Priesthood Sunday USA | October 28, 2007

Do you know that Sunday October 28 is Priesthood Sunday? This is a day sponsored by the Serra Club. It is also celebrated by Marriage Encounter as World Priest Day. What are you doing to thank the priests that touch your lives? What are you doing to encourage more vocations? Thank your priests. Write them letters. Let them know that you love them. If you want information on what your parish can do, click here.

Pray for our priests!

Catholic World News : Fears, negotiations for priests kidnapped in Iraq: "Two Syrian Catholic priests were kidnapped in Iraq on Saturday, October 13." Our priests are under attack on every front. Satan attacks from right and left, front and back. Pray for all of our priests, especially those under in spiritual or physical danger. Lord Jesus, You have chosen Your priests from among us and sent them out to proclaim Your word and to act in Your name. For so great a gift to Your Church, we give You praise and thanksgiving. We ask You to fill them with the fire of Your love, that their ministry may reveal Your presence in the Church. Since they are earthen vessels, we pray that Your power shine out through their weakness. In their afflictions let them never be crushed; in their doubts never despair; in temptation never be destroyed; in persecution never abandoned. Inspire them through prayer to live each day the mystery of Your dying and rising. In time of weakness send them Your Spirit, and help them to praise Your heavenly Father and pray for poor sinners. By the same Holy Spirit, put Your word on their lips and Your love in their hearts, to bring good news to the poor and healing to the brokenhearted. And may the gift of Mary, Your mother, to the disciple whom You loved, be Your gift to every priest. Grant that she who formed You in her human image, may form them in Your divine image, by the power of Your Spirit, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. Prayer found at http://www.scborromeo.org/prayers.htm

St. Theresa of Avila

The picture is not one of mine, I got it from boglewood.com. The statue is titled The Ecstasy of S. Teresa di Avila. "Believe me, the safest thing is to will only what God wills, for He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He loves us." - St. Teresa of Avila in Interior Castle Today is the feastday of St. Theresa of Avila. St. Theresa of Avila is a great saint, doctor of the Church, reformer, and mystic. Should anyone be interested in mysticism, they should NOT look to eastern religions. Look to Catholic mystics like St. Theresa. And if you have not read Interior Castle, you highly recommend it. You can read more on St. Theresa by clicking here.

Fr. Larry Richards - I'll pick up the cost

For some time I have had a side-bar button that links to the Reason For our Hope Foundation run by Fr. Larry Richards. A friend of mine gave me a CD of Fr. Larry's "Confession" talk that really moved me. I went back and downloaded more of Father Larry's talks, and they were all quite powerful. His talks really will change your life. Not because there is any new theology, but because he challenges us to live our faith honestly and with passion. He doesn't soft sell the truth. Fr. Larry tells it like it is, but with vibrancy, humor, and conviction. He takes the bible, the teachings of the Church, and the writings of the saints, and presents them in a way that it comes alive. He puts the challenge of Christ in such a way that I WANT to be a saint. I WANT to do what it takes. I WANT to change my life. Wherever you are spiritually, this will speak to you. It will set you on fire - or stoke the flames higher. There are five talks in the Reason For Our Hope series: Confession Knowing God's Will The Mass Explained The Truth What More Could He Do For You You can get the talk "The Truth" free by registering at the Reason For our Hope site (click here). Because I have found these so powerful, I am willing to buy the entire set for you. My funds are not unlimited and am willing to do this for the first 5 people who ask. Leave a message in the comment box and send me an email with where I should send the talks. I will buy the talks in MP3 format and put them on a single disk (in MP3 format) and mail them to you.

Oct 2 - Feast of Guardian Angels

"Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. Give head to him and listen to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him. But if you listen attentively to his voice, and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries." Ex 23: 20-22 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven." Mt 18:10 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased." Lk 2: 13-14

Happy Michaelmas!

Today is the feast day of St. Michael. It was traditionally known as Michaelmas and was a holy day of obligation until the 18th century. The Church has added Saint Gabriel and St Raphael to the feast day - these are the three Archangels named in the bible. Among other things, St. Michael is the patron saint for our family - all of us are named Michael or Michelle (first, middle, or confirmation name). Today is a special feast day for our family. There is a prayer to St. Michael that the entire Church would say after every mass. Those at daily mass at some parishes still say it (they do this at my parish). We say it together at least once per day. I share it with you: St. Michael the Archangel Defend us in battle. Be our protection against the snares and wickedness of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host - by the Divine Power of God - Cast into hell, Satan and all evil spirits who wander this world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Michaelmas is coming!

In case you didn't realize, Saturday Sept 29 is Michaelmas (the feast of St. Michael). St. Michael is our family's patron saint and we are all named Michael or Michelle (first, middle or confirmation name), so Saturday is a big day for us. Michaelmas has been an important holiday in the Church, especially in Ireland, Scotland and Wales (ah those wonderful Celts). Michaelmas was a holy day of obligation until the 18th century, and because of its proximity to the equinox marked the beginning of Fall. Here is a traditional Michaelmas recipe I found at Fish Eaters that we will be making this Saturday and wanted to share with you. We wanted to give you a jump on getting ingredients, since the flours are not your typical mega-mart staples (we had to go to a organic health food store to get the barley and rye). This is Celtic in origin (of course the Irish and Scots argue about whose it is, but never mind that). St. Michael's Bannock 1 1/3 C. barley flour 1 1/3 C. oat meal 1 1/3 C. rye meal 1 C. flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 scant tsp baking soda 2 1/2-3 C. buttermilk 3 TBSP honey or brown sugar 2 eggs 1 C. cream 4 TBSP melted butter Mix the barley flour, oat meal, and rye meal. Add flour and salt. Mix the soda and buttermilk (start with the 2 1/2 C) and then add to the dry mixture. Stir in honey. Turn out onto floured board and mix (as with all breads, don't over-mix), adding more buttermilk if too dry, or more flour if too sticky). Divide dough in half, and roll each, on a floured board, into an 8" circle (about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick). While heating a lightly greased skillet, mix the eggs, cream, and melted butter. Spread onto one of the bannocks and place the bannock, egg-side down, in the skillet and cook til the egg-side is browned. Put the egg mixture on the top side, flip the bannock and cook 'til the second side is golden. Repeat this application of the egg wash and flipping and cooking until each side has been cooked three times. Do the same with the second bannock. Serve warm with butter and honey. Have a happy Michaelmas on Saturday, and enjoy. Saturday, be sure to wish a happy feast day to anyone you know named for St. Michael!

Being A Catholic Man

Archbishop Chaput of Denver tells it like it is at First Things. Read his article at FIRST THINGS: On the Square » Renewing the Church, Converting the World. Here is an excerpt about Catholic men. Christian love is not weak or anesthetic. It’s an act of the will. It takes guts. It’s a deliberate submission of our selfishness to the needs of others. There’s nothing “unmanly” about it, and there’s nothing—and I mean nothing—more demanding and rewarding in the world. The heart of medieval knighthood and chivalry was the choice of a fighting man to put himself at the service of others—honoring his lord, respecting the dignity of women, protecting the weak, and defending the faith even at the cost of his own life. That’s your vocation. That’s what being a Christian man means. We still have those qualities in our hearts. We are not powerless in the face of today’s unbelieving civilization. We can turn this world upside down if only we’re willing to love—the kind of Christian love that is vastly more powerful than just a sugary feeling; the kind of love that converts men into something entirely new; the kind of love that bears fruit in a man’s zeal, courage, justice, mercy, and apostolic action. So I leave you with this: Be men who love well. Be the Catholic men God intended you to be. Be men of courage and fidelity to your God, your wives, your families, and your Church. Put your belief into practice. Do everything for the glory of God, even the little things you have to do each day. Love those who don’t love you. Love—expecting nothing in return. Love—and those you love will find Jesus, too. Love—and through your actions, God will change this world. Thank you God for calling me to be a Catholic man. And thank you God for bishops like Archbishop Chaput. Amen Welcome th the Church Militant - are you ready to do your part? h/t to Jay of Pro Ecclesia*Pro Familia*Pro Civitate and Catholic Dads

Mathetes Award

Deb at UKOK's Place (one of those blogs that made it into my Google reader) nominated me for the Mathetes Award. Here’s a quote from the orignal blog post explaining the award…. "Mathetes is the Greek word for disciple, and the role of the disciple (per the Great Commission) it to make more disciples. I'd like to take the opportunity to award five other bloggers with this award and badge for acting in the role of a disciple of Christ. These five all share the message in their own creative ways, and I admire them all for what they do. In the spirit of this award, the rules are simple. Winners of this award must pick five other "disciples" to pass it on to. As you pass it on, I just ask that you mention and provide links for (1)this post as the originator of the award (Dan King of management by God), (2) the person that awarded it to you, and then (3) name and sites of the five that you believe are fulfilling the role of a disciple of Christ" Deb, thank you very much for the nomination. I very much appreciate it (and your blog). I'd like to think I am a good disciple, but I think I have a long way to go - but I guess we all would say that. Regardless, thanks. Now for the nomination. Of course, Deb, you have made it hard because you would have been one of the five I would have nominate. But I think there are few out there that I would mention. So here are my five: Fr. Stephanos at Me Monk, Me Meander whose insight and guidance I find profound, though I wish he would be able to get high speed access again . :-) Amber at This Catholic Journey who has inspired and challenged us with her ongoing journey into the Catholic Church in spite of all the obstacles. Barb at SFO Mom who shows us how to live our faith simply in our daily lives. Sister Mary Martha at Ask Sister Mary Martha for reminding us why we miss the straightforward "between the eyes" nuns that used to be more common when we were younger. The entire crew at Mount Carmel Bloggers who show us what it is to be faithful Catholics - not liberals, not conservatives - just faithful Catholics. Well, that's my list.

God or Mammon

No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Luke 16:13 I think it worth repeating this verse from Sunday's Gospel for those of us living in the world, but striving to not be of the world (I include myself here). Whom will we serve today? Wealth? Power? Sex? If we want to know whom our god is, then look at what we love. Look at what we are devoted to. Look at what compels us to do what we do. May the love of God and the love of neighbor be the source of all we do. Then the one true living God will truly be our God.

A Back to School Story

Creative Minority Report is one of the blogs that I absolutely have to visit every day. Not only does it have one of the best layouts, it has writing you just don't want to miss. So how I missed this one two days ago, I don't know. But thanks to Jay at Pro Ecclesia (one of my other "have to read" blogs) for pointing to it. You want to read this one. A Back to School Story And Modern Day Miracle.: "Tommy didn’t want to meet a celebrity. He didn’t want to play basketball against an NBA hero. His wish was simple: Save my School. You see, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was closing Tommy’s elementary school because much of the Catholic population had moved into the suburbs and the urban neighborhood just couldn’t support the school anymore. Here’s the letter Tommy wrote:" For the rest of the story, head on over to Creative Minority Report.

