Gethsemane

Why all the rejection?

2008-11-21T00:34:00.001-05:00

Here is a comment that a woman made on a forum. This is just part of a long on going conversation so please understand there is a context to this statement that was made to a Catholic...

"Christ loves you: He loves you when you are your worst: get baptized as a christian: feel God inside"

This is my response!

"Catholics are Christian. To not know that is ignorance of the worst kind. If you would like I will provide to you the creeds that do indeed say that we believe in One God in three persons! We believe in one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We believe in the resurrection of the dead... exc...

Second, as a Protestant I was baptized, after the age of reason. I still did not know what glories God had in store for me! I still do not know what wonders he still has for me. That is for him to know. What I do know is I am able to recive God inside of me every single day of every single week. Not just spiritually, but physically. I have an intimate relationship with God that you can only dream. I am able to embrace him and take him inside of my body. I am able to sit in his physical presents and love and adore him! Your church may have the Holy Spirit, but we have both the Holy Spirit and the Son! We have the angels to carry our prayers and to help us worship the one true living God. Your tabernacle is empty and your alter useless! BTW the only reason ours is not useless is because Jesus Christ himself commanded us to give him the sacrifice of praise in the Eucharist. He gave us the ability to partake of his physical body and blood. He gave us everlasting life as a gift that all we have to do is receive it. However, you reject it. You reject his body, his blood, his Holy Church, his children."

It has been TOO LONG and this is all I have...

2008-11-03T02:35:00.001-05:00

The Vase sits alone in the corner of the room. She has been mishandled and abused by previous owners. Now she just sits and waits for someone new.
He first noticed the vase several years ago. He has studied the curves and imperfections. He so desires to pick it up, but is so very fearful of harming the delicate structure.
The vase sits watching people come and go. She wants to make her desires known to all, but she just sits and gathers dust and grime. She is fearful she will be picked by the wrong person.
He decides he cannot take it anymore and it is time for action. He goes over and runs his so soft hands over the vases cool exterior. He carefully avoids the broken parts. He holds the her so very close.
The vase, finally, is touched. It feels wonderful. He is so very gentle with her. She knows he will never hurt her; she is afraid he will get too close and cut himself on her sharp edges.
He sees the mess he is in now. The built-up dirt and grime is now on him. He wants to keep the vase, but has no place for her in his bachelors pad. He feels dirty and wrong as he puts her back.
The vase is now more noticeable, but who really wants or has space for a cracked vase? She sits and waits. Longing for his touch, not sure what he she wants to hold and protect her from the world.

How does one get to heaven?

2008-08-25T02:49:00.002-04:00

I am sure this is not how....

OK, Seth was right, I should have just gone to bed… now I am all sorts of upset!

I want all of you to read this and PLEASE reply. I really want help with interpretations here!
John wrote a forum post (here if you want to read all that was stated on the forum)…

Someone posted things that made it seem like she did not bother to read John’s post. She chose to pick out words that she wanted to see and then write trash about it. So I tried to kindly reply to her about what John was really saying and this is what I wrote to her…

“Wow RoS you have a real problem! No I am serious. How can you claim to love God and so HATE the Catholic Church? The body of worshipers who kept the Bible safe from people who wished to destroy it, the people who gave everything to ensure that God is glorified, people who devote everyday in prayer for those less fortunate than themselves. It really troubles me. I pray you allow God’s grace and love to work in your life. You do not have to agree with what the Pope says; I do not have to agree with what your preacher says. However, to say that members of the “American Protestant Church” have no business leading our country would be silly. I would much rather a good solid Christian be leading the country than any other religion. Please do not think this an attack. It is simply an observation on what you have freely posted.I am new to the Catholic Church. I converted because I simply could not agree that it is possible for one person to fully know the will of God simply by reading the Bible and trusting that they understand what the Holy Spirit is telling them. For it seems that we humans are not capable of fully understanding God. If we were then everyone who truly loves God and seeks Him would all have the same ideas on how to get to heaven… exc. So as a Roman Catholic I have the resources of the Church, the Pope who is our leader, and a great support group. Please try not to be so condescending about a faith that I think you may not fully understand.”

I also sent her a personal message indicating about how you get into heaven (only though God’s Grace, we obtain this grace though his Son Jesus Christ and the only way to obtain favor with Christ is to believe and follow him. I noted that this is not a onetime decision, which we have to choose each and every single moment to follow him.) She seems to think that all you have to do is accept that Christ is Christ one time at one point and all else is fine. However, as we all know God will weed out the bad from the good and He states that we can tell His people by their works. It is not that works save us; however, if we are really “saved” we will have works. If you are alive you will breath. If you do not breathe you are not alive. If you are alive in Christ you will have works. If you do not have works than you are not alive! OK, that may be a bit off for some of you, but please let me know!

Well this is what she posted in response to my comment.

“You are in league with the Anti-christ papacy,female goddess worship, witchcraft and paganism (i.e., earth-worship) on purpose.

See: (Omitted links: let me know in your comments if you want them)

name a few. But I have little hope for anyone who would supplant the finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ with idolatry on the level of Roman Catholicism knowingly. There are so many nominal Catholics who have yet to even hear the Good News! How dare you reject so free a Salvation as faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ to be saved, unless you prefer to depend on yourself? Jesus had harsh words for the Pharicees and Saducees who imagined their own "goodness" could win them a place in heaven: He called them "white-washed tombs," "dead men's graves," and even a "brood of vipers."You choose these titles when you choose to gain heaven on your own. Grace OR works? Salvation cannot be of both. (I am not here to debate you on this; I wasted three years "debating" with people of your ilk, whose commitment to a female goddess (and countless other demon-saints) proved superior to their interest in Jesus Christ. So, don't bother writing again.)Sincerely,RoS”

Seriously I was hoping to NEVER encounter this kind of crap for the rest of my life. However, here it is. Please don’t be shy let me know your thoughts. I am not just looking for people to agree with me. I want you to speak-up especially if you DISAGREE with me! I want to know why you do. I also do not want anyone to “bash” this poor woman. She has obviously been under some extreme situations in order to have such hate and ignorance of the true Catholic Church. (here is where I am going to lose my protestant readers). By rejecting the Catholic Church (not just the Roman Catholic but all in union with Rome as well) you are rejecting Christ. He instituted the Catholic Church. It was HIS followers that spread the word, gospel, as well as the foundation for what we now call the Catholic Church! Here she is coming from a group of people who have not even been around as long as America! In fact I am sure that they could not even date themselves back to the American Revolution! What a bunch of crap. Anyway, I will be done with that rant. She told me never to write again. So as obedient as I am I sent her a message indicating it would be my last comment to her, but I was not going to argue with her. I am sorry for her. I will see her in heaven for I am certain I will be there and I guess she feels she will be as well. I also thanked her for not reading my messages to her for if she had read them than she would know my thoughts on how do humans get to heaven! Well I am done with this for now!

What a Day

2008-08-22T06:09:00.001-04:00

Ok, I am posting it here for all to see what kind of day I consider to be a bit too much action! Due to my CUF (Catholics United for the Faith) meeting being moved from next Thursday to this Thursday I had to go into work an hour early so I could step off line for an hour to attend the meeting. So instead of 3 I was to enter work at 2. Not a big deal. However, I had forgotten my book and some materials at work. So I went in an hour earlier than that just so I could get some work done that cannot be done at home. I managed to get my goals for next month written, a binder of information read. Now with the notes I have to write a one page paper summarizing it. However, I think it will have to be over that just because that is a REALLY big binder with LOTS of information. I also did 2 interviews and some other stuff. Once I was online I realized the mid-shift manager did not have ANYTHING set-up for my dinner shift. So there I am scurrying around trying to get sauce and cheese done and stock under the tables for the dinner rush. Then because I was not online we were unable to cut people to save hours.

Well the night went OK except for my two night drivers are about the slowest we have in the store, pizzas got out late; however, no one called and asked for a credit! Then business dropped way off. That is good and bad. Good that we were able to get a jump on close, bad because we did not make projection for the day. Sad thing is we missed it by only like $50! This would not have been a problem if we had not added 2 hours to the schedule. I also took it upon myself to try and get the kitchen floor looking good so I simply had the inside closer soak the floor and I spent over an hour mopping up the soap water and then mopping the floor with nice clean water (not so clean after the rinse job). I hope it looks better. Well I did not get home till like 3 AM! Yes that was one hell of a long day at work.

Here is where the day gets REALLY sad. As I was getting out of the car I drop my keys and they get locked inside. I spent about 20 minutes trying to hit the roommate's window with a rock and calling to see if they would wake up enough to look out the window or answer the phone. Well that did not get me inside. After a bit I called my dad to see if he had time to liberate my keys from my car sometime after the sun came up. He found out I was locked out of the house and came over to pick me up. Instead he is able to liberate my keys from the car! (So very exciting!!!) We get inside and Katie had woken up and was "sleeping" on the couch. So I guess the rock/phone worked, except she did not know what woke her up and therefore did not see me struggling outside to get inside… sigh!!!

My dad was listening to a radio show about the space program and all kinds of conspiracies about it. He decided he wanted to read this 3 part paper from one of the guys on the show. We then spent almost an hour trying to find this paper and get it printed or saved. Normally there is a nice link to a PDF that makes life so wonderfully beautiful! However, this guy decided not to make it so easy. Finally after failed attempt after another I realized I could just copy and paste the information into word! I did so and none of the words showed up, only the links and the pictures. One who was not as sleep deprived or had more intelligence would have realized that since the website was black, the words were white. The words were there, but I just needed to change the color. This took me WAY too much time to figure out. Now instead of going straight way to bed I decided to spend another ½ composing and posting this story.

