"Wichita police say that abortion provider Dr. George Tiller has been shot and killed at his Wichita church.
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The Wichita Eagle was reporting on its Web site, Kansas.com, that Tiller, 67, was shot just after 10 a.m. at Reformation Lutheran Church, where he was a member of the congregation.
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Tiller has been among the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortion. His clinic has repeatedly been the site of protests for about two decades." - Source
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Pray for the mercy of God upon Dr. Tiller's soul and for his murderer to be caught and brought to justice.
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"The season of judgment has begun, and begun with God's own household." 1 Peter 4: 12-19
Baptism
I just found out I was baptized on Ascension Day. The date was May 26, 10 days after my birthday.
The Holy Spirit, giver of Life.
John Paul's encyclical, On the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World.
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Amazingly, the Holy Father's 1986 letter focuses a great deal of attention upon sin, the original sin and the Holy Spirit's convincing concerning sin. Perhaps that is why one rarely hears the encyclical referenced - at least I don't. Nevertheless, it is a little book I refer to often and meditate frequently, and not just during Easter season.
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JPII referred to Genesis frequently in his writings, a fact not isolated to his development of his theology of the body, the study of which necessitates the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His mission to "convince the world concerning sin".
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Anyway, as long as we are on the subject of TOB, Dawn Eden hosts a guest blogger, Fr. Angelo Mary Geiger, expressing his point of view regarding the debate and content of Christopher West's teachings on the subject. The ensuing discussion in the com-box is also compelling. Read it here.
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(Yes, I like Dawn Eden now.)
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Amazingly, the Holy Father's 1986 letter focuses a great deal of attention upon sin, the original sin and the Holy Spirit's convincing concerning sin. Perhaps that is why one rarely hears the encyclical referenced - at least I don't. Nevertheless, it is a little book I refer to often and meditate frequently, and not just during Easter season.
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JPII referred to Genesis frequently in his writings, a fact not isolated to his development of his theology of the body, the study of which necessitates the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His mission to "convince the world concerning sin".
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Anyway, as long as we are on the subject of TOB, Dawn Eden hosts a guest blogger, Fr. Angelo Mary Geiger, expressing his point of view regarding the debate and content of Christopher West's teachings on the subject. The ensuing discussion in the com-box is also compelling. Read it here.
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(Yes, I like Dawn Eden now.)
The Holy Spirit
"The Spirit therefore, who 'searches everything, even the depths of God', knows from the beginning the 'secrets of man'. For this reason He alone can fully 'convince concerning the sin' that happened at the beginning, that sin which is at the root of all other sins and the sources of man's sinfulness on earth, a source which never ceases to be active. The Spirit of truth knows the original reality of the sin caused in the will of man by the 'father of lies', he who already 'has been judged'.
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According to the Book of Genesis, 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' was to express and constantly remind man of the 'limit' impassable for a created being." - Pope John Paul II, On the Holy Spirit
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According to the Book of Genesis, 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' was to express and constantly remind man of the 'limit' impassable for a created being." - Pope John Paul II, On the Holy Spirit
Charles and Sebastian
Transitional homosexuality.
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"I know of these romantic friendships of the English and the Germans. They are not Latin. I think they are very good if they do not go on too long... It's the kind of love that comes to children before they know its meaning." - Cara, Brideshead Revisited
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The relationship of Charles and Sebastian in Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited can be said to illustrate the concept of what I call a transitional homosexuality; Cara remarking, "In England it comes when you are almost men." In the book it is clear Charles moved on, while Sebastian seemed unable to, although in the end, as a sort of porter for the monastery, he was obviously converted and found peace. I expect fans of the novel will disagree with me.
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Yet I believe it true that not all men who identify as same-sex attracted are 'fixed' in homosexuality, which happens to be a fact glossed over by homo-activists who see it as an irreversible sexual orientation. Indeed, activists seem to think 'once gay always gay', rejecting the idea that some men, given the motivation can change, although one must first be able to move on and out of the behavior. This is why homosexual molestation, or pederasty is so very evil, not to mention the indoctrination through sex education programs in primary school, middle school, and high school. (And yes, it is true, as the catechism states, the orientation is not sinful in itself, just the behavior, and by extension, advocating for normalizing or promoting the behavior.)
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Now that I am older and witnessed close friends who renounced homosexual relations, married and fathered children, not unlike Evelyn Waugh, I can tell you change is possible and homosexual inclination can be transitory. Not a few of my friend's homosexual acquaintances were quite unhappy with their decision to leave the culture and get married, they felt betrayed. Yet after 30 years or more, their marriages turned out to be successful, their love sincere and lasting, and their lives quite happy and fulfilled. Thus, it seems entirely possible to me, that men with similar motivation, who renounce homosexual behavior and opt for a chaste, celibate life, could be admitted to Holy Orders and religious life, provided they are in agreement with Church teaching on the issue. Again, the ordinary superiors would have the final say in the matter and be responsible for making that decision.
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I came across a piece written by an Anglican priest, who left homosexuality and is married with children. His insights may prove valuable to some of my readers.
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Pastoral Considerations for Homosexuality - Fr. Mario Bergner
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"My own journey out of homosexuality and into heterosexuality included addressing both spiritual dynamics and psychological issues. Spiritually, my healing from homosexuality came as my conversion to Jesus deepened and I learned to repent of my sin. I first met the love of Jesus at age six in the care of Roman Catholic nuns who lived in my neighbourhood. When I met Jesus personally at age 14 through the evangelical preaching of Leighton Ford, I was also experiencing the emergence of homosexual attraction. I searched for help for overcoming homosexuality, but was unsuccessful. By the time I was eighteen, I lost all hope of finding help for healing, went to university and entered into the gay lifestyle in New York City.
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In my early twenties, I had several immunity breakdowns and landed in a hospital room in Boston with the possible diagnosis of AIDS looming over my head. While on my hospital bed in fear and despair, I prayed to the Lord Jesus. He appeared to me saying, ‘I want to heal your whole person, not just your sexuality. Choose.' In response to his initiative, I chose him. I recovered fully from my symptoms and was never diagnosed with AIDS and later tested HIV negative. The turning point in my life came when, a few months later, I repented of homosexuality and received the forgiveness of sins. My spiritual healing from homosexuality continued as I learned to forgive others and resist temptation. I needed to forgive others for how their sins had negatively shaped me. Additionally, I had to learn how to suffer like a Christian in order to resist the temptations to take back homosexual sin.