Is with a twist

There is a great article at California Catholic blog "Notes from A Cultural Madhouse" Read the whole thing, I have skipped some of the useful background and got to the meat here. My emphasis added. “Subsists” is “Is” with a twist: So, when Lumen Gentium says the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church, it is saying that it exists only in the Catholic Church. In its very substance or essence, the Catholic Church is the Church of Christ. But in using subsists, the Council is saying something more. As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s June 29 “Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church” indicates, the Vatican Council’s use of subsists indicates the simpler is, but with this twist. Subsists, says “Responses,” “brings out more clearly” than is “the fact that there are ‘numerous elements of sanctification and truth’ which are found outside her [the Catholic Church’s] structure, but which ‘as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic unity.’” In using “subsists,” the Vatican Council attempted to get at the truth of the nature of the Church of Christ in a way that takes into account the very real salvific elements found in non-Catholic groups. “Subsists,” however, does not stop at a simple recognition of the character of non-Catholic groups. It implies an ecumenism which finds its fulfillment It implies an ecumenism which finds its fulfillment only in conversion. For if elements of the Catholic Church exist outside her visible confines, they do not exist in the way that Christ willed for them to exist but as broken and scattered. As “Responses” said, only in the Catholic Church do we find that essential characteristic of the Church of Christ – unity – which gathers all the elements of truth, making them part of one substance. This being so, Catholics and non-Catholics alike are impelled to seek for themselves and each other that unity which, as Lumen Gentium says, “subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops in communion with him.” This work of conversion is not one-sided. For while it certainly implies, for non-Catholics, full entrance into the Catholic Church, it demands something of Catholics as well -- the recognition of non-Catholic Christians as real, if separated, brethren and the zeal to bring our brethren home to the Church of Christ, which is, and subsists in, the Catholic Church. The problem with some Catholics who reach out to our separated brothers and sisters is that they stop at the recognition of salvific elements outside of the Church. But we are called to more than that. We Catholics are challenged to invite our brothers and sisters home. That the we may be one. This requires a conversion on the part of our separated brothers & sisters. And it requires an active evangelization on our part. This isn't relativism in action - it is a call to heal division through a conversion of separated Christians to unity with the Catholic Church. This is not "separate but equal," and it is not about negotiating on matters of faith or morals. No, it is reaching out and teaching with humility.

The Cost of Faithfulness

I was mentioning to the RCIA head at my parish (in response to questions about an adult faith formation series) that I was looking for a going deeper in understanding my faith. I said that I am very well catechized and knowledgeable already. She told me that I won't get what I was looking for at a parish (which is sad in and of itself). I told her that I see myself as a teacher of the faith in the future. And I had indicated that my spiritual advisor had recommended the distance course through the Franciscan University at Steubenville. I am seriously considering this - especially as it has a reputation as orthodox in its teachings (btw, if anyone can give me insights on the program, it would be greatly appreciated). Well, she told me that I would find it tough getting work in the Diocese of Orange with a degree from Steubenville. That was a rather surprising statement. But after doing a little research, I suspect that she is correct about biases among many in leadership positions in the diocese given the public statements of some well placed priests in the diocese. Why should being faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church make one less desirable to many of the leaders of that Church (at least out this way)? Any thoughts or advice?

Feast of the Assumption

Today is the feast of the Assumption. Let us praise God for the boast of the human race, our Blessed Mother! Without her "yes" at the annunciation, we would still be in darkness. How wonderful she is! May we imitate her when God calls on us. Let us praise Christ and thank him for the gift of his Mother to us through St. John! Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our Life, our Sweetness and our Hope. To the do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thine Eyes of Mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the Blessed Fruit of thy Womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us O Holy Mother of God That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Previous posts: 2006 Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Where have all the men gone?

I'm feelin' a little on fire tonight. It could be that I've been over-worked and am fighting a summer cold. Or it could be the Holy Spirit. Either way, I've got something to say. First, h/t to Fr. Stephanos at Me Monk, Me Meander for pointing to the article at Crisis Magazine (Crisis Magazine: The New Catholic Manliness). This is definitely required reading for Catholic men, and prompts my post. So where have all the men gone in our Church? Well if you mix an over-correction to errors from a previous generation with radical feminism in the midst of a tumultuous period you have a perfect storm. A storm that left us with soft, touchy-feely "Faith Communities" that all but suppressed authentic Catholic masculinity and feminized the Church in the industrialized First World. But there is good news - We're back! We men needed a bit of time to figure out what to do. But with leaders like JP2 and B16 it was only a matter of time before we would figure it out. Oh yeah, we figured it out. We figured out that we need strong men, who will stand up for what they believe. Men who will take the difficult path. Who will act with courage, justice, and compassion. Men ready to be rocks for building His Church. Men who want the challenge of Christ. This is no easy challenge. It means fasting, praying, and giving for your family and your Church. It's rejecting temptation. It is fighting the Devil. It is witnessing to the faith. It is living our faith and challenging others to do the same. It means following the full Catholic faith. We want the whole thing with all the implications. The love Christ showed us, the love B16 writes about in Deus Caritas Est, is not easy. It isn't "hold my hand, play nice-nice and everything will be all right" love. Christ's love is HARD. It means humility and sacrifice. It means commitment.and discipline. It means struggle and perseverance. It means training and study. It means repentance and obedience. It means duty and service. It means leadership and taking responsibility for our Church. It means instructing our children about how to be a faithful Catholic; a follower of Christ in the the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. It means living that faith. It means stepping up and being counted as a follower of the Christ. Because the world is hostile to the message of Christ and those who follow him, it means you can expect hardship. It means being ridiculed, and despised and hated. It means having others judge you wrongly. It means being unpopular. It may cost you friends. Or jobs. Or lifestyle. It will certainly cost you something and it will not always be easy. In fact, this is so hard, that without Christ we cannot do it. But if we open our hearts. Say "yes" like our Blessed Mother did when asked by the archangel Gabriel, then His grace will transform us and the world through us. If we say "yes" and, with His help, LIVE that "yes" through our actions then it means ultimate victory. And peace. And joy. And REAL love. It's the Church Militant, baby. You ready to step up?

That Catholic Show - Water, Water Everywhere

You gotta see That Catholic Show!

Love Our Patrimony

Rejoice in our Catholic Church! God has blessed us for nearly two thousands years. Much has come against the Church, and yet she remains. The fullness of Christ’s truth resides in the Catholic Church. May we remain faithful to her because it is right to do so. May we remain faithful so we may share in her glory when Christ the bridegroom embraces his bride at the end of ages. There is a strong mentality among many leaders in our parishes to reject our past. This antipathy to our patrimony is disheartening. We stand on the faith of those who came before us, saints and martyrs loyal to the Church from the apostles forward. We need to embrace the richness of our history of our tradition - not reject it for a faddish modernism. I have heard those who are parish leaders, who are entrusted with teaching our faith, speak with condescension about our past. Because the Church is made of humans, there has been scandal, just as we are suffering through scandal now. May we have the strength to address these problems as they occur in the future - as they certainly will in our fallen world. But far greater than the human weakness within the Church is the richness of our faith. The fruit of the Church has been bountiful and immeasurable. This is where we should point our faithful. To focus on the failings is to stand in judgment. To be in such a place is to tempt us with pride. The pride that we are somehow better than our forefathers, that our judgment is somehow superior. I have heard those in there late 50s and early 60s complain about nuns they had in school. These nuns taught them the faith. Yet they blame these nuns for giving them guilt and a fear of God's judgment. I feel sorry for these people. They do not recognize the great contribution to their own lives that these nuns made. These people do not see where the seeds were planted and nourished. They do not see the eternal truths that they were taught. Faith is not easy. One must guard against the snares of the Devil. Many from this generation want to leave out the parts they don't like, and then blame it on those who gave their lives to impart the wisdom of ages because deep down, they know that they cannot and should not let it go. I lament the loss of our religious. While decline in priestly vocations increases our appreciation for the former abundance in sacramental life, the loss of our nuns has made me appreciate our former abundance in community life. For the nuns were the glue in our parishes. Their teaching, and humility, examples of obedience, and faithfulness are sorely missed. May the numbers of faithful religious again increase so that the Church may benefit from the sweet fruit of their holiness. Let us remember who we are and how we got there. Let us listen to those in the Body of Christ who have come before us. Let us look to our heritage for grounding. Let us also remember in our prayers those who were part of the cultural turmoil of the 1960's and 1970's and are stuck with the lens of struggle and revolution. May they find Christ's peace that has always been here, waiting for them in His Church.

OneYear of Blogging!

I started this blog a year ago with a post about St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius is one of my favorite saints. His desire to do God's will, and how he continuously sought God's will, moved forward with what he thought was best, but he was open to changes in direction. He shows us how all of life is a process of discerning God's will. St. Ignatius, pray for us on our journeys. That we may faithfully discern our paths in following our Lord Jesus Christ. Since it is this blog's anniversary, I thought I would gather my favorites from the past year in a single list. Thanks to those who shared the past year, I look forward to the next. I am sure there will be plenty to share. Well, here are my favorites from oldest to most recent: “Thy Will Be Done” or “My Will Be Done” – Part I and Part II Grattitude & Responsiblity - Laying Foundations Forgive me Father for I have sinned... What color hat do you wear? Heroes Superordinate Goals El Camino Real Metal as in a Forge Miracles (Part 1 of 3), (Part 2 of 3), and (Part 3 of 3) Ears of the Deaf & Tongue of the Mute Advice For Couples Starting Out On Christian Pride - Part I and Part II Pride and the Poor

The Kitchen Church

National Catholic Register: The Kitchen Church: "The father smiles and says to one of his sons, “Go tell them I want all my children together, in the kitchen, with me.” The son does what he is told — but the dining-room group is aghast at his message. “Well, look at Mr. Special,” says one of them. “He thinks it’s his way or the highway!” “All of this talk about ‘You must gather in the kitchen’ is silly,” says another. “What’s most important is that we love our father and we are talking to him. It’s all his house. He can hear us just as well from the dining room as from the kitchen.”" Outstanding commentary in NC Register. To my protestant brothers and sisters: I must say that I don't understand the flub from some of you prots out there about the Chruch's paper on the position of the Church in relation to other Christian communities. I mean, you left the one true Church thinking we had things all wrong anyways. Frankly, I expected you all to just shrug. What do you care whether we think you are only Christian communities versus full fledged Churches. You left us and went your own way, remember? With all the shouting, someone might think you actually cared. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" - Shakespeare (Hamlet). Some of your responses strike me as the sour grapes of spoiled children who want to do things their own way AND have other say "why that is just wonderful, Billy! Your just like the Roman Catholics!" Sorry, it just ain't true. We pray you come back with us. Our statement of the facts are not meant to hurt - they are meant to ensure that those involved in dialogue remember that truth. Sometimes well meaning people can put the goal of unity above faithfulness to the truth - the article was meant for those Catholics engaging in the ecumenical dialogue more than anything else (imho). So why do we have ecumenical dialogue if this is the Catholic position? Because we want to restore unity among all Christians. We want to be one with you. We DO care about you. We want share our faith so you can see that the truth you believe is here, and so much more that you are missing. The fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. That does not mean truth is not found in your communities - it is, but not all of it. Like what? Well. for starters you are missing the sacraments. Protestant faiths have valid baptism (thank God). That is good, you are part of the family - but you miss so much more, especially the Eucharist. Compared to the Eucharist, those with out it are like the hungry left out of the banquet. You need a valid Eucharist to receive the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ (that is one of the reasons apostolic succession is so important). And there are 5 other sacraments you are missing - moments of Grace that you refuse to accept. Not to mention we are supposed to be one, but you left. There is no way around it. Protestants broke the unity. It was there once, and we know it will return in the end. So we must reach out to our wayward brethren and beckon back. It is what Christ wants us to do. Please. Stop the protests. Open your hearts. Come back.

