has my dependence on God grown stronger and unwavering. To me, walking in meekness is like being a tree with deep roots—steady and unmovable despite the winds and storms around me. It has allowed me to ground myself in God, finding the security and stability I need to face life’s challenges in peace.

Can you share a bit about your upbringing and how your Catholic faith has played a role in your life?

I was raised a cradle Catholic in Mumbai, India. My childhood was filled with happiness, and I never lacked anything. However, when I turned 14, the untimely death of my father changed everything. My mother had to take on the responsibility of managing the household on her own, and I was expected to step up. That was the first time I understood the difficulties of life and experienced "want." It was also the moment when my faith began to grow. It's interesting how we often turn to God in times of need.

What are some significant moments or experiences that have deepened your faith journey?

After the birth of my third child, I found myself with some unexpected free time. It wasn’t long before I started binge-watching TV shows to fill the hours. One night, during a late-night feeding, I stumbled upon a show about the occult. As I watched, I noticed a recurring theme in most of the demonic possession stories—the exorcism scene would always feature a Catholic priest armed with a crucifix, a rosary, holy water, and various other sacramentals, all of which are familiar, everyday items in the Catholic faith.

Although I was aware of the dangers of consuming content like this, I couldn’t help but be drawn in. After about a week of watching, I felt a strong need to shift my focus. I shifted to Catholic exorcists, seeking more grounded and spiritual perspectives. Some of the podcasts I’ve subscribed to include Fr. Chad Ripperger and Fr. Carlos Martin.

Looking back, I can’t overstate how much I’ve learned about the power of the Catholic faith in the face of evil. One lesson that has stayed with me is the simple truth from James 4:7: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Understanding the strength of God’s grace and the protection it offers through our faith has been a life-changing revelation.

Are there any particular saints, prayers, or devotions that inspire you or that you feel a strong connection to?

The centennial celebration of Fatima in 2017 sparked a deep awakening in my faith. It was during that time that I began to embrace the message of Our Lady of Fatima. I remember her words at the wedding feast of Cana - “Do whatever he tells you”.  This simple but powerful instruction has since become my guiding principle. I firmly believe that if every Catholic made a commitment to pray the rosary daily, evil could be averted in our world.

I have over the years added the Divine Mercy chaplet and the Seven Sorrows rosary to my arsenal of prayers. I do my best to make the First Saturday devotion annually and several smatterings of novenas to saints along with regular scripture reading. I never leave the house without wearing the brown scapular and miraculous medal around my neck.  

Have there been challenges or obstacles along your faith journey, and how have you overcome them?

Being a Catholic isn’t easy. The challenge of adhering to the precepts of the Church while navigating the realities of the world can feel overwhelming at times. Whenever obstacles arise, I try my best to align my will with God’s will, trusting that He knows what’s best for me.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world seemed to pause, I found that time to be a gift. I dedicated myself to learning to pray the rosary in Latin. This helped me make a connection with the traditional church and I started attending The Traditional Latin mass sporadically. The following year, when Ascension Presents launched the “Bible in a Year” podcast, I eagerly joined. It was another way to immerse myself in Scripture and grow closer to God.

Whenever challenges come my way, I turn to God for strength. Those tough days are often filled with Hail Marys’ and simple prayers like “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It is in those moments of surrender and prayer when I find the grace to keep moving forward.

In what ways do you participate in the Catholic community outside of work, such as through church activities or volunteer work?

I am deeply involved in my parish, St. Theresa’s church in Trumbull, CT, where I serve in several ministries, ranging from CCD instruction, the Fiat ministry, altar linens ministry, and the pro-life ministry.

It is important to my family that we are actively engaged in giving our time and talent. One of the values that guides our family is the biblical principle of tithing. We follow the tradition of giving 10% of our income back. My youngest daughter even tithes her babysitting earnings.

The declining attendance at Catholic churches today motivates me to be a consistent and visible presence in the parish community. I was raised to believe that it is the duty of every Catholic to support our priests, which is why my family makes it a point to invite them home for meals. By doing so, we hope to foster a sense of connection and gratitude for their ministry.