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The Lord used psychological insights to address my lack of affirmation in my identity as a man and fears related to men and women. I came to see how I mis-perceived manhood in myself. I grew to accept the unique ways God has created me to be a man and masculine. Through healthy friendships with men, I began to accept myself as a man among men. I had to press through my fear of relating to both men and women. The many godly men and women I met in my local church showed me a new model for male and female relationships. Also helpful was the love and acceptance of fellow students, faculty and staff at Trinity Episcopal School For Ministry in Pennsylvania where I studied for the priesthood. Of special help was the prayerful counsel of Leanne Payne and the many Christian leaders who have served on her team." - Read more here.
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Photo: Sebastian and Charles. Obviously the bear is a big flamer.
Scapegoating Homosexuality?
I don't think so.
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I read a post on a gay-activist's blog making the claim that "survivors" of Catholic clerical sexual abuse insist that there is no connection between the sexual molestation they experienced and homosexuality. He writes: "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: No organization of clergy sex abuse survivors places blame on homosexuality. They are capable of making the distinction between sexual orientation and sexual abuse; between homosexuality and pedophilia. It’s time the hierarchical Church made - and boldly announced - these distinctions as well."
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The writer quotes an Irish "survivor" as he objected to a statement made by an Irish priest, Father John Owen, of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, when he revealed that the “majority of pedophilia [in the Church’s clergy sex abuse scandal] had been perpetrated by homosexuals.”
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Colm O’Gorman, a so-called survivor of clerical sexual abuse, "described Owen’s comments as 'ill-informed, ignorant, corrupt and dishonest.' He said: 'The church has created a link between homosexual sex and priests who rape and sodomize children. It scapegoats someone else and creates a side issue." - Wild Reed Blogspot
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All of the men I know who had been sexually molested in puberty or adolescence, regardless of their sexual orientation as adults, identify the perpetrators of the sexual abuse they suffered as homosexual men.
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The blog author insists, "no organization of clergy sexual abuse survivors places blame on homosexuality." Well of course not - not all homosexuals are into sex with under aged boys, but if you ask the individuals who were abused by same-sex perpetrators, I assure you most, if not all will tell you the abuse was homosexual in nature, and the men who did it were homosexuals.
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As a man who had been sexually abused in my youth by multiple adult males, my own experience contradicts the premise that men who have sex with pre-teen and/or teenage boys are pedophiles and not homosexuals. It is a ludicrous idea. Pederasty, not pedophilia describes this type of sexual deviancy, and the perpetrators are surely homosexually inclined - to put it politely. Some may have been married to women, in a relationship with a man, or simply promiscuous - but there is no doubt they were gay and predatory.
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I am in no way saying all homosexuals are pederasts, or that men who have been molested turn out to be gay or end up molesting boys or girls. That is not the case. What I am saying is that sexual predators who direct their attentions toward adolescent boys are gay, or at least bisexual - which happens to be the 'B' in LGBT. Therefore it is predominately a homosexual problem. Homosexual activists are misinformed.
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I don't care what law enforcement or the court system labels it, or what psychologists call it, or even what a politically correct diocesan council calls it. Male on male sex is homosexual behavior.
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Men who have been sexually abused by homosexuals in their youth are indeed "capable of making the distinction between homosexuality and pedophilia. It’s time gay activists made - and boldly announced - these distinctions as well."
"There is no such thing as a bad boy." - Fr. Flanagan
Flanagan condemned the Irish reform schools in 1946.
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Fr. Flanagan, who founded Boy's Town had become a famous name throughout the world thanks to the successful 1938 film by the same name, starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Flanagan became a sort of living St. John Bosco in the mid 20th century. "He was internationally renowned as 'the world’s most foremost expert on boys’ training and youth care.'”
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While touring the Irish schools he was appalled and said so:
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"Fr. Flanagan was unhappy with what he found in Ireland. He was dismayed at the state of Ireland's reform schools and blasted them as “a scandal, un-Christlike, and wrong.” And he said the Christian Brothers, founded by Edmund Rice, had lost its way.
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Speaking to a large audience at a public lecture in Cork’s Savoy Cinema he said, "You are the people who permit your children and the children of your communities to go into these institutions of punishment. You can do something about it." He called Ireland’s penal institutions "a disgrace to the nation," and later said "I do not believe that a child can be reformed by lock and key and bars, or that fear can ever develop a child’s character."
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However, his words fell on stony ground. He wasn't simply ignored. He was taken to pieces by the Irish establishment. The then-Minister for Justice Gerald Boland said in the Dáil that he was 'not disposed to take any notice of what Monsignor Flanagan said while he was in this country, because his statements were so exaggerated that I did not think people would attach any importance to them.'" - Source
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When I was little, after watching the film on television, I recall asking my older brother Skip if we could run away to Boy's Town because things were so bad at home. After explaining to me that mom and dad would catch up with us, he said, "Anyway, you just want to do that because they have a chapel." He was only half right.
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Quick note.
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I got to know an Irish priest who came from the old country to Minnesota. As a young priest he happened to be the assistant at a downtown church and school one of my friends attended when we were young. The priest is dead now, but I think I mentioned him once as being the one who lifted up the boys with his hands on their crotch, to see how "big they were getting". Charming little leprechaun, he was. Years later he retired to become a chaplain in a home for the elderly which I visited. I came to find out we both knew an Irish nun who had befriended me in another care facility. Father asked if I would say hello and tell Sister he would like to come by for a visit.
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Sister seemed slightly alarmed and asked, "How do you know him?"
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I explained he was now a chaplain at a nursing home I visited, and although Sister's reaction suggested to me the priest's fondness for boys may have been known to her, she never said anything about him, and I never let on as to what I knew about him.
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"Please tell him hello, but he need not visit." She told me rather sternly.
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The Irish knew.
Immaculate Conception
This is how I did my May altar. The flowers are the relics of saints.
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(I apologize for the glare on the painting.)
Cutie
I saw this on another blog....
"I know all about it, you can stop emailing me." Or something close to that. LOL!
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But anyway. Since Cutie is a validly ordained Roman Catholic priest, going over to the Episcopal/Anglican church, does that mean he truly confects the Eucharist when he celebrates Mass in the Anglican church? Other schismatics do.
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Cutie also intends to marry his girlfriend. As a married priest in the Anglican church, one day down the road - if he so decides - could he maybe return to the Catholic Church just as other married Anglican priests have done? It could happen... on his faith journey.
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Scandals have a way of raising questions, don't they?
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Raymond must be crushed. First Dave, then Berto, and Mel too!