Bible Statistics and Lesson from Maccabees

Dom Bettinelli at Betnet.com has a new tumblelog appropriately named Bettumblog. This is a place he started for interesting clippings he finds, but provided without comment. There he had posted some lectionary statistics about the percent of the bible you will hear at mass. For the New Testament, if you go just on Sundays, you get about 41%, and if you go daily, you get about 72%. For the Old Testament it is about 4% from Sunday masses and 14% if you attend daily mass. So, if you rely only on mass attendance for your Bible reading you are missing out on A LOT, especially from the OT. Read your bible! You will find that it has great relevance for and many parallels with today! Last night, I was reading 1st Maccabees (0% in Sunday lectionary readings). It was describing how the Seleucid king had conquered Israel, had taken over the temple, and had banned Jewish worship and rituals (those circumcising their sons were killed - the mother, those doing the circumcision, and the child). This was done because the king, Antiochus, wanted to unify his realm with a single religion (worshiping the Greek gods). So here is the part that is relevant for today. Many of the Jews who had admired Greek culture embraced this change and became apostates - rejecting their faith in the true God - even some of the priests! While we do not have a pantheon of false gods in the sense of Zeus and his ilk, we do have a modern pantheon of materialism, sex, power, science, nature, and the self. While none of these "gods" are wrong when kept in their proper place, our modern society tells us to fall down and worship them. They take the good that these false gods are based upon, and distort them until they are evil. We are pressured to abandon our God and follow their "truth." Secular cultural leaders tell people of faith that they are fools, and that true knowledge and wisdom are found in their false gods. The worst of these are those that masquerade as religious or faithful. Those who have bought into the modern fallacies - those who reject the tenets of the faith, but retain the "cultural" aspect of their religion. Or they tell us the god "tolerance" supersedes all else, and any disagreement is simply not tolerated. Here is the good news/bad news. In Maccabees, even though the false religion succeeds for a while - a statue of a false god is even erected in the temple, the resistance of those who remain faithful renews the Jewish faith and restores Jerusalem. Here is the bad news, it was not easy and many suffered. This theme recurs frequently in the Bible. Our faith will be challenged, many will fall, but those who stay faithful will be saved in the end - but not without suffering. It is always good to remind ourselves that the faithful win in the end, but it is also important to remember that we may suffer greatly before that time. Stay faithful.

Why I Love Jesus

Why I love Jesus I got tagged twice in the span of less than two days! I guess I better take care of this. Thanks to Creative Minority Report and Play The Dad? Be the Dad! for the tags. The rules: Those tagged will share 5 things they "love" about Jesus. Those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers. Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here with their name so that others can read them. So here are some of my reasons for loving Jesus: Through him all things were made. He made me, and my wife and my kids and my parents and my dog and the sunrise and the sunset and the oceans and the mountains and everything else that is good in this world. He died for me. After we humans screwed it up good and basically told God to take a hike, he STILL loves us. So much so that he paid the price of our redemption. And he would have done it if it was only me that had sinned. That is how much he loves me! For his first miracle, he turned WATER INTO WINE. And at the end of a three day wedding feast! Talk about joy in life! Let me tell you, Jesus is the life of the party! He gave us the best mom in the world, Mary! And he listens to her! Guess who told him to make the wine? Yep, it was her. I mean, this was his mom - and he gave her to us and us to her. He gave us the Eucharist. I go to mass and receive my Lord and God in a real and physical way. At that moment of communion, when all masses are one outside of space and time - I am with my God and savior and the entire Church throughout time. Here is a 6th freebie. I also love Jesus because he cares enough to knock me over the head every now and then with the spiritual equivalent of a 2 x 4 to get my attention. I mean, he goes out of his way to make sure I get the message some times. And here is a 7th. He gave us the Church that he told us he would not leave. He built it on Peter, and has promised that the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. I could go on but I am already two past the requested five, so I'll leave it at that. Since the people I would tag have mostly been tagged or have done this one, I am going to leave the tagging open. Let me know if you play, I’d love to read your responses!

On Christian Pride Part II

I have been reading much of the reaction that the American (and other) bishops and the entrenched liturgical establishment has to say about the Moto Proprio, Summorum Pontificum, that Pope Benedict released 10 days ago. Fr. Z has a listing of these, with intelligent commentary (far more intelligent than most of the original pieces). His July 2007 listings can be found here: What Does The Prayer Really Say? » 2007 » July. When I read the reactions of our leaders, I was saddened by the pride and arrogance that many of the responses exhibit, which prompts this post. I posted on Christian Pride previously, and want to continue my thoughts in light of the current developments. What does pride look like? It goes something like this. I don't need to listen to you. Who cares what the Church says. The Church doesn't know what its talking about. I don't not need to pay attention to the Bible. Who do you think you are to tell me what to do? I know what is best for myself. I know better than you what needs to be done. What, do you think I'm stupid that I need your help? I have a brain to think for myself, I certainly don't need to be told what to think. I will only believe what I see, I will not trust the word of others. My own counsel will I keep. We all have seen this kind of thinking. I suspect we all have thought this way. I certainly know I have. But this thinking is the root of sin. It sets up whoever thinks this way as their own god. It stiffens the neck and hardens the heart. When we are called back to the truth, to repentance, it fights the soul within us that wants to return to God. This is the real plague that threatens Western civilization. Our culture tells us we are all little kings of our own realms, gods of our own existence. This fatally flawed perspective tells us that there is no right and wrong, except as the individual sees it (relativism feeds and insulates pride). This pride even infects our Church. Bishops that resist the lead of the Pope demonstrate it. They want to be head of the Church and resist following the Vicar of Christ. Liberal religious advocates speak from this very place. They argue that the Church is wrong, that our tradition is not sacred, that we do not need to believe the teachings of the Church, and that, somehow, the Church was wrong in its teachings before the 60's, and is wrong now on a number of important issues. Those that argue the Holy Spirit abandoned the Church at Vatican II show this arrogance as well. Both groups share the foolish pride that they have the truth and that Christ's own Church is too ignorant to see it. We have seen this sinful pride before in our history. We saw it as the unity of the Church was splintered at the Great Schism and during the Protestant Reformation. Those episodes resulted in fractures in the Body of Christ that have yet to heal. To many of our wayward brothers have not yet returned home. We are facing the same situation today. But it is not from the extreme traditionalists - they have had their say and only a fringe are willing to leave the Church with them (though we should strive to keep all within the Church). No, it is the liberal side of the Church that is the greater threat. This group says they are Catholic, but in their arrogance reject what is Catholic and what is Sacred. So what can we do? We all must humble ourselves before God. We must answer whether we believe what we say every Sunday in the Nicene Creed. If so, we must follow the leader of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We must open our hearts and bend our knees. Pray for forgiveness, and receive the Holy Spirit. All lay, and all priests, and all bishops who serve the Lord, set aside your pride and open your hearts!

Modern Ezra & Nehemiah

This week I read Ezra and Nehemiah. And something struck me about the parallel between these two biblical figures and Pope Benedict. Ezra restored right worship of the Lord, and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem so the City could be re-established after it had been destroyed. Both books were about restoring God's law in his city and in the hearts of his people. The release of the Moto Proprio, Summorum Pontificum strikes me as directly parallel to Ezra re-establishing worship and rebuilding the temple. The Holy Father is seeking to restore the right worship to the Church - not by requiring that all return to the Extraordinary form of the right, but by setting in place an influence to control the rampant liturgical abuses and the lack of the sacred found so often in the current ordinary form of the Latin Rite. As with Ezra, there are some who do not want this. But restoration of the sacred is what we need, and what many who feel exiled within our own Church need. The document released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith "Regarding Certain Aspects of Church Doctrine" is akin to Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah re-established the borders of the City of God. He strengthened its defenses so that it could again be inhabited and defended by His chosen people. The Pope, through this document, clearly establishes the border of the Church. He is re-stating, and strengthening the defenses against those would see the boundaries erased and relativism installed as god. Of course those outside of the Church take offense - just as Sanballat and Tobiah grew angry. There were even those among the Jewish people who conspired with those outside to stop Nehemiah, as Shemaiah conspired with Sanballat and Tobiah. Similarly, today we see those who are nominally within the Church trying to undermine the work of the Pope on this and other issues. In these old testament cases we see opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem. Today, we have something similar, as Pope Benedict, building on the work of Pope John Paul, calls the people back from the error of their ways so the Church can be strengthened. The question is where do you stand. Do you stand with those seeking to keep the Church weak, or will you give your efforts to building Christ's own Church? I, for one, will serve the Lord by offering my labor in the service of building and strengthening his Church.

"What would Raymond Brown say?"!?!

