Photo Hunters #64 Sweet

Click on picture for larger image Hmmmmm. Donuts. Have a good weekend! A list of participants can be found by clicking here.

Feast of Saints Peter & Paul

Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (two of my favorite saints). These were the men commissioned to build Christ's church. We are each challenged to follow their examples. To risk all to follow the Lord. To follow our mission of building the Church. Why are these two of my favorite saints? Peter was the one with the profound statements of faith combined with such human failings. I see much of myself in his failings and in his enthusiasm. St. Paul is a favorite for lots of reasons. Even one who has sinned against the Church greatly can be called back. St. Paul had to get hit over the heard for God to get his attention (that feels familiar), but once his attention was on the Lord, the world was never the same. St. Paul has provided us with a profound understanding of Jesus Christ and given us some of the most beautiful scripture passages. Btw, the Pope has dedicated the coming year to Saint Paul. Father in heaven, may we who benefit from the foundation laid by your son, Jesus Christ through Saints Peter and Paul learn to follow their examples in building your Church. May we turn to you in forgiveness when we falter as did these Saints. And, like them, may we stand firm in faith at the hour of our death. We ask this through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever & ever. Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us.

Rudy's lies

village voice > news > Giuliani Campaigns as a Catholic, But He's on the Outs With God by Wayne Barrett: "The question, however, is not whether this church teaching is fair, or whether it's compatible with American social standards. The question is: Can Giuliani run for president as a Catholic—identifying with the swing vote that has picked the winner in virtually every modern presidential race—when he is so out of step with the church's code of personal conduct? We're all familiar with Catholic politicians who defy the church with their positions on issues like abortion or contraception. But Giuliani is the first major national figure to run for high office as a Catholic even though he has defied church law in his personal life." Outstanding article. This provides a picture of how Rudy is a manipulator and disingenuous. He is out of step with the Catholic Church in his public positions AND his personal life. Faithful Catholics must stand together and point out that Rudy does NOT represent the views of Catholics. Just like Kerry doesn't. Just like Pelosi and her ilk in Congress don't. Rudy, if you want to be a pro-death politician as a plain American, be my guest. If you want to live a secular life without the pesky teachings of the Church, that is completely legal in the US (and encouraged in most places). But stop representing that you are Catholic. Devout Catholics follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. If you don't follow (or even believe) the teachings, then you should stop representing yourself as a devout Catholic. Or, to be honest, call yourself a "dissident Catholic" or a "heretic Catholic." Then, at least, you would be honest.

Athiests in heaven?

Praying for Atheists - Mark Shea. Here is a clip: "Eupocrisy is a universal human experience. We see it, for instance, in the story that Jesus told of the two sons. The father asked the older son to go work in the Vineyard and he said, 'Yes' but didn't go. The younger son said, 'No' but then went. Jesus asks simply, 'Which one did his Father's will?' And the answer, of course, is that the one who said 'No' is the one who obeyed. In short, it is possible for humans not only to be worse than their best rhetoric, but to be better than their worst rhetoric. Most atheists fit this bill, which gives me hope that the Holy Spirit may be up to more than they realize in their own hearts." Interesting article. I like the discussion of the verse above. Of course, it is best to "say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no," but actions are more important than words. The article also highlights an important difference between Catholics and many protestants - that we must not judge people. Actions, yes. Positions, yes. People, no. It is not easy, but it is a mandate - not an option.

Will pro-lifers sell out to the slick salesman from NY?