Brideshead
I surprised myself - I actually liked it. The 1980's mini-series was more complete, but I enjoyed this 2008 film adaptation. I read the novel years ago, so I do not recall much detail, and I never watched the television production more than once or twice, so I was like a virgin watching this one. I love the story and all the Catholic characters, but I'm not a fanatic about the script. It is what it is and I enjoyed it very much. I watched it once and I will most likely watch it again. I also have something to say about Charles and Sebastian's relationship - but that can wait..
That will be all for now.
Be careful what you say...
You don't have to tell me that.
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I wouldn't listen anyway. But the Obama Administration is sure telling people to watch what they say. Pretty soon they will be telling the American people what to think...
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"White House press secretary Robert Gibbs issued a pointed warning to opponents of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court nomination Wednesday, urging critics to measure their words carefully during a politically charged confirmation debate.
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“I think it is probably important for anybody involved in this debate to be exceedingly careful with the way in which they’ve decided to describe different aspects of this impending confirmation,” Gibbs said." Source
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Yet Judge (Ugly Betty) Sotomayor hasn't always been that careful with the way she has decided to describe things...
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In a speech published in the Berkeley La Raza Law Journal in 2002, Judge Sotomayor offered her own interpretation of this jurisprudence. "Justice [Sandra Day] O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases," she declared. "I am . . . not so sure that I agree with the statement. First, . . . there can never be a universal definition of wise. Second, I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." - Source
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I'm not so sure she is all that wise either - 60% of her decisions have been reversed, and some have been blasted by at least one Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
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Janet Napolitano seems to be trying to tell Canadian media to shut up too...
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Napolitano was trying to get past the diplomatic gaffe after an interview last month with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in which she said—incorrectly—that the Sept. 11 terrorists crossed into the U.S. from Canada. The comments caused an uproar in America's neighbor to the north.
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"We know, and I know, that 9-11 terrorists did not cross the Canadian border. I regret that the Canadian media only seems to hear that earlier misstatement by me to that effect," Napolitano said at a brief news conference, adding that she wants to move on. - Source
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I wish Obama and the entire Administration would move on, and take Pelosi with them.
Self-denial, mortification, penance, suffering, and stuff like that.
I'm not there.
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I love that title of the Dylan song and the film by the same name. It impressed me the other day while at Target, looking for a film to buy. People say, "Why buy films, just rent them." Yeah, but I have to return them if I rent them - and I'm not good about returning things - I forget and lose them - which explains why I do not have a library card. BTW - I bought Marley and Me, because a friend said it was good - hated it - schmaltz-o-rama! Jennifer Anniston cannot act, I stopped watching midway through the film. I also bought the new and revised Brideshead - I haven't watched it yet. I know I will say, 'I liked the old one better.' But I digress - I mention all this just to explain how I got to use the title of Bob Dylan's song and how it seemed to fit me in some ways... too private to discuss.
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Do what you feel... Feel until the end...
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Anyway. This post is about mortification, denying one's very self... a mandate for following Christ - in other words, to be a Christian. That sense is lost on modern men, especially in our day. Sometimes a person must indeed deny his very self to be saved. People don't believe that however - one must actualize oneself - fulfill oneself to find happiness.
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Years ago when I returned to the sacraments, a friend of mine told me, "You think you have to give things up for Christ, that you have to suffer..." I didn't really know how to answer her, suffering or penance was never my focus - Jesus was my focus, and I gladly renounced what was contrary to the Gospel to know Him... "considering everything as loss", as St. Paul affirmed. Ironically, my friend has never yet returned to the Church, and though she lives well, and is financially successful, she suffers a great deal emotionally as well as morally. She denies herself all sorts of things in order to remain thin and chic. As a child she was sexually abused, the effects of which she never resolved. Subsequently she has difficulty trusting men and maintaining a relationship, although she is involved sexually with a man who happens to be married, the sex is always degrading and never loving, and there are months between each encounter where she anguishes over his lack of interest in her. That is suffering.
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We all suffer.
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"Mortification may be defined a the struggle against our evil inclinations in order to subject them to the will and to the will of God. It is not so much a virtue as an ensemble of virtues - the first degree of all the virtues - which consists in overcoming the obstacles that stand in the way so as to restore our faculties their lost balance and reestablish among them their right order. Thus it is easily seen that mortification is not an end in itself but a means to an end... the end of mortification is union with God.
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There is a kind of mortification which is necessary for salvation in this sense, that if we fail to practice it, we run the risk of falling into mortal sin.
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The threefold concupiscence that remains with us, spurred on by the world and the devil, often inclines us to evil and endangers our salvation, unless we take heed to mortify it." - Tanquerey, Spiritual Life: Part II, Chapter III, 754 - 755
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"These are not simply pious thoughts, indeed, "If we desire true happiness on earth there is no better way than to cultivate piety (godliness) which as St. Paul says, 'is profitable to all things, having promise of life that now is and of that which is to come.' ( Tim. IV: 8) Peace of soul, the joy of a good conscience, the happiness of union with God, of growing in his love, of effecting a closer intimacy with Christ, such are a few of the rewards which, along with the comforting hope of life eternal, God dispenses even now to his faithful servants in the midst of their trials." - Spiritual Life: Part I, Chapter IV, 364
In Thanksgiving.
Fr. Lee Piche has been named auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis. Excellent choice! Congratulations Fr. Piche! As well as prayers of thanksgiving.
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Links:
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Catholic Spirit
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Weight of Glory
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University of St. Thomas
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Links:
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Catholic Spirit
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Weight of Glory
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University of St. Thomas
I love people who do this...
Examine their use of the Internet.
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Michael Spencer (Internet Monk) has a wonderful reflection pondering the effects of the Internet upon those who are caught in its web... Well kind of.
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"It strikes me that the predominant sins in this medium are narcissism and waste. We need to differentiate narcissism from various kinds of legitimate self-revelation, but we need to proclaim that narcissism is a sin many of us are absolutely exulting in.
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And waste is waste. Time. Affections. Work. Mental energy. Significance."
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Yup.
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"Theology students: Have you worked out how a student behaves as compared to a teacher? Do you have a personal commitment to living out the difference between an amateur and a professional? The internet has allowed every theology student in the world- the bright ones, the not so bright ones, the ones with amazing things to say, the ones with nothing to say- to all have a web page with a Latin title infested with posts about the importance of expository preaching, the problem with N.T. Wright and the good news that some of their professors agree with them.
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It’s too much, boys. Too much."
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Yup.