How do you balance your Catholic faith with the demands of your job and personal life?

Balancing my Catholic faith with the demands of my job and personal life requires careful prioritization. My religious observances always come first, followed by family obligations, and then my work schedule. For example, I used to struggle with finding time for the daily rosary, so I made the decision to wake up earlier each day to ensure I could pray without interruption. I also rely on several Catholic apps to stay connected with various devotions and novenas, this helps me stay spiritually grounded throughout the day.

One of the greatest privileges I have is leading the monthly rosary at the UNCC. It’s a way for me to integrate my faith into my professional life while also creating a space for others to join in prayer.

What advice would you give to fellow Catholics striving to integrate their faith into their professional lives?

My advice to fellow Catholics striving to integrate their faith into their professional lives would be to always prioritize your relationship and duty to God. Begin with participating in Sunday Mass and by practicing monthly confession. When we put God first, everything else will fall into place. These practices help keep our hearts focused on what truly matters and gives us the grace to navigate the challenges of the workday with peace and purpose.

At work, I make it a habit to close conversations with a “God bless you”, “Have a blessed day” or “God be with you”. At first, I noticed some people looking at me with curiosity, but over time, it became a natural part of our interactions. In fact, I’ve even had colleagues return the blessing to me. It’s a simple yet powerful way to let your faith shine through in everyday moments. You don’t have to make grand gestures to integrate your faith. Small acts of kindness, like sharing a blessing can have a ripple effect. When we live out our faith in genuine ways, it often invites others to do the same.

Today's Reflection: The Incarnation Means God is in the Ordinary

In this month's issue, we are honored to feature a special reflection by Fr. Ron Rolheiser.

We celebrate many things at Christmas, not the least of which is how scandalously easy it now is to see God. Likewise, there are many challenges to the Christmas mystery, not the least of which is, precisely, to be able to see the many-faced face of God in a piece of bread, a cup of water, and in our own homes and families.
 
After the incarnation, every home is a monastery, every child is the Christ child, and all food and drink is a sacrament.
 
For many reasons, each of us has the propensity to miss seeing God in the ordinary because we are forever searching for him in the extraordinary. We tend, nearly always, to miss the sacredness of the domestic as we look for the sacred in the monastic.
 
Too often we are unaware that the incarnation fundamentally changed us from being theists to being Christians, that is, from being people who believe in God to becoming people who believe in a god who was made flesh in Christ.
 
The word “Christ” is not Jesus’ second name.  Christ is a title, not a name. Literally, in Greek, it means: the anointed one. Jesus Christ=Jesus, the anointed one.
 
Part of the meaning of that however is that the anointed one is the one who is God-in-the-flesh, God-in-carnus. Christmas then means God-in-the-physical just as it also means that the-physical-contains-God.
 
We no longer need to look for God in extraordinary visions—a sunset will do. An incarnational God normally gives precisely that kind of vision! Likewise, we don’t need to look for people with the stigmata to see the wounds of Christ—the pain in the faces of those we sit down at table with will do. God’s wounded body too is everywhere.
 
May the incarnation deeply bless our lives! May God’s many-faced face be present, sacramentally, in all our Christmas celebrations—our food, our drink, our gifts, our family sharings. Likewise, may each of us struggle to give birth to God’s many-faced face so as to be more sacrament to those around us. God, we bow down and worship your beloved many faced face.

Original article is available here.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

Each month, we invite an original article or feature an existing article by a respected Catholic author.

By Pope Francis

In today’s catechesis we consider the third of the eight Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt 5:5).

Here, the term “meek”, literally means sweet, docile, gentle, devoid of violence. Meekness manifests itself in times of conflict. It can be seen by how one reacts to a hostile situation. Anyone can appear meek when everything is peaceful, but how does one react “under pressure”, if one is under attack, offended, threatened?

In one passage, Saint Paul refers to “the meekness and gentleness of Christ” (2 Cor 10:1). Meanwhile, Saint Peter recalls the attitude of Jesus during his Passion: he did not respond nor threaten because “he trusted to him who judges justly” (1 Pt 2:23). And the meekness of Jesus can be clearly seen in his Passion.