Giuliani woos conservatives wary of abortion view - washingtonpost.com: "The former New York mayor, the leading Republican in most national polls, never mentioned abortion in his 30-minute speech at evangelist Pat Robertson's Regent University, nor was he asked about it in a brief question period."' How does Giuliani even get a chance to speak at a place like this? I guess it is kind of like how Nancy Pelosi gets to speak at a Catholic University. If you claim to be Republican, you get to speak where conservatives are, even if you miss the boat on the most important issue. Nancy claims to be Catholic even though she misses the boat on that one. It seems people are gullible. All someone needs to do is say they are members of a group, and they get a free pass. Will the religious right give a free pass to Guiliani? I hope not. Imo, we need to have a nation worth defending - not just a good defense. Guiliani wants a good defense - but of what? A nation that kills its children? A nation that does not value marriage? A nation that doesn't care for the poor and needy? Guiliani is the WORST from both parties. Culture of Death married to a lack of compassion. His nomination would be a defeat in the cause of life. His election would be a blow to the moral fabric of our country for years to come.

Liberalism => Persecution

Paul, just this guy, you know? always has a worthwhile blog. He puts it out there like he sees it. He has a series on how liberal ideas are causing persecution in different countries. I link to these after reading this comment by Obama (you know that liberal senator who keeps pretending he thinks faith is a good thing). Here is a quote to a United Church of Christ group(emphasis mine): " Doing the Lord's work is a thread that's run through our politics since the very beginning," Obama told church members. "And it puts the lie to the notion that the separation of church and state in America -- a principle we all must uphold and that I have embraced as a constitutional lawyer and most importantly as a Christian -- means faith should have no role in public life." From the Chicago Tribune. With thinking like that on the left (and remember, Obama is the guy who "likes" religion), take a look at what more we can look forward to beyond the mess we all ready have. Check out: Liberalism Leads to Persecution, Liberalism Leads to Persecution, Two, and Liberalism Leads to Persecution, Three.

Generation Gaps

It is funny when little gaps between generations show up. One of our phones is a VoIP phone that relies on high speed Internet access. Well our ISP was having some trouble today (that seems to be fixed). So when my daughter said the phone was not working, it did not cause any alarm. So she asked my wife if she could use her cell phone to call her friend about going out to play. Well, she tells my wife (Lynn) that her cell phone isn't working either. And she redials the number and puts it up to Lynn's ear and says "I told you, it's not working." Well, my wife started laughing. It was a busy signal. When is the last time you heard one of those? Yeah, it's been a long time for me too. Cross posted at Catholic Dads.

Photo Hunters #63 Shiny

Click on picture for larger image I thought I was stumped at first, but I found this one from my Mom's house that I took on Christmas day. Have a good weekend! Happy hunting! A list of participants can be found by clicking here.

Do Politicians Have Religious Freedom

From Amy Wellborn's open book: Just about had it: Yeah, some in either party are tortured souls, but most live their political lives in the midst of a simple calculus, 'If I endorse X, Group Y won't give me money, I will be presented by the media as Z, and my chances of support from the national party for my future political life will be less than zero.' Reminds me of a bible quote: "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." (Mt 4:9) I like visiting Amy's site for her even handed (and faithful) take on issues. The quote above is from an article she published about politicians and the Eucharist. It got me wondering about a tangent - whether there is a fatal flaw in our two party political system. I think that there are no faithful Catholics who would say that either party reflects how a state should be justly run. Fair? But we have Catholic politicians on both sides who adopt positions that are not in line with what they actually believe in order to make it in their respective party. Can you imagine a pro-life Democratic presidential candidate? How about someone willing to back the sanctity of marriage? Or stand against Euthanasia? Or birth control? Or allow prayer in school? On the other side, can you imagine a Republican presidential candidate who is against the death penalty? How about one who thinks we should moderate the undesirable effects of capitalism or argues for preferential treatment for the poor? Does this mean that to be a politician one must make a deal with the devil? John Kennedy's compromise was wrong - you cannot be a private Catholic and public agnostic. Remember, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." (Mt 6:24) It seems that giving up and going home is not the answer. Tilting at windmills without hope of victory is not ideal either. But perhaps this is the only way to go. Perhaps a clear, consistent and uncompromising Catholic voice would make a change in one of the parties in the long run (my bet would be Republican). I guess, America is still not ready for its first faithful Catholic president - maybe it never will be.