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"It’s too much. It’s not community. It’s not socializing. It’s too much. There are things I need to do. Books to read and write. People next door and in hospitals and shut in to talk to. Letters to write. Thoughts to think. Dreams to dream. Music to listen to. (And I can do all of this without taking another two hours of my day to tell you all about it.)
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Yes, I bear some guilt, so stop wagging your finger. I’m just thinking here."
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Yup. Me too.
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I know, the Holy Father just encouraged young people to evangelize via the Web. Think about it first.
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Michael Spencer (Internet Monk) has a wonderful reflection pondering the effects of the Internet upon those who are caught in its web... Well kind of.
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"It strikes me that the predominant sins in this medium are narcissism and waste. We need to differentiate narcissism from various kinds of legitimate self-revelation, but we need to proclaim that narcissism is a sin many of us are absolutely exulting in.
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And waste is waste. Time. Affections. Work. Mental energy. Significance."
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Yup.
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"Theology students: Have you worked out how a student behaves as compared to a teacher? Do you have a personal commitment to living out the difference between an amateur and a professional? The internet has allowed every theology student in the world- the bright ones, the not so bright ones, the ones with amazing things to say, the ones with nothing to say- to all have a web page with a Latin title infested with posts about the importance of expository preaching, the problem with N.T. Wright and the good news that some of their professors agree with them.
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It’s too much, boys. Too much."
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Yup.
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"It’s too much. It’s not community. It’s not socializing. It’s too much. There are things I need to do. Books to read and write. People next door and in hospitals and shut in to talk to. Letters to write. Thoughts to think. Dreams to dream. Music to listen to. (And I can do all of this without taking another two hours of my day to tell you all about it.)
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Yes, I bear some guilt, so stop wagging your finger. I’m just thinking here."
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Yup. Me too.
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I know, the Holy Father just encouraged young people to evangelize via the Web. Think about it first.
The Archbishop of Dublin on the Ryan Report
Causing even the angels to weep....
Church leaders need to address these issues head on, and it appears Archbishop Martin of Dublin is doing exactly that.
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“WHERE DOES the church go from here? The church has failed people. The church has failed children. There is no denying that. This can only be regretted and it must be regretted. Yet “sorry” can be an easy word to say. When it has to be said so often, then “sorry” is no longer enough. But “sorry” must always be the first word.
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Sadly, the Ryan report came so late.
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Anyone who had contact with ex-residents of Irish industrial schools at that time knew that what those schools were offering was, to put it mildly, poor-quality childcare by the standards of the time. The information was there.
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A chaplain to Artane had put much of it writing. A few courageous and isolated journalists like Michael Viney spoke out. When the first efforts were made to reform Artane, it was patently evident that the only change possible was to close it down.
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There is a sense of shock among many good priests and religious at what has happened. But that sense of shock should not slip into a situation in which they feel themselves almost as the victims. No one in the church must ever try to water down or reformulate the suffering of survivors. Let the survivors speak and tell their stories as they experienced them.
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I believe that you owe it to your good members to try to answer that question thoroughly, honestly and in a transparent way. Your credibility and the credibility and survival of your charism depend on the honesty with which you go about that soul searching. This may be a painful task, but it is unavoidable if it is to be possible for your charism to survive. People are angry and disillusioned.
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What was lost was more than just a charism. Somehow along the way the most essential dimension of the life of the followers of Jesus Christ got lost by many. The Christian message is a message of love. What the Ryan commission recounts is sadly so very far removed from that. In Jesus’s eyes the poor deserve the best and they did not receive it here." - Source
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Thanks to Idle Speculations for the story.
Gate of Heaven: The importance of church doors to evangelization and catechetics.
Holy Doors.
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"I think doors are so important to our Church and it is something that we as Catholics have neglected terribly in modernism. Perhaps it can start turning around. Doors need to be part of our envangelization as they were in the past. I have heard others compare the doors of a church to represent the Veil of the Bride and the sanctuary Her Face as she awaits Her Groom!" - Anthony Visco
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Locally, many modern churches are adding glass doors, which permit a view into the sanctuary when the church is closed. Yet many of the grand old churches and cathedrals seem to have wonderful bronze doors with scenes from the lives of the saints or Christ and the Gospel. As with the great facades depicting angels and saints and the mysteries of faith, Church art is meant to instruct and edify the viewer, believer and non believer alike. The iconoclasm of modernism has pretty much obstructed doctrine as well as devotion. Today artists such as Anthony Visco are reversing that trend.
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Art: Anthony Visco's design for the doors of the church of Saint Stephen Martyr on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. - a modern design church with an interesting interior made of parabolic curves. It is where the Kennedys went to Mass when they were in the White House. Visit Anthony Visco here.
Cause for the Canonization of John Paul II
More delays.
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NCRegister reports Andrea Tornielli's comments regarding the delay in the canonization process for JPII: “None of the consulters doubts the personal sanctity of the great Pontiff” and there are “no insurmountable obstacles.” Evidently the snag has to do with a lack of unanimity amongst the consulters. "Several parties “raised objections and difficulties,” he says, and so the meeting has been postponed to a later date, probably before the Vatican summer holidays in August."
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The process is extremely detailed and involved. Click on Holy See to read some of the rules.
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Hopefully the delay will help to clear up much of the confusion surrounding a few of the Holy Father's ecumenical gestures during his papacy.
Little Kim
Memorial Day 2009..
After seismologists confirmed the underground nuclear test had the power of a 4.5 quake, President Obama said North Korea's programme posed a "grave threat" to world peace. - Source
Charlene Tittman
Charlene Tittman is the name of the girl in the True ad that pops up on the MSN Live home page. You know, the one who flips her hair and seems to be talking and smiling, inviting you to join her in social chat. When Benedict XVI spoke about social networking, I doubt he was referring to that stuff.
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I wonder if Charlene went to college? Or maybe she was home-schooled and ran away from home to a big city like Dubuque, Iowa? She could be a struggling actress, although she's too fat to be a fashion model, maybe she is an escort? Mrs. Rabitowitz knows her, and the other day she told me, "She's kind of a slu..." I interrupted Mrs. R. and told her that particular label is no longer considered a bad word, "Girls call each other that all the time now."
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"Well that seems appropriate, considering how many of the young girls dress and act these days, do you know what some of them now do with their boyfriends instead of a good-nite kiss?"
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"Yes. I heard about that on the radio the other day." I responded. "Did you happen to notice the crazy guy going down the street with his junk out yesterday?"
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"Indeed." Mrs. R. replied, and then hopped off muttering, "You people have the morals of rabbits..."
