A couple of notes from Pope John Paul II.

On the Internet:
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The Internet is certainly a new “forum” understood in the ancient Roman sense of that public space where politics and business were transacted, where religious duties were fulfilled where much of the social life of the city took place, and where the best and the worst of human nature was on display. It was a crowded and bustling urban space, which both reflected the surrounding culture and created a culture of its own. This is no less true of cyberspace, which is as it were a new frontier opening up at the beginning of this new millennium. Like the new frontiers of other times, this one too is full of the interplay of danger and promise, and not without the sense of adventure which marked other great periods of change. For the Church the new world of cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure of using its potential to proclaim the Gospel message. This challenge is at the heart of what it means at the beginning of the millennium to follow the Lord's command to "put out into the deep”: Duc in altum! (Lk 5:4). (n.2)
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And:
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Furthermore, the Internet radically redefines a person's psychological relationship to time and space. Attention is rivetted on what is tangible, useful, instantly available; the stimulus for deeper thought and reflection may be lacking. Yet human beings have a vital need for time and inner quiet to ponder and examine life and its mysteries, and to grow gradually into a mature dominion of themselves and of the world around them. - JPII
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I'm a little gun-shy lifting quotes from other blogs, but these come from Fr. Finigan at The Hermeneutic of Continuity.

Politics and religion, and the Notre Dame invites President Obama fight.

Separation of Church and State - and yet...

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Elena of Tea at Trianon, has an interesting post regarding the 2007 installation of French President Nicolas Sarkozy as an honorary Canon of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, she writes, "This honor was not bestowed upon President Sarkozy due to his personal merits or personal wealth and power, but solely because he is the French head of state."

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Elena summarizes the history associated with the honor, originating with the conversion of Henry IV, and adds, "The Kings of France who followed Henry IV were accorded the same honorary office of canon, as have some of the French presidents, including Sarkozy. It is not because of the personal prestige of any of those men, rather it is clear that the Holy See has seen the importance of emphasizing the tie between the Lateran basilica, the Pope's own Church, and the people of France." Elena continues, " The tradition of making the French head of state an honorary canon of St. John Lateran may seem to some to be an empty gesture in these times of declining faith. It is more than just a gesture, however, for it symbolizes an ancient pact and a tie which, in spite of revolution and apostasy, has never been entirely severed." - Tea At Trianon

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So I don't get the huge uproar over the University of Notre Dame following tradition and inviting a seated President to make a commencement address? Especially considering how the French President, and those who received the honor of Canon before him, like President Obama, hold political and moral views in opposition to Roman Catholic teaching, yet the honor of Chanoine was awarded them.

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The elephant in the room.
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If anything, I believe the real issue most people are ignoring regarding the invitation to President Obama is that this situation exposes the fact that many Catholic institutions have dissented from Catholic teaching for decades. They have not only tolerated, but sought out progressive and dissenting voices at variance with the Magisterium as lecturers and teachers, diminishing, if not deconstructing Catholic identity and doctrine. Our Catholic colleges and universities, and in many cases, high schools have operated thus with impunity, even while many Bishops sat on their boards. There you have the real disgrace people. The hens are coming home to roost. If anything, perhaps this fiasco can be the catalyst necessary to reform Catholic education.

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PLEASE NOTE:
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I have linked to Elena's post at Tea At Trianon so that readers may locate her statements in the context she intended them. I simply cited these particular statements because they evoked my personal considerations regarding the Obama/Notre Dame controversy. I ought to stress that Elena does not in any way endorse the invitation or the award to be bestowed upon President Obama. I would also like to clarify that Elena sees no parallel whatsoever with the honor bestowed upon the French Head of State and the invitation to President Obama. My sincere apologies if I gave that impression.
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(Surfing for a photo to use in this post, I came upon one of a graduate student from a previous Notre Dame commencement, kneeling, praying the rosary, with his back to President Bush in protest of the war.)
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Update: Archbishop Nienstedt of Minneapolis/St. Paul has written the president of Notre Dame protesting the invitation of President Obama, whom the Archbishop Nienstedt identified as "an 'anti-Catholic politician' and whose 'deliberate disregard of the unborn' does not deserve Notre Dame’s 'public support.'” - Source
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That settles that.

The Bishops knew about it in the 1950's.

I think I did too. (I just hate dating myself!)

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National Catholic Reporter, published an account of Fr. Gerald Fitzgerald, founder of the Servants of the Paracletes and his appeal to Bishops in the 1950's concerning predatory priests. "...The founder of a religious order that dealt regularly with priest sex abusers was so convinced of their inability to change that he searched for an island to purchase with the intent of using it as a place to isolate such offenders, according to documents recently obtained by NCR."

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What is so startling about the article is Fr. Fitzgerald's passion and sense of urgency in apprising the hierarchy of the dangers deviant priests posed for the Church, and most especially to the children who would be harmed. Sincere though he was, and perhaps a bit naive, Fr. Fitzgerald sought a sort of Devil's Island quarantine for priest sex offenders, whom he referred to as "devils", he wrote: "It is for this class of rattlesnake I have always wished the island retreat -- but even an island is too good for these vipers of whom the Gentle Master said it were better they had not been born -- this is an indirect way of saying damned, is it not?"