So for all of you I contacted about being stuck outside, I hope you did not worry too much! I am fine, pups are fine, and everyone is fine. Well except for Katie who had her sleep interrupted by a careless roommate. Oh, and my dad who did not get to sleep due to my error.

OK, now time to post and send an email informing everyone that I have posted one hell of a story.

Catholic Voting

2008-08-20T04:34:00.002-04:00

Though it is true, as a Catholic you CAN vote for a pro-death… I mean a pro-choice candidate; however, why would you want to do so. I know sometimes the choices between the candidates are very hard. On one hand you could pick one person who is bent on stopping the "war" going on when the other wants to try and limit the deaths of millions of unborn children. Obama wants everyone to "think for themselves" to make the "right" choice. However, I do not think he would be so quick to agree if my choice was to kill him to make my life better I had that choice. Nor should I have! People talk about the right for a woman to choose what she does with her body is a personal decision that only she should make. They continue to say no one should limit her in the choice. However, this same person (here is not the point of the cases of rape exc) has already made a decent amount of decisions that got her into the situation. Next the child is not HER. The child is a distinct different person with his/her own DNA make-up. The baby is not a clone of the mother. Though the child resides inside the mother for a short period the baby is not her body.

Next his idea is to promote contraceptives as well as abstinence to help eliminate the need for abortions. The abstinence will help; however, the contraceptives are not really that much of a help. They are quite known to failure; in fact I believe a large number of abortions ARE due to failed contraceptives. They also harm the woman's body by messing with her hormones. Since contraceptives more pressure has been placed on the woman to ensure the non-creation of a new person. We all need to follow God's plan for sex and just wait till we want offspring before we have sex. That is the fundamental reason for it! Many forget that we were created to continue on the species.

Anyway, I will stop my rant and give some links to both candidate's information so you can read what they have posted to "attract" voters. I will also give a few excerpts.

McCain:

Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life

Overturning Roe v. Wade

John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.

Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat.

However, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion. Once the question is returned to the states, the fight for life will be one of courage and compassion - the courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby. The pro-life movement has done tremendous work in building and reinforcing the infrastructure of civil society by strengthening faith-based, community, and neighborhood organizations that provide critical services to pregnant mothers in need. This work must continue and government must find new ways to empower and strengthen these armies of compassion.

Obama:

Expand access to contraception; reduce unintended pregnancy

AT A GLANCE

Reproductive Choice: Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving a women's right to choose under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. Obama also supports expanded access to contraception, health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies.

OBAMA'S PLAN

Protecting a Women's Right to Choose: Obama will make safeguarding women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn that decision.
Reducing Unintended Pregnancy: Obama will work to reduce unintended pregnancy by guaranteeing equity in contraceptive coverage, providing sex education, and offering rape victims accurate information about emergency contraception.

OBAMA RECORD

Throughout his career, in both the Illinois Senate & the US Senate, Obama has stood up for a women's right to choose, consistently earning 100% ratings from pro-choice groups.

Voted against banning partial birth abortion

Obama's record in Illinois represents that of a pragmatic progressive, who pushed for moderate reforms and opposed right-wing legislation. In the IL legislature, voting "present" is the equivalent of voting "no" because a majority of "yes" votes are required for passage. Many IL legislators use the "present" vote as an evasion on an unpopular choice, so that they can avoid being targeted for voting "no." During the 2004 Democratic primary, an opponent mocked Obama's "present" vote on abortion bills with flyers portraying a rubber duck and the words, "He ducked!".

In 1997, Obama voted against SB 230, which would have turned doctors into felons by banning so-called partial-birth abortion, & against a 2000 bill banning state funding. Although these bills included an exception to save the life of the mother, they didn't include anything about abortions necessary to protect the health of the mother. The legislation defined a fetus as a person, & could have criminalized virtually all abortion.

Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.147-148 Oct 30, 2007

Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion

Q: What us your view on the decision on partial-birth abortion and your reaction to most of the public agreeing with the court's holding?

A: I think that most Americans recognize that this is a profoundly difficult issue for the women and families who make these decisions. They don't make them casually. And I trust women to make these decisions in conjunction with their doctors and their families and their clergy. And I think that's where most Americans are. Now, when you describe a specific procedure that accounts for less than 1% of the abortions that take place, then naturally, people get concerned, and I think legitimately so. But the broader issue here is: Do women have the right to make these profoundly difficult decisions? And I trust them to do it. There is a broader issue: Can we move past some of the debates around which we disagree and can we start talking about the things we do agree on? Reducing teen pregnancy; making it less likely for women to find themselves in these circumstances.

Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007

When it is all said and done, you will be accountable in heaven on how you help those who are defenseless!

The Interent is a dreadful place

2008-07-30T02:51:00.001-04:00

The internet is a dreadful and horrible place! There is a vast wealth of knowledge to be obtained by looking online. However, to find useful information you have to wade through pages and pages of crap, stuff that is inaccurate, intolerable, offensive, and just plain wrong. So why do most of us feel our lives are incomplete without the daily visit to the World Wide Web?

I think I like the ability to write. Not that I write well, and not that anyone reads this. However, it is a chance for me to voice my very unnecessary opinion about everything and nothing all at once. Then that is quite possibly why so many others also find the Internet to be such a vital part of life. Unfortunately most do not heed to the morals God gave them.

I recently found my boss’s MySpace page. That paired with the fact that a friend of mine, David O’Neil, has recently placed his blog as very private got me thinking. What would happen if my regional manager got onto any of my pages? What would happen? More than likely he would not waste his time reading the babble that comes from my fingers. I doubt him or any other Donatos boss would give any of my feelings a second thought. I have already found that what I post on MySpace it tempered to those who are my “friends” and may read it, though on my blog the gloves are off. Should this be true?

I know there are things I do not want some to know, but I do not mind if others know. There are many things that I just keep inside that I do not let out because of the potential for someone close to me to be hurt. Though if they are close to me then they should know better than to be hurt. Well crap, I think my train of thought has derailed… Where was I?

Well I suppose that since almost no one actually looks at my blogs I should be safe. Though I wonder how true my “blogging” self is to my everyday self…
I need to write something meaningful soon. Something about something that actually matters in the world instead of being so self centered to think that anyone out there cares about my personal life enough to read 400 words about it.

Donatos

2008-07-14T01:46:00.002-04:00

Well, I decided to post. It has been way too long since I have done so. My last post about work was a while ago. Sad, but I have not posted anything about the upcoming elections. All I will say about the elections is if you are Catholic and love mother church DO NOT VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATS. We have won some small battles trying to protect unborn children. Let us vote for someone who wants to make it impossible for the states to have the right to protect our children and females faced with a hard decision.

OK, here is something else that has come to mind. In the last week 2 people have been taken back by the fact I have a boyfriend. One is a 16 year-old at work. I asked if she thought I was too mean to have one... she said yes. I asked another one of my associates and he said it could be because of the "cock stopper" (IE the pro-life and pro-abstinence) bumper stickers. The other is a guy about my age. I think he may have been surprised because I had not yet mentioned a boyfriend. Well am I really that terrible that no guy would want to date me? Is it so important for a young woman to degrade her self by laying down and spreading her legs?

Why should I give up my entire self AND put my soul in mortal sin just so a guy can have a moment of pleasure. Sure I guess if I did not have an angel always telling me how important it is to wait, and if I did not have to go tell a priest that I am too weak to control my animal instincts than it might have a moment of pleasure. However, that is not the case.

Well after working 86 hours in the past 8 days I think I am too tired to continue. As you can see I have not done well thus far and I am sure it is going to get worse. (not that anyone reads this crap anyway).

Well farewell....

My cross to carry... Is it too heavy?

2008-04-17T02:44:00.006-04:00

Awesome!! We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we cannot.

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine, after the rain....
Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But God's always ready, to answer your call....
He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
a word from His lips, can calm every fear...
Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish, by dawn's early light...
The Savior is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love.
May God fill your day with blessings!!

Beloved Fathers

2008-04-14T02:44:00.001-04:00

I would like to introduce you to a “friend” of mine. Though I have never met him in person, I have had many conversations with him. He IS a great man. He led a very holy and respectable life. He became engaged to a woman to find out that she became pregnant by another during the engagement.

He was going to break off the engagement; however, he became aware of the fact that it was not due to a sinful act by her. In fact, the child was a great gift from God to the world. So he chose to accept the reticule of his peers and take her into his house as his wife.

He stood by her during her pregnancy as any honorable man would his wife. Comforted her, attended to her, and ensured her safety and comfort. He was with her for all of the pregnancy except when she went to help her elder cousin with her pregnancy.

When his wife returned to him he was overjoyed to see her; however, due to being late in her term many questioned her purity and dedication to him. He did not. He stood by her and loved her. Then they found they needed to make a very long journey, so away they went, he by her side. She ended up giving birth when they were away. The trip must have been so hard on him. The worry and concern over what stress this journey would have on his young wife. Though she did not seem to mind very much, it was very tiring to him. The trip home would have been even harder on him. Now he had a newborn child to look after as well.

Before they reached home he was informed that people wanted to kill his son. So as any father would, he took his wife and child to a far away but safe place. He left his life, family, job, and home simply to save the life of his foster child. He and his wife had a hint of sadness for the loss of the company of their families; however, the life of any child is worth the sacrifice, especially this one. They did not return to their home till the threat was clear.