Commonweal -Between Theology & Exegesis: "This is not, however, what a substantial majority of American Catholic Bible scholars wants to hear. I venture to guess that their silent question about this book is: “What would Raymond Brown say?”" I have unexpectedly been added to a Commonweal mailing list. This was not really intentional, and can make for some scary reading. The most recent email I received was a review about the Pope's book, Jesus of Nazareth. The line above summarizes the review. It was largely dry and critical as only an academic review can be. It put me back into a world that I knew, not in theology, but in psychology. I could get my blood pounding reading issues about the structure of personality. Things that to anyone in daily life, are largely irrelevant, but were pretty important to me in my little academic world. My academic discussions centered around mental life, but often had little to say that was directly relevant to actual living. Such is the nature of the academy. The problem with this attitude in theology is that one is in danger of leaving faith out of the study of God. So we get all the academic trappings, but none of the prayer, none of the holiness. It looks like it can become a lot like the English department. With discussions of what the received view is and how something does or does not fit with that view. It puts me in the mind of the warning of St. Francis to St. Anthony "It pleases me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, as long as in the words of the Rule you "do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion" with study of this kind." The attitude presented in the review can suck the life out of faith, and lead one down dangerous roads. Roads that lead one to criticize a pope leading and teaching his flock, because he has not kept up with the latest trends in the academy. It can take faith, and turn it into an academic battleground - trampling on the sacred in the road to academic fame (and what a low prize that). It makes a grand tempest in a teapot, appearing as nothing more than a lot of noise from the outside. The only clear message in the article is that "experts" think the Pope is wrong. Which feeds the liberal leanings of some, raises the traditional ire of others, and undermines the teaching of the faith to all. This pedantic position leads one to ask "what would Raymond Brown say" rather than "what would Christ himself say." I for one, will attend to Christ, listen to my pope and worry not about Fr. Brown.

It's still official - the Catholic Church is THE Church

DOCUMENT REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF CHURCH DOCTRINE Not that I expect any minds to change outside of the Church. No, I think this letter is for those Catholics stuck in the late '60s and '70s. You know, the ones with theology from The Beatles. The ones who say it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you have love (of course the definition of love is a bit amorphous in that theology). Those who love the "Spirit of Vatican II" (as opposed to the actual Vatican II). This is for those in the Church to remind them that there is one true Church. May all who seek God come to find him in the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ and extended through his apostles and led by the successor of Peter.

What do you think of the Moto Proprio?

I'd love to see what people are thinking about the Moto Proprio, Summorum Pontificum. Leave your vote and then leave a comment as well.

Summorum Pontificum

What Does The Prayer Really Say?»Blog Archive » Summorum Pontificum: my intro comments and the text: "This document is about opening hearts and healing. In his explanatory letter Pope Benedict even quotes 2 Cor 6:13: “Widen your hearts!” Read Summorum Pontificum with a wide heart, and no one need fear that rights will be trampled or due authority undermined." I look forward to the positive impact this will have on the Church and on the Norvus Ordo liturgy. We need more sacred, and this provides it both directly and indirectly as the Norvus Ordo mass is reconnected to its roots. Let us thank God for this extraordinary pope. Let us pray for open hearts. Let us humbly follow where our shepherd leads. Click to go to Fr. Z's WDTPRS. He is a great resource for this issue.

On Christian Pride - Part I

I have some thoughts on Pride especially when found in Christians, and particularly the Catholic variety. This is the first of at least two parts. The concept of Christian Pride or Catholic Pride is an oxymoron. I am glad I am Christian. I am grateful to God most high that I am Catholic. It is a sacred gift to have been born thus. It is a gift from God that I was given parents and nuns and priests who catechized me well. It is still a greater gift that the fire of the Holy Spirit has touched me with a thirst for knowledge about the true faith and a desire to live it. But pride...? Many see pride as a good thing (e.g., "I'm proud of you," or "I am proud to be an American (or whatever group)." But what is the opposite of pride? We have an answer from the Thesaurus. The opposite of pride is humility, modesty, and shame. We are called to be both humble and modest. These are set clearly against pride. How then can we be proud of being Catholic Christians when being called to Christ means to seek humility and live modestly? If I am proud to be an American (or Christian or of Irish decent), does that mean all who are not should live in shame? I understand being grateful. I understand pledging my heartfelt allegiance. I understand owing a debt to those who have given me the great gifts I have. But does that make me superior to others? Am I God that I can make such a judgment? Being blessed with gifts should not be a source of judging those who do not have these gifts - rather they impose a burden of responsibility. "When much has been given a man, much will be required of him. More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted." Lk 13:48

Congressional Hypocrisy

Members of Congress urge US bishops to intervene in Iraq War: "Washington DC, Jul 5, 2007 / 11:30 am (CNA).- Fourteen Catholic members of Congress released a letter on Tuesday, calling on the country's Catholic bishops to help end the war in Iraq. The letter urges the bishops to 'mobilize Catholic opinion on this, one of the most critical issues of our time.'" How is that for a joke? Catholic members of Congress don't want the Church to speak when it reminds them that abortion is wrong, but wants the Church to speak when it benefits there particular position. As to the specific issue of Iraq.... When the country first decided to go to war, I strongly believed it a wrong and unjust decision - I still think so. I also believed then, and I believe now, that once we made the decision for war, we had to commit to finishing the job - no cowardly withdrawals. Going into Iraq was a mistake, simply pulling out without creating the real opportunity for stability would be an even bigger mistake. I wish these Catholic members of Congress would start attending to how one lives with responsibility for making mistakes, not just the freedom to commit them. Pulling out of Iraq, like having an abortion would be seeking to avoid responsibility. Our nation must stop avoiding the consequences of our actions and do what it takes to set things right. Shame on you "members of Congress" - stop the politics and do what is right.

A Catholic American or an American Catholic?

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. The day we Americans celebrate the birth of our nation. I have always been patriotic, and that increased after the 9/11 attacks. But what does it mean to be an American, and how does that fit in with being a Catholic? I would consider myself patriotic, and believe that I live in one of the greatest nations that have ever existed. I have always loved the freedom afforded by my government. That freedom allows a man to live as his conscience dictates. We are free to do what we believe to be right. America is great because of the freedom and opportunity it affords. And America has taken its responsibility as a member of the world seriously. While not perfect, I must say the world would be a very worse place without the United States in WWI, WWII, and standing up to the communists in the Cold War. I honor the brave soldiers who have answered the call to duty in all conflicts to defend the liberty we hold dear and extend hope to others. America is a great country and I am glad I am an American. But I am also Catholic. And the two sets of values - American and Catholic, are not always in sync. Modern American values see freedom as being free to do whatever you want, while Catholics see freedom as being free to do what we are called to do. There are many "Catholic" politicians in America who are "cultural" Catholics. In fact, most Catholic politicians publicly espouse values that are counter what faithful Catholic believes. They do so, in the name of "freedom." They will not defend the life of an unborn child because women need to be "free." They are even willing to force those of us who believe differently to pay for these murders (poor women need to be "free" to murder their unborn children too). They undermine the sanctity of marriage because others should be "free" to have the government equate their sin with my sacrament. They argue that my voice has no place in the public square, unless I check my Catholicity at the door, as if it were a coat I could take off. These are Catholic Americans. They are Catholic to the extent that it describes their culture of origin, like an Irish American, Italian American, or Asian American. It is important to one's identity - but not the central component. It is the adjective, not the noun. I value being an American, but for me, it is the adjective to the noun of being Catholic. Being Catholic is central to my identity. Being an American describes the culture I come from (to be accurate, I am and American Roman Catholic). More important than all of the freedoms, successes, virtues, and faults that come with living in the United States is my struggle toward heaven in the Church founded by Christ himself. If I had to give up either being American or being Catholic, the answer is easy for me. I will always be Catholic. What would your choice be? Have a safe and happy 4th of July! God Bless America!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

MPs who back abortion should be banned from Communion, says Catholic leader-News-UK-TimesOnline

MPs who back abortion should be banned from Communion, says Catholic leader-News-UK-TimesOnline: "“The Catholic Church doesn’t bend or sway to meet the position of individual politicians, doctors, or anyone, when it comes to life issues. Why would anyone consider it unusual for the Catholic Church to reiterate its 2,000-year-old position?“" Looks like Scotland has a stand up Cardinal. Kind of interesting that here in California I can hear this, but only a whisper about the USCCB response to the wayward Catholic politicians was covered by Catholic World News, and that's about it (of course, they didn't make much hay about it themselves). Perhaps Cardinals in the US should take Cardinal O'Brein's lead.

Me monk. Me meander.: Public Liturgical Roles: Lectors, Cantors, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Cantors and PROPER CLOTHING

Me monk. Me meander.: Public Liturgical Roles: Lectors, Cantors, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Cantors and PROPER CLOTHING Check out Fr. Stephanos' thoughts on attire at mass. It is important to keep in mind the profound reasons behind the simple things we do - like dress "up" for Mass.

Outside Protests Drive Catholic College to Drop Graduation Speaker

The Chronicle: Daily News Blog: Outside Protests Drive Catholic College to Drop Graduation Speaker Here's a bit of good news. A St. Mary's Catholic college in Nebraska drops its pro-abortion commencement speaker. Good for them!

First Communion

Click on picture for larger image My son made his first communion last Saturday. I wanted to post on this earlier, but I didn't for a couple reasons. One reason was that I am swamped. The second is that I have more than just joy to share. First the part that was less joyful. The parish decided that they would lead with announcements about not kneeling after Communion. I prefer to have first communion done at a separate, special mass on Saturday morning instead of during the "Sunday" mass on Saturday evening. We also had to leave our two daughters with my parents because communicants sat with parents (not family, as siblings were explicitly excluded) rather than together. Every third child or so carried in butterflies during the procession (what does that have to do with Holy Communion) Then to top it off, my sons first Communion included a bit of liturgical abuse with the children called to gather around the altar during the consecration. As they were coming down from the altar for the sign of peace they handed out roses to the children to give to their parents. Way too much extra-curricular activity takes away from the entire point of the day - it isn't about butterflies or standing with the priest or felt banners or roses for the parents - it is about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and children now at the age of reason able to receive Him. Here is where the joy is. My boy got it. We had spent years talking about this day - he got the point. The day was about the first time he received the body and blood of Jesus Christ, his Lord and God. This day was extremely important to him and he was so reverent at mass. After Communion, in spite of the admonition about kneeling, he fell on his knees - not even bothering with a kneeler! Christ's presence was palpable right then.

Pope sends Mexico tough abortion message - Yahoo! News

Pretty reasonable article for an AP writer. Pope sends Mexico tough abortion message

Me monk. Me meander.: Spirituality and Men

Check out: Me monk. Me meander.: Spirituality and Men This is an excellent list of Fr. Stephonos posts on authentic Christian masculinity. Highly recommended.

Fr. Larry Richards Confession Talk

Click on picture for larger image I am in a bowling league and we had our final games in Vegas this past weekend. We had fun - the whole family took a drive across the desert and rented a house for the weekend. Now, you may think it odd that on the way to Vegas we listened to a CD on confession, but that is what we did. A friend who is part of my Cursillo 4th day meeting group gave me three CDs to listen to. I got something out of all three CDs, but the one that I wanted to share here was the on confession. It was a talk by Fr. Larry Richards. It starts with a focus on God's love and forgiveness, but to understand forgiveness we must understand sin and our own sinfulness. He goes through a very challenging and engaging review of the 10 Commandments as an examination of conscience. Father gave me quite a bit to think about for my next confession. The point that got me most was his discussion of the first commandment. For those who forgot, I have it here: "'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. " (my emphasis) Fr. Larry was talking about how we focus on the rules, but it is all about our relationship with God. People don't think about violating the First commandment, but it is most important. We are to put God FIRST. But we all fail. It got me thinking about how am I not putting God first in my life. If I can start each day asking how am I putting God first, and end each night evaluating how I did - I think I will be in a much better spot. Fr. Larry has a site at www.thereasonforourhope.org. There is more on the site, but let me point out two directly related points of interest. You can buy the CD on the site for $7 or download the mp3 for $2 (specifically here). There is also a PDF "sin list" examination of conscience that is worth reading (click here).