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The work of Fr. Fitzgerald, his reports to bishops and the pope, speak well of his good intentions and his keen understanding of the problems associated with sexual deviancy in the priesthood. Especially noteworthy is his response to a bishop regarding reassignment of predatory priests who have gone through treatment, Fr. Fitzgerald wrote, "repentance and amendment" in such cases "is superficial and, if not formally at least subconsciously, is motivated by a desire to be again in a position where they can continue their wonted activity. A new diocese means only green pastures."

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There is so very much contained in this article that only an exhaustive study and book would do Fr. Fitzgerald's efforts justice. I recommend every Catholic concerned about the abuse scandal read the NCR article, click here: Bishops were warned of abusive priests. Fr. Fitzgerald even met with Pope Paul VI in 1962. "In August of the following year, he met with newly elected Pope Paul VI to inform him about his work and problems he perceived in the priesthood. His follow-up letter contained this assessment: 'Personally I am not sanguine of the return of priests to active duty who have been addicted to abnormal practices, especially sins with the young. However, the needs of the church must be taken into consideration and an activation of priests who have seemingly recovered in this field may be considered but is only recommended where careful guidance and supervision is possible. Where there is indication of incorrigibility, because of the tremendous scandal given, I would most earnestly recommend total laicization.'"

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Silence of the lambs.

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In my opinion, the Bishops were not always at fault or negligent. I'm quite sure in many cases they believed the sacraments and reformation of life was all that was needed, and since the sins, as well as the remedies were matters of conscience, they were held to be confidential. If an offender declared himself reformed and cured - he was believed - and most likely the offender believed it himself. I think the greater problems developed as the bishops and superiors in charge of these predators began to completely rely upon secular psychological therapies. Fr. Fitzgerald mistrusted lay programs as well as psychologists and psychiatrists, and when such means were adopted and relied upon, these also proved to be ineffective in curing anyone. (By this I'm not suggesting that well ordered psychological treatments should be dispensed with.)

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Back to the '50's and '60s; If the bishops didn't believe Fr. Fitzgerald, the kids who were abused would have. Some of us knew this stuff was going on - and the Bishops did too - but in those days, everyone kept their mouth shut.

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And of course, some of these guys were consecrated Bishops or became superiors of their religious orders and rectors of seminaries. Others may have slipped up sexually themselves, either with women or men, thus they too had something to hide, hence they may have been more willing to protect the others.

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In the early 1980's, while working on a project for a local Bishop, I mentioned to him the need for the establishment of Courage in this archdiocese, explaining that there was very little support for men seeking to live chastely in accord with the teachings of the Church. I mentioned that there were several priests in the area, themselves gay, who taught that homosexuality was not sinful. The Bishop stopped me right there and stated firmly, "I am not aware of any homosexual priests in this archdiocese."

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And then I understood.

Secret sins.

The downfall of the perfect.

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"Pride, when left unchecked, can easily destroy the soul of one who is otherwise very holy. It leads them to believe more about themselves than they should, to believe that they have overcome when they have not; having climbed to such a great height, the fall is even worse than any other. 'Our eighth struggle is against the demon of pride, a most sinister demon, fiercer than all that have been discussed up till now. He attacks the perfect above all and seeks to destroy those who have mounted almost to the heights of holiness. Just as a deadly plague destroys not just one member of the body, but the whole of it, so pride corrupts the soul, not just part of it.”' St John Cassian, “On the Eight Vices,” pgs. 72 - 93 in The Philokalia: The Complete Text. Volume One.

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Footnotes from Henry Karlson: The Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

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Icon: The Ladder of Divine Ascent of St. John Climacus, whose feast is observed on March 30.

Obama going to the G-20 with an entourage of 500+

More than 500 officials and staff will accompany the president on his tour this week - along with a mass of high-tech security equipment, including the $300,000 presidential limousine, known as The Beast.

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In addition, a team from the White House kitchen will travel with the president to prepare his food. As one official put it: "When the president travels, the White House travels with him, right down to the car he drives, the water he drinks, the gasoline he uses, the food he eats. America is still the sole superpower and the president must have the ability to handle any crisis, anywhere, any time." - Source

You wouldn't listen Thom!

Eastern Seaboard inundated with streaking lights and loud booms. Read more on the terror along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States here.

I told you something was going to happen Thom...

San Francisco rattled by an earthquake today. Story here.

I told you so Thom.

Wall Street Stocks Plummet. Story here.

EaStEr GiVeAwAY

Every year at our house the Easter bunny along with hiding Easter baskets, leaves a stack of books. My husband and I came up with this idea for a few reasons.

No. 1 We really wanted to get away from the whole idea of "more toys".

No. 2 We hoped this would get our boys excited about books and reading.

No. 3 We wanted the boys to have memories of: "The Easter Bunny gave me this book" and in turn hoping the book would hold sentimental value. (Just like Christmas Presents from Santa!)

Happily I can say all three ideas worked. Even a few days ago, my oldest said, "I wonder what books the Easter Bunny will bring this year?"