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"Wait Mrs. Rabitowitz, wait!" I called to her, laughing. "What do you mean, are you saying rabbits are immoral?"
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Mrs. R. stopped suddenly and sat silently, gazing on ahead, as if she intended to ignore me in the same way she does when strangers are nearby. Slowly she stood up, turning about, looking as stern as any nun, and speaking very deliberately, she spoke with an air of instruction; "No my dear man. Rabbits mate and reproduce abundantly, but not out of lust, we do so in order to replenish the stock, so as to become food for other creatures, amongst other things. Our moral boundaries are quite set. All life has purpose, despite the fact it demands sacrifice, animals have a particular vocation which sentimentalists consider cruel - but you know all of this from conversations we had previously."
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Sitting back upon her haunches, she continued, "However, the point I was getting at is that many humans seem to have degenerated into a sort anthropomorphism or animality, their reason obscured by lust and sensuality. Unlike the animal kingdom, humans often engage in shameful acts, and if they do happen to join in natural intercourse, many deliberately impede fertility, or kill their offspring."
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"Mrs. Rabitowitz, with all due respect, I don't know if things are as bad as you seem to think they are... Although I will admit you are a keen observer of human behavior - being up all night as you are." I added with a chuckle. Changing my tone, speaking rather softly, and with sincere consideration for the two babies she lost to crows recently, I continued, "Please don't forget that some animals have been known to destroy the weakest of their litter in order that the strongest may thrive."
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"Indeed." Mrs. R. said with a slight smirk. "But we are animals, humans are much more than that." And off she hopped.
Cannonball Awards nearly tied up.
Don't let the title fool you - this isn't about Theology of the Body.
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I just found out Kat's awards were never meant to be serious - they were really just intended to be a send up on the other real awards. I never take any blog awards seriously anyway - but some people do, and they devote entire posts as to why they don't - sound confusing - it is. (Just imagine how happy Fr. Z is about all of this - he was excluded from competition you know. A case could be made here that the awards started out serious. LOL!)
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All-rightey then.
Status and class... kinda.
Oprah.
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I watched Oprah yesterday when I got home - I know! I'm low-class. Although I tell people I'm a pop-cultural anthropologist some days, and I must monitor television shows for my research - fact checking purposes and all of that you know. Mizz Oprah's show was on class, upper-class, middle-class, lower-class, and places in-between. (Such topics were the subject of many an acid trip when I was a very young man.)
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Oprah's discussion centered around the recession and the impact it is making upon the classes; lower-upper-class dropping to upper-middle-class, middle-class dropping to lower-class and so on.
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Two things apparently agreed upon which determine class are money and education, to be upper class one needs both, although one could make it with just education, or a profession, and not have to rely on money alone. That is why people like initials after their name. Money alone doesn't usually make someone upper-class however. Case in point, Rodney Dangerfield's character in Caddy Shack, although he did go back to school in another film I think.
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The recession and the subsequent unemployment of many, really is a wake up call for the pretentious. And who in the United States isn't pretentious? Probably a Carmelite nun, but very few others.
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Similar to a guest on Oprah, I have an acquaintance who owned a successful hair salon in an upscale part of town. (Not in Minnesota.) He is married with two children, living in an affluent suburb, in an over-sized house, 3 cars, well designed interiors, and so on. The family recently celebrated a wedding for one of the daughters, the price tag was in the 6 figure range. The family dressed in designer clothes, dined at the most fashionable restaurants, and entertained lavishly. Mr. X had arrived, all because he cut and styled the hair of the local elite. Indeed, the family considered themselves to be part of the upper class, until the business went bust due to the credit crunch and those wicked Wall Street losses. They had been living beyond maxed-out on credit cards, and they lost the house because they defaulted on their mortgage and home equity loans - the same story with the business.
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The hairdresser had imagined himself on the same level as his truly upper class clients who suddenly disappeared from his social calendar. Similar stories are coming out from many of the professions and classes.
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On the other hand, some people seem to be moving up. One of Oprah's guests was a Deli worker, who moved out of the ghetto into a middle class suburban apartment. Oprah really came off putting down the woman's under-class former neighborhood, and congratulating the woman for movin' on up. The woman's apartment was nicely furnished, but I had to wonder if she did it on credit, seeing that she was only able to get the apartment through Government subsidy. If she loses her deli job, I have to imagine she will lose the apartment as well.
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So what is my point? Very simple. Oprah likes that class differential. She contributed to the illusion by congratulating the deli employee for moving on up. She is perpetuating the myth.
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What we own, how much money we have, where we live, or how many degrees we posses mean nothing in the end. True riches are within, it is not what we have, but what we are that matters.
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Hopefully, the recession will help more people come to their senses. But do pray for those who are suffering the effects.
Sex and the City of God
Schindler's list...
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"Continuing the reaction to Catholic speaker Christopher West’s ABC interview on the Theology of the Body, prominent theologian David L. Schindler has said that despite West’s fidelity to the Church and his positive results for many Catholics, his approach significantly misrepresents Pope John Paul II’s thought and is “too much about sex and too romantic.”
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Schindler, who is also an editor of the international Catholic review “Communio,” emphasized that he agreed West intends to be a faithful Catholic. In fact, Schindler said he believes the speaker “would throw himself in front of a bus for the Church.”
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Though remarking that West has had “positive results” in drawing many Catholics, Schindler said good will is not synonymous with sound thought.
Though remarking that West has had “positive results” in drawing many Catholics, Schindler said good will is not synonymous with sound thought.
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“West’s work seems to me to misrepresent in significant ways the thought of John Paul II,” he wrote at HeadlineBistro.com.
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Schindler cited several instances where he said West was not only “vulgar and in bad taste” but also suggestive of “a disordered approach to human sexuality.”
Schindler cited several instances where he said West was not only “vulgar and in bad taste” but also suggestive of “a disordered approach to human sexuality.”
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He claimed that West has suggested spouses bless their genitals before making love, has blessed the ovaries of women in his classes, and has advised young men in college and the seminary to look at their naked bodies in the mirror daily “in order to overcome shame.”
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Schindler also claimed that West has used “phallic symbolism” to describe the Easter candle, has criticized “flat-chested” images of Mary in art, and has claimed there is nothing wrong with an unnatural act as marital foreplay.
Schindler also claimed that West has used “phallic symbolism” to describe the Easter candle, has criticized “flat-chested” images of Mary in art, and has claimed there is nothing wrong with an unnatural act as marital foreplay.
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An “objective distortion” in approaching sexuality is not eliminated simply because of theological overtones, Schindler wrote." - Read more.
