and now,
Squirrel wedding...
Two of my squirrels got married today.
Actually they mated without ceremony. Since they were born last summer, I regarded them as brothers. I fed them all winter and they often sun themselves on top of Our Lady's shrine outside my door. They are unique in that each has blond ears. Yesterday I saw them wrestling and chasing one another, although I was surprised brother squirrels would stay together like that. This morning I noticed the boys doing something else, and I finally realized they are not brothers at all - but one is male and one is female. The female is sitting on the roof of the shrine sunning herself as I write this.
"Tooweet! Tooweet!"
Poetry Thursday is back!
Something so right..
They've got a wall in china,
Its a thousand miles long -
To keep out the foreigners they made it strong -
And I've got a wall around me
That you can't even see...
.
When something goes wrong
I'm the first to admit it -
.
And the last one to know.
When something goes right -
Well its likely to lose me,
Its apt to confuse me,
Because its such an unusual sight... - Paul Simon
For Elena...
Marie-Antoinette makes it to Le Grand Palais!Elena of Tea At Trianon must be sent to Paris immediately!
I knew Joe was nuts...
Excessive emails and text are a sign of mental illness!
PEOPLE who send excessive texts and emails may have a mental illness, according to an article in a leading psychiatric journal.
As more people leave the office computer, only to log on as soon as they get home, the American Journal of Psychiatry has found addiction to text messaging and emailing could be another form of mental illness. - News.com
Yep - this confirms my suspicion that most bloggers, as well as Joe and Danielle are wacko.
Blogs I think are over...
And why.This one, AR1 - it has been for quite sometime.
Adrienne - The FBI finally caught up with this Mafiosa prima-donna!
Cafeteria is Closed - he didn't do well on the blog awards thing this year. Way too liberal and self-serving.
Sancte Pater - Arrested for defamation.
Roving Medievalist - Finally returned to the asylum.
Tom - He'll be offline after it's revealed he isn't really in Vegas.
Veritas Splendor - she's going into a monastery! Praise God!
Angela - Going back to Beauty School to be a manicurist.
St. Monica's - Hospitalized for post-partem after backing her car into Lake Como.
Psycho Home-schooling Mom - Very ugly clothes and Victorian ideals - verging on child abuse.
June Cleaver - Betty Ford.
Wild Reed - OMIGOSH! Dissident dish and he likes Marty Haugen?! Who knew gay men could have such bad taste?
Way of A Pilgrim - I think the pilgrim is dead.
Recovering Dissident - She's opening a dance school... after prison and rehab.
Jeron's blog : "You can call me Charlene" - What can I say?
Ray - His cover has been blown - he's been a double agent for the archdiocese.
Joanna Writes - Does anyone other than her nieces and nephews care? (I think they do.)
Crescat - No one bought the trad thing and she's pissed.
Athanasius - He posted his profile photo.
How I spent my Easter...
After the Easter bunny left.Holy Saturday I shoveled snow - well, I actually played in it. I did indeed clear the driveway and the sidewalks - I live on a corner, so it is a lot to shovel. I was careful to build up Ice Mountain and partially cover the rabbit house. Then I loaded it with the final bunch of plastic eggs filled with candy. All the candy has been picked up today. (After the snow melts, and the wood dries out, I intend to burn down the rabbit house - they won't need it any longer now that Easter is here.)
Anyway, I took a short nap, got up and prayed for awhile, then I showered and went to the grocery store. It was crowded - kind of. I noticed a lot of women with lists and they were buying things for Easter dinner. I kept running into 3 sisters who were obviously getting together for Easter - and cooking together. They were kind of fighting - the older sister wanted to buy much more bakery than the others. They actually got in my way several times. I smiled at the younger sister - obviously still single, who was very bored with the other two - she knew I knew.