Ears of the Deaf & Tongue of the Mute

Click on picture for larger image Obedience to God's will is not always about speaking up - sometimes it is remaining silent. My wife and I were talking about personalities in my family. We were discussing how I have no fear of conflict. I love to speak in public and am a leader, which tends to mean I have no problem saying what is on my mind. Mostly this is a positive trait, but it can get me into trouble. A homily at Sunday Mass back in September has had a big impact on me, and as I was meditating on the rosary today, it came back to me again. I think the lesson is good for those like me who have no problem "sharing." The Gospel that day was Mark 7:31-37 about Jesus healing the deaf mute. The homily really caught my attention because our priest was saying that sometimes we need to pray to have the ears of the deaf and the tongue of the mute. Sometimes we should pray that our ears are closed to what we should not hear and that our tongue is held when we should not speak. This is exactly opposite of what I had expected. I mean, the miracle was about how the deaf hear and the mute speak. I did a double take to make sure I heard correctly - definitely not what I had expected. Immediately after mass the message was stamped firmly into my gray matter. Someone who fancies himself a Parish Big Wig (Mr. PBW), decided that when I read the petitions the previous week, I had mispronounced a name and I was in need of correction. I was in such need, that he did not wait until I had a donut and coffee - he didn't even wait until I was out of church - heck, he was walking across the church before the recessional hymn was finished. As Mr. PBW was speaking I could feel the blood rush to my head and several quips leapt to mind. There are lots of reasons I am not a Mr. PBW fan, and this was my chance to share my insights about his issues. But as he was speaking, I remembered the homily. I prayed for the ears of the deaf and the tongue of the mute. I smiled, accepted his correction, and went out with my family. I don't know if I have ever had a homily lesson that I had to put into action that quickly after mass. As I was meditating today on the "Presentation in the Temple," I was thinking about how the rules of the temple - Mary being ritually cleansed and Christ being presented and ransomed back - were not necessary for the Holy Family. I mean, she was pure and he was, well, God. But here our Redeemer and the Blessed Mother both subjected themselves to the law. The lesson in humility and obedience was so clear. Then this homily came to mind. Sometimes we must be subject to that which may not seem fair or right or necessary. While many times these situations call for word or action, sometimes they call for silence, for subjugation, for waiting. For those like me who have no trouble speaking up, this requisite lesson can be hard (at least I have found it so). At times, I still find myself praying for the ears of the deaf and the tongue of the mute at my parish. But I find the lesson extended to the Internet as well. I have found myself wanting to write a post or leave a comment that, after a quick prayer, remains unpublished. Not easy, but necessary.

Church Fathers Quiz

I took this quiz tongue in cheek the first time, and came out as St. Jerome (it could have been the "hit 'em over the head" answer). Taking a bit less tongue in cheek introduced me to a saint I had not known. You’re St. Melito of Sardis! You have a great love of history and liturgy. You’re attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins. Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers! h/t to Ironic Catholic

Authentic Masculinity

Fr Stephanos O.S.B. from Me Monk. Me Meander recommends two articles for Catholic Dads, but I thought they were worth posting here as well. The Firemen of Sept. 11 and the Meaning of Masculinity What’s a real man? He's not a bully or a wimp. He transcends his own ego, his own fears, his own selfishness, and sacrifices himself as a gift to those he's called to protect. Here is a quote from the article: "The reason gay marriage seems plausible to some people is that our understanding of masculinity is blurred, thanks to 35 years of hostility to authentic manhood in the universities, in the media, in the arts. There's a masculinity crisis in our society and in the Church. The divorce rate is at 50-percent. Fatherless families are common. Catholic priests are in crisis. Many men aren't doing what they're supposed to do." The Father Almighty, Maker of Male and Female A Psychologist Looks at the Importance of God the Father for Male & Female Identity And a quote: "IT IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED today that the Christian concept of God as Father is under attack. Specifically, various religious writers, primarily feminists, have proposed that God should be called Mother, or possibly the androgynous Father/Mother or Mother/Father. In some instances the term God as Parent has been proposed. In contrast, this paper will explore the psychological case for the orthodox understanding of God as Father. Obviously, this is a sensitive subject today—but where angels fear to tread, psychologists rush in."

Alleluia! He is Risen!

Click on picture for larger image Happy Easter! This has been a fabulous weekend. I took Friday off for Good Friday observance, then Lynn & I went to the Easter Vigil. It is a joy to watch people come into the Church. Mags had to serve at 7:15 mass, so we went then as well. After all that, the family feast was at our house (I have finally mastered the art of prime rib). After Easter Vigil, we drove straight to somewhere I could buy a nice big Diet Coke. I gave it up for Lent, and missed it every day. I know some people who have given up things never to miss them again. Not the case here. The first thing the 7 year old said when we woke him up Easter Sunday - "I can eat fries again." It was interesting how giving up something for 40+ days can add to the joy. Hmmm. Maybe this Catholic stuff makes sense. :D Check out Amber's Easter post. She became a Catholic (with thousands of others) at Easter Vigil on Saturday. Welcome, Amber!

Easter Triduum!

Click on picture for larger image The Easter Triduum starts this evening with the Mass of the Lord's supper where we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, peaks during the Easter Vigil Saturday night, and ends with evening prayers on Easter Sunday. This is the holiest time in the Church Calendar. Because of this I will be offline through Easter Sunday. To my blogging friends who will be officially joining the Church this Easter Vigil, I'll be praying for you and celebrating your homecoming at our own parish's Easter Vigil. May the peace of the risen Christ be with all of you and your families. See you Monday.

Pope's Prayer Intentions for April

Vatican, Apr. 2, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has announced the prayer intentions of Pope Benedict XVI for the month of April 2007. The Pope's general intention is: "That, allowing himself to be enlightened and guided by the Holy Spirit, every Christian may answer enthusiastically and faithfully to the universal call to sanctity." The Pope's missionary intention is: "That the number of priestly and religious vocations may grow in North America and the countries of the Pacific Ocean, in order to give an adequate answer to the pastoral and missionary needs of those populations."

Knights Of Columbus Button

Click on picture for larger image I haven't called out my Photo365 project in a while. This was today's picture. You can see all I have so far this year by clicking here. K of C stands for Knights of Columbus. Any practical Catholic men out there (in union with the Holy See and who practices the precepts of the Catholic Church), click here to check out the Knights of Columbus online, or ask at your parish about the local council.

On The Clergy

I read a post on Stephen Bainbridge's site about Cardinal Mahoney and a report by the LA Times. This article is about how Cardinal Mahoney should resign because, according to an LA Times article, Cardinal Mahoney had allegedly said two different things in regards to an abuse case. As one of the commenters pointed out, the issue may not be as straightforward as reported. This is only one example of the priest/bishop bashing that goes on in the allegedly Catholic Blogosphere. Now in terms of how we see the Church, Cardinal Mahoney is nowhere near where I stand on a lot of issues. There are many things Cardinal Mahoney has done that I am not pleased with - handling of the abuse cases, closing the minor and college seminaries, a reduction in support for Catholic education, tolerance of liturgical abuses, the albatross of a Cathedral we are stuck with, and the list can go on. I do miss Cardinal Manning who was the previous shepherd for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. All of that is insufficient for public displays of division. Publicly calling for the resignation of a bishop smacks of protestantism. We do not hire and fire our pastors - they are appointed to us. In the end, Cardinal Mahoney is the properly appointed head of the Church in Los Angeles. I do wish some of his fellow Cardinals would correct him as a brother, but it is not the place of the laity or even priests to publicly call for the ouster of a Cardinal of the Church. I am a relatively new Knight of Columbus , but one of the things that I like about the Knights is our loyalty to the Pope, our priests and the hierarchy of the Church. In fact, I have a button right next to my computer screen that says "In Solidarity With Our Priests." I agree wholeheartedly, EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD (especially when it is hard). I wish more of those who see themselves as faithful would hold their tongues in public instead of joining the mainstream media in publicly attacking our Church.

Any Other Catholic Dads Out There?

Some of the guys online were duking it out about masculinity in the Catholic blogosphere - I am not so interested in that debate, but I have noticed that while there is a substantial community of Catholic Mom blogs (many are quite good), there isn't really any cohesion for us dads. So I wanted to kick out an idea and see what you think. Is there any interest in creating a new listing of Catholic Dads? We would reference and visit each other's sites, have some sort of icon to post, you get the idea. It would be a great way to identify and support those of us who occupy a pretty important role in the life of our families, the Church, and society at large. To tell you the truth, I'd like to read more Catholic dad related stuff. What do you think? Any interest? Any ideas for a name? Maybe something with St. Joe. Shoot me a comment.

Gargoyle Code

Click on image to go to Standing on My Head I am definitely a fan of Fr. Dwight Longenecker's blog Standing on My Head. I highly recommend the blog, but especially the series he has going called the Gargoyle Code - a good read based on a Screwtape Letters motif. You can get all of the Gargoyle Code posts by clicking here. The image comes from the Gargoyle Code posts on Fr. Longenecker's site. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

Vatican paper decries abuses at gay-rights rally

Apparently, "tolerance" is a one way street. Oh yeah, the "tolerance" proponents hate Catholicism and that whole pesky right and wrong thing. Ahhh, relativism... I got this article from here at Catholic World News Rome, Mar. 13, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has denounced the March 10 rally staged in downtown Rome in support of same-sex unions, saying that the demonstration was staged “by those who demand recognition from others, but do not demonstrate respect for others themselves.” L’Osservatore Romano called attention to the many demonstrators who insulted Catholics and mocked Church teaching during the rally. The paper went on to observe that many demonstrators brought young children, “the fruit of previous relations or of in-vitro fertilization.” These little children, L’Osservatore charged, were “abused in order to create the image of a family.” Despite the strident rhetoric of many participants in the rally, the leading parliamentary supporter of homosexual rights, Franco Grillini, insisted that the rally had been “an example of sobriety, composure, enthusiasm, and political action.”