In Scripture, the word “meek” also indicates one who does not have earthly property. Thus, we are struck by the fact that the third Beatitude says precisely that the meek “shall inherit the earth”.

In reality, this Beatitude quotes Psalm 37 which we heard at the beginning of the catechesis. There too, meekness and earthly possessions are juxtaposed. If one thinks about it, these two things appear to be incompatible. Indeed the possession of land is a typical setting for conflict: people often fight over a territory in order to dominate a particular area. The stronger one prevails in war and conquers other lands.

But let us look more closely at the verb that is used to indicate the possessions of the meek: they do not conquer the earth. It does not say “Blessed the meek for they shall conquer the earth”. They “inherit it”. Blessed are the meek, for they shall “inherit” the earth. In the Scriptures the verb “inherit” has a much deeper meaning. The People of God actually refer to the land of Israel which is the Land of the Promise, as their “inheritance”.

That land is a promise and a gift to the People of God and it becomes the symbol for something much greater than a simple territory. There is a “land” — allow me to play on words — which is Heaven, that is the land towards which we are journeying: the new heavens and the new earth towards which we are going (cf. Is 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pt 3:13; Ap 21:1).

Therefore the meek are those who “inherit” the most sublime of territories. They are not cowards, “weak” people who find a moral expedient to avoid difficulties. Quite the contrary! They are people who have received an inheritance and do not wish to squander it. The meek are not accommodating, but rather they are Christ’s disciples who have learned how to protect quite another earth. They protect their peace. They protect their relationship with God and they protect his gifts, God’s gifts, preserving mercy, fraternity, trust, hope, because meek people are merciful, fraternal, trusting people with hope.

Here we have to mention the sin of “anger”, a violent surge whose impulse we all understand. Who has not been angry at some point? Everyone [has]. We have to reconsider this Beatitude and ask ourselves a question: how many things have we destroyed in anger? How many things have we lost? A moment of anger can destroy many things. One loses control and does not value what is truly important. And one can ruin a relationship with a brother or sister, sometimes beyond any remedy. Many brothers or sisters no longer speak to each other because of anger. They distance themselves from each other. It is the opposite of meekness. Meekness brings people together. Anger separates.

Meekness can conquer many things. Meekness is capable of winning over hearts, saving friendships and many other things besides. People become angry, but then they calm down, they think it over and retrace their steps. In this way, one can rebuild with meekness.

“The “earth” to be conquered with meekness is the salvation of that brother whom the Gospel of Matthew mentions: “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Mt 18:15). There is no earth more beautiful than the heart of others. There is no finer territory to attain than that of the peace found again with a brother or sister. And this is the earth to be inherited through meekness!

Original article is available here.

Speaker Notes: On Humility: A Talk by Mother Clare

Each month, we summarize a talk previously presented to our members.

Mother Clare shared a talk with our UN Catholic Club members on 2 March 2023. In her address, Mother Clare emphasizes the significance of humility, particularly in the context of spiritual growth and personal relationships with God. She introduces the Samuel Group program, which aims to help young adults focus on their interior lives and discern the movements of the Holy Spirit. This initiative, active for seven years, encourages participants to seek spiritual direction and align their daily decisions with God's will.

Mother Clare reflects on humility as a core virtue taught by Jesus, highlighting its contrast with pride and ambition. She expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to speak on such an essential topic, noting that humility allows individuals to acknowledge the truth of their existence and their dependence on God. She cites St. Augustine's assertion that humility is paramount, reiterating that recognizing one's position as a creature in relation to the Creator fosters a sincere and truthful life.

Throughout her talk, she draws parallels between humility and the teachings of Jesus, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. Mother Clare points out that Jesus blessed the poor in spirit and those who mourn, framing these as reflections of humility. She challenges her audience to consider how humility opens the door to other virtues and the importance of living authentically, free from the pressures of societal expectations and appearances.