Democrats Develop Anti-Baby Track Record

House wants to prevent births in foreign countries Democrats want to prevent "unwanted pregnancies." I think that they are the ones who don't want pregnancies. Whatever the reason, they are building up a strong anti-baby track record. I wish their was a contraceptive for their ideas. At least this legislation can be aborted, thanks to the veto and a president willing to use it.

Hurray for St. Paul!!!

Year of St. Paul to be celebrated to mark 2000 anniversary I remember in my college days that I used to not be the biggest fan of St. Paul. I had bought into the nutty idea that so many hold that St. Paul was misogynistic. Then I went to a bible study on St. Paul and understood how his ideas were liberating and revolutionary - and still are today. It's just that now, we some of us are too selfish to see that by giving we receive. Over the years I have developed a strong devotion to St. Paul. What a great saint indeed. I am looking forward to this dedication. I wish I could go to Rome and see his tomb. Maybe one day.

Leftist Mexico City - A place to send American leftists?

Leftist politicians push bill to legalize euthanasia in Mexico OK, I have an idea. Mexico City has legalized abortion, is in the process of legalizing prostitution, is in the process of legalizing euthanasia. I would not be surprised if gay marriage wasn't too far behind. Now I find this extremely regrettable and ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to intercede for all of our nations in the struggle for life. BUT, I also have another idea. We have an illegal immigration problem. I tend to be more on the "let them stay" side of that argument, but I have a new solution. We can make a trade. The US can get hard working, industrious people willing to risk all for a better life. Mexico can have our liberal politicians - Hillary, Obama, Rudy, Nancy - the whole lot of them. The nice thing is that this is win-win-win. Those who are looking for a better life could make one here, we get rid of a liberal plague, the liberals get to live their noxious fantasies. Of course Mexico ends up the loser in this one. Well, it was a thought.

Yeah Bush!!!!

Bush vetoes stem cell bill: "'Our innovative spirit is making possible incredible advances in medicine that can save lives and cure diseases,' the president told an invited audience in the East Room. 'America is also a nation founded on the principle that all human life is sacred. And our conscience calls us to pursue the possibilities of science in a manner that respects human dignity and upholds our moral values.'" Bush has made some awful mistakes as president, but his stand on life issues is exactly where it should be. I am not sure what Rudy or Hillary or Obama stand for. They would have passed this. They would also give money for abortions in foreign countries. They would also push the gay agenda. Yeah, he has made some blunders, and I have disagreed with more than one decision. But on the most important culture of life issues he stands for what is right. But I'd rather have him than Rudy or Hillary or Obama or Nancy Pelosi.

No return?

Dale at Dyspeptic Mutterings had a post titled "Past the point of no return": It is about the rift between the liberal and orthodox Catholics. Here is an excerpt: "Allen is right that there's a canyon between the tribes, and the problem is at its root one of trust. But, sadly, he's wrong to think that any amount of discussion and building of 'safe spaces' is going to heal the fissure. Only time can do that now." I like Dale's blog and am a regular reader. I think that this article is worth a read and a thought. I think that Dale is right and wrong. He is right that adopting a kumbaya, hold hands, create a safe place won't do squat. But waiting and doing nothing doesn't strike me as the correct or Christian response either. How are we to follow the Pope's dictate to evangelize when we cannot reconcile within our Church. Btw, in my mind, there are three groups liberals, orthodox, and then radical traditionalists forming a third group. There is heresy on the left and schism on the right - there are rifts on both sides of the path. What can we do? At the least, there is prayer. And there is standing up and speaking out. There is being leaven in the dough. Perhaps it is not enough, but it seems to me we need to continue regardless. Would listening work? I don't know. I do know that those on the left could use some hard headed thinking and the guidance of the Church to provide structure and grounding. And admittedly, some of us in the more orthodox camp could use a touch more compassion. The left needs to learn to not compromise values with a culture of death, the right needs to learn to reach out to those living in a complex world. What do you think?