So in HONOR of the EASTER BUNNY I am having a giveaway. A BOOK!

The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Tegen

My boys have really loved reading this book this past month. I think it has a great way of explaining how the Easter Bunny got his start. The illustrations are beautiful and you can ask leading questions about story for smaller children with the photos.

This giveaway I am doing tickets: If you leave a comment about an Easter Tradition in your family you'll get one ticket. If you also become a follower or are all ready a follower you get one more ticket!!!

This giveaway ends Friday, April 3rd @ midnight. I'll announce the lucky winner Saturday, April 4th and mail the book in time for Easter.

Archbishop Chaput on vitriolic emails.

Insult to injury.

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The mocking, sneering rabble-rousing blog posts and comments I read yesterday against Hillary Clinton, just because she questioned, "Who painted this?" as she admired the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe - a perfectly reasonable question for a non-Catholic to ask BTW - suggested to me that good Catholics not only hate the sin, but they also hate the sinner, especially as it concerns political figures. Granted, some personalities may be unpleasant, but to condemn and mock someone because they are not acquainted with Catholic piety and devotion is clearly uncharitable and mean spirited.

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Anyway, I thought Archbishop Chaput's commentary on the vitriolic tendencies of good Catholics online might be something for us to consider.

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"I used to get some hate mail before I was online, but not nearly as much as I did afterwards. I think the way that we have immediate access, which means we immediately speak out of our emotions rather than write a letter, send it the next day, you might change your mind. Instead you write it and you push the button to “show them,” you know, that kind of thing.

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So I think our immediate ability to communicate has led to a coarsening discourse for one thing. I gave a talk recently – I think it may have been when I was in Toronto, where I said that the Lord reminds us that we are sheep among wolves, but it’s important for us not to become wolves ourselves because of our experience, and I think that often happens.

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Some of the worst emails I get are from Catholic conservatives who think I should excommunicate and refuse communion to Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado and to former-Sen. [and now Secretary of the Interior] Ken Salazar of Colorado, and why aren’t you doing this? I mean, just awful kind of stuff that they write. Sometimes, I must admit, that when I write back, I’m not as friendly as I should be. But I try not to be mean." - Source

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Nice language.
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The Archbishop also said this, "The left mail I get will use terrible words but be less vitriolic. They use the F-word and things like that, call me names like that. But the right is meaner, but they’re not as foul."

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I have wanted to comment on the fact that I've noticed Catholic bloggers using the F-word in various context within their posts, actually printing the word - I find that just a horrible word for a Catholic to deliberately use online or in private. Unfortunately, I've used, "effing" or "f-ing" on occasion when I've been passionate about an issue, but I quickly realize what I've done and go back and remove it.

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Very often our self-righteous anger is just that, self-righteous, while we remain smug, defending our rights, often unaware of the scandal we give.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I love toast for breakfast! The best part of toast is all the toppings: butter, jam, sugar, peanut butter etc. My sister gave me this recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread and I love it. Toast this bread for a great snack anytime of the day.

The cinnamon sugar mixture can be applied to any favorite bread dough recipe. Here's mine:

Dissolve: 1/2 warm water and 2 tablespoons yeast - set aside to proof
In your mixer add: 3 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 cup !hot! water. Stir til dissolved. Add 1 cup milk and yeast. Add 6 cups of flour, mix-in flour after each cup. Allow to rise twice, doubling in size.

Once the dough has risen twice, split your dough in half and roll into a nice size rectangle.

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: take about 2 cups of sugar and about 3 tablespoons cinnamon. Luckily this mixture can be made completely off of taste...add as little or as much cinnamon as you like. Spread about a cups worth all over dough.

With a large spoon fill with water and sprinkle over dough. My spoon is about the size off half a tablespoon so I sprinkle 6 to 8 spoonfuls of water. If you accidentally add more water than you wanted just add more sugar to soak it up. FYI: The more water the gooier the bread!!!

After you have added the water, spread the mixture around with your spoon to even it out. See below:

Roll dough like you would cinnamon rolls and place in a greased bread pan. Repeat process with remaining dough and sugar. Rise for one hour or until it has doubled in size.

Cook for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees. The top of the bread will brown quickly so cover with tin foil after about 15 minutes of cooking. After cooking, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then invert onto a wire cooling rack. Slice and enjoy immediately or allow to cool and toast for a yummy breakfast treat.

Covering sacred images...

At home?

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Having grown up with the practice of shrouding statues and crucifixes in churches during Passiontide (the two weeks before Easter), I understand the practice and appreciate it. However, I did not realize some people did this at home as well. I don't do it, but I suppose it can be a nice recreation for some who like to decorate their personal oratory.

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It reminds me of the Jewish custom of covering mirrors during shivas, so as to avoid taking the focus off of the deceased and the prayers for the dead, as well as to avoid distraction by one or an others reflection and appearance.

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The Catholic custom in churches, in part, symbolizes how Jesus went into hiding and made the final journey to Jerusalem in secret, while serving the practical purpose of insuring the faithful are free to participate with attentive devotion in the Church's liturgical commemoration of the Passion of Christ. I suppose it's kind of like a shiva during the new Passover. Kinda.