Got home - put away groceries, cleaned up and headed out for the Easter Vigil which began at 7:30 PM. I got there early to spend time in Our Lady's chapel. The vigil went okay, a couple of things mixed up - but it was okay. I liked it. I was happy I went - it was nice to see the baptisms and confirmations - very edifying. I appreciate reverts and converts much better now. I was also happy to see other guys wearing jeans. I almost didn't stay after I saw a few guys in suits. But several husbands showed up in jeans, and so I felt more at home. I don't care what people say - I hate the big emphasis on dressing up. It is perhaps the most unfriendly thing about religious people, that they insist people dress a certain way.
Anyway - I got home, broke my fast with a drink and pizza and went to bed.
Today I got up and watched CBS Sunday Morning - I love that show. Although I can't remember what was on - except for Lenny Kravitz. He's a phony. He's not really a rock person - well he is - but he's total fashion, Madison Ave., a Bergdorf Blondes type of rock star. That's right - he is a phony.
So, then I checked out Drudge and posted a couple of things on the blog - they haven't shown up yet - they were videos and sometimes they don't post immediately. I had a huge breakfast and took another nap. I wanted to go to Walgreen's afterwards but decided against it.
I love going to Walgreen's on holidays - that's weird, isn't it. (Yeah, that's not a question.) It's kind of a lonely guy thing to do. I look at their DVD's, sometimes page through the magazines - sometimes they have really good Musak. Many times I listen to stuff I haven't heard for years. Once they seemed to be playing all Lisa Stansfield's hits - that was fun. The toys area is especially cool, in fact, Walgreen's is where I bought all of my Napoleon Dynamite talking pens. I once bought a princess crown there for my former boss. (I miss her!)
So anyway - I didn't go to Walgreen's because the cats and I decided to pray.
Later I did some more blog stuff and then it was time for 60 Minutes - I love that show. But I'm writing this. Gotta go!
It's Easter!
Lent is so over!I'm so happy Lent is over. I love Lent, but I've wanted to write more silly, lightehearted things, but because it was Lent, my postings have been very serious; often dry, intellectual, and/or spiritual musings - yep! on all of my blogs - "no foolishness" has been the rule! No funny business for me during Lent. But now I can write about all the fun things I've been pondering, plans for the future, and all of that.
(Photo: "Peep Show" sent to me by my angel-nephew Todd.)
Holy Saturday...
What to do?
Even as a little kid I had trouble getting over the trauma of Good Friday, thus on Holy Saturday, I usually felt a deep sense of spiritual solitude, which is best understood as loneliness, although it isn't exactly that. Early on I developed a particular devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows for this day, which seemed to assuage my feelings of emptiness. I would go to church in the morning, but it seemed so empty for me; all the statues still covered, the altar bare and the tabernacle door open. (When I was little, the Easter Vigil always began at 11 PM, not early evening as it is now.)
My family really didn't celebrate Easter in a big way, except my mom always made sure I brought Easter water back after Mass - she was sure it was miraculous. Of course, we had Easter baskets too. Yet, unlike the photo above, we never had a priest come to bless our Easter food, nor did we bring the food or our Easter baskets to church to be blessed. Although, it is nice to know this custom is still observed in many traditional ethnic parishes.
Funny Story...
So one Holy Saturday, after returning home from a visit to the church, I arrive to find my mother all verklempft because my dad was not back from the store yet. He had left the house about 9 AM to pick up some things for Easter. Finally, around mid-afternoon he called, and my sister answered the phone. She handed it to my mom saying it was dad - I could tell by her expression it was going to be nutty.
"You're drunk!" My mom shouted. Then they argued a little, evidently my dad was explaining why he wasn't home yet and was calling to be reminded of what he should pick up at the store. According to his story, he was gone for so long because he had been helping the police look for me all day. He was back at Piggly Wiggly talking to the manager and it turned out, according to dad, I had stolen a bush from the store and everyone was looking for me. (Remember, it was a grocery store, not a garden center.) Even my mother had to laugh, in fact we were all laughing after she got off the phone because the story made no sense at all.