An “objective distortion” in approaching sexuality is not eliminated simply because of theological overtones, Schindler wrote." - Read more.
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Friends through thick and thin.
Yesterday I had lunch with a couple of friends from my group - we have all been friends since grade school. I consider them to be my very close friends, closer than family: Married with children, Catholic, and Italian. Just a couple of us are single, and white. It was fun to get together with them, but the time went way too fast.
Come Holy Spirit, Who fillest the universe.
Come, O Creator blest! And in our souls take up Thy rest..
St. Teresa of Avila wrote of the soul as the interior castle, I like to think of it as an interior universe.
Novena for Pentecost
Today the Church enters into the solemn Novena for Pentecost. The day after the Solemnity of the Ascension is the day we begin our prayer and preparation for the coming of the Paraclete. The novena begins regardless if the Solemnity has been transferred to the following Sunday or not; although in part, this is the reason why the faithful and many liturgists prefer that the celebration of the Ascension be observed on its proper day. The novena is a spiritual participation in the the first novena made by the Apostles and Our Lady. Today the whole Church retreats as it were, to assemble in prayer, anticipating the coming of the Holy Spirit. The liturgical offices and Mass comprise the novena prayers, although any approved prayers may be used as well.
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“Holy Spirit, inspire me.
Love of God consume me.
Along the true road, lead me.
Mary, my good mother, look down upon me.
With Jesus, bless me.
From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me.” - Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified
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Visit here for additional novena prayers.
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“Holy Spirit, inspire me.
Love of God consume me.
Along the true road, lead me.
Mary, my good mother, look down upon me.
With Jesus, bless me.
From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me.” - Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified
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Visit here for additional novena prayers.
Update: Garden
I am really excited about how great my garden/yard is looking. I have been enjoying my gardening design class thoroughly and am learning lots!! I also have a wonderful gardening pro neighbor who has been giving me tons of advice. But, really the best thing about my yard is my husband, who helps me so much and is so willing to do all the hard manly labor. Thank you sweetie!
My poppies are just starting to bloom. I planted three plants in one small little spot and they have just gone gang busters. I probably have 40 blooms to enjoy! The orange tissue paper with purple center is so breathtaking!
Although one of my columbine died over the winter, this one made it and looks lovely!
My delphinium's are thinking about it. They need another week before they show-off their wonderful light blue blossoms.
I got these peony's from my old neighbor when I was moving into this house. I planted five separate plants three years ago (last fall) and just said a little prayer. They are all doing really well, some are budding more than others, but I will take whatever I can get. Peony's are my absolute favorite ~ I love this deep red!
The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
"The spirit of the world consists essentially in the denial in the supreme dominion of God, a denial which is manifested in practice by sin and disobedience; thus it is principally opposed to the spirit of Christ, which is also that of Mary." - The Secret of Mary
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"You, I am sure, as I am, are faced often with very dark moments.
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We live in a scary era.
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My heart quails sometimes.
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The Rosary, with its glorious mysteries, can be of help.
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In reading the great liturgist Romano Guardini in The Rosary of Our Lady, actually on the third glorious mystery, I found this… just as an illustration of how we are not in fact trapped within the prison of the world: The Holy Ghost is also sent to us. Through his coming we are no longer orphans. He is with us, if only we ourselves will stay with him. He leads our lives through all that is concealed, but we must leave our hand in his. If we beseech him and open ourselves up to him with heart and soul, he shows us how to know Christ, and in Christ ourselves. But where darkness prevails – because our earthly life is hardened – he gives us a divine “nevertheless,” as Paul says, “testimony to our spirit that we are sons of God,” and the certainty that “for those who love God all things work together unto good” (Rom 8:16, 28)”. - Source
The Irish Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Report.
Catholic Church scandal redux..
Last evening I was so completely scandalized, I couldn't even respond to the newly released report on the Irish Church Scandal. I tried, but like my response to the Weakland memoir, it is better not to post in anger, so I removed it. (For instance, on earlier post I said Weakland's book should be burned - that was hyperbole - I guess only homophobes engage in such extremist language, and we all know gay people never do that. I left the post up however. Maybe I'll get jail time.)
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Anyway, I hope priests and bishops will make haste to speak to the report for the sake of the faithful. The Catholic League issued a statement on the report, and while it would be an understatement to say Donohue's position is open to criticism, I believe he has a point in defining the initial reaction to the report as "hysteria". I was pretty upset by it. Yet I think as the Irish report is analyzed, we will get a more balanced picture of what actually went on. In many of the cases Christian Brothers and Mercy Sisters were the perpetrators, not priests.
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"Reuters is reporting that “Irish Priests Beat, Raped Children,” yet the report does not justify this wild and irresponsible claim. Four types of abuse are noted: physical, sexual, neglect and emotional. Physical abuse includes “being kicked”; neglect includes “inadequate heating”; and emotional abuse includes “lack of attachment and affection.” Not nice, to be sure, but hardly draconian, especially given the time line: fully 82 percent of the incidents took place before 1970. As the New York Times noted, “many of them [are] now more than 70 years old.” And quite frankly, corporal punishment was not exactly unknown in many homes during these times, and this is doubly true when dealing with miscreants.
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Regarding sexual abuse, “kissing,” and “non-contact including voyeurism” (e.g., what it labels as “inappropriate sexual talk”) make the grade as constituting sexual abuse. Moreover, one-third of the cases involved “inappropriate fondling and contact.” None of this is defensible, but none of it qualifies as rape. Rape, on the other hand, constituted 12 percent of the cases. As for the charge that “Irish Priests” were responsible, some of the abuse was carried out by lay persons, much of it was done by Brothers, and about 12 percent of the abusers were priests (most of whom were not rapists).
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The Irish report suffers from conflating minor instances of abuse with serious ones, thus demeaning the latter. - Source
The Irish report suffers from conflating minor instances of abuse with serious ones, thus demeaning the latter. - Source
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I realize that just the idea of Donohue calling other people hysterical because of their reactions to the Irish Report is kind of funny, knowing how hysterical he can sound sometimes, he may have to eat his words some day. The Catholic League statement comes off rather dismissive of the victims, some of whom are in their 70's today. He refers to a good portion of them as miscreants and delinquents, as if they deserved what they got; after all, several of these schools were designated "reform schools". Although corporal punishment was common within such institutions, religious or State run, the treatment was indeed abusive. However, such facts do not make it right or excusable, it only explains why it seemed so commonplace.