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Photo: Covered Paso statues, Granada, Spain.

St. Mary of Egypt

"Some pagans (Greeks) wanted to see Jesus..." (John 12:20) - Latin Rite Gospel for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

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The Orthodox celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent in honor of St. Mary of Egypt, the penitent. (Her actual feast day is kept elsewhere on April 2.) For those who have been addicted to sexual promiscuity - of any kind - St. Mary is a powerful intercessor and edifying example of penitence. Henry Karlson of Vox Nova has a magnificent exposition of the former harlot's life, conversion and penitence.

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For our modern, licentious society, there could be no better saint for the Church to point to than St Mary of Egypt. As Christians who live in an over-sexed culture, it is not surprising so many succumb to the temptations which completely surround them and sin. This feast day is especially important for them because it shows that there is hope. No matter what one might have done in the past, God’s love is still there for them. Even if one has become so addicted to sex that they find it nearly impossible to persevere against lust, St Mary of Egypt shows them that not only is it possible, one can turn one’s life around and become a great saint. - Read the rest here.

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I was especially impressed by the following footnote taken from Henry's essay, which resonated with my own meditations for today:

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"It is so easy to put on a pretense of holiness for the sake of praise; it is much more difficult to be holy. Those who act for praise can find ways to get it; those who act for the sake of holiness tend to find hostility. “There are some who pretend to be virtuous and appear in sheep’s clothing as something else; but in the inner man they are totally different, perhaps brimming over with every kind of unrighteousness or filled up with jealousy, intrigue and stinking pleasures. The masses honor such people as saints who have transcended the passions, but since the eye of their soul is not clear they cannot recognize such men by their fruits. And yet, when men keep their heart in piety, virtue, and simplicity, and really are saintly, then they misjudge them as being like the rest of men, and they are scorned and passed over,” St. Symeon the New Theologian

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Oh, for a portion of her spirit! Humility, humility, humility... "unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies."

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Icon: The Holy Mary of Egypt, taken from Henry Karlson's post.

Through the envy of the devil...

The mean reds. (Another interpretation.)

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Miss Manners ;), rather Elena of Tea at Trianon has an excellent sub-post with a passage from Fr. Lovasik on envy and jealousy. Elena correctly points out that it was envy and jealousy which killed our Lord. Envy and jealousy arise from pride, and although often undetected by ourselves, and generally mistaken for some other vice in our neighbor, these sins are at the root of many other sins, which we seem to feel justified condemning in others - while missing the log in our own eye. At least I know I sin in this way, and just when I think I am over that stuff, I get all mean again.

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Envy disrupts social life generally. It sets the child against the father, brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, and nation against nation. It kills friendship, undermines business relationships, and hinders reconciliation. It is one of the chief sources of misunderstanding, criticism, hatred, vengeance, calumny, detraction, and perverse attacks upon private life.

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Jealousy goes a step further than envy; it not only tries to lessen the good opinion others enjoy and criticizes those who are praised and rewarded, but is characterized by an excessive love of our own personal good and brings on a fear that we will be deprived of it. Jealousy prefers to see good left undone rather than lose a single degree of praise. Read the rest here.

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Ultimately, these sins reveal our lack of charity.

Spring Bank Abbey wants you.

This is the vocation ad Br. Stephen created for their diocesan newspaper. Pretty nice, huh?
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Br. Stephen should probably have some more brothers in the novitiate, so if you are young enough - under 60 - you should probably enter monastic life, instead of wasting your life at some job surfing the web.
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I have no idea what the age limit is for candidates, but if you are interested, you can get in touch with them here.

Purple rain

Today was once called Passion Sunday, now it is called the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Some churches continue to drape the statues and crucifixes in purple. I like that very much. This photo shows the giant statues at St. Agnes draped. (The photographer was on the floor, which might be the reason the people look so tall.)

Are Cyber-Catholics Going To Boycott Facebook Now?

Attention Catholic Facebook subscribers:

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"A campaign on Facebook has recruited tens of thousands of supporters to bombard the Vatican with condoms to protest against the Pope's controversial remarks about the spread of HIV." - Source

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Maybe another online petition should be organized for this issue? (After the ban Hillary from Guadalupe protest, that is.) Told you Facebook is evil.

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Photo: Former friends who boycott my blog.

Hillary asks, "Who painted this."

The Secretary of State made an unscheduled visit to Guadalupe.

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Catholic News Agency must have crashed covering this story, since I can't get in to read the coverage that everyone else seems to have picked up. As most Catholics probably know by now, on Thursday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented flowers to the Virgin of Guadalupe on behalf of the American people, while the Madonna's image had been lowered for her to view. After a few moments of silence she asked, "Who painted this?" The Rector of the Basilica replied, "God!" I hope he explained what that means, although some have speculated Madame Secretary must have known the story from a prior visit several years ago. The report stated Mrs. Clinton also lit a votive light while at the shrine.