Anyway - she said she would meet him at the store to make sure he got the right stuff. We waited, but they never got back home until after the bar closed that night.
Necedah: crazy or magick?
I'd say both.
The purported apparitions of Our Lady to Mary Ann Van Hoof at Necedah, Wisconsin have consistently been condemned by the Catholic Church, although the shrine continues to attract devotees and is maintained by people who insist the apparitions and revelations were true. Reading various reports and documentation on the events at Necedah certainly indicate the entire thing is a huge deception. In fact one report documents Van Hoof's earlier association with the occult - a gypsy from Transylvania no less! LOL!
"Mary Van Hoof died in 1984, but the multi-million dollar operation still goes on. Mary Ann came to America from Transylvania, Hungary. Her mother, Elizabeth Bieber practiced spiritualism and witchcraft with Gypsies in Transylvania. She held seances in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mary Ann and her mother attended the Spiritist camps in Wonewac, and her mother became vice-president of the Kenosha Assembly of Spiritualists. It is not insignificant that her mother was always behind her during the apparitions." - Newsletter of Discernment
Coincidentally, Veronica Lueken frequently contacted Van Hoof and encouraged pilgrims to go to Necedah as well. Both 'seers' promulgated similar messages, as did Mama Rosa in San Damiano, Italy. Events at all three shrines were similar in kind; rosaries turning gold - although just a gold color, not real gold, the sun spinning, and crosses and shapes appearing in the sun, as well as bizarre Rip Taylor-esque miraculous photos that look like confetti and streamers floating through the sky. A veritable mystical circus. Much of the same stuff goes on at Medjugorje now as well, although the monthly messages lack the sensationalism of the Necedah/Bayside crap.
(Photo: I wasn't able to get a "miraculous" photo from Necedah. This photo is from Bayside, showing the Rip Taylor-esque confetti and streamers.)
I don't get it.
Bloody crucifixion of penitents in the Philippines.
Some of the mystics shared in the passion of Christ during Holy Week as well, although their experiences were extraordinary graces. The penitentes do so as a penance, albeit with a bit of machismo included, I'm sure. I suppose the purpose of both "productions" is to help men better understand the suffering of Christ.
In my opinion, I think it is better that the mystics receive the favor from Christ, as opposed to taking this type of thing upon oneself.
Breaking news!
Ice Mountain blanketed with 3" of snow.
Last night we had 3" of snow fall; a wet, heavy, slushy snow. I went out mid-day to clear it, although it seemed to be melting rapidly. I noticed Rabbit-Ice-Mountain is continuing to shrink, and while inspecting the tunnel, I discovered it now opens to the other side. That is a sure sign of spring, according to rabbit engineers, who told me they remain concerned about the stability of the tunnel. Today they brought in equipment to replenish the summit with fresh snow. The rabbit house has been nicely camoulflaged with more snow as well, although it appears to have been partially covered from an avalanche or something. (I also noticed no eggs were in the house today, probably due to the weather overnight.)
Rabbit archeologists have discovered tunnels in almost every snow mountain around my property. One rabbit-excavator named Raoul told me they were surprised to find several tunnels the size of a human's broom handle, just big enough for mice to travel through. He speculated such tunnels make it much easier for the smaller critters to get around in the heavy winter snows. Raoul explained that the rabbit tunnels are usually just routes to the rabbit houses, and/or used as shelters or hiding places. He reminded me rabbits are capable of huge leaps and jumps, therefore snow mountains pose no real difficulty for transit.
There is so much I don't know about rabbits and mice!
Sound familiar?
Ball of Redemption""Now you are bargaining with the final count, My children. For as night will turn into day, and day will fall into darkness, that day will come when you will cry out for mercy, and it will be too late. The Ball of Redemption shall take from your earth three-quarters of mankind. Your country, America the beautiful, has not witnessed a massive scale of destruction and death. Is this what you call down upon yourselves? You, My children, hold the balance.