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Remarkably, the descriptions of abuse and neglect parallel several of my own experiences of abuse as a child, which may explain why I tend to react so strongly to this type of story. However what I experienced was domestic abuse and neglect. Although at least one school sister who taught me could be somewhat cruel with her humiliations and occasional slaps with a pointer, her behavior wasn't all that unusual, and it never damaged my faith. On the other hand, I can tell you sexual abuse by strangers along with physical and mental abuse within the home, left a few scars. Nevertheless, I have learned a great deal through the experience, I no longer blame the perpetrators, and I believe I have forgiven them, and so on. In other words, I've moved on - yet reports such as the Irish one, or news stories about similar abuse elicits a strong reaction from me.
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That said, I do not want to devote a great deal of time to this issue right now, but in the next week or so I will post a few reflections on this and related topics, especially as more expert analysis is forthcoming. I hope and pray that the Vatican, especially the Holy Father will once again address these issues, but more particularly the issue of homosexuality. The faithful are indeed confused and scandalized - and they need definitive instruction.
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The homosexual scandals, which encompass the misdeeds of the infamous Archbishop Weakland and his fellows who cling to gay culture, seem to me to confirm why men with deep-seated homosexual inclination should not be ordained. As for homosexual priests who have abused minors, I think Pius V had it right; they ought to be defrocked and handed over to the civil authorities. Perhaps due to the general corruption of morals and confusion in the Church, that sort of discipline fell by the wayside in the 20th century.
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Always keep in mind that the Church sex abuse scandal is NOT limited to pedophilia, it is predominately a homosexual problem; homosexual relations between a boy and a man is called pederasty, which is homosexuality - just ask the deviants at NAMBLA. And no - not all homosexuals are pederasts or pedophiles, nor do all victims of childhood abuse turn out to be homosexual, or sexual predators. And yes, by the grace of God a man can be converted..
Of course, anyone who says or believes such things is immediately labeled homophobic by gay rights advocates. Homophobia is a neologism adapted to label persons who possess strong moral and civic reservations as regards the normalization of homosexual behavior; ss marriage, the gay subculture, etc. It is a political term without any basis in psychology - there is no clinical diagnosis for homophobia. Gay activists use the term to politically to equate homophobia with racism and sexism. Nevertheless, resistance to GLBT issues cannot always be blamed on a phobia - in other words, it is not always based upon any irrational hatred or fear, although many gay activists insist the mere disapproval of homosexuality is to be condemned as homophobia or "straight supremacy".
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Link to the official report on the Irish Church Abuse.
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Photo: The Austrian Seminary Scandal.
Longest Arches in the World
#1 Landscape Arch 290 ft. long
While in Salt Lake, at my favorite doughnut shop, I picked up the local paper. Normally I don't read the paper, but a headline caught my eye. The Salt Lake Tribune had a fabulous article about Utah being recognized for having 6 out of the top 10 longest naturally created arches in the world. All 6 arches can be found in southern Utah a mere 4 1/2 hours from my house!
#2 Kolob Arch 287 ft. long
#6 Rainbow Bridge 234 ft. long
With all my big plans for the summer, I am totally adding a few of these ARCHES to my list of rockin' outdoor summer trips! What nationally (or worldy) recongized attractions do you have by you?
"To mislead, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24)
Change: A new gospel too?.
President Barack Obama's speech at Notre Dame Sunday held out as a central thesis a false theology of faith; a false theology contradicted by the Bible, by ancient Christian writers and by the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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A central point in the President's speech was "faith" and its supposed inherent "doubt." Obama told the students: "Remember, too, that the ultimate irony of faith is that it necessarily admits doubt. It's the belief in things not seen. It's beyond our capacity as human beings to know with certainty what God has planned for us or what He asks of us … And this doubt should not push away our faith. But it should humble us. It should temper our passions, cause us to be wary of too much self-righteousness. It should compel us to remain open and curious and eager to continue the spiritual and moral debate."
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The Christian vision of faith, however, excludes doubt about the articles of the faith and does not admit it as Obama suggests that it "necessarily" does.
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The Bible, in the book of Hebrews, defines faith as "the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence (or certainty) of things that appear not." (Hebrews 11:1)
The Bible, in the book of Hebrews, defines faith as "the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence (or certainty) of things that appear not." (Hebrews 11:1)
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The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes specifically: "Faith is certain. It is more certain than all human knowledge because it is founded on the very word of God who cannot lie. To be sure, revealed truths can seem obscure to human reason and experience, but the certainty that the divine light gives is greater than that which the light of natural reason gives."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes specifically: "Faith is certain. It is more certain than all human knowledge because it is founded on the very word of God who cannot lie. To be sure, revealed truths can seem obscure to human reason and experience, but the certainty that the divine light gives is greater than that which the light of natural reason gives."
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John Henry Newman, while admitting intellectual difficulties with articles of the Christian Creed, he never doubted the doctrines attached to them. He said famously: "Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt."
John Henry Newman, while admitting intellectual difficulties with articles of the Christian Creed, he never doubted the doctrines attached to them. He said famously: "Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt."
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Christians need never doubt the evil of abortion, or the immorality of sexual relations between two persons of the same sex. These are absolute and unchangeable truths taught by faith but also knowable by human reason - and therefore doubly certain. - Source
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H/T to Paula.
Reminder on hate crimes.
I've written about this before, only now I come to find out Andrew Sullivan recognizes what is going on as well.
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"The real reason for hate crime laws is not the defense of human beings from crime. There are already laws against that - and Matthew Shepard's murderers were successfully prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in a state with no hate crimes law at the time. The real reason for the invention of hate crimes was a hard-left critique of conventional liberal justice and the emergence of special interest groups which need boutique legislation to raise funds for their large staffs and luxurious buildings. Just imagine how many direct mail pieces have gone out explaining that without more money for HRC, more gay human beings will be crucified on fences. It's very, very powerful as a money-making tool - which may explain why the largely symbolic federal bill still hasn't passed (if it passes, however, I'll keep a close eye on whether it is ever used)." - Daily Dish.
Interestingly enough, some experts are now reversing themselves and saying there is no gay gene either.
Carla Bruni speaks out against the Pope.
"I imagine she's a pretty nice girl, but I wouldn't want to make her mine." - Beatles
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She claims that Church teaching on contraception is what has caused her to fall away from the Church, becoming more secular. That works if you don't know her past perhaps, but what she is really doing is taking advantage of her position as First Lady of France to attack the Holy Father and Catholic teaching.
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France's First Lady said that the Church's teachings had left her feeling "profoundly secular". She departed from her post's traditional religious neutrality to accuse the Pope of "damaging" countries in Africa with his stance on birth control.