Cursillo Weekend Experience

Click on picture for larger image Well I am back, and all I can say is WOW! I'm not going to share any of the details of the weekend, as it may be a spoiler, but let me share some of the fruits of the experience. Kevin commented that I was going to come back on fire for my faith - and He was right. I feel like I imagine Peter felt coming down from Mount Tabor after the transfiguration - it was powerful and humbling. It was awe inspiring to see so many MEN stand up for their Catholic faith to be counted (Cursillo has men and women weekends separately). It was such an opportunity for Christ to speak to me. And the experience is so very rooted in our Catholicism, in our faith, in the sacraments. That is one of the things that kept my skepticism in check - the dedication to our Church (and the hierarchy) and the importance of the Eucharist. It was a wonderful way to deepen my faith and envigorate my journey. And what a wonderful way to encounter Christ in others. At the end of the experience, we are asked to write down what it meant to each one of us. Here is what it meant to me: "Cursillo has showed me that I am on the right road, but there is so much more to do. It has reminded me that I am not alone on this road, and has challenged me to share the journey - to help others and let them help me. Cursillo has reinforced Christ's message of love and reminded me that I must TRUST and FOLLOW Him (not ask that he follow me). Crusillo has also reminded me of the importance of my wife and our vocation to his community and my salvation." BTW, There was a discussion recently about masculinity in the St. Blog parish. If you want to find authentic masculinity in the Church - look into Cursillo. There is no doubt, these men are MEN, of the best Catholic Christian kind: married, single, fathers, priests, military, law enforcement, engineers, lawyers, mechanics, teachers, students, rich, poor, white, black, brown - men. One more thing I'd like to share with those of you who are Catholic - THANK YOUR PRIESTS! LOVE YOUR PRIESTS! They need us, just as we need them. We are their family. Love them as priests and as brothers. If someone asks you if you are interested in attending - be open to the Spirit, He is calling.

Cursillo Weekend

I will be off-line for a few days as I have been invited on a Crusillo weekend. Prayers for this weekend would be appreciated. I don't know a lot about Crusillo, but I guess I'll find out shortly. I'll check back in on Monday.

Lenten Prayer & Reflections at ... Ukok's Place ...

For some very good lenten prayer and reflection, visit Deb at ... Ukok's Place ...

Orange County Tridentine Mass

I just found out that the Diocese of Orange in CA has started having Tridentine masses every Sunday. One is at the Pope John Paul II Polish Center in Yorba Linda (7AM). The other is in the Serra Chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano at 8AM. The one in Yorba Linda (at least) is experimental, and will be re-evaluated in 6 months. The LA diocese (which is way larger than Orange) has a few locations. You can find them by clicking to http://www.archdiocese.la/directories/parishes/indult.html Being under 40, I have never been to a Tridentine. I may attend the one in Yorba Linda. None of the LA locations is remotely close to me, but I may make the trip to Yorba Linda. I lector next week, but perhaps the week after.... Have to check with my better half first, we may want to do a little preparation first.

Catholic Quote - St. Theresa of Avila

The picture is not one of mine, I got it from boglewood.com. The statue is titled The Ecstasy of S. Teresa di Avila. "Believe me, the safest thing is to will only what God wills, for He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He loves us." - St. Teresa of Avila in Interior Castle

First Confession

Click on picture for a larger image. Yesterday, my boy went to Confession for the first time. I wish I had the camera as he opened the door to go in, turned, and gave us one last look. I hope I remember that for a good long time. This year we have had a baptism, a first confession, and in May we will have a first Holy Communion. Quite the year.

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. May your Lenten season be prayerful, and may God use the penances you endure for your benefit and His glory. “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level and the rough places a plain” Is 40:3-4 BTW, the timestamp is off because it is after midnight East Coast (where I am traveling), but Blogger still thinks I am in CA.

Papal Message for Lent 2007

"They Shall Look on Him Whom They Have Pierced - Papal Message for Lent 2007 - Zenit News Agency Lent is here next week. Are you ready? The pope's thoughts on the upcoming lenten season is a good time to start.

Nancy and Me: A Lament

Nancy and Me: A Lament - George Weigel I like how Goeorge Weigel refers to the fight for the unborn as the greatest civil rights issue. Nancy Pelosi, though she claims to be Catholic, is on the wrong side. Let's pray for her. She has the right background, she has just gotten lost on the way.

Standing on My Head: The Tightrope of Tolerance and Tyranny

Standing on My Head: The Tightrope of Tolerance and Tyranny Father Dwight Longenecker has an outstanding blog. He is a Catholic priest, converted to Catholicism when he was an Anglican priest. His blog is fabulous. Check this post out. Definitely worth adding to your blog list.

Strong Vatican support for death-penalty abolition

Catholic World News : Strong Vatican support for death-penalty abolition My thoughts: A pro-life position means consistency. Either human life is of inherent value and dignity or it is not. Some want to pick and choose (it is easier to love babies than criminals). I get the difficulty opposing the death penalty - I despise what these people have done. But we must let our reason and faith rule our emotion. Now, in terms of priority - for the US, more than three times the number of abortions occur everyday than all of the executions in the past 30 years.

Lent: Knowing who we are before God

Lent is fast approaching. I came across this article that I found beneficial. It is about knowing oneself before God while doing penance. The devil can use our self-delusions to drive a wedge at the very time we are seeking God. I know I have found this to be so. Lent: Knowing who we are before God - Catholic Online: "In his homily during Mass at Warsaw’s Pi’lsudzki Square last May 26, Pope Benedict XVI said: “Faith does not mean accepting a certain number of abstract truths about the mysteries of God, of man, of life and death, of future realities. Faith consists in an intimate relationship with Christ, a relationship based on love of him who loved us first [cf. 1 Jn 4:11], even to the total offering of himself.” "

Baltimore Chatechism Quiz

You are a 100% traditional Catholic! Congratulations! You are more knowledgeable than most modern theologians! You have achieved mastery over the most important doctrines of the Catholic Faith! You should share your incredible understanding with others! Do You Know Your Baltimore Catechism? Make Your Own Quiz I never thought of myself as traditional, but I do like to know my faith. Check out this quiz created by Cause Of Our Joy

Baptism and Daddy Going Solo With Gracie

Well, the baptism went very well on Sunday. Gracie is now grace filled. :) She was awake during the entire mass, but then was out like a light the rest of the day. We very much enjoyed sharing the day with family and the entire community. The celebration afterwards was wonderful. My cousin Jerry came. He is fallen away, but has been slowly coming back to the church. His wife seems interested in potentially converting. I am sure prayers would be appreciated. Tuesday, I had Gracie all to myself for the day. Now, I can see how that could sound exciting, but I was a bit worried. I work at home, sure, but I had been relying on Lynn to take care of the rest of the household. Well, Lynn teaches music part-time at the parish school - and this was the first day back since Gracie was born. Of course I handled things perfectly. While it certainly does help when the child decides to sleep most of the day, but I was ready. Well, we'll see how Thursday goes.

Last Day As A Heathen

Hurrah! Tomorrow is Gracie's last day as a heathen. Yes she has gone through CRIB (Christian Right of Initiation for Babies) and is set to be baptized at mass tomorrow morning. Prayers are welcome as she joins our larger Catholic Christian family. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Epiphany

Today was the feast of the Epiphany - where we celebrate the magi bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. I hope your Epiphany was enlightening. Father Joe gave a wonderful homily today. I'd like to share the themes he touched. Not that the ideas are new, but he showed a connection I had missed before. He was discussing the magi and how their attention to nature and their wisdom (i.e., reason) they were able to get very close to Christ...but not all the way. Wisdom and nature are wonderful tools, but insufficient by themselves. The magi needed to consult scripture (i.e., revelation) to go all the way. Reason and nature can get you going in the right direction, but God must reach out and guide us as well - we cannot do it on our own. That is what God does through Scripture - reveal Himself to us. Father had a second point I caught. It was the magi and not Herod or the scribes that visited Christ. Even though the scribes had the answer, they were unwilling to do anything about it. Belief is insufficient. Action is required. Non-Christians who seek God, though they have not revelation may get closer to Christ than Christians who have faith but do not act. We must live our faith, take action, and follow where God leads.

El Camino Real

Click on picture to see a larger image. I live near El Camino Real which connects all of the California missions. In Spanish, camino means road or way and real means royal or splendid. But real also means real (just like it is spelled in English). Typically, people translate it as the royal road, but I like the more poetic interpretation of the real way, or (if you will) the true path. Given my understanding of history, I know that my interpretation is not the most likely - but I suspect the padres may have enjoyed the play on words. The talk of paths gets to a topic I have thought about for years: the path that people are on (especially me). Being trained as a personality psychologist and raised a Catholic, I often thought about the concept of free will, a concept that most behavioral scientists flatly reject. The faith that most psychologists/scientists hold is that if they only knew all of the right variables, they could perfectly predict human behavior - it is completely determined. A corollary of this is that given all of the variables in play at any given time, a person can do no other than he or she does - there is no such thing as free will. Now, as a Catholic, this was a concept I rejected. Thankfully, I had an advisor who was very philosophically minded. We had many debates on philosophy of science, the existence of God, and free will - though I think I frustrated him on this particular issue. During those conversations I developed my perspective that combines both the idea that behavior can be determined AND can be chosen freely. People typically go through life on auto-pilot. Life happens to them. They react, largely automatically, from a repertory of learned responses. Their goals and ambitions are prescribed to them more than they are chosen, and they plod away at life - much like sheep. They may have free will, but it doesn't often manifest itself. They float through life, tossed about by the currents of society governed by the automatic short-cut responses built into each person's psychology. Life is more accidental than intentional. The road they are on, is a road provided by the world around them. People CAN choose to act, if they really want to. They just usually do not really want to. They can do the difficult things. They can choose to not let their past guide their actions. They can choose to buck what society tells them. In my mind, that is how you can account for saints or other extraordinary people (including the bad ones). You see, while the materialist empiricist has faith that they will eventually be able to explain everything, they can't now. I believe that they will never be able to completely predict human behavior, and can partially predict behavior only because people go with the flow, and let the currents guide them. They can choose differently, but don't typically do so. Now this may not always be a bad thing. Sometimes, we need to attend to only some areas where we must choose, and others are put on auto-pilot. This can be a sane strategy. But if we live our lives without consciously making choices, what kind of road are we on? El Camino Real, or the primrose path? If you don't choose, the choice gets made for you. Tags: choice, Catholic,Christian, free will

EWTN Making Choices Clear

Click on picture to see a larger image. Compare EWTN and WGN at 8pm in the picture for a real choice in TV. Leave it to EWTN to make the choice clear. :-) Tags: Catholicism, Christianity, TV, EWTN

10 Rules for handling disagreement like a Christian

Check out this wonderful article written by Bishop Allen H. Vigneron from Oakland, CA for that Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Voice It looks like this is from back in 2005. Still good stuff. Here is the summary: 1. The Rule of Charity: “Charity is primary.” 2. The Rule of Publicity: “Think with the mind of the Church.” 3. The Rule of Legitimate Freedom: “What the Church allows is not to be disallowed.” 4. The Rule of Catholic Freedom: “There’s something for everybody, but not everything is for everybody.” 5. The Rule of Modesty: “Not all of my causes are God’s causes.” 6. The Rule of Integrity: “To do evil in order to accomplish good is really to do evil.” 7. The Rule of Realism: “Remember that Satan is eager to corrupt my efforts to build up the Kingdom, and he’s smart enough to figure out a way to do it. 8. The Rule of Mystery: “Not all the habits and attitudes which belong to a society governed by a representative democracy are appropriate in the Church.” 9. The Petrine Rule: “Nobody ever built up the Church by tearing down the pope.” 10. The Eschatological Rule: “The victory is assured; my job is to run out the clock with style.” Click on any of the rules to go to the original. Read the whole thing. It is worth it. I found this through Love 2 Learn Mom at Studeo She found it at DarwinCatholic

Today's Catholic Quote

By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments. Saint Thomas Aquinas Tags: Catholic, Quote

Pope: faith AND reason - that's the point!