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I'm very impressed by the story, and most impressed by the Secretary's gesture; presenting flowers to the Madonna, looking at her face to face, and then lighting a candle - all clear evidence of prayer. People of faith ought to recognize that - people without faith can think what they like. (And Catholics who criticize Mrs. Clinton for her question should not be so damn smug. We ought not to be so quick to congratulate ourselves that the world hates us for being followers of Christ, sometimes they just hate us because we can be rather sanctimonious and arrogant about our faith.)

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Mrs. Clinton spoke with the Madonna... Our Lady, the Mother of God. The Blessed Virgin knows how to change hearts, even if it takes some time.

Blame whitey.

Lula

I just read that Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is blaming white people with blue eyes for the recession we are in. President Lula can blame whomever he wishes, but I have to ask, is he saying Portuguese people are not white? I always considered them to be white Europeans - I believe indigenous people and African slaves considered them as such when the Portugese once prospered from the slave trade, and exploited both the native people of the New World, as well as the African slaves.

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President Silva obviously believes his and other Hispanic governments would do a better job handling the world economy. Such vanity. The man ought to take a closer look at Brazil and the other countries in South America, where only the privileged few have the wealth, while their peasants live in squalor. South American society has changed little since the conquest - except now the politicos blame the Church, as they tend toward atheistic socialism, or profit from drug trafficking.

We should refrain from curious inquiry into the lives of others.

Christ:

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"...Be not curious nor give yourself up to useless cares. (1 Tim. 1: 4) What is this or that to you? Your business is to follow me. (John 21: 22)

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For what is it to you whether this man be such or such; or that man do or say this or the other. You are not to answer for others, but must give an account for yourself, why then do you meddle with them?

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All things are to be committed to Me; but as for you, keep yourself in good peace and let the busybody be as busy as he will.

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Do not be solicitous for the shadow of a great name; neither seek to be familiarly acquainted with many, nor to be particularly loved by men.

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For these things beget distractions and great darkness in the heart." Imitation, Bk III, 24; 1 - 2

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I painted all day and this evening I made the rounds of Catholic blogs and news sites. I'm so not interested in any of it right now.

Archbishop Burke.

C.S. Lewis

I am currently reading this book. and am thoroughly enjoying it. It is a short (150 page book) but is caulk full of insightful, thought provoking ideas about where do we go after this life. My book club had a really great conversation about the characters and their so-called "sins" or "shortcomings" last night. There was even a character named, Pam, who was all too familiar. With so many wonderful books out there, you might want to add this to your: TO READ LIST.

Oprah's World

Such are the fruits.

Yesterday evening I arrived home from adoration just before 5PM; the first thing I did was turn on the television to catch the news - I do things like that when I'm expecting some sort of disaster to happen any day.

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So anyway - I turn on TV and Oprah is still on, and of course they are talking about sex and homo-sex and stuff like that. I gathered it was a therapist who was speaking, and she said something like, "And the wonderful thing is, that students today no longer think of gender when falling in love, they think of falling in love with a person. That doesn't mean that some are not gay, but that isn't an issue either." Now that must be an example of highly evolved thought. The woman seemed to be applauding the progress that has been made regarding sexual openness when it comes to falling in love with a person, rather than someone of the opposite sex, or simply wanting to experience every aspect of human sexuality through experimentation, without the limitations imposed by gender, or outdated social taboo. (That is actually defined as lust.)

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Those programs to help LBGT students seem to be paying off already.

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Update: I just checked - the show was actually about women leaving men for other women and living without labels. Stupid women.

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Dr. Lisa Diamond, author of Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire, says women like Chris and Rebecca are far from unusual. "A lot of people think fluidity means choice. That's not true," Dr. Diamond says. "As we've heard here, a lot of these women never expected to feel what they felt. It was not a conscious decision. It was something they experienced happening to them." - Oprah