Birth Stories - Grace

Here is part three of three (so far) for my birth stories. Part one (Maggie) can be found here. Part two (Mike) can be found here. This one is fresh in the memory being less than a year ago. I tell you Lynn has become a pro at this thing, and God blessed us with an uneventful pregnancy. The worst part was arguing with the doctor for all of the "tests" as we are in our late 30's. We kept telling him that it didn't matter to our decision so what was the point of extensive (and expensive) testing. That frustrated him some, but we figured it was our baby. We ended up going for screening (nothing more invasive than a blood test of Lynn's blood and family background interview), even then we thought it was a waste of time. It came back that our odds were much lower than average. But he still wanted to do an amnio and some other tests. We said no thanks. At the end, Lynn had a week of low level labor, but it seemed this little one didn't want to come out. Well on the night, I had my bowling league. Lynn called about half way through our third game. She asked how much longer I would be. I said about 20 minutes. She said she thought it was time and that I should not dally on my way home. Well, at that moment I was not as dumb as I can sometimes be, and I figured it was a bad idea to finish the game (this is a lot different than the Maggie story). Oh, for those who care, I was rockin' on the lanes that night. Well it was a good that I left when I did. It took 5 minutes to get home, and 15 to get to the hospital. This was late on the night of the 12th and we were really hoping to beat the 13th. Well, the doctor (who lives very close to the hospital) barely made it. We were in the hospital for about 30 minutes when Gracie showed up. The doctor rushed in as the baby was crowning (just in time to catch and handle post birth issues). It took Gracie a while to finally decide it was time, but once she was on the way, there was no stopping her.

Champions of Faith

I finally got to watch Champions of Faith. It is a DVD of Catholic professional baseball players sharing their faith and how it has impacted them in life and in the game. It intermingles baseball as a metaphor for life with real world life examples from these players lives. Before I was offered the opportunity to review it, a friend in my Cursillo group mentioned the film. It sounded kind of interesting, but I made no move to get it. When I got an email asking if I wanted to evaluate it, I figured that if God had to throw a third pitch, I might be caught looking so I took a swing. Well I loved it. In a world where faith is hidden and ridiculed, here are men stepping up to share how their faith impacts their lives. This example alone makes it worth watching and sharing with our kids. Wow what a challenge to the rest of us. But the film has more than that - it has some good stories in here, and the guide can be used as a reflection on life. It was also exciting to see some of my childhood ball heroes and those whose careers I watched standing up to be counted. There are lots of folks, but I particularly enjoyed Mike Piazza's story (and the cameos from Mike Scioscia). Check it out. It is definitely worth a look. I watched it with my son. I am glad he got to see these men talking about their faith in Jesus Christ, praying the rosary, going to mass, talking about the importance of the Eucharist. This would be good for families with kids who play or follow sports. Might be good for a youth group too. The link to the site is for Champions of Faith is here. Check it out.

The Loss of the Sacred

This is a MUST read - especially for any parish priests and other bishops. His Eminence, Bishop Arthur Serratelli has penned an article that needs to be read. The Loss of the Sacred. Here are a couple excerpts: The anti-authoritarian prejudice that we have inherited from the social revolution of the '60’s imprinted on many a deep mistrust not only of government but of Church. .... Teaching about the Mass began to emphasize the community. The Mass was seen as a community meal. It was something everyone did together. Lost was the notion of sacrifice. Lost the awesome mystery of the Eucharist as Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The priest was no longer seen as specially consecrated. He was no different than the laity. With all of this, a profound loss of the sacred. Will someone please send this letter to Cardinal Mahoney? Anyone have his e-mail? Hat tip to Fr. Z at WDTPRS.