The events this past week are somewhat frustrating. The Muslim world is up in arms because the Pope quotes a Byzantine emperor. I read the speech. The point the Pope was making was about the West and that reason cannot be divorced from Faith. The Emperor's point was that violence as part of religion is a violation or reason, and thus why he rejects Islam. The emperor's point is that faith that is counter to reason is false. The Pope was scolding the west because reason without faith is false . His point ... we need both! Where is that in the news? It's not? Hmmm. Now, one can take the quote of the emperor as saying that violence has no place as official doctrine and dogma in faith beacause it is counter to reason. And the Muslim world, in their violent reaction, is acting unreasonably. Did Catholics burn buildings at the Last Temptation of Christ movie? Was there revolt at the Da Vinci Code? Are we revolting now as Muslims burn the Pope in effigy? Are we calling for "Holy War" as nuns are gunned down and churches are burned? No. There is a lot of reaction and condemnation by the Muslim world of things they don't like from the Western world (Catholic and otherwise). This condemnation is loud, clear, and violent. However, there is only quiet (if any) condemnation of the uncivilized, violent, and godless behavior done in the name of their very religion. How can anyone beleive this is reasonable? Of course, I find it equally interesting that the amoral (often atheistic) Western media delights in fostering (even hosting) these battles. Why the coverage here? Why the search for that which will divide and undermine? They miss the point of the Pope's speech (his whole trip, in fact), but delight in controversy. Read the Pope's speech. You will find that it is not a message of hate as the media and Muslim world would have you believe. It is a message of hope and a challenge to Western thinkers that they need faith as well as reason. The Muslim world, perhaps, should also listen. Perhaps more reason is a good idea with their faith. I read the speech here http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=46474

Five People in Five Categories Meme

Click on picture to see a larger image. Moneybags from A Catholic Life has posed difficult questions. As you can see in the picture, I went to my thinking spot and made some tough choices. I will refrain from giving any "whys" as tempting as that may be, since it would take too long, and I am low on energy. Besides, projective techniques are fun both for the person taking it AND the interpreter. The psychologist in me wants to ask "so why do YOU think I chose these?" :) Before giving the list, I have one caveat. I am leaving out Jesus (celebrity of the best kind) and the Blessed Mother (Saint or Celebrity). Mostly, because I wanted more space. :) Here goes: Instructions: "If you could meet and have a deep conversation with any five people on earth, living or dead, from any time period, who would they be?" Name five people from each of the following categories: Saints, Those in the Process of Being Canonized, Heroes from your native country, Authors/Writers, Celebrities. Then, tag five people. Saints St. Peter St. Ignatius Loyola St. Francis of Assisi St. Thomas Aquinas St. Augustine of Hippo Those being canonized John Paul II Mother Theresa Junipero Sera John XXIII Kateri Tekakwitha American Heroes Abe Lincoln Franklin Roosevelt Dwight Eisenhower JFK Jimmy Carter Authors J. R. R. Tolkien C.S. Lewis Mark Twain William Shakespeare Stephen King (wow! How does he fit?!) Celebrities Humphrey Bogart Harrison Ford Meg Ryan Steve Martin Gordon Sumner (Sting) Tag Your it: Jennifer F at "Et Tu Jen?" Adoro Te Devote at AdoroTeDevote Amber at This Catholic Journey The Ironic Catholic at The Ironic Catholic Jerry Grasso at My Autistic Boy And Other Adventures In Fatherhood

Joy

Click on picture to see a larger image. When I see the picture above, I see and feel joy. When I lived the moment, there was joy. We finally had reached our destination on a long trip. Why is this relevant? Read on. This weeks Sunday readings were particularly good. I read a wonderful take on this that I have quoted from below. There are lots of lessons in his commentary. I particularly like the point on joy and why Christ chose wine to turn into his Blood, and have quoted it below. I got this from the Zenit news service. I have only quoted parts - check out the entire posting by clicking on the link below. From: Father Cantalamessa on Bread and Wine "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." The Gospel passage continues the reading of chapter 6 of John. The new element is that to the discourse on bread Jesus adds that of wine; to The image of food he adds that of drink, the gift of his flesh and of his blood. Here, Eucharistic symbolism reaches its culmination and totality. But, why, precisely, did Jesus choose wine to signify his blood? Just because of the affinity of color? What does wine represent for men? It represents joy, celebration; it does not represent usefulness so much (as bread does) but delight. It is not only made to drink, but also to toast. Jesus multiplied the loaves because of the people's need, but in Cana he multiplied the wine for the delight of the guests. Scripture says that "wine gladdens man's heart andbread strengthens it" (Psalm 104:15). If Jesus had chosen bread and water for the Eucharist, he would only have indicated the sanctification of suffering ("bread and water" are in fact synonymous with fasting, austerity and penance). By choosing bread and wine he also wished to indicate the sanctification of joy. How wonderful it would be if we also learned to live the joys of life in a Eucharistic manner, that is, in thanksgiving to God. God's presence and look do not cloud our honest joys; on the contrary, they enlarge them. Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Eucharist, Blood of Christ, Wine, Joy

Love, Guidance, or Guidance AND Love

Click on picture to see a larger image. I have been thinking some things, and I want to express them. I humbly ask for your thoughts and guidance as I struggle with these issues. If I state things strongly, it is not for lack of respect - it is passion; passion about my faith, about my Church, and about building a Catholic community. I have been wrestling with a couple thoughts. They have to do with the whole left/right thing within the Church. In my description I say that I am not liberal and I am not conservative. I am Catholic, and that makes all the difference. What do I think that means? Let me share some personal examples - then I'll get to it. I have been having an ongoing conversation with my brother. He is definitely feeling called to work on social justice issues, and he likes to challenge people. He is 23, and I am 37. I think I was a lot like him that way when I was 23. He wore a t-shirt recently that on one level, I firmly agree with. It said "Oxymoron: Pro Life and Pro Death Penalty." I saw this, and got peeved with him. Why? I am pro-life and anti death penalty - what's my beef? Well, I believe that protecting unborn children is top of the pro-life list (but I do agree with the Church -and my bro- that there is a lot more than one item on the list). Those good people, working against abortion are doing good work on this most important issue. Should they be criticized then because of what they are not doing? Aren’t there are enough people criticizing from the outside? Online, you can so easily stumble onto a "catholic" site promoting women priests, or the schismatic Society of St. Paul, or any number of extremists. Take the term "Orthodox Catholic." Here is a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia: "He, therefore, is orthodox, whose faith coincides with the teachings of the Catholic Church." With that definition, I say, “AMEN! I am orthodox (thank God)!” But using it as a label, it says something different. It says, "I am right, and if you don't agree with me, you are wrong." I have seen "Orthodox Catholic" used, on one hand, by those who think we can and should ordain women priests yet, on the other hand, by those who think Vatican II was a heresy, and the pope an apostate. Me? I'll be a Catholic (and an orthodox one), but not an "Orthodox Catholic." What is going on? How did we get here? When I look at the extremes of the spectrum, I see people emphasizing two important messages from Christ, but to different degrees. Christ preached love - of the poor, of the sinner, of the outcast. Jesus was also not too big a fan of the then current rule focused religious - he had some choice words for them. They understood and practiced the rules of the religion, but missed the point on God's love. This is where the far "Left" lives - accepting the sinners and outcasts, while shunning rules that they feel oppressive to achieving those ends. But Christ also preached repentance: "Go and sin no more." This means that there are rules that need to be followed. He did preach the Commandments (as well as love). He also made clear some pretty stiff consequences for rejecting his teachings (yep, there is a Hell). And then He established a Church on the rock of Peter - that has the power to hold things bound. That is where the "Right" lives - obedience, living rightly by the rules, and repentance for their sins, but also judging those who bend/break the rules. The Right sees the gift God gave us in the guidance from the true Church of Christ - and that ignoring that Truth can have grave (and fiery) consequences, but they forget the reaching out by Christ Himself to the tax collectors and prostitutes. If you move too far to the left, you forget that there is responsibility and authority that go with love. If you move too far to the right, you get an overemphasis on the rules and condemnation of sinners – you forget the love. On the left, you get modernism. Not good. On the right you get modern day Pharisees. Also not good. On the left, we hear that Vatican II did not go far enough. On the right we hear that it went too far. I may be wrong, but I think we need both the love and guidance - TOGETHER. We need to accept and forgive and encourage, but we must hold firm to our Faith and the Teachings. We need to not change everything willy-nilly. But we should embrace guided change under the leadership in Rome and the bishops - though God only knows how some of them became bishops. ("Thy will be done" not "my will be done"). And about Vatican II - I am orthodox - I believe the Holy Spirit will never leave the Church, and wasn't taking a nap when it happened. It did not go too far. And it went just as far as it should have, any further would have been too far. So that is what it looks like from where I am. Am I full of bologna? Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, orthodox

Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Click on picture to see a larger image. Today is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today we celebrate when God brought Mary's body as well as her soul to Heaven after she died. She gets to fully participate in the resurrection right away because of her selfless, sinless life. She is the one who said yes to God - Praise God for that "YES!" The love our Lord must have for his mother! And, oh the love she has for us her children! Christ gave her to us, and us to her through John when he was on the Cross. It is awesome - in the true sense of the word. Let's celebrate!!!!! I'd like to do it here in two ays. I am blessed to lector at this evening's mass. I'd like to quote from the reading I will be allowed to proclaim tonight (these are just two of the lines). It is from Revelation 11:2,5. "A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod." Amen! The other way I want to celebrate, is with on of my favorite prayers. It is the Momorare: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen. Have a great feast day!!!!! Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Blessed Virgin Mary, Prayer, Memorare

Forgive me Father for I have sinned...