Medieval Ritual Murder and Antisemitism

St. William of Norwich (f.d. March 26)
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When the mutilated body of a 12 year old boy was found in a wood outside Norwich in mid-10th century England, it was alleged that the boy had been a victim of ritual murder by the perfidious Jews, as the Liturgy of Good Friday once referred to them. There was no real evidence to support the theory, except the outrage of peasants, which soon developed into a local cultus of veneration for the youthful martyr, as well as the persecution of local Jews. Historians have referred to the incident as being one of history's most heinous lies. Such ridiculous stories became popular and widespread throughout Europe, and endure to this day amongst a few very traditionalist Catholics and Eastern Europeans. Nazi propaganda sprang (in part) from such legends, evoking ancient fears amongst the sanctimonious, as well as ordinary under educated believers.
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Another child martyr is known as Little St. Hugh of Lincoln (1255). His mutilated body was found in a well, resulting in the torture and death of several Jews accused of crucifying the child during Passover.
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Moving south to Trent in northern Italy: It was there, in the year 1475 that the precociously pious infant Simon (f.d. 24 March), only two and half years old, was said to have been murdered by a Jewish physician and accomplices. It was told the child, left unattended outside his home, was kidnapped and tortured at midnight on Holy Thursday in mockery of Christ's passion. Testimony claimed, "The Hebrews killed the little boy Simon, in order to obey a rabbinical religious law; their motive being to serve a most wicked piety and devotion by obtaining Christian blood for the celebration of Passover." His body was later found in the river. (To my knowledge, there never was, nor is there any such rabbinical law demanding human sacrifice.)
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The cult of St Simon was suppressed in 1965.
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Perchance a Jewish man killed one of these saints. However, if it was true, the offender would have been acting contrary to Jewish Law and the Commandments, and he and his followers would have acted on their own. Their Jewishness would have been incidental. That children were killed, there is no doubt, but the real perpetrators likely were never brought to justice. Just so today, we hear of children that have been abducted, most always sexually molested, and very often killed - after mutilation and torture - only to be cast into a river, or buried in a wood. It is a horrible crime. Nevertheless, in our day it is popular to accuse Satanic cults, yet more commonly law enforcement identifies the perpetrators as homosexual or heterosexual pedophiles, and/or pathological serial killers. I'm quite sure that was most likely the case in medieval times as well.
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Are the kids saints and martyrs? The ancient cults were supported by miracles, so I expect they are. Common sense suggests their legend is probably grossly exaggerated if not inaccurate, and I would insist one simply may not claim that Jewish people as a group were responsible for such murders, much less claim such horrible crimes are part of Jewish religious cult. (Although, as stated, some traditionalists believe otherwise. Unfortunately irrational antisemitism lives on.)
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Art: St William, from a rood screen of the medieval church of St. James, now at St. Mary Magdalen's in Norwich.
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Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

The same can be said for Obama. BTW, his ratings dropped last night.

One of my favorites

After a week of beautiful weather, winter has reared its ugly head....SO, thank goodness for this wonderful blog that always lifts my spirits. It transports me to a far away place and I love to visit. Stop by Button Willow Chronicles, I don't think you will be disappointed..if you agree let me know!

The Warning...

Mystics and seers from Blessed Anna Maria Taigi to the children of Garabandal have all said a warning will be given to the world in our times in order that people will repent and amend their lives, it will include a correction of consciences, convicting the world of its sin. Failing that, a great chastisement would follow.

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I'm not sure what all of that means precisely, and I no longer follow such prophecies very closely, although I ponder them from time to time. The predicted warning is supposed to be a supernatural event, yet it seems to me that we may be living through another sort of warning right now, since the Church, guided by the Holy Father and the bishops in communion with him, "are (the) authentic teachers, that is teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to the people entrusted to them, the faith to be believed and put into practice." (CCC 2034) This truth has become very evident when we consider the teaching and example of the Pope. As Cardinal head of the CDF, and now as Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy Father has consistently offered the Church and the world, with great charity, a clear correction of conscience through his presentation of authoritative Catholic teaching on faith and morals, as well as by speaking to, and pointing out the great errors of our age.

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It seems to me the fact that the Pope's teaching has met with such resistance and scorn throughout the Church and the world, is stunning evidence his teaching convicts the world of its sin, correcting consciences by the truth of the Gospel, marked by that sign of contradiction, the Cross, supernaturally illumined in the darkness that covers the earth.

Notre Dame Invites the President

All I can say is that this invitation by a Catholic university clearly demonstrates the ability of many Catholics to compartmentalize faith and morality, if they have any at all.

Feast of the Annunciation

Annunciation by Rossetti.

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Br. Stephen of Sub Tuum has a wonderful post on the Angelus.

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"At Spring Bank, as in most Cistercian houses, Lauds, Vespers and Compline end with a hymn to the Virgin. After Lauds, Sext, and Compline, we recite the Angelus silently as the bell tolls three sets of three peals. Originally a set of three Hail Marys, later three petitions were added recalling the Virgin’s answer to the angelic salutation at the Annunciation. Later a concluding versicle and collect were added." - Read more.

Vintage Strawberry Shortcake

I loved Strawberry Shortcake growing up! She was my favorite, when I had had a bad dream I would always think of her and everything seemed better.

A few years ago I found this tin at a thrift store. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was just sitting there on the shelf calling my name. Lucky me!

Although this tin is in really good condition, it has been loved through the years and not just by me. Who can resist a little girl in a strawberry hat? Not me, and not its previous owner(s) either.

Circa 1982 - baby, this thing is vintage, I was 3 when this tin was made! Check out this other great strawberry shortcake blog post!

Special

Prime time special tonight.

Something really big is going to happen...

Can't you just feel it?

Obama seeking expanded powers to seize firms...

Nice headline Poodle.

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The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.

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The government at present has the authority to seize only banks. - Source

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I'm no financial expert of course, but I don't like the sound of this. I also don't like the idea of the government regulating CEO's salaries, and I don't like the government encouraging mobs to stand outside the homes of the rich protesting, or threatening AIG employees with piano wire lynching. And 90% tax on bonuses seems to me to be an abuse of power.

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The Obama Administration is playing around with anarchy.

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Update: President Barack Obama says he hopes "it doesn't take too long" to convince Congress to approve new authority to oversee financial firms. (Source) Gee - I wonder why?

Theology of the Body isn't simple.

Sex can get messy.