"Pray a constant vigilance of prayer in your country and in the countries throughout your world. Pray that satan does not poison the minds of those in power in such a manner as to bring a faster destruction upon mankind." - Message to Veronica Lueken at Bayside; 9/28/76
I've been entertaining myself by reading the messages of Bayside and viewing the alleged 'miraculous' photographs. (The photo shown here is of "The Ball of Redemption" which was to hit the planet any day back then. The "ball" in the photo appears to be the photographer's finger tip in front of the lens.)
I find it interesting how the alleged messages given to Veronica bore such similarity to messages from other apparitions - some approved, some not; some of these preceded the Bayside messages, while others came after. As I read portions of the Bayside messages, I wondered about the veracity of other approved apparitions and revelations. I understand how very important it is that these matters always be investigated and approved (or disapproved) by the Church. If not, the faithful may be led astray, piety and devotion becomes sensationalized, and religion is mocked.
.
.
[Description of photo from Bayside sources: "Ball of Redemption" hovers over statue of Our Lady of the Roses, Bayside, NY, During the vigil of the Ascension, 1975. Notice the tree showing through the edge of the Ball which does not fully envelop white beret. Another phenomenon is narrow shaft dropping in front of the man's glasses from the center of the Ball."]
Traditional St. Patrick's day...
Irish time-keeping.In many places, St. Patrick's day was observed on March 14th - which means some people in St. Paul have been drunk since Friday.
Cathy rocks out before Holy Week
Cathy of Alex sent me the video of her dancing to one of my favorite recordings by Chic.
Entry into Jerusalem...
"He did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at."
Most of the people who followed Jesus applauded his entry into Jerusalem, only to abandon him a few days later. Traditionally, many people who never go to church throughout the year, do so during Holy Week - or at least on Good Friday. They weren't with the Lord in the good times, waving the palms all around, but they come to console him in the bad times... they console him in his sufferings by their repentance.
Polish priest wins big award!
Priest-Cosmetologist...
A Polish priest who is also a cosmetologist, won the prestigious Templeton Prize. I noticed the headline on Sancte Pater - Vincenzo has the story here.
Update on the Bunny Rabbit Shelter.
Temperatures have risen so dramatically, and the late winter sun is so hot, Ice Mountain is melting rapidly, revealing a bunny rabbit house at the end of the tunnel which had been marked, "Easter Bunny Shelter"! Apparently, the structure had been hidden in the center of Ice Mountain all of this time, unbeknownst to passers by, while the tunnel had given the rabbits access to the hidden house. (Obviously, the sign was meant to throw off crazed poachers and rabbit hunters, leading them to mistake the tunnel for a bus shelter, servicing rabbits who worked downtown.)Off for St. Patrick's Day...
Kidding! That would be a cold day in hell!I'll be off for awhile anyway.
Global warming...
Global warming is affecting the Easter Bunny - Emergency measures are called for!
This photo shows the Bunny Station today. As you can see, it is melting very fast. The snow is dirty from car exhaust - but the eggs are safe in the tunnel. The tunnel is a few feet deeper, although we are afraid of collapse as the melting continues. Perhaps tomorrow bunny rabbit workman will begin to excavate the snow and ice shelf at the base of the "glacier mountain" and install the wooden station house.
The Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny shelter I made is melting, so I built a wooden one today to replace it when the ice tunnel is gone. The littlest kids in the neighborhood love the shelter. On their way to the park they stop and look in and call out, "Hey Easter Bunny!" I think they will like the house I built just as much. I bought more candy filled eggs today. (I talked to the moms so they know it is safe, factory sealed and all of that.) While I was outside cleaning the sidewalk, one of the little boys said to me, "If you see the Easter Bunny waiting for the bus, please tell him we live down the street and around the corner in the stucco house."I said I would do so.
Dogs and cats.