Click on picture to see a larger image. I was on Sacred Space(one of my favorites - the link is in the side bar), and they had some thoughts today that seemed to hit home. So I'd like to share part of it. Here is part of what they wrote: "...When God looks at me, he desires me and is saying: You are desirable. I made you good. I want you. God sees me as his daughter or son, whom he loves. He says: You are mine. His gaze says: I delight in you. Can I accept this gaze of love? Or do I run back into disapproval of myself?...." I went to confession today - we all go as a family (poor Mike has to wait for us - he starts second grade this year, so not too much longer until he can do more than wait). I felt that giddy feeling afterwards, when your soul is all fresh and clean. I don't know if others have that feeling, but when I make an honest confession - I feel liberated (and loved)! Anyways, the quote above got me thinking.... I know EXACTLY what this is like! I had been going to confession once a year (or so) for some time. None of them were as full as they should be, and I should have gone more often. Why was I falling down here? Some of it was pride (what do I need a priest for, I can go straight to God). Some of it was that I didn't want to confess certain things. Why? Because I didn't forgive myself. I disapproved of me. The funny thing is, a lot of people who know me would be surprised at that. When I was in the corporate world, I was seen as confident. Some would have said I could stand a little humility (and they would have been right). But at the same time, I did not seek forgiveness, because I wasn't able to forgive myself. I am not sure of the exact relationship between this self-disapproval (unworthiness, shame, etc.?) and pride - but I see a connection. What do you think? I really would like your opinions. Whatever the answer to the connection, I do know this. I finally had a fabulous confession - I laid it all out on the line. I even wrote things down because I wanted to get it all out and have an absolutely clean start. But it required two things: 1. I had to set aside my pride, and humble myself before God, and the priest that stands in for Christ and the body of Christ (that is all of you). Once I humbled myself, I could seek out God and ask for forgiveness. The other thing I had to do, was believe I was worth forgiving. THAT is the connection to the quote above. I think that doing both, humbling myself and believing I was worthy, were two sides of the same coin - I was greater than I feared in God's eyes, and less than I pretended in my own. When I made my confession, I said my greatest sin was my pride. I acted as if I knew better than the Church, I didn't really need a pries to confess all my sins, I knew what was sinful and what was not. But I was afraid to admit this! As I reflect on how I feared bearing my soul (and being vulnerable) in prepping for that confession and how I avoided having that true confession for such a long time, I have to ask why. In the end, it is exactly what the quote above said. Yes I was sinful, but it was my inability to forgive myself that led to a growing rift between me and God. And from that rift, grew my pride (which is a poor substitute for God's love). The feeling I had after that confession was unbelievable. I wanted to run out and do my penance immediately. I was filled with joy. I wanted to dance and sing, do things for others, tell people about God, write blogs and leave encouraging comments for others. :) I am happy to say, that I felt the same exuberance today, even though it had only been a little longer than a month since my last confession. Letting God love you, and loving him back is pretty darn good! God's love, and that fresh clean soul feeling... you just can't beat it! Thank you Lord for confession! Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Pride, Unworthy, Confession

Asking God for Signs

I just wanted to provide a quick link to a post I read that was rather powerful. Check it out if you get a chance. It is at Et tu, Jen?. Take a moment to check it out!

St. Joseph Prayer for Work

Click on picture to see a larger image. I am still feeling overwhelmed with all I have to do right now, but I am sure I can get through it. I have a couple thoughts I want to post on, but wish I had more time. They will get out eventually. In the meantime I thought I would post a prayer to St. Joseph for work. I found this at www.rc.net/marquette/carmelite/glorious_st__joseph.htm Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop, by means of labor, the gifts received from God, without recoiling before weariness or difficulties; to work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account which must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch St, Joseph. Such shall be my watchword in life and death. Amen. Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Prayer, Work, Saint Joseph

Blogging With Love

Click on picture to see a larger image. Last night I was reading my Bible. I was looking for a little peace because this week has been pretty tough, and next week looks to be the same. I have been reading 1 Corinthians, and came to chapter 13. This is the beautiful passage describing what love is and what it isn't. Last night the very first line of Chapter 13 struck me. I am quoting here from the New Jerusalem version - “Though I command languages both human and angelic – If I speak without love, I am no more than a gong booming or a cymbal crashing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) When I read the verse above, I decided to post some thoughts I have had on blogs I recently visited. I have been reading different Catholic blogs lately, and have had two distinct types of experiences. I don’t want to call out specific blogs of one or the other type, but I did want to discuss the experiences. The first experience is on sites where the writer speaks with love. The voice I hear in these is one of humility and compassion. Even when there are strong opinions, there is respect for the reader. There is a clear sense of Christian love – even in firmness. When I don't agree, I listen - perhaps I am wrong and should reconsider my position. There is a sense of community here. In others (read many), I hear condescension, condemnation, and disrespect . For example, there was a blog spot (and I don’t want to mention the name) where they were discussing homosexuality and homosexual marriage. The point of view was conservative (which I actually agree with), but the tone was utter disdain and condemnation. On another, they were preaching war and hate right after discussing pro-life and saving the unborn (even though the Pope has come out against the wars and aggression being discussed). In comments on some of the sites as well, I see a lack of Christian love for others within and outside the Church. With the first set, I feel a sense of community – even when I don’t completely agree. With the latter, I am left empty even when I am in complete agreement with the issues. Have others noticed the difference? I have included a picture of a schooner with this blog. I think we are all on the same ship (the Church). We are all in this together – but it seems like some want to either throw othersout, jump ship, or take control. All of which make for an unhappy situation. Have you seen what I mean? What do you think? Is this latter set, the noise of gongs and the sound of cymbals? Does not the noise make the message of love harder to hear? Share your thoughts. Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Love, Community, Blogging

“Thy Will Be Done” or “My Will Be Done” – Part II

click picture for larger image I had meant to get part two out yesterday, but work has heated up. And when it is your anniversary, other priorities demand the attention of any free time. So I have this today. Part I can be found by clicking here. In Part I, I discussed greed. A second stumbling block in praying “Thy Will Be Done” is pride. The Catholic Encyclopedia starts off with a succinct description of Pride: “Pride is the excessive love of one's own excellence.” How does this form a stumbling block for us? It is because we think we don’t need any guidance. We believe we are quite capable of figuring out right and wrong on our own, thank you very much. When I was in High School I had the privilege of going to Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary. I really enjoyed the religion classes – from reading encyclicals with Fr. Ziemann to Church History with Fr. Burnham to senior religion class with Fr. Dober. In Fr. Dober’s class we discussed the role of our conscience, and how we must obey our conscience, and that we will be ultimately judged against it. Well, that was enough for me. After telling Fr. Ziemann the year before that the Church needed to stay out of the bedroom, I had all I needed to feed my pride. Now, I thought, I could do whatever pleased me. It also formed a political belief that even heinous acts were OK, so long as the person'sconscience thought they were OK (and they didn't hurt anyone). Basically, pride and arrogance lead to this relativist thinking. “Hey, I’m good with it, so it must be OK” and “whatever you think is good is up to you.” So we say “It doesn’t matter if it says different in the Bible – that is just interpretation; and what does the Church know – they’re still in the dark ages.” Of course, I de-emphasized the part of Fr. Dober's teaching that said a conscience must be informed by Holy Scripture and the teachings of the Church. I didn't want to think about how it was my responsibility to study Scripture and learn what the church teaches and why. The thing is my conscience actually knew better. All along, when I would say that I was following my conscience, there was a part of me that knew I was fooling myself. I think this issue is hard for those in the United States, and I suspect for other developed democracies. We vote on issues, and my vote is as good as any other (unless you are in Florida). Everyone is equal under the law, and all are free to express their opinions. With this, we can easily confuse political tolerance with morality. Just because someone can say something does not make it true. Just because different perspectives are rightly tolerated in a democracy – does not mean that all perspectives are right. But it is easy, especially when you believe in the value of democracy, to lapse into this relativism. We set ourselves up as heads of our own individual churches. We reject Church teachings and the Scriptures, because “we know better.” But we do know better. Deep down, we know we are not wiser than God. We do need the Bible and the teachings of His Church. We know that 2000 years of study and prayer, are better informed than my current and often sinful view. If we let go of our pride and our need to control, then we are truly liberated. When we humbly approach God for teaching and guidance, then we can follow our conscience. Then we can pray "Thy will be done" and truly mean it. Tags: Christianity, Catholicism, Pride, Our Father

“Thy Will Be Done” or “My Will Be Done” – Part I

Cross in cemetery at Santa Barbara mission. Click for a larger image. When I pray the Our Father, I will often stop and contemplate one of the specific phrases. From "Our Father" to "deliver us from evil," I find meditating upon each, provides a special opportunity to open oneself to God. The phrase I stop on most is "Thy will be done." I think that praying this AND actually meaning it is the hardest thing for someone (especially an American) to do - at least it has presented a great challenge for me. I think the problem for me (and perhaps more than me?) comes in two distinct parts: greed and pride. I believe that these two sins are the greatest threat to living a Christian life. I'd like to share my thoughts on greed today and pride tomorrow. The first sense is one of greed. "My will" gives us more of what we want. We really mean "let my will be Thy will.". The thinking is tantamount to the following: "I want what I want, and I want it ASAP." We want to make more money. We want new things (car, house, computer, golf clubs, etc.). We want others to be a certain way. We want to be admired. We want recognition. We want to be in charge. We are focused on what we want, not what God wants - "my will" not "Thy will." But "my will" doesn't work! It leads to anxiety, worry, and stress. We fret over situations, other people, our own abilities, or obstacles that stand between us and our goals. And when we do achieve them, we are unfulfilled - we want more and move on to the next conquest. "My will" does not feed the soul. A focus on "my will" can also negatively change who we are. I work for myself now (and I am the toughest boss I ever had), but I had been a VP at a Fortune 1000 company. Being in my 30's, I was doing pretty well by the world's standard, and could have gone even further in the corporate world. But climbing the ladder requires an intense focus on goals to achieve success. You can end up trading things you need to get what you want - time with family vs. time at work, compassion vs. company politics, helping others vs. helping me, growing a family vs. growing a bank account, building community vs. putting in the hours. In contrast "Thy will" frees us and fills us. By doing "Thy will" we let go of control, and let God direct us. We still have goals, but now our effort is seeking alignment with God's will through an ongoing process of discernment. We still work and strive, but it is different when we give up the driver's seat. God does not stop filling us with love if we don't succeed in the way the world judges. To God, "how" we live is more important than what we accomplish. When we accept this, and stop judging ourselves on the World's terms, He will accomplish what he judges as great through us. When we can surrender that control, we can say "Thy will be done" and truly mean it. Tags: Catholicism, Christianity, Our Father, Prayer, Greed

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

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