To cultivate humility, Mother Clare suggests practical steps, such as being truthful in one's commitments and serving others without seeking recognition. She encourages individuals to embrace the call to love their enemies and forgive those who offend them, highlighting that true humility involves selflessness and the willingness to be vulnerable. By practicing these principles, one can experience the freedom that comes from living in accordance with God's truth.

In conclusion, Mother Clare shares the inspiring story of Blessed Solanus Casey, a humble priest who, despite limitations in his ministry, became a conduit for miracles through his deep faith and service to the poor. She underscores that humility is not about self-deprecation but about recognizing God's role in our lives and responding with love and service to others. Through her message, she invites everyone to embrace humility as a transformative virtue that can lead to profound spiritual growth.

The full talk is available here.

Workplace Tips: The Secret of Successful Teams - Humility

Each month, we offer advice and tips for being effective in our workplaces. Drawing from global best practices and personal experiences, we share insights for your use.

by Kevin Lowry

To power your team to new heights, consider the following to embrace a spirit of humility:

1. Say you’re sorry. Most of us make mistakes on a regular basis. When we admit our failures and take responsibility, we demonstrate character.

2. Speak positively about others. Think of it as gossip in reverse – go out of your way to build up others in their absence.

3. Do your best to help your boss, and your team, succeed. Pay it forward, so to speak, and do good things for others out of gratitude to God.

4. People are smart in different ways. Embrace others whose “smarts” are different than yours. They make your team stronger.

5. Compliment someone directly, for something specific, at least once every day. It can be small, but watching for others to succeed will change you.

This list is by no means exhaustive! There are countless other ways to exercise our humility in our workplaces, and our families. What are the best ways you’ve seen?

Original article is available here.

Spiritual Life Tips: A Journey of Hope and Thanksgiving: A visit to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Each month, we offer practical advice and tips related to our Catholic faith and spirituality.

by Bernadette Mutirende

In September 2023, the life of my family took an unexpected turn when illness touched Pierre, my husband, bringing fear and uncertainty to all of us. In the face of this challenge, we chose to embark on a journey of faith, hope and love. With the emotional support and prayers from friends and loved ones, every step we took was filled with faith in God’s intervention for my husband’s healing. It was a very challenging experience and yet knowing that we were not alone made a significant difference. The power of prayer, especially the rosary, strengthened and united my family, adding a deep sense of gratitude for that trial. God’s ways are truly unfathomable!

It was in this state of mind that I had an opportunity to go to Paris in May and I went to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, often referred to as Rue du Bac. As a reminder, in 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a young novice, Catherine Labouré, in the chapel of the Daughters of Charity in Paris. During these apparitions, Mother Mary asked Catherine to design a medal according to the vision she was shown. This medal, known as the Miraculous Medal, became a widespread symbol of devotion and worked numerous miracles in lives of many.

I was more in thanksgiving mode than looking for a miracle because I already had one through Mother Mary’s intercession for Pierre’s healing. This time, the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee”, had a deep meaning. I felt a sense of peace in the Chapel, deep connection to our Lady and especially a deep sense of gratitude.

On Monday May 13, my friend took me to Argenteuil, a town in the northwestern suburbs of Paris. She kept telling me “We have to go pass in a tunnel of Jesus’ Tunic”. Though I didn’t get what she was really saying, I didn’t ask questions. I was in “wait and see” mode.

The Basilica of Argenteuil is home for the Tunic of Jesus, the One He was wearing before his crucifixion. When we arrived at the holy site, there were not many people. We had time to recite the rosary, to go through the “tunnel”. The Tunic is a big box that is placed on a sort of altar and connected to the wall. There is a short passage under the box, called the tunnel where people pass praying. We had the opportunity to pass twice on our knees, as there were no crowds.

We also learned that the tunic is often displayed to the public on special occasions and during religious festivals. This place is a major pilgrimage for Catholics, and I can’t believe I never heard of it, during my time in France, back in the days. My visit to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in May was a meaningful and memorable experience, especially as it came with a big bonus! Jesus' Tunic.

For inquiries, or potential contributions to the magazine, please contact unitednationscatholicclub@outlook.com