I love dogs and cats, squirrels and rabbits, mice, gophers and racoons, voles and moles, deer and foxes. All of these I have seen in my neighborhood, but only dogs and cats can come in the house. So I feed the others in my back yard. And everyone is happy.Funny bit on local news.
Don't tell this lady what is sinful.
A reporter asked a Catholic woman outside of her parish church what she thought of the so-called "new seven deadly sins" the Vatican came out with this week. With a hint of exasperation, she answered, "You would think with all that is going on in the world they would have better things to worry about. How about inclusiveness..." I can't remember what else she said, if anything, but I got the impression she watches a lot of Oprah shows.
The "new" seven deadlies:
A reporter asked a Catholic woman outside of her parish church what she thought of the so-called "new seven deadly sins" the Vatican came out with this week. With a hint of exasperation, she answered, "You would think with all that is going on in the world they would have better things to worry about. How about inclusiveness..." I can't remember what else she said, if anything, but I got the impression she watches a lot of Oprah shows.
The "new" seven deadlies:
"Genetic modification, carrying out experiments on humans, polluting the environment, causing social injustice, causing poverty, becoming obscenely wealthy and taking drugs are all mortal sins." - News report.
The Governor and the hooker...
Oh you kids! Those Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans.
So what is wrong with a Governor seeing high class prostitutes that cost up to $5,500.00 an hour?
Nothing so much really, unless you are Governor Spitzer of New York, who pledged to eradicate corruption in government. Oh, and if the prostitute was paid with taxpayer's money, or by lobbyists hoping for a favor... Then you are in trouble. You can bet your @$$ that Governor Spitzer didn't pay for the pretty woman out of his own pocket.
Beverly Sutphin was a good Catholic.
Recycle or go to hell.Serial Mom, despite her faults, always said her prayers, went to church, and most importantly, she recycled. News today is that the Vatican has come out with "new sins", among them, not recycling. Full story here. (Truly, there are no "new" sins, although new developments in technology and science may warrant pointing out practices that are sinful in application or omission, things some people wouldn't otherwise think about.)
The "new" deadly sins are: "Genetic modification, carrying out experiments on humans, polluting the environment, causing social injustice, causing poverty, becoming obscenely wealthy and taking drugs are all mortal sins."
Thus, I suppose one might say, "not recycling" is a sin because it leads to "polluting the environment" or something. I would love to have to confess "becoming obscenely wealthy," especially if I couldn't help it - although if it was against my will, it wouldn't be a mortal sin. I just threw out all of my prescriptions now that "taking drugs" is a mortal sin. (I should be dead in a week. LOL!)
I'm thinking not wearing a seat belt is already a sin - but I'm not sure about white after Labor Day - The Pope wears it all year long you know.
(Photo - "Serial Mom" - Scene where Beverly Sutphin murders Patti Hearst's character for wearing white after Labor Day. Beverly really was a good girl, wasn't she. Her heart was in the right place when she murdered.)
I see skulls.
As an artist, I always see images in the patterns of nature. I see faces in marble and terrazzo floors, figures in cloud formations, or the branches of a tree. Without my glasses, I make out shapes in shadows and reflections of light at night, or while 'watching' frost on a window pane. I know it is my imagination at work - even when I 'think' I see religious images on a tabernacle door, or reflected in a glass. Lately, all the images I see are of skulls - every pattern I look at. Even in church, when I pray and become momentarily distracted by the wood grain pattern of the pew - a skull shows up. (BTW, aside from the fact it is easier to remain recollected, my recognizing images where they do not exist is the other reason I prefer to pray with my eyes closed.)
My First Communion Photo
See if you can pick me out - hint: I'm wearing my first pair of corrective lenses...
..
..
(People always told me I looked a lot like my mother. LOL!)
RCIA and the Easter Vigil Baptisms...
Don't do it like this!
This is exaggerated and ridiculous theater. Just baptize the person.
Looking for authentic religious life?
Desirous of consecrating your life as a sister?