Clinton Drops Mother Theresa

Clinton Campaign Removes Mother Teresa From Video Ad. Excerpts: "Clinton spokesman Phil Singer confirmed that Mother Teresa's order had asked the campaign to remove the image, "So we did." ... In the original version of a five-minute advertisement, Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, said, "Hillary in effect, was the face of America - in Africa, in India" over a picture of Sen. Clinton waving alongside Mother Teresa. ... During the Clinton presidency, Mother Teresa addressed the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., where she called abortion 'the greatest destroyer of peace today.' 'It is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?' she asked the gathering, which was attended by the Clintons and also addressed by the then president." While Clinton clearly doesn't get Mother Theresa (though she would like to use her memory), apparently she does get the idea that she does not want to get sued for the use of her image. I am glad it is off her ads, but I would rather Clinton listen to Mother Theresa's words. We should all say a prayer to Blessed Mother Theresa for the conversion of all our hearts, but especially those politicians who would defend and extend the murderous reign of abortion in the United States and beyond.

Birth Stories - Mike

This is part two of my three part series. Part one (Maggie) can be found here. After thinking about Mathew's request for birth on Catholic Dads, my first thought was that the stories weren't that interesting. But then my mind went back to the time when each child was in the womb and their birth, and all three were worth telling. And as I read the stories of others, it looks like that may be true for all births. Between Maggie and Mike we had two miscarriages, which is not easy. In fact, we Mike started to miscarry, but Lynn had gone to a problem pregnancy specialist (because of the miscarriages), and he was able to provide hormone treatment which saved him. Thank God for that - I can't imagine life without him. Unlike Maggie, where we started labor in the evening and stayed up all night, Mike was more considerate. Lynn woke me up at 6AM, and we were in the hospital by 6:30. The doctor was called, and he expected that it would be some time and said he would be in later. We figured it would take a while too, and after the pain of the first pregnancy, Lynn opted for an epidural. This was good because it definitely reduced pain. I think it let Lynn be more aware of what was going on (not just focusing on dealing with pain). But that is just this observer's opinion. The hospital called the doctor a couple more times because Lynn was progressing quickly. He insisted he had plenty of time. Well, the doctor was wrong. Mike came pretty quickly, only a bit more than a couple hours after we arrived. The doctor never made it. Mike was the first delivery for a new doctor up from the emergency room. Thank God for those nurses! They new exactly what to do. Thank God as well for a problem free delivery.

Birth Stories - Maggie

Mathew S at Catholic Dads was asking about birth stories, and I thought these would make a good set of posts in light of Fathers Day yesterday. Maggie was our first, we had a virtually trouble free pregnancy. We did all of the Lamaze classes, which I hated. I thought the breathing exercises were good, but some of the over the new age elements were irritating. But all is well, I still remember the breathing exercises. Don't let me give you the impression that I was not excited about our coming little girl - I was. And I talked to her frequently. I wanted to get her use to that lower voiced guy. I cup my hands where I thought her head was, and in a deep voice say "hellloooo baby" and "hellloooo Maggie" once we found out she was a girl. On the evening before the big event, Lynn tells me that she thinks it is time to go. Now, this may sound insensitive, but it was not the best time. It was the first Notre Dame game of the year, she tells me very close to the end of the. Now, I learned in Lamaze that the labor would take quite a while. I was trying to convince her to stay home as long as possible (at least until the game ended). I know, I know - I am horrible for that. Don't worry, I have been told. I was right though. It was a long labor. We got into the hospital early evening one night, and she was not delivered until 9 the next morning. And Lynn went drug free until early morning (and then it was the stuff that only takes the edge off). I still say she would have been more comfortable at home than in that hospital room. But the excitement came at the end of the story. Something was wrong and things were not progressing. The nurse determined that the reason was that the umbilical chord was wrapped around Maggie's neck. The doctor came in and they decided that they had to deliver her as far as possible so they could cut the cord from around her neck. As a dad, who could only count and encourage his wife - this was pretty hard. Lynn was pushing - she had no idea what was going on down where the doctor was. But I could see the fetal monitor. I could see the heartbeat dropping as the chord tightened with each push. It is hard to sound encouraging and count while you are fighting crying. I have told my wife, I am not sure why Dad's are allowed in the delivery room. I think it is to learn how utterly helpless we really are. But the doctor pulled her through enough with the suction cup and cut the cord from around her neck. All was OK, though quite scary. Maggie was crying loudly - I sure was glad to hear that. And she got really quite when I said "hello Maggie." I guess all that talking to her in the womb paid off since she recognized my voice.