Though it was not his child, he raised him as if it was his treasured first son. (He has not yet told me if it were his first.) He supported his wife in the education and rising of the child. When the son was old enough my friend to him to the workshop and taught him a trade. He worked to ensure his adopted son had everything he needed from the time he was born till the time my friend passed away.

Also, this holy and just man never took his wife into his bed chamber for marital activities. She was so special because of her calling to be the mother of his foster son, that it was out of the question to deflower such a perfect woman. He remained chased and loving. Never wavering, simply staying in the background and let his beautiful wife and son have all of the light.

He knew he raised a good and righteous son by the time he was a teen simply because he was so strong in the knowledge of God, the laws, and he also had a very keen mind. Though the child had a powerful will he always obeyed his parents. Yes even as a teenager!

Though my friend died before he had a chance to see in person the true strength of his adopted son, he died in the arms of his loving wife and son. As many of you know already I am speaking of Saint Joseph. He is the protector of the innocent, of the young virgins, of workers, and others. He tried so hard in life to have the ability to take care of his perfect wife and son, he denied himself the basic pleasures of life to ensure the wellbeing of the both of them, and he has been there with them ever since. He would never leave them as long has he had the choice.

My devotion to this great man comes from my love, respect, and image of my father when I was a kid. He was an honorable man. Read his Bible every morning at breakfast, loved his wife, and child. He too took in a child that was not his and raised her as his own. (Sometimes I think she was raised better than his own.) He treated his step children as if they were his own as well. He did not play the “it is their father’s responsibility” game. He was at church every Sunday morning and night (between running me back and forth from Indianapolis and Fort Wayne) also he was there Wednesday night bible study and Thursday night visitation with the pastor. No matter what happened later, this is the man who raised me, loved me and my siblings. He and his new wife also allowed my brothers from my mom’s second “marriage” to come and stay. All this was done for me, the apple of his eye.

Abortion

2008-03-04T01:22:00.003-05:00

I mean really. Why do "Pro-Choice" feel that they are really on the side of "Choice?" I have yet to see a person who can truly be open to all choices without feeling that abortion is right or wrong. I am Pro-life and I stand by that. I do not feel that all choices available to the public should be available. (For example, it is a choice to shoot your boss in the head... but come on how many honestly feel that this is really a CHOICE that should be available?) I expect many will disagree with me, but here take a moment and read the “I’m Pregnant… Now What?” article on a teen site associated with Planned Parenthood. If I am reading this I would think that the only option for me to live a normal life was to have an abortion. Oh and on the same site there is this quote in the article and in a big block as if it were a bad thing… “CPCs are bringing their anti-abortion, abstinence-until-marriage message to schools.” Again this is a site for TEENS. Now I have yet to meet a parent that is HAPPY about a sexually active child. Most that have them, that I have talked to, accept the fact; however, they all claim to wish the child had waited. So why would it be BAD to teach abstinence? OK, I have heard that they should not be teaching anti-abortion…

Well here is an artical about this site. Many may have differing opions on porn and sex; however, this artical seems to be saying that it is normal for young people to enjoy porn by themselves or with a partner. Again, should this really be somthing we should be PROMOTING to teens? Sorry I will stop with this topic.

I am blogging about this because I tried to talk to Seth about it and he just shuts me down and won’t talk to me about such things. I can understand why. He is still trying to tell himself that his brother did the right thing when he and his then wife decided to KILL his niece or nephew. They see it as a good thing because if the abortion was not had then the next 2 children would not have been born. Well I say who says THAT’S true? Yes I do love the 2 younger children, I would not want them to cease to be, but I cannot say that I am happy that one had to die for the others to be born later. Of course before I knew this I asked Seth’s brother if I could take his pre-teen son to a teen pro-life event. He told me “no” because he wanted his son to make up his own mind on the subject and did not want anyone influencing his decision. Is that possible? Can a child who has never heard a pro-life message make an educated decision with pro-abortion parents?

Now I want to look at the name “Planned Parenthood” (PP).

You can stop reading if I have written on this before; however, I am going to see how PP helps people PLAN a family. I know they help to plan NOT to have a family… but then again that is not what the name states. OK after reviewing the site, I see no place to get information on how to help me PLAN to get pregnant. There is some good basic information about parenting. Some facts about adoption (that does not seem condescending) are present. However, most are about sex, “safer”-sex (I like the change in the name from when I was a teen when it was called “safe”-sex), and STDs. There was nothing about abstinence. So you can get information about how to plan to not become a parent (as long as you intend to be having sex) and some general information about what to do if you become a parent. Sad thing is this site seems a BIT less bias than the TEEN site??? I don’t quite understand that, but then again I do not make money out of young people having sex with one another.

Too Long

2008-03-01T11:51:00.002-05:00

I have been away for too long. It has also been too long since I have had a chance to sit in quiet and play on my computer. Not that I have a lot of time now. I was clocked in at work for 12 hours yesterday, at work closer to 12.5 hours. Today I am most likely going to have to do the same. That means in 1.5 (about 1:30pm) hours I have to go home, get ready for work, and I will be at work till around 3:00 AM... so very sad.

I do like my job. Once I am at work I do not mind being there at all. In fact I have noticed I have so much to do there that most of the time the time flies by. For example, we were so busy and I was trying to get so many things done, when I looked up at the clock after 8:50pm it was almost 1AM. Time just went so very fast last night.

It also has been WAY too long since Harry Potter was out of the news! Come on people. I guess a fan based website holder has decided to publish a book with fan based information, writings, and some of the spells found in the book exc. She is suing them for copyright stuff. All I can think of is the Star Wars Universe. Now I don’t know how that started; however, I feel that the continuation of the Star Wars fantasy is partially based on the fact that fans can get involved and write books about it, compile information, and be a part of the action. I remember reading or talking to someone about how JK Rowling is just in it for the money (of course most of us do what we do for a living for the money), I think they were right. She has a VERY popular series of books and if she plays her hand right she can use the fans to build the Potter world, make it more timeless than it already is, and also do more to line her pockets with money. Far be it for me to tell the woman how to live her life; however, I truly feel we get more in life if we all work together and not against each other. The fan book was written out of devotion, not malice. She wants to keep all Harry Potter writings (especially the ones that make money) to herself…

Ok, enough on that. Has anyone been listing to the debates, do you have a favorite candidate? At this point I am not sure who is really still in the race. I did an online quiz thing and it said I should vote for Huckabee… though that was not even a close fit. It was only like 30% or something. But when the choices are limited, you have to make tough choices. Though I know there are those who feel they just cannot vote because the candidates are such bad fits for the personal ideology.

Speaking of politics, Seth and I were talking about pro-life issues and he made the statement that the Clintons are personally pro–life. He says they just keep personal beliefs and politics separate. My response was what good is it to have personal beliefs that do not carry over into your professional life. I feel there should be some carry over. For example, a person who honestly believes in no sex till marriage is not very likely to become a prostitute. A person who honestly feels that murder is wrong and that abortion is wrong just does not seem to be the person who joins forces with “Planned Parenthood” for their money making abilities.

More on Planned Parenthood later….

Life

2008-01-18T02:08:00.000-05:00

It is time for a new post. As any readers know, my new job has kept me on my toes, not really able to concentrate on what I want, only letting me do bits here and there. Then instead of doing my blogging and Abba, Father work, I play my video game. I really need to start stepping into my Catholic reality instead of Neverwinter Nights 2. My guess is tomorrow I will spend talking, playing my video game, and trying to forget life in general.

I want all to know my new job is going well. I have a nice connection with many of the employees, others… not so much. However, I think it is going well. The general manager (store manager AKA GM) is seemly liking my work. At least it is not as bad as she expected!

With all of that I also heard tonight that my “mother” Linda Gray Wren found out she has cancer in her bones. I do not know much more than that. She had breast cancer and they got that taken care of, now this. I hope all of you will be praying for her. She is such a wonderful mother, friend, wife, and person. Her husband is taking care of her and he is doing such a wonderful job. He watched his first wife slowly die from cancer, and did not even bat an eye when Linda found out she had cancer, I am sure he is just as supportive and caring as he was then. Pray for him also; though I cannot seem to remember his name right now… call him Mr. Wren!

Seth has a job, so hopefully we can start climbing out of the hole we call finances! My father is looking into a new house, so I may have a nice 2 bedroom attached one car garage in my future!!!! That would be so very nice. Though that would mean I would have to move away from John and Katie. I guess the day will come where I would be expected to do that anyway… and it may take that long for Dad to get the house ready!

I am looking forward to continuing at Donatos. I think my life is looking better and better all of the time. Now I just need to buckle down and start taking care of what I need to get done. After that, life will be GRAND.

God is so very wonderful!

I desire to post some time on the priest I had the opportunity to hear last Saturday night when I went to mass, but that will take more time and energy than I have tonight. So for now I want to leave everyone with a happy note! I am more confident about my life now than ever. I know there are many things I still have to work on, but I know I will make it!

I do love you all who read this. You and all of my friends are very dear to me.

(It is interesting to me that this blog has become so very personal. I think I will need to start posting less personal information. However, right now this is about the only way to let everyone know how I am doing since I do not seem to have time to catch up with everyone anymore!)

What's up?

2007-12-28T01:21:00.000-05:00

Have you ever really wanted to write… but just did not seem to have the words to say what you want? That’s how I feel right now. I have so much to say, so much to share, but there is something inside of me keeping me quite!

With my new job I have not been able to blog like I would like to. I have fallen so far behind with reading friend’s blogs, bills, learning, and life in general. I hope when I am out of training my life can get back to something of what I had before.