"The Sister of St. Joseph moves always towards profound love of God and love of neighbor without distinction." - from the Consensus Statement of the Sisters of Saint Joseph
We are an order of sisters in the Roman Catholic communion, and consociates of many Christian traditions, in collaboration for mission. Our community was founded in south-central France in 1650, and now includes about 14,000 sisters and associates in 55 countries around the world. There are about 320 sisters and about 100 consociates in the St. Paul Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. - SSJ website
The Sisters of St. Joseph Information Night
Thursday March 6, 2008
7:00-9:00 PM.at Carondelet Center
1890 Randolph Avenue
St. Paul, MN
For further information, you may call Sister Linda Taylor at 651-690-7063
My story.
Defensive detachment.In case you have been checking back for the story of my life, I've decided to stop publishing it - although I'm still writing it.
St. Pio
Opening the crypt...Legend has it, when the relics of saints are transferred (or when the tomb is opened) many favors and miracles are granted. Pray to St. Padre Pio during this period of exposition.
Photo: Exposition of the relics of St. Pio. Story here.
Devotion to Padre Pio: Prayers
(Offline for adoration Wednesday, March 5.)
The Archbishop indicted...
I got the pamphlet in the mail today!
"Apostolic Succession or the Priesthood Betrayed." It is very slick, nice format, well written. It is not an anonymous document, it was written by Dr. David Pence for the docsociety.org. In fact, one could pretty much get all of the same information from his website. It is kind of a rebuttal to the argument between Archbishop Flynn and Star Tribune columnist, Katherine Kersten concerning the "Battle for the soul of St. Thomas" - or the secularization of the University of St. Thomas. The document comes down pretty hard on Archbishop Flynn, the president Dennis Dease, and Kevin McDonough - although the Archbishop takes the direct hit.
I don't know - I've heard all of it before. The unofficial CDF blogs, doctrinal websites of faith and morals, voices in the desert, uber parents on line, church basement gossips - every one talks about this stuff and not much happens. Look how many years St. Stephen's has held the gates to hell open, and no one stopped them. Prayer is good, talk is cheap.
I'm sure someone at the Argument of the Month Club will get their copy of the booklet (Dr. Pence will be handing them out there) and if they feel it is important, one of those guys can write about it. The document is really addressed to priests anyway.
Last year at this time all of the blogs were abuzz about the Motu Proprio and the evil machinations of select bishops to prevent it. The year before at this time the local blogs were hot about the silencing of Fr. Altier by the mean ol' bishop. Been there, done that.
Boys Beware!
Interesting film that would have been shown in boys Health Classes during the late '50's, early '60's. It is listed on Youtube as a "ridiculous anti-gay propaganda film".
H/T to Unam Sanctum blog.
Pompous?
Not everyone was sad about Mr. Buckley.
With the conservative Catholic blogosphere nearly ready to canonize the guy, it was a hoot to run across this:
"The evil sons of bitches have lost one of their leaders. William F. Buckley is dead at 82.
Mr. Buckley’s greatest achievement was making conservatism — not just electoral Republicanism, but conservatism as a system of ideas — respectable in liberal post-World War II America. He mobilized the young enthusiasts who helped nominate Barry Goldwater in 1964, and saw his dreams fulfilled when Reagan and the Bushes captured the Oval Office.
If nothing else, Bill Buckley's death gives us one more reason to live a righteous life.
Because now, if you go to hell, you'll have to listen to this pompous asshole for all eternity." - Kenny's Sideshow
May God deliver him from the pains of hell, and may he rest in peace. Amen.
I went out yesterday...
I left the house to go scavenging at a few architectural antique resources on Saturday. Then I stopped and had lunch with a friend. Omigosh, and then, all caution thrown to the wind, we stopped by the house of a couple of dear friends - just for a visit. (My friends claimed that it has been 8 years since they saw me.)Remember I told you I have been feeding the rabbits all winter?
My neighbor Hans holds one of the rabbits from my yard.
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