Photo Hunters #62 Hair

Click on picture for larger image This one was harder. I had a couple ideas but did not execute. I did have this shot - I really like the sunlight in my daughter's hair when we were at the beach. Maybe a bit of a stretch for the theme, but... Click on picture for larger image ...not long after the first picture she cut off her hair and donated it for children suffering from cancer. Very noble. But I do miss that long hair. Credit for the second picture goes to my wife. A list of participants can be found by clicking here.

Massachusetts legislature kills pro-marriage amendment

Catholic World News : Massachusetts legislature kills pro-marriage amendment: "Under the terms of the Massachusetts constitution, the proposed amendment needed the support of just 50 legislators in order to be placed on the ballot for a statewide vote in November 2008. Because the proposal did not reach that minimum level of support, the amendment is defeated." Truly a sad day for a MA. Not 50 out of the lot were willing to stand up for what is right. It is kind of like the the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (how fitting). I can hear Abraham say "But Lord, if I can find but 50 legislators...."

Another Minor Seminary Closes

Chicago shutters one of nation's last Catholic seminaries for youth: "Its closure will leave just seven preparatory seminaries with a combined enrollment of about 500 students in the United States. This, at a time when the number of priests in the United States has dropped from nearly 59,000 in 1975 to about 42,000 last year." As someone who attended a minor seminary (that is now closed), this is sad news. We need to diagnose why this is happening. Some of it is societal undoubtedly. Changes in the Church haven't helped. But some of this is how we (the laity) see vocations in our own families (not just someone elses family). I was talking recently about how many parents view becoming a priest as negative. I find this shameful. If I have no grand kids because my son becomes a priest and my daughters become nuns, I will thank God for the tremendous gifts they will have received. A vocation to the priesthood is not something to be looked down upon, it is a privilege.

“They were shot in the head”

If you are in the San Diego area, go to the Federal Building to learn about the plight of Iraqi Christians whose persecution continues without notice by the American media. California Catholic Daily - “They were shot in the head” On June 3, Bishop Sarhad Jammo of San Diego’s Chaldean/Assyrian Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle was in Mosul, Iraq -- the same day that Father Ragheed Ganni and three deacons were shot and killed in front of Mosul’s Church of the Holy Spirit. Since attending their funeral, Bishop Jammo has returned to San Diego and will speak at the downtown Federal Building on Friday, June15, during a rally asking for help to stop the persecution of Iraqi Christians. Largely ignored by the secular press, the plight of Iraq’s Christians has taken a back seat in the media to the struggles between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

“If you support Giuliani, you aren't supporting family values”

California Catholic Daily - “If you support Giuliani, you aren't supporting family values”: "Giuliani's liberal views on foundational issues of abortion, homosexuality, judges, and gun control, and they don't like it. Giuliani is in conflict with the Republican Party platform and principles. " If you haven't bookmarked California Catholic Daily, you should. This one is just a reminder of that while Rudy claims to be Catholic and Republican, in reality he represents the views of neither.

Mexico City Under El Diablo

Pray for Mexico City Mexico City Considers Legal Prostitution: "The leftist party that has already legalized gay unions and abortion in Mexico City said Wednesday it wants to make prostitution legal in the capital of this overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country." I don't think the left wing leadership of Mexico City is worried about anything other than their agenda. I guess if your going to be evil, might as well go all the way.