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I'm sure most Catholics have heard of cases where a spiritual director took advantage of an unsuspecting soul and imposed his own interpretation of JPII's Theology of the Body during the course of a spiritual healing session in which sexual contact was appropriate, right? Wrong - I mean, that would be wrong in any case.

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I've heard a lot of crazy things said in the name of Theology of the Body, and a person really has to be careful sometimes. However, I can offer you a good rule to follow: If it doesn't feel pure - it isn't - especially if things get, er... ah... sticky. Failing my advice, New Oxford has a good article on the density of JPII's thought embodied within Theology of the Body, written by Fr. Thomas Becket Mullady, O.P. - It sure sounds to me as if Pope John Paul II never changed any of the rules about sex, no matter how many pick-up lines guys can adapt from his writings.

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The "theology of the body" is one of the principal legacies of the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The Pope systematically presented this extensive teaching in his weekly Wednesday audiences in St. Peter's Square from September 5, 1979, until February 9, 1983. Many well-meaning orthodox Catholics have attempted to explain this teaching and its theoretical or practical impact. They have been motivated by the same desire as the Pope: to defend the teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in a new systematic way that takes account of Holy Scripture and sometimes uses a method of exposition derived from 20th-century phenomenology. Unfortunately, many of these attempts suffer from a lack of clarity, which has led some people to erroneously conclude that John Paul II's theology of the body is so revolutionary as to contradict Catholic sexual moral teaching. - Source

Oldie but a Goodie

Over the weekend I watched this movie, UNTAMED HEART, although this wasn't my first time watching it, I was a little fuzzy on the details. My husband remembered more of the story then I did because he yelled out: "Baboon Heart" and that helped trigger more of the story line.

This movie was really cute...I thought very comparable to Twilight. Sweet sensitive guy secretly loves lonely awkward girl and she realizes he is the one for her after he saves her from some very scary thugs. Since watching the movie I haven't stopped thinking about it and its sweet message: Just love the person your with, As they are.

I am going to work on this with the people I love in my life.

The Steve Kroft interview.

Calling a spade a spade.

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I watched Steve Kroft's interview with Obama last evening. The last time I checked, the only commentary I found on it were a few indignant responses to the fact Obama laughed as he discussed Wall Street and the economy. I understood that, and I certainly did not think he was taking the matter lightly. What surprised me is his reference to former Vice-President Cheney's criticism of the President's foreign policy, especially regarding the prisoners at Gitmo. The President seemed down right contemptuous of Cheney, along with his (the Bush Administration) policy and treatment of detainees throughout the “hidden global internment network”. In fact, I'm quite certain I've never seen the President like that before. Yet today, I couldn't find one online comment regarding what the President had to say, other than he laughed. Please remember, I do not get the newspapers. So call me Sarah Palin.

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Torture and the Bush Administration.

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Morning's Minion, writing for Vox Nova posted a provocative report concerning the Red Cross report on the use of torture on 'high value' detainees throughout the "hidden global internment network" most of whom ended up at Guantanamo. The report is disturbing and shameful:

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"It (the report) describes a rather lengthy list of torture techniques: suffocation by water; prolonged stress standing; beatings by use of a collar; beating and kicking; confinement in a box; prolonged nudity; sleep deprivation and use of loud music; exposure to cold temperature/cold water; prolonged use of handcuffs and shackles; threats; forced shaving; deprivation/restricted provision of solid food. In the various interviews, a constant was near constant nudity, usually in cells kept in frigid conditions. At the same time, they would be subjected to either constant light or constant darkness and unceasing loud music and noise. They were regularly slammed into the walls. They were left hanging from the ceiling in excruciatingly painful conditions. And subjected to waterboarding." - Read more here.

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As one commenter to the post remarked, "I didn’t understand MM to mean that Obama is good. I understood him to mean that Bush’s support for evil and Obama’s support for evil are cut from the same cloth." - Radical Catholic Mom

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Yep. Evil is evil, no getting around it. This country has been on the road to hell for a long time.

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Art: Fernando Botero, Prisoners at Abu Ghraib

Texting God

And the Saints.

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When I was in 5th grade, I began volunteering at the Little Sisters of the Poor. One day I noticed one of the sisters putting a slip of paper beneath the statue of St. Joseph in the pantry. I asked sister what she was doing and she answered, "We are low on bread, so I'm just reminding St. Joseph."

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I looked at her slightly puzzled and so she tried to explain, showing me all the other little notes that were there, and she said, "In addition to our vocal prayers, it is our custom to sometimes write our prayers of petition and thanksgiving, and place them near St. Joseph's statue. He is our special patron and he always answers us." In fact, just as I was leaving that afternoon, even though it was a Saturday, a local bread company delivered several trays of day old bread. Another sister told me such things happen all of the time. As an adult, I've had similar experiences.

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Yes, I adopted the practice, but only for really important, even desperate petitions. In fact, every monastery I've ever lived in has a little slip of paper with a prayer from me on it - so hidden, only a heavenly person could read it. Naturally, these slips of paper were not my only expression of prayer, they were simply the physical evidence of a spiritual work.