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The Italian-born former supermodel risked angering believers in France and beyond by declaring that the Pontiff's proclamations showed that the Church needed to "evolve". "I think the Church should evolve on this issue. It presents the condom as a contraceptive which, incidentally, it forbids, although it is the only existing protection," she told Femme Actuelle, the women's magazine.
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The comments will cause Mr Sarkozy embarrassment in a country where, despite the separation of Church and State, a majority of the population was born Catholic. André Roux, a constitutional historian said: "It's unprecedented for a first lady to criticise the Pope. Charles de Gaulle's wife was very Catholic and would never had taken up position, remaining very discreet. The same was true of Bernadette Chirac, who never gave her opinion on religion or international affairs. "Even Danielle Mitterrand, the wife of François Mitterrand who was not a believer and aired her political views, never attacked the Pope. - Source
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C'est dommage.
Weakland
Weakland's memoirs should be burned. .
The Archbishop writes that he knew the sexual abuse of minors and children was morally wrong, but "we" didn't know it was a crime. Huh? What? And "we" believed children would just grow up forgetting about it. His tell all book is as much of a scandal as the scandal itself. These statements betray his hardness of heart, as well as a callous disregard for the dignity of persons. Only a completely self-absorbed, narcissistic, sexual deviant could be capable of believing or even acknowledging such falsehoods. It would have been better if this guy had never been ordained...
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Stupid is as stupid does.
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"In the early years of the sex abuse scandal in Milwaukee, retired Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland says in his soon-to-be released memoir, he did not comprehend the potential harm to victims or understand that what the priests had done constituted a crime.
"In the early years of the sex abuse scandal in Milwaukee, retired Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland says in his soon-to-be released memoir, he did not comprehend the potential harm to victims or understand that what the priests had done constituted a crime.
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"We all considered sexual abuse of minors as a moral evil, but had no understanding of its criminal nature," Weakland says in the book, "A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church," due out in June.
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Weakland said he initially "accepted naively the common view that it was not necessary to worry about the effects on the youngsters: either they would not remember or they would 'grow out of it.'" - Source
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Now that is a hate crime.
Prayer and penance.
Something about Fatima...
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I read somewhere that Our Lady of Fatima's message was a call to prayer and penance, prayer first, leading to penance. Actually, that isn't entirely correct. Prayer and penance are the fruits of repentance. Our Lady actually came to call souls to repentance and amendment of life, in accord with the message of the Gospel, "Repent and believe." She asked that we cease offending God who is already so grievously offended. When Lucia asked favors of her for this or that person, Our Lady said they must "amend their lives and ask for forgiveness of their sins" first. Sixth Apparition
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Indeed the Holy Virgin asked at each apparition that the prayers of the Rosary be prayed every day, for the conversion of sinners and for an end to the war. The Blessed Virgin appealed first to the children, and through them to all of the faithful: "Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to offer sacrifices and prayers for them." - Fourth Apparition
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It is true that "prayer is the trap door out of sin", as St. Teresa of Avila said, therefore prayer of some sort is necessary to obtain the grace of repentance and amendment of life, and for this the prayers of the Rosary are invaluable. Depending upon temperament, some people are not able to pray an entire Rosary in one sitting, and therefore they may break it up, reciting a decade here or there. In some cases the mere recitation comprises an aspect of penance, or sacrifice, thus becoming a sacrifice of praise, aiding in the amendment of one's life.
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I think the call of Fatima, as the Popes have indicated, is the call of the Gospel, it is a call to conversion and amendment of life. The prayers of the Rosary accompanied by our personal sacrifices or penance may be said to give evidence of that reform (Matt. 3:8), obtaining for us grace and mercy, as well as the conversion of sinners and the Peace of Christ. That said, the primary call of Fatima is for people to repent, to "amend their lives and ask for forgiveness of their sins".
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Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the recitation of the Rosary, along with the devotion of the Five First Saturdays are the means given by Heaven to make reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to obtain the conversion of sinners. In effect, Fatima makes us responsible for sinners whose salvation can be said to depend upon our prayers and sacrifices. We are responsible for one another.
A friar minor...
The littlest Cappucinno.
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May 18 is the feast day of St. Felix of Cantalice, an illiterate lay brother. St Felix of Cantalice (1515-1587) was the first Capuchin saint, who joined the Order at the age of 29. He lived in the friary of St Bonaventure in Rome, where for 40 years he befriended the poor as the friar who begged alms for the community. He used to say he knew only 5 letters: the 5 wounds of Christ crucified. A favourite saying of his was: Fiddle diddle, I talk a great deal but I do very little! Our Lady gave him the privilege of holding the Child Jesus in his arms, which is why he is known as the protector of children
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"Felix normally spoke little outside the friary. Even within the friary, what he had to say was more often than not an exhortation for others to give good example. His style was frank and direct. He might tell someone, "I want to correct you." He often reminded Capuchin preachers, "Preach in order to convert people, not to make a name for yourself." At times he would quote Brother Giles' quip: "Bo, bo, bo, assai dico e poco fo!"-"Tsk, tsk, tsk, a lot of talk, but no action."
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St. Felix died on May 18, 1587. His remains are enshrined in the Capuchin church of the Immaculate Conception on Rome's exclusive via Veneto." - Source
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I have squandered my life. St. Felix pray for me.
Monday, Monday
I was going to be offline but obviously I'm not.
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Just a couple things...
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The national shrine of St. Rita was vandalized this past weekend, an outdoor shrine protecting the Saint's statue was damaged, and the statue disfigured. Vandalism of this sort has been occurring with greater frequency lately, and I'm sure it will continue. This form of anti-Catholicism reminds me of anti-Semitic attacks when vandals spray paint swastikas on synagogues, and even the vandalism and harassment of Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany.
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Joe Biden. What is with this guy? He's sharing classified information publicly. He revealed the location of the 9/11 bunker Cheney used. This Administration is totally irresponsible.
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That's all.
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Just a couple things...
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The national shrine of St. Rita was vandalized this past weekend, an outdoor shrine protecting the Saint's statue was damaged, and the statue disfigured. Vandalism of this sort has been occurring with greater frequency lately, and I'm sure it will continue. This form of anti-Catholicism reminds me of anti-Semitic attacks when vandals spray paint swastikas on synagogues, and even the vandalism and harassment of Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany.
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Joe Biden. What is with this guy? He's sharing classified information publicly. He revealed the location of the 9/11 bunker Cheney used. This Administration is totally irresponsible.
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That's all.
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