Stop Support For Insanity International

I have blogged on the Amnesty International turn to the dark side before, but Cardinal Martino and others quoted in this NCR article are much more eloquent (and consequential). National Catholic Register: No Amnesty For the Unborn Here are a few article quotes: Amnesty International “has betrayed all of its faithful supporters throughout the years,” he said, “both individuals and organizations, who have trusted AI for its integral mission of promoting and protecting human rights.” The Church teaches that it is never justifiable to kill an innocent human life. Abortion is murder,” he said. “To selectively justify abortion, even in the cases of rape, is to define the innocent child within the womb as an enemy, a ‘thing’ that must be destroyed. How can we say that killing a child in some cases is good and in other cases it is evil?” Said Father Berrigan, “One cannot support an organization financially or even individually that is contravening something very serious in our ethic.”

Almsgiving

I would bet that many of you who were raised Catholic can remember getting the cardboard "rice bowls" at Lent (I don't remember seeing them in a while). The nuns at my school would make sure that each of us had one. I remember sacrificing just a bit to fill that bowl. As an adult, my giving has been different. I usually give more with checks than what is in my pocket. While this is not bad, it is not as frequent as constant smaller offerings. With so many churches no longer having a "poor box" there is not even that weekly reminder of our need to give alms. A priest friend has made a suggestion that I wanted to share. The suggestion was to have an alms jar in the house. We bought a clay jar on one of our mission visits (you can see photos from all our California mission visits by clicking here). All of us in the family donate to this daily. When the jar gets full enough we will give it to a local organization that feeds the poor or houses the homeless. I wanted to share this because I was struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of this way for teaching our children this important "act of religion." Every morning I remind the kids to put something in the alms jar from their allowance or gift money or tidbits they may have earned here or there. But not only teaching my children, this has provided the constant reminder to me of the importance of giving to the poor - and making them a part of my busy daily life. This post is cross posted at Catholic Dads.

A Stem-Cell Heretic?!?

A Stem-Cell Heretic Makes His Case - WSJ.com: "Embryonic stem-cell researchers are prone to touting the potential of their work to treat all sorts of ailments, from diabetes to Parkinson's disease. Don't bet on it, says James Sherley, a stem-cell specialist himself, who has become a notable heretic in the field." How interesting that we see the language of faith applied to science. Modern secularists are more fervent in their "faith" than most, though they don't see it as such. Science is a method by which information can be gathered and hypotheses tested. It makes no claims that it can do all things or explain all things. It is the science "faithful" who make the extraordinary claims. They claim that with science, all things will be explained and all ills cured. Those who question the faith, even just a small part of it, are now called heretics. Hmmm.

Mission San Buenaventura

Our California Mission pilgrimage continues (though I am a couple weeks behind on getting the pictures up). Today, I have Mission San Buenaventura. This mission was the 9th founded by Blessed Junipero Serra in 1782. It is one of six missions in the Los Angeles Archdiocese (San Gabriel, San Fernando, San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Ines, La Purisima Concepcion). As with most of the missions it is still an active parish. California fourth graders have to do reports on the Missions as part of California history. Fourth graders are welcome to use my images for their reports (if allowed by their teachers). I have several beautiful pictures of the interior of the Church, check them out in the photo album. Click here or on one of the pictures to go to the photo album.

News Flash: Nancy Pelosi is an idiot

Destruction of Human Embryos a “Gift from God” says Catholic House Speaker How did we ever get in a situation where the speaker of the House of Representatives could ever say something so vile. Either she is evil or an idiot. I am willing to be charitable and go with idiot, but I could be convinced. Either way, how does she think she is Catholic?!?

Where is the tolerance

Catholic World News (CWN): "The Archbishop of Genoa has received several serious threats since he became the leading spokesman for the Catholic opponents of a bill that would allow for legal recognition of same-sex unions in Italy." Apparently "tolerance" isn't the goal after all, is it. And that whole "freedom of religion" thing, well the far left never really liked that anyways.

What is your theological worldview?