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Recently, while going through papers, books, and religious images I have in storage, I came across petitions dating back 10, 20, even 30 years. One constant petition was on each of them, written in my most minute printing. I smiled, and thanked God, who is rich in mercy, for having answered my prayer. It may take many years of persevering prayer, but God answers every one. Nothing is impossible for God.

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"For by grace you were saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them." - Ephesians 2: 4-10

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Today I pray that God will make me the man he created me to be.

Out of Africa

The Holy Father spoke to the entire world...

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"How much darkness, there is in so many parts of our world! Tragically, the clouds of evil have also overshadowed Africa, including this beloved nation of Angola. We think of the evil of war, the murderous fruits of tribalism and ethnic rivalry, the greed which corrupts men’s hearts, enslaves the poor, and robs future generations of the resources they need to create a more equitable and just society – a society truly and authentically African in its genius and values. And what of that insidious spirit of selfishness which closes individuals in upon themselves, breaks up families, and, by supplanting the great ideals of generosity and self-sacrifice, inevitably leads to hedonism, the escape into false utopias through drug use, sexual irresponsibility, the weakening of the marriage bond and the break-up of families, and the pressure to destroy innocent human life through abortion?" - Source

Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given. - Matthew 19: 11

The celibate's reward.

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I attended the noon Mass at the Cathedral today; opening the Bible I found in the pew, my eye fell upon this passage:

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For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast to my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which shall not be cut off. - Isaiah 56: 4-5

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On virginity.

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"Virginity is in no sense a denial of the spousal meaning of the body, as though the body were evil, but is rather an affirmation of that spousal meaning in the way it will exist in Heaven. In terms of this earth, however, it must be looked upon as exceptional, a recommendation of Christ: "Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it" (Mt. 19:11-12). Consecrated virginity involves a renunciation of marriage, but not of the value of marriage nor of the spousal meaning of the body. "If someone chooses marriage, he must choose it exactly as it was instituted by the Creator 'from the beginning,'" Pope John Paul teaches. "If on the other hand someone decides to follow continence for the kingdom of heaven, he must seek in it the values proper to such a vocation." Again, this teaching reflects common Church doctrine: "Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity" (Catechism, #1620; quoting John Chrysostom, De virg., 10,1)." - Source

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Ask and you will receive.

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[The Cathedral of St. Paul has purchased Ignatius Press RSV Bibles, 4 to a pew, for parishioners and visitors to use while stopping in to pray. That is incredibly generous. The Cathedral took on new life at the installation of Fr. Johnson as Rector - he has brought a very vibrant spirituality to the parish.]

Abstinence

Smoking.

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A year and a half ago, I quit smoking, after many years of quitting and restarting the habit. At times I quit for 2 years, other times just for 2 months. Once I quit for 6 years - that was the longest period of time. I prayed, made novenas, gave it up for Lent, but I always went back. The problem was that I always craved a cigarette. I eventually gave in, simply accepting the fact I was addicted, while striving to accept myself. That worked for awhile, but the culture changed, and smoking became a shameful thing, and the pressure was mounting to stop. I suppose the rebel in me resisted the discriminatory propaganda, insisting it was part of my persona... This is who I am. Well not really - I couldn't allow a behavior to define me.

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Nevertheless, deep down I sensed it was a bad. Slowly I began recognizing how unnatural it was for men and women to stand outside office buildings in -20 degree weather and smoke, shivering, yet gratifying their cravings. Almost as much as my non-smoking friends, I too disliked the stench of an overflowing ash tray, the ochre tinge to everything in my house and my car, and the odor that followed me everywhere. I felt shame as drivers yelled at me and called me names as I tossed spent cigarettes out of my car window. I was discriminated against, even by the Government, which is attempting to tax cigarette smokers into poverty. Powerless, I kept smoking - and I kept praying.

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When I finally quit this time, I got very sick with a bad cold that turned into a severe bronchitis, so I wasn't able to smoke - I was sick for about 2 weeks. As I recovered, I figured since I had gone for longer than a week without smoking, I may as well stop entirely. However, the better I felt, the more I desired to smoke again. Gradually the craving went away, almost without notice; until about a month ago I'd say. Unlike cessation smoking episodes in the past, I suddenly realized that the craving was completely gone. I don't know how to explain it, but I just know it is gone. Now I can see a person smoking, or watch a film that glamorizes it, or feel really artsy and depressed, anything from the old bag of triggers, and I have no desire to smoke. It is gone. Only a heavy smoker would know how miraculous that is. (I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day.)

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Sometimes it takes many years of hard work and constant prayer, as well as many fallings and risings, to completely overcome a behavior, a vice, or a bad habit; but with the help of God's grace, anything is possible. And I assure you, it is sheer grace.

St. Agnes, St. Paul, Minnesota

The sanctuary of the Church of St. Agnes.

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I still think the statues of St. Peter and Paul are much too over-scale for the church - they seem ostentatious. I think the parish ought to donate them to the Cathedral of St. Paul. I'm probably alone in this opinion. I never liked the use of onyx at the base of the columns either.

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Nevertheless, it is a beautiful little church. Visit here for more photos.