I am sure there are those out there that are glad I have stepped back, but then they are not reading this. Not that there really is any readers for my rambling anyway…

Well here is what has been going on in most devistaing and life changing order…

1. Seth’s job downsized him, he was on unemployment, he got a new job, company closed… all this has left me in quite a financial bind… hopefully he has another job lined up (maybe 2!).

2. My sister lost her children to CPS. Where this does not directly impact my daily life, it is there, in the back of my head at every moment…

3. One of the young people died. They have ruled it suicide… he hung himself. I pray for him. It is hard to go into work and he is missing. He was one of my 2 favorite employees. He did as I asked and was really a wonderful kid. (Not that my other associates are not, he just stood out in a very wonderful way.)

4. I feel myself being distracted from the things that I love… including God. Not that I was very good at serving him, but now it seems I do not have time to learn and study as I would like to. This would be farther up the list, but as all things in religion it seems it is not really something we think about as much as we should.

5. The financial stuff has put a terrible strain on my and Seth’s relationship. So many times I have just wanted to walk away from it all. The credit cards, auto loan, cell phones, and him. Not that I would ever do such a thing, (I could not walk away from any of it.) I just feel so trapped right now by all of it. I know I love him and I have a responsibility to it ALL. But again… there it is.

There is more on my mind, but this is neither the time nor the place to put it out there. Please everyone I want you to know I am not avoiding anyone, I just have not been at a computer with the desire to write for a bit. If you have my phone number call me. If you have my email address, send me an email. There are many I wish to hear from, but again I am sure those I wish to hear from/see will not be reading this…

One Month

2007-12-27T01:43:00.001-05:00

Has it really been one entire month since I posted!!! Well I will have to write something insitful soon.

Sara Silverman

2007-11-26T22:53:00.000-05:00

I hope this does not sound like I am complaining or venting. I am trying a new outlook on life. I wonder if it will stick.

To the point…

I know better than to watch shows by Sara Silverman, but I was drawn in by one episode and I made the mistake of watching it. It was about the abortion issue. I hope none of you saw it, if you did not, don’t go and look for it. Just take my word you do not want to see it. I wish I had not.

I wonder why she is so popular. I know of no one who thinks she is funny, this being from a group of wide religious beliefs and backgrounds. She tends to aggravate everyone I know. So why does she continue in the “comedy” field. Even articles have been written about how offensive she is. Though it never seems to matter. I am not saying comedians should be stopped from things that some find offensive, many of these jokes are the funniest. However, it is how the joke is delivered. She has a total lack of class; sense of humor, and poor mental abilities if she thinks her stuff is funny.

I am sure many disagree and I would not mind hearing alternative thoughts on the matter; however, overall I am very open-minded when it comes to the crap on TV. In fact I expect it to be just that… Crap! Though there is better crap than what she spouts and I wish someone would just take her off the air.

How Not to be A Gospel Coward By FR Powell, OP

2007-10-24T14:42:00.000-04:00

Sunday, October 07, 2007
How Not to be a Gospel Coward
27th Sunday OT: Hab 1.2-3, 2.2-4; 2 Tim 1.6-8, 13-14; Luke 17.5-10
Fr. Philip N. Powell, OP
St Paul Hospital and Church of the Incarnation

Click to listen!

Are you a gospel coward? Is your heart weak and your spirit faint? Do you cringe or flinch or whine at the first sign of opposition? Do you think it always best to find a way around or between or under adversity? Do your hands and arms get rubbery at the thought of conflict, the mere mention of offense? Does your brain turn to mush and your strength drain away when the enemy approaches to confront you? Maybe you are a coward in more subtle ways—surrendering to fashion out of fear of exclusion; giving up the fight because your cause is ill-defined or poorly lead; retreating in the face of superior reason or more extensive experience? Do you abandon your gospel witness? Do you manifest cowardice when what is most needed is courage?

How easy it is for us to be ashamed of our “testimony to our Lord”! Paul admonishes Timothy “not to be ashamed” of the witness he himself makes to the gospel of Christ. Rather than being embarrassed by the prospect of telling others about the Lord’s freely given gift of forgiveness in mercy, Paul urges Timothy to “bear your share of the hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.” We are either ashamed of the gospel, burdened by the adversity its preaching brings, or we are strengthened, en-joyed, made joyful by the “sound words that [we have] heard from [Paul].” The faith and love that are in Christ Jesus are our inheritance, our trust fund of grace and life, the exceedingly rich treasury of gratuitous help that we receive for no other reason than that our Father is Love and loves us always. Paul goes on to order Timothy to “[g]uard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells with us.” Reminding, testifying, bearing-up-under, strengthening, hearing and seeing, guarding, and preaching—all of these we do now and tomorrow for the sake of Christ and our eternal lives with him. Thankfully, we do not do any of these alone, none without help. Our help is the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and among us.

Brothers and sisters, we have work to do. And there is no room for a coward’s heart in a soul filled with Spirit!

We have work to do. And with this work, we have the Holy Spirit filling us with the power of the Word Made Flesh, the fire of truthful witness, and the assurances of God’s promises written in stone and flesh. The Spirit dwells in me. In you. In us. Calling Timothy “beloved,” Paul reminds Timothy: “Beloved, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” What is this gift? For the Church, Timothy is a bishop, ordered to apostolic authority by the imposition of Paul’s hands. His gift is the grace of leadership, the gift of standing in front, between what has gone before and what is coming. Timothy is the focal point of salvation history for his local church. He is the crux, the crossroad for what is and what is not authentic testimony, what is and what is not truthful witness. With the Church, Timothy is a man of faith, burning with courage and strength, called to service to the exhaustion of his gifts, and lifted up as one with authority to lead. Timothy is himself a gift to the Church, a grace given to serve us in peril, without profit.

With Timothy’s strength, with Paul’s strength, with all the saints living and dead, and with the unfailing help of the Holy Spirit and the whole Body of Christ, we, cannot fail in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather one of power and love. Therefore, to be ashamed of our gospel testimony is to be ashamed of Christ himself. Why would we add this hardship to our burden? We have enough work to do in pursuing holiness, in keeping away from sin, in feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and healing the sick. Why would we do any of this and fail to claim the power and love of the Holy Spirit? Why would we do any of this and fail to dig deeply and excessively into the treasury of graces freely given to us specifically for this purpose? Why would we plow the fields of the world and tend the world’s sheep and do so without humility and eagerly welcoming hearts? Why?

Cowardice, that’s why. Fear of hardship. An aversion to difficulty. A distaste for “offending.” We might be called names. We might be ostracized. People will think we are being exclusive or discriminatory or intolerant. If we make any hard claims about the truths of the gospel, we will be seen as aggressive missionaries, or worse—missionaries of aggressive religion! Thus, we must blend in, mingle, disguise ourselves. If we stand up, stand out, or in any way distinguish ourselves as gospel witnesses, we must be claiming exclusive possession of The Truth. We must be preaching One Way, The Only Way to heaven. We must be vile little buggers who lust to see the heathens burn! If we flinch at these accusations, batting a single eye for a single second, and change one word of the gospel out of fear being called bigots, we are, in fact, cowards; cowards deserving the label.

Now, before any of you think I am calling for the reinstitution of the Inquisition or a rallying of the Crusades, let me say: we work as servants. Not inquisitors. Not soldiers. Servants. We serve. That’s what gospel people do. Secularists expect us to come charging out of Mass with swords drawn and torches lit and force them all to the baptismal font and confessional. My suspicion is that this is exactly what they want us to do, thus confirming their own bigotries and prejudices and giving them every excuse to continue their already well-oiled and ever-so-sophisticated persecution of the Church. No, I’m not being an alarmist. Nor am I issuing warnings or dire cautions against the evils of the secular world. The evil we need to be worrying about lives already in the heart of every man and woman who lays claim to the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Our worst enemy is not the state, not the Supreme Court, not the ACLU, and not other religions. Our worst enemy is the weak heart of compromise, the fainting spirit of accommodation and assimilation. Our worst enemy is the Christian heart that believes its soul is impervious to charitable work. Excused from profitable service and witness. This is the restless heart of a Christian that will not search for and will not find its rest in Love. It cannot. Because it suffocates the Spirit in disobedience and fear.

Ask these hard questions this way: is the Lord to be grateful to us b/c we have done what he has commanded us to do? Is he supposed to pat us on the back and send us on permanent retreat b/c we completed the work we vowed to do at baptism? Because we have said “amen” and “thanks be to God” at Mass? Or, are we to say to our Master, “We are unprofitable servants, Lord; we have done what we were obliged to do”? Even better: we have done what we promised to do because you died for us, making us heirs to your kingdom.

We are already well-paid servants. We’ve used all of our vacation days. All of our comp time and sick days. The Christmas bonus has been given and spent. The heavenly 401K has been cashed. The time clock is still ticking and we haven’t yet punched out. If you are going to be a witness to the gospel out there, then know this: our God did not give you a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and love and self control. His Word has been proclaimed to you and his Word remains forever.

Brothers and sisters, put on your apron. We have work to do!

Fairness

2007-10-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

What is fairness? I am sure everyone knows the world is not "fair". However, is anything "fair"? My response is NO. There is NOTHING that is fair. Someone will always believe something is fair if it goes in his/her favor, but unfair if it does not go in his/her favor.

Taxes: People want to pay the least amount of taxes possible. The rich are upset that they pay the largest amount of taxes of any other group of people by far, but the poor have to pay a larger % of their earnings in taxes (except for the "poverty" poor). No one will ever feel that the way the government obtains money is fair. However, no one wants to take over in personally paying for what the government does. IE it would cost less money if each person paid to plow part of the neighborhood; however, we don't want to pay for that, so we pay for the government to plow the roads for us. Then we scream that it is unfair for them to tax us so much.

Work: Everyone feels they do what they need to do to get by at work. Some people have a higher mark of what "get by" really is. At my job, most of us get paid the same amount weather we work high above or below. (far below may not get a rise so we will not count them)People think it is unfair for some who cannot work as fast and as efficient to miss out on raises, but the top producers want to make more than the slower people. We will not even get into the fairness of promotions and how they are looked at.

Employment/wages: Some are saddened that a CEO can make $1 Million/year when the entry level employee makes $8/hour. Then we see ball players getting $45 Million contracts then endorsements on top of that! Well that certainly cannot be fair. What makes one job worth $1 Million plus benefits when another is only worth $20,000 after weeks of over time, no benefits, vacations, exec. Where is the fairness that one person with a 4 year degree and smart makes $40,000 and another makes 100,000? Why do some children get to make more money as they enter the work force because the mom and/or dad have contacts? Why could I not have had contacts?

Death: Some die young (in the womb and shortly after), some die old, some die peacefully, some in pain, what is fair with this? Would it not be more fair if each of us had 80 years exactly and then expired on that day? Of course not, some people are not wanted (aborted babies, the homeless, the impoverished) and society does not want to care for them. What about the criminals, many would say it is not fair if they have as much (or more) time than an law abiding person.

Justice: In the US they try to make Justice available for all, but it does not happen. People with money still get the best lawyers, the poor still get stuck being more guilty. The famous get out of jail time due to status; however, it would be more dangerous for them inside than a nobody. The uneducated say and do things that make them seem more guilty than someone with a silver tongue and golden words. Then on both sides of the case there is unfairness vs. fairness. A person is "messing" around and hits someone with an auto. The person hit dyes. Is it fair to the person who says it was an accident (everyone makes mistakes) to do 80 years in jail. However, it is not fair for the person who lost a loved one that the person responsible should go free. The time spent in jail is also unfair. Someone with 10 pounds of weed may have to spend a considerable amount more time in jail than someone who helps to kill his/her only child! Then the woman who kills all 5 of her children is allowed less than 20 years and is pregnant again...

Looks: People who have better looks and a better outward appearance are usually considered more intelligent and better suited for the position. The better looking the waiter/waitress, the better the tip. The better looking the applicant, the better chance of the position. This does not just include nice clothing, but everything about the appearance. Therefore, if you are not attractive, you have to work 3 times harder to look presentable for a job interview or anything.

Afterlife: Then after a lifetime of things being unfair to one or both sides of the coin, we die. Here is the ultimate showing of unfair. Jesus came down, became man, and died a painful death so that we may have the option of spending an eternity with God in heaven. Then there are people who spend a life time of trying to live as God sees fit, they get the same reward as someone who, up until death, has lived in the darkest pits of sin. Some may say that is unfair. Though to look at it, we are all miserable compared to God, he gives us everything we have, he allows us to be in pain and glory. So we must accept what he gives us, work with it, and praise him. This system was not set-up to be fair. Of course there is no "fair" anyway because someone will always think it is unfair if they do not get what they desire. So since Jesus had been treated the ultimate in the unfair category, let us stop complaining and start living for him...

Lyrics

2007-10-06T21:17:00.000-04:00

Here are some Lyrics... I am not sure I like them... I like the beat of the songs, but not the idea behind them. Though I must admit I have felt this way before...

HINDER LYRICS

"Lips Of An Angel"

Honey why you calling me so late?
It's kinda hard to talk right now.
Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay?
I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud

Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And, yes, I've dreamt of you too
And does he know you're talking to me
Will it start a fight
No I don't think she has a clue

Well my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

Honey why you calling me so late?

Avril Lavigne
Girlfriend (Katie do not read)

Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend

You're so fine
I want you mine
You're so delicious
I think about you all the time
You're so addictive
Don't you know
What I can do
To make you feel alright
( alright alright alright)

Don't pretend
I think you know
I'm damn precious
And hell yeah
I'm the mother fucking princess
I can tell you like me too
And you know I'm right
( I'm right I'm right I'm right)

She's like so whatever
You can do so much better
I think we should get together now
And that's what everyone's talking about

Hey hey, you you
I don't like your girlfriend
No way no way
I think you need a new one
Hey hey, you you
I could be your girlfriend

Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend

I can see the way
I see the way you look at me
And even when you look away
I know you think of me
I know you talk about me all the time
Again and again
( Again again again)

So come over here
And tell me what I wanna hear
Better, yet, make your girlfriend disappear
I don't wanna hear you say her name
Ever again
( Ever again again again)

She's like so whatever
And you can do so much better
I think we should get together now
And that's what everyone's talking about

Hey hey, you you
I don't like your girlfriend
No way, no way
I think you need a new one
Hey hey, you you
I could be your girlfriend

Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend

In a second you'll be wrapped around my finger
'Cause I can, cause I can do it better
There's no other, so when's it gonna sink in
She's so stupid, what the hell were you thinking?

In a second you'll be wrapped around my finger
'Cause I can, cause I can do it better
There's no other, so when's it gonna sink in
She's so stupid, what the hell were you thinking?

Hey hey, you you
I don't like your girlfriend
No way, no way
I think you need a new one
Hey hey, you you
I could be your girlfriend

( No way No way)

Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend

Hey hey, you you
I don't like your girlfriend ( No Way!)
No way, no way
I think you need a new one (Hey!)
Hey hey, you you
I could be your girlfriend ( No Way!)

Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me ( No Way!)
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret ( Hey!)
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend ( No Way!)

Hey Hey!

Life anyone?

2007-10-01T23:13:00.000-04:00

I know there are those out there who are especially touched by the issue of abortion. For those of you I pray. I love you and I wish not to harm you in any way; however, I feel this must be said.

Abortion must stop because it damages our bodies, our minds, our spiritual lives. It causes us to have some of the biggest problems. We try and trick ourselves into saying, my child is better off having never been born. Sad thing is after the child exits the womb, a parent would never say such a thing!

I do not care what language you use when talking about abortion; however, there is nothing you can say that does not make it murder. When an abortion is done you are intentionally stopping a beating human heart.

Then we need to also talk about contraception. I know there are those who may still be reading this who are with me to this point and I will lose them here; however, here are some facts about contraception (especially the pill). Here it is the same as the surgical abortion and the "Plan B" pill, the mother holds the ability to have sex with whom ever she wants when ever she wants at a higher standard than her child. She feels it is her RIGHT to put herself in front of everyone and everything on the face of the earth. By doing this she loses her rights. I know that sounds silly; however, here it is.

When I was 15 I had a boyfriend that I really liked. All of his friends wanted us to have sex, so I did. It was not special, it was not magical, it was just there. In fact I still remember watching TV during the first encounter, it was a special on Rasputin (the crazy Russian guy, sorry if I misspelled it). When he and I broke-up he blamed the break-up on me. It was my fault because I said we should do this. I was hurt because I did it for him. Now he and I no longer talk, we cannot even pass a friendly hello.

At 15 what did I know about life? At 27 what do I know about life? Do I know so much as to say I want my child to die so I may live as I see fit. Will I still think it is fit in 5, 10, or 15 years? But like all decisions it is an irreversible one...

If you are still reading, I am sorry for this; however, I had to post something, here is some videos on why we must try and stop Planned Parenthood. In Indianapolis we are doing a 40 day prayer campaign, there could also be one in your area as well. Take a look at the information at http://www.40daysforlife.com/splash.cfm

Fraud in Aurora

Protecting statutory rapists and threatening a young woman
Disussion of abortion on Scrubs

PP Promote choice?

Fantasy

2007-09-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

I was talking to people at work... One day I may actually work at work! Anyway, we started talking about "Fantasy Lists". Do any of you have one. I am guessing no. This list is a list of famous people that if the famous person was OK with it you could have an affair with and your significant other or spouse would not get angry, mad, or upset.

So women at work are talking about "fantasy" guys and I mention that this or that guy is good looking; however, I would not "do" them. In fact, a few years ago (after seeing a episode of "Friends")I decided such a list was stupid and retarded. It says to your loved one you are not enough. I have to live this fantasy to be fulfilled. This makes me feel that most people are more empty.

They then told me that I was silly for not having such a list. I was also told that my boyfriend has one so I should have one. Well I can tell you that any man of mine better not even think I would be OK with such a thing. Why would ANYONE go for this. It seems too close to an "open" relationship to me.

I had friends that had an "open" marriage. The rule was as long as they ended the day together in bed it did not matter who they spent the day with or what they did. This seems to be an abuse of marriage. I see this list as close to that. It also seems kind of like idolatry as well as adultery.

So many times a day I think...

1. I am SO happy I am a Catholic!
2. What is WRONG with people?

How well do you know me?

2007-09-25T12:31:00.001-04:00

Create your own Friend Quiz here

The Chapter Room

2007-09-18T23:33:00.000-04:00

Hello all! I know some may think I am crazy; however, some friends of mine and I have decided that we need to start a Catholic Utopia! If you go to the blog the Chapter Room you can see all of the wonderful discussion about this.

If you are not Catholic, but still want to give respectful advise, or to see if such a community is right for you, just come and check it out!

I am 51 and worthless!

2007-09-14T13:58:00.000-04:00

This story is not about me... obviously for those who know me...Anyway I read this article "Why don't I ever get asked out?" Well here is her question, the rest of the page is professional and un-professional people giving advise...

My entire adult life, I have gone out to all the places you're told to go to meet someone special. Nothing. I never even get asked out. It's like I'm invisible, and my life has wasted away because there's not a damn thing I can to do to 'make' someone want me. I'm no size 0, but I'm not an elephant either. I have a great personality (that one again!), but I can't get my friends to understand that I simply refuse to put myself through more pain and humiliation by going to a dance and never getting asked to dance. I feel like such a damned freak. Can you help me?" -- Shelby B., 51, Atlanta, Georgia

Here is my response. First of all if you are 51 years of age and feel that life is ONLY worth while if some other human likes you, you are living a VERY sad life! This should be something that people learn is false earlyish in life. At 51 you should know that the best things in life would be the things that got you though the last 51 years!

Second, why would you want someone to "want" you? Why would you not want love. Sad thing is one person actually responded that she should "LOWER" her standards! I would say they are TOO low. Unless she just wants a hook-up and not a relationship then by all means drop away!

Third... Well I am just going to stop! This makes me SO angry I want to spit! Why do we tell women they are only worth what other humans think you are worth!

Miami is the "Thrid World Nation"

2007-09-11T22:59:00.000-04:00

Man or man, my job makes me wonder more and more every day how humans got to the top of the food chain! I mean really. HOW. I guess the best answer is God. If he did not put us here… well we would not have had a chance!

Today I received a complaint letter about a cable company from a woman who lives in Miami. In this letter she indicated that Miami was a “THIRD WORLD NATION”!!!! Yes folks she said it was a third world nation even though it was on the US soil.

Well I decided to get some information on what a third world nation was. According to Wikipedia… Yes I know not the most reliable; however, according to them these terms First, Second, and Third world nations is how economically developed a country or area is. Just based on that MIAMI is nowhere NEAR a third world nation!!! Who comes up with this crap? Does she really think?

OK, for the like 2 people who MAY read this? What do you think she was referring to when she said that Miami was a third world nation? A co-worked noted that she could be referring to the influx of Spanish speaking people; however, they are also from first and second classifications...

Animals!

2007-09-04T21:19:00.000-04:00

Often I am amazed about how little credit we give each other and ourselves! Why do we sell short the creation of God? Are we afraid that if we push ourselves we will fail? Well here is to pushing yourself!

For example, friends have a Long Walk. Several walkers have attempted to finish a 55-mile walk in 24 hours. It has yet to be finished, but there is next year. They do not quit, they do not give up, and they do not say it is pointless they just try! Others think the pursuit is silly and just stay home. But at least they are trying.

What brought on this thought process was talking to people at work. Yes I am beginning to think this is a dangerous thing. However, this is how it goes. My good friend John wants to have more of a communal life style instead of a self-centered one. This lifestyle would include several families with like values and morals living together in one home (I guess it has to be a VERY big home). Anyway, the key would be for the men to go out and do “man work” and make all of the money. The women stay at home and do the “woman work” (I think we women have a better deal). However, instead of having personal property, everything belongs to the entire community. We would not have personal possessions to get in the way of our spiritual growth.

I know there are many things that can be argued against this way of life, including pointing out that it could seem a bit “creepy” from the outside. However, the argument my co-workers pointed out was the fact that the chances of husbands and wives cheating would be higher!

COME ON!!!! Really???? What the….

One girl stated that it is a bad idea because if my husband and I have a fight and he starts to talk to one of the other wives they will be come too close and then he would end-up sleeping with her. Or some such thing! Well that is an interesting thought. First, why would he go to one of the wives instead of one of the other husbands? Second, why would he harm his “sister,” wife, and “brother” so grievously as to sleep with her? Not to mention the harm done to the children and God! It just does not seem logical. Then my next set of issues is why would my friend, the wife of a friend, and sister have sex with my husband? Do these people think that all humans have a total lack of self-control and have to have sex with any and all two legged females?

Then I was reading in “Girls Gone Mild” about the same issue. Wendy Shalit indicated women tend to feel that all women are competition and cannot be trusted. Is this what my co-worker was referring to? Of course this gets my little head working. I surly hope that my roommate Katie would NEVER even think that I would harm her in such a way! I cannot imagine what demon possession would HAVE to have occurred before John or myself harm a family unit like that!

So why would this occur? Well because people are hateful, vengeful, and lustful. Theses types would not be allowed in the utopia of John and Katie’s world!

THE BODY OF CHRIST IS BROKEN & WHY WE SHOULD NOT NEED LAW

2007-09-03T17:59:00.000-04:00

As my current boyfriend is playing his new video game, I have some time to write. I will steal this time from the time I SHOULD BE working on my Abba, Father newsletter! But instead I will write about why we should not need law, and how the body of Christ is Broken…

WHY WE SHOULD NOT NEED LAW?
As members of the body of Christ, as a people who are required to live above the law and live in love, we should not need laws to live. I am getting frustrated at our fallen nature that commands we need laws to keep each other from killing one another, when the law of God commands that we love each other as we love ourselves… Now I understand that all are not Christians, or moral… But why can’t we be? No real need to answer that because I know the answer. But recently I have been talking to people about the “problems” with the Novas Ordo (NO). They seem to think that it lends to abuse because it is not spelled out point by point. However, I feel we should not need for someone to say we need to refrain from stepping into a Barney suit for a blessing or any such craziness. I feel that a priest should know better! A priest should not need to be told that he should stay in his vestments till mass has ended! I mean REALLY. Do we really need rules to tell us that we need to dress properly for mass? No, everyone KNOWS what is right to put on before mass, but people chose not to do it. It is not that we need more laws, rules, exc. We need a conversion of heart, mind, and soul! Now this leads directly into…

THE BODY OF CHRIST IS BROKEN!!!
If the body of Christ was not currently broken here on earth, we would not need the laws to tell us what we already know. If all were united in loving and caring for one another, then it would be fine; however, we (Roman Catholics) are SO busy trying to keep priests in their vestments and out of the newspapers that we have problems fighting the demons that are attacking the church in every way possible! The Eastern Catholics are fighting for recognition, the Protestants… well they are SO busy standing on rocks screaming that they are the only ones who are right…

Now you can say I am not being fair, because I am not. However, this is to depict what we are doing instead of praying for the end of Abortion. Instead of teaching our children right from wrong we are allowing them to do whatever under the lie of “freedom”! Why, why do we allow Christ’s body to be broken again and again? Why do we not tell the evil one to depart from us? Why do we insist in making God in our image?

Solo Saxophone explination

2007-09-01T09:53:00.001-04:00

OK, again there are SO many things I want to cover with you…
1. Solo Saxophone
2. The body of Christ broken
3. Why we should not need law
At this time I will blog about #1 and hope I get time to write about the other 2 later. I guess I put them in this post so I remember I wanted to do them!

OK, the post about the solo saxophone is not really about me and any particular person, nor is it about 2 specific people. What I meant by posting it is for people to have the song for the situation it brings up.

When I listen to this song, I think of a man and a woman meeting, falling in love (love at first site is always romantic), and then holding onto each other like it is the last night they will ever have. Of course this is how we should be with our spouses! We are never guaranteed tomorrow so don’t take your love for granted. Let your spouse know you love in a very deep special way. Treat them tonight or tomorrow like it is the last night you will ever have together because you may not have tomorrow! Don’t let more than a few days go by without SHOWING how much in love you are, and take time to listen to one another.

All this coming from a single girl who never knows what end is up in a relationship. Though I have some good examples!

Something from Catholics United for the Faith

2007-08-28T09:23:00.000-04:00

Here is part of Leon Suprenant's artical on Looking for Answers. It is a great way of looking at the faith as an algebra student...

Looking for Answers
By Leon Suprenant | August 27, 2007

My algebra textbook in ninth grade had an answer key in the back that enabled me to check my answers upon completing my homework assignment. Most of the time, the answer key simply served to verify that in fact I had arrived at the correct answer.

Sometimes, however, the answer given in the book was different from my answer. What would I do then? Read the rest of this entry >>

Solo Saxophone

2007-08-25T10:17:00.000-04:00

The Last Night Of The World Lyrics From Miss Saigon

In a place that won't let us feel
In a life where nothing seems real
I have found you
I have found you
In a world that's moving too fast
In a world where nothing can last
I will hold you
I will hold you

Our lives will change when tomorrow comes
Tonight our hearts drown the distant drums
and we have music all right
tearing the night

A song
played on a solo saxophone
A crazy sound, a lonely sound
A cry that tells us love goes on and on
played on a solo saxophone
It's telling me
to hold you tight
and dance like it's the last night of the world

On the other side of the earth
There's a place where life still has worth
I will take you
I'll go with you
You won't believe all the things you'll see
I know 'cause you'll see them all with me

If we're together that's when
we'll hear it again

A song
played on a solo saxophone
A crazy sound, a lonely sound
A cry that tells us love goes on and on
Played on a solo saxophone
It's telling me
to hold you tight
and dance like it's the last night of the world

Dreams
they were all I ever knew
Dreams
you won't need when I'm through
Anywhere
we may be
I will sing with you
a song...

A song played on a solo saxophone
So stay with me
and hold me tight
and dance
like it's the last night of the world

When I hear this song, I think of a special person. Why do I make things so complicated? Oh for just one night together with a solo saxophone...

Friends!

2007-08-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

I have so much I want to say today, doubt I will get to all of it; however, I may address things by the end of next week! However, first I want to talk about friends.

This week Aug 20th -24th is "National Friendship week" according to my employer. They want everyone to write a little something about a friendship made during employment with them. At first I was stuck; however, then I remembered my good friend Justin Dixon and how much he has given to me. This is what I wrote.

Here at Lockheed martin I have made several work friends. However, I made one friend who stands above the rest, Justin Dixon. He has helped me find find my way to the Catholic Church, challenged me to be the best I could be, and introduced me to some close friends of his. Now some of those people are now my roommates, very close personal friends, and support. though I was not top pick for a party, he was able to change the course of my entire life. Without him I would not have my friends,hope, or my faith!

Thank-you very much Dixon! Also a special thanks to my friends John and Katie Russell. They help in supporting me every day in so may ways. My life would be so different w/o them.

This in no way lessens the support I have rcv'd from other friends as well! Some of them include: David Love, Justin Gray, and Seth Livingston. The list just goes on forever! Thank-you all.

WAR

2007-08-22T11:41:00.000-04:00

Here is a quote for today....

However, in the case of our perennial conflict with the forces of evil, there should be no doubt as to the justice and necessity of waging full-scale spiritual war. The Enemy has invaded our souls, our families, and our country, and we need the courage and steadfast resolve to give no ground to his advances. When it comes to salvation, pacifism is a losing proposition. Unless we proactively fight against sin, we’ll be swept aside.

...

While protecting ourselves and our country from physical harm is very important, Our Lord tells us to take even further precautions against those forces that can harm the soul (see Mt. 10:28).

In that light, what is our approach to the spiritual terrorism of our culture—especially as represented by the entertainment, fashion, and advertising industries? What sort of “homeland security” do we have in place to protect ourselves? Is it too much of a hassle or inconvenience to swim upstream? Do we have the resolve to wage spiritual war against the intrusive, intolerant secularism that surrounds us?

From Leon Suprenant of Catholics United for the Faith.

My mind...

2007-08-19T23:24:00.000-04:00

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Dearest God, strengthen me. Guide me. Love me. Help me to do as you want me to. I pray that you will take the kingdom of my life out of my hands and take it over. Help me to over come all hardships put in my way. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

BTW the wonderful picture is one of John Russell's. His wonderful wife Katie's work is also there!

Sorry for the pointless post. If you do not want to see personal information stop reading and wait till the next, non-personal post...

Life has been strange for the last month or so. My mind is tending to think of people that really have no reason to be in my mind. I neglect things I am to do. I hold to a love that falls short of my needs. But all of the things I know are wrong, I fail to fix. I miss a person who I don't know and has never been in my life. It all does not matter because no matter how I want my life to change, I will not break-up with the non-Catholic that wishes to hold me in place of God. Who demands more out of me than I can give. But because he is so sweet and loving, I do not want to hurt him. One may ask if I am "in love"? I do not know the answer to this. I do not have a clue on what this means. I care deeply about him, I love him, I want the best for him, I want to see him happy. Does it go deeper? I do not know. Will I fix it... nope. I do not break-up with people. I try to convince them to break up with me. I have spoken too much of my self... Just know to my loving boyfriend, I love you... But then again, you may never read this...

Questions!!!!

2007-08-03T15:16:00.000-04:00

I was listening to Dr. Scott Hahn's "The Lambs Supper" Lighthouse Catholic Media and I started thinking... I know that is bad. But I was starting to wonder what people did think of when Christ said "It is Finished". I always assumed he meant his physical life because just after that he physically died. When I was older I never thought about it. I will not say what was said in this talk, but I want to know what your thoughts are.

Also, why do you believe Jesus told us to celebrate "The Lord's Supper" or the Holy Eucharist?

This will be the start of a line of thought process brought on by this talk :) I hope you will help me to learn all I can from this.

Pray for Germany!

2007-08-01T15:27:00.000-04:00

Here is an entry by our friend at The Cafeteria is Closed. There is somthing so very wrong with this!!!

German family secretary steps in

The German familiy secretary pulled the incest brochures in print and download form. But, it's been around for years, back when the Socialists ran the government, and a new edition is apparently still planned. It's still to be found in countless kindergartens and pediatricians' offices. Not to mention the parents who have it. As a reminder - the brochure encouraged, for example, fathers to rub the clitoris of their baby daughters, and stated that it's normal that a father can get aroused by the touching of a baby or toddler. It also encouraged parents to show children how to have sex and masturbate. The booklet actually lamented, "Vagina and especially clitoris are barely paid attention to by tender touch (neither by father nor mother) and therefore make it hard for girls to develop pride in her sex organs." It further says that one shouldn't stop girls from masturbating with various items it comes across. And, fathers should come up with a pet name for the clitoris of their daughters. It basically says that the parents must not get aroused by touching their children (how nice!) but that the parents stimulating the babies/toddlers is ok. The goal was to take away the taboo from early childhood sexualization.

The person in charge at the federal agency that produced the booklets said, "All of this is based on science. Of the educators we interviewed, 93% considered it helpful." He added that an updated version was in the works but that he saw no reason to change the content.

Meanwhile, a mother has filed charges against the federal agency, charging it with calling for sexual abuse of children.

The author of these booklets is a middle-aged German woman by the name of Ina-Maria Philipps. She also encourages uncles, aunts, grandparents and babysitters to pleasure the children. She wants a "condom license" for 9 year olds, where they learn how to pull one over a banana. Homosexual education is also part of the program (public schools). By the way: She works for the Evangelical (not the same as "evangelical" in the USA) church. Has since 1990. As a family and sex therapist. Along Freudian lines, she doesn't differentiate between sexuality and sensuality, she thinks that a hug is the same for a toddler as playing with its penis/vagina and therefore one should play with it. While a toddler doesn't know what sex is, an adult does know the difference between hugging someone and having sex with someone. How on earth is a child supposed to know the difference between "good touching" and "bad touching" if the parents molest it ??

Here more by this woman

Children need tender touch starting at their birth and love direct bodily contact, especially skin-to-skin. They are approachable in many sensual ways and capable of pleasure. It's been shown that children experience pleasure and that they indicate that they enjoy being petted. In this context, the genitalia, which are very sensitive, play a prominent roles. When children grow up in a home where permission to self discovery without limitations to certain regions is given and all parts of the body become a name, "processes" are described lustfully and a sympathetic climate exists within the family, it can happen that children talk with great excitement in kindergarten about kissing, rubbing, slip-sliding and squeaking. They may even talk about their father's "big dick" that they saw when they bathed together. More than once such descriptions have caused an educator to suspect child abuse.

Really ? I wonder why. Sick.

In context with my article on German theater/opera, this isn't surprising.

Sex ed in Germany...

Well, not enough that Germans barely have children, the German government wants you to molest them. From LifeSiteNews(H/T to Trish)

Booklets from a subsidiary of the German government's Ministry for Family Affairs encourage parents to sexually massage their children as young as 1 to 3 years of age. Two 40-page booklets entitled "Love, Body and Playing Doctor" by the German Federal Health Education Center (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung - BZgA) are aimed at parents - the first addressing children from 1-3 and the other children from 4-6 years of age.

"Fathers do not devote enough attention to the clitoris and vagina of their daughters. Their caresses too seldom pertain to these regions, while this is the only way the girls can develop a sense of pride in their sex," reads the booklet regarding 1-3 year olds. The authors rationalize, "The child touches all parts of their father's body, sometimes arousing him. The father should do the same."
...

The pamphlet advises parents to permit young children "unlimited masturbation" except where physical injury becomes apparent. It advises: "Children should learn that there is no such thing as shameful parts of the body. The body is a home, which you should be proud of." For ages 4-6, the booklet recommends teaching children the movements of copulation.

Another product of the BZgA is a song book aimed at children of four and slightly older which includes several songs espousing masturbation. The song-book entitled "Nose, belly and bum" includes one song with the following lyrics: "When I touch my body, I discover what I have. I have a vagina, because I am a girl. Vagina is not only for peeing. When I touch it, I feel a pleasant tingle."
...

According to the Polish daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita, the BZgA booklet is an obligatory read in nine German regions. It is used for training nursery, kindergarten and elementary school teachers. Ironically it is recommended by many organizations officially fighting pedophilia, such as the German Kunderschutzbund. BZgA sends out millions of copies of the booklet every year.
...

Rzeczpospolita reports that the Eckhardt Scheffer of BZgA claimed that before releasing the manual the organization consulted parents, educators and child psychologists. 93% of whom gave a positive evaluation.

Even for a Western nation, Germany's billboards and television ads push the limits of public pornography. Last year LifeSiteNews.com reported that a very popular teen magazine in Germany publishes nude photos of teens in sexual positions which would be in almost any other nation illegal child pornography.

Well, when you, as an adult, can legally have sex with a 14 year old it's not surprising that parents are supposed to "stimulate" their own children.

Text Messaging Pope?

2007-07-31T21:14:00.000-04:00

Hey, it has been TOO LONG since I posted! I have been trying to stay away from the things that make me angry. So here is somthing that makes me excited!

We can sign-up to get daily thoughts from things that the Pope says, writes, exc! Here take a look. I am sad that it costs $.30/message, that is $9-$9.30/month. I don't have that much right now! Though if I did I would SO get this. It is being offered by Verizon Wireless (that is my carrier). Lets see if I can stop myself from signing up for it even though I cannot afford it! :)

Other carriers will be following!

Here for quick reference, if you want to start this service with Verizon Wireless just text to 24444 that says "POPE ON" and to end it send one that says "POPE OFF".

Our Parent Who Art in Heaven?!

2007-07-29T14:52:00.000-04:00

You HAVE to be joking me! Here is some information from our friend Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio.

Here is a paragraph from this story

"To call God “Father” does not mean to say, of course, that he is an old man with a white beard. Only the second person of the Blessed Trinity wedded himself to a male human nature in the womb of Mary. The Father and the Holy Spirit are pure Spirit and transcend male and female, masculine and feminine (CCC 239). This is no new insight brought to Christianity by the feminist movement. It has always been taught that the word “Father” applied to God is used by way of analogy. Analogies tell us something very true despite being imperfect. Until recently, the father was recognized by Western society as origin, head and provider of the family. To call the first person of the Trinity “Father” means that he is the origin and transcendent authority of all and cares for the needs of all."

Revisiting "Why is everyone always picking on me?"

2007-07-27T12:16:00.000-04:00

It may be clear why everyone is picking on ME... it is because I can be short, annoying, and stupid! However, I am not sure I was these things when writting this artical. Alhough I do have to admit that I may have taken the writter's words out of context! It was SO very wonderful for a Mr. Jim Curley to post a comment defending a writer that he as published and his publishing house Requiem Press.

So I went back and read it again...

I did speak harshly about the artical, I did not ensure the link was working (fixed now BTW), I allowed my judgment on the artical to be bent by other articals I was reading, and I failed to wait to post the comments till I read more about what this newspaper puts out... So here, I am revisiting the artical in saying that I was too harsh on the artical. I also want to take a moment to indicate that I REALLY should have looked at the other articals from the site that posted this one and there would NOT have had to write this second artical! LOL The posting was from the Arlington Catholic Herald, and it is really cool. You can even order prints from pics that were placed in this newspaper!

Why is everyone always picking on me?

2007-07-25T14:48:00.001-04:00

OK, well this not not people picking on me, but my Pope! What did he ever do to them? Was it like this with JPII? It seems everything he does someone has to complain about, and complain, and complain... Do these people NOT have anything better to talk about. (I guess not since I am still blogging on it!)

Here is an article written by Russell Shaw. It seems he is freelance writer from Washington, D.C., and author of Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church (Requiem Press). So with that information I think I will have to do additional checking before reading stuff from this Requiem Press... So here is my comments on the article!

"Benedict has taken the following steps: reversed important policy decisions of two of his predecessors, taken a big gamble aimed at healing a dangerous schism, reminded the world's bishops that he's boss, risked offending ecumenical dialogue partners — and then headed off cheerfully on vacation."

Well he reversed nothing... NOTHING I say. He, in my humble opinion, has fulfilled the true meaning and intent of these policies. Who said the schism he is trying to heal is "dangerous"? Any schism is dangerous to those in it, not really to the Pope himself. He did not remind THE World's bishops that he is boss, he just reminded the ones in the Roman Catholic church that we must stop thinking of the previous mass in a negative light. Since the council never condemned it... it is still a valid mass and should be allowed. Some Bishops have problems remembering that. So that is the Pope's job is to remind, forcefully if necessary. And I too would be cheerfully about vacation if everything I said "HI" there were 10 reporters right there to say that I was somehow trying to undermine the Church Christ set up by greeting someone on the street.

There are more, but I will not go into that again. I made my point of view quite clearly in a previous post. Maybe this should not bother me at all. It is just like when I was in High School, just like work, why should the rest of life be any different. There are things that some will take too far, others not far enough. It is only "cool" to speak out or against XY or Z and not AB or C. Then don't even THINK of talking bad about or making comments about MN or O! Here it is, even Catholics tend to think that it is OK to pick and chose. At this point I am ready to call it quits and just accept the stupidity of most... However, we all know we must keep going! The FIGHT to re-educate the masses MUST be done. For he is the Way the Truth and the Light. He is also the only way to heaven. So we must shout from the rooftops if we have to in order to get people back in line with the truth.

Too much time

2007-07-22T10:32:00.001-04:00

OK, people spend too much time commenting on things that seem to be so silly to me. For example... if a Muslim stated that Mohomed was the one true profit and the Christians and Jews were wrong... would anyone be suprised? If a head rabbi stated that Jesus was nothing more than a Prophet, would any one notice? We how about if a Christian said only salivation comes from Christ? Oh, wait, that would be VERY bad. Because then we are excluding someone from our "religion" that they have first excluded them selfs! OK, well to me it seems silly for us to be debating on weather or not the Cathoic Church should pray for the Jews, specifically the conversion of the Jews.

As Christians we are COMMANDED to pray, teach, preach for the acceptance of the TRUTH. No Truth is not realitive to time and place, it is universal. As Christians we should desire that ALL come to Christ so they can go to heaven. Is the only way though the Catholic Church, well that is the only way specified; however, God is not limited by the rules he gave us. Though there is NO way to heaven outside of Christ, even the Jews will have to acknowedge this after death.

For the second point why would ANYONE be a part of something they felt was a lie? Why would one become a Christian if you did not belive that Jesus Christ came to die for your sins? No if Jesus came to die, he would want the Truth about him to remain here so people could be lead to him. That is why he had the apostles. The apostles ordained others and we recived the Caholic Church. It is the Church that was set up directly by Christ. That is why it has the fullness of the truth!

Most of the people I am close to are not Cathoic; however, I still manage to be peaceful with them. This peace does not mean I tell them that I do not think they have something lacking. They know that I love them dearly and that is why I cannot say they do not have anything missing. People may have gone back to the Bible to guess what the early chruch did for services, but they did not bother to go back and see how these services were held because they feel that the Bible is the only source of information.

The Catholic Church has the fullness of the Truth, of course you may disagree with me... that is why you would not be Caholic. If you agree with me then you are (or should become very soon) Caholic.

Here are some people who have a bit to say that I wanted to present... That is what led me on this tangent.

First, we have a question of if the Caholic Church is the only means of salvaction. Well here we have some information about what the church teaches and why the ripples are made.

Here is one man's opinion on issues that he truly does not understand! I think he does not know what the Pope's real purpose is.

Now let us not forget this guy who seems to think that the church should not try to go back to a better time, but to more heavly address today's problems. Well I am not sure if he knows... the sins of today are the same as the ones 2000 years previous. It is not that we need to address them more, but we need to change oursleves!

Last but not least, somthing on a different note. It seems an artical about the Pope commenting on a death penalty victim. Wow! These are not seen that much.

A Return to Virginity

2007-07-21T01:36:00.000-04:00

I ask this a lot, so what is one more time… What is wrong with this world? Why do women think men only will be interested in them if they are 5’9” weighing in at 98 lbs. Now this also includes bra cup size C and a “ghetto butte”. I am not sure how one gets this, but then again maybe silicone weighs less than fat. Women tend to believe that men will not want us unless we are quite free in giving all kinds of “pleasures”. She is also expected to be as sex-crazed as he is.

To reinforce the body shape and figure we have the marketing people at EVERY marketing company in the world! Everyone knows one of the first rules of marketing is that SEX SELLS EVERYTHING. Go ahead and tell me when the last time an ugly person sold a product? If this were true then they would not have make-up and hair designers to “fix” the person looking into the camera. Even baby products… those are never the children that “only a mother could love”. We also have the clothing designers that make clothing that make even stick figures look obese! So what chance does a 200 lb girl like me have? I guess I am not getting the guys that way!

Believe it or not there are pressures out there for ALL women in secular society to be a bit freer than she would otherwise be comfortable with. Sometimes it feels like an after school special. These situations really do happen… “Come on baby, if you loved me you would do this for me!” And then she is trapped! Of course her 15 year-old mind thinks that this feeling is “love” however, she is sadly mistaken. Then after a bit both parties move on to the next person. But why do women need to degrade her to the status of a blow-up doll? Is she just there to become a toy for the latest guy that will have her? Here is where self-knowledge and dignity come into play. I am sure if she was more confident then she could and would say NO.

So what happens? After a bit she realizes she has totally messed everything up and she turns away, or she gives in. Hopefully she has chosen to turn to something better. Now as we all know, she can never truly regain all that was lost. Once innocents are lost, it is gone. However, there is hope! We can have what is called Spiritual Virginity or is simply the idea that we are restored spiritually to the point of our innocents. How wonderful! It is not as easy as just asking for forgiveness. We have to work, with God’s Grace, to restore our mind, souls, and spirits back to a right way of thinking. This could be considered a “return to modesty.”

Here is an article by Christopher West on this topic. The topic is not exact; however, it does cover the topic at hand about restoring virginity.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

2007-07-21T01:34:00.000-04:00

July 21
Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and doctor of the Church
St. Lawrence of Brindisi
Caesare de Rossi was born at Brandisi, kingdom of Naples, on July 22nd. He was educated by the conventual Franciscans there and by his uncle at St. Mark's in Venice. When sixteen, he joined the Capuchins at Verona, taking the name Lawrence. He pursued his higher studies in theology, philosophy, the bible, Greek, Hebrew, and several other languages at the University of Padua. He was ordained and began to preach with great effect in Northern Italy. He became definitor general of his Order in Rome in 1596, a position he was to hold five times, was assigned to conversion work with Jews, and was sent to Germany, with Blessed Benedict of Urbino, to combat Lutheranism. They founded friaries at Prague, Vienna, and Gorizia, which were to develop into the provinces of Bohemia, Austria, and Styria. At the request of Emperor Rudolf II, Lawrence helped raise an army among the German rulers to fight against the Turks, who were threatening to conquer all of Hungary, became its chaplain, and was among the leaders in the Battle of Szekesfehevar in 1601; many attributed the ensuing victory to him. In 1602, he was elected Vicar General of the Capuchins but refused re-election in 1605. He was sent to Spain by the emperor to persuade Philip III to join the Catholic League, and while there, founded a Capuchin house in Madrid. He was then sent as papal nuncio to the court of Maximillian of Bavaria, served as peacemaker in several royal disputes, and