I found this at Steve McEvoy's Book Reviews & More. I come out as 100% Roman Catholic (and definitely not a modern liberal). Check out the questionnaire and enjoy. You scored as Roman Catholic, You are Roman Catholic. Church tradition and ecclesial authority are hugely important, and the most important part of worship for you is mass. As the Mother of God, Mary is important in your theology, and as the communion of saints includes the living and the dead, you can also ask the saints to intercede for you. Roman Catholic 100% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 79% Neo orthodox 75% Fundamentalist 57% Emergent/Postmodern 50% Reformed Evangelical 39% Classical Liberal 29% Charismatic/Pentecostal 29% Modern Liberal 21% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Brownback stands firm against abortion

Brownback stands firm against abortion - Yahoo! News Not sure about you, but this is whom I will be voting for in the primary. Giuliani combines the worst of both parties together, and just because you were mayor of New York during 9/11 doesn't qualify you for president. If I have a choice between Giuliani and any of the current list of Dems, I vote third party. Check out Brownback - he is an authentic alternative. This is real compassion - not left wing pandering or right wing smoke screens. His site is at: www.brownback.com

Photo Hunters #61 Shoes

Click on picture for larger image This one was easy. I had done this photo studying differences in leather, but the father daughter theme took hold. This is particularly appropriate for Fathers Day. A list of participants can be found by clicking here.

End Planned Parenthood Welfare!

Catholic World News : Planned Parenthood budget rising; US taxpayers pay greater share: "Planned Parenthood's budget for 2005-2006 was $902.8 mllion, an increase of 2.4% over the previous year's figure. More than one-third of that figure, $305.3 million, came from public funding." Yes sir, ladies and gents. That is about one billion (with a b) spent in this leading murder factory (PP accounts for 20% of abortions in the US), and those of us who pay our taxes are forced to pay for a third of it. It is time for the government to stop forcing the American people to pay for the evil deeds and false propaganda put out by this nefarious group.

More violent assaults on Iraqi Christians

Catholic World News : More violent assaults on Iraqi Christians Someone has to say it. Thank God for CWN. Pass on the news. Two-thirds of all Iraqi Christians are no longer in the country and attacks are on the increase. I guess their human rights don't warrant news in the US. Hmmm.

What kind of Catholic are you?

Spirit of Vatican 2 "Catholic" Faith Community: EMERGENCY MANDATE #57 SOV2 is a very entertaining spoof site. The link above will take you to the criteria for telling whether you are a "Thinking Catholic," "Nonthinking Catholic," or "Antithinking Catholic." I qualify as an "Antithinking Catholic" on their site (though I do think nuclear war and capital punishment are bad ideas). I do wish they had badges. :-) Check 'em out. Very entertaining.

Mission San Diego

Our family has been on a local pilgrimage to visit all 21 of the California Missions. So far we have visited San Gabriel, San Fernando (the pictures there weren't so good so we are going back there), San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Rey, Santa Barbara, San Diego and San Buenaventura. I have a couple of the pix for Mission San Diego visit in this post. If you click on one of the images, it will take you to my San Diego Mission photo album. San Diego was the first mission, established in 1769. California fourth graders have to do reports on the Missions as part of California history. Fourth graders are welcome to use my images for their reports (if allowed by their teachers). There are lots more images to see in the photo album. Click here or on one of the pictures to go to the photo album.

Christianity Under Attack in Iraq

Independent Catholic News: "Now there are reports that Salafist groups such as al-Qaeda, fundamentalists who believe Islam can be renewed by returning to the values of the era of the Prophet Mohammed, are targeting Christians on purely sectarian grounds." A priest and three deacons were killed in Iraq after saying mass Sunday. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, And let perpetual Light shine upon them. May their souls And the souls of all the faithful departed Through the mercy of God Rest in peace. Amen.

Photo Hunters #60 Art

Click on picture for larger image This is a close up of a modern art sculpture in front of LACMA (LA County Museum of Art) A list of participants can be found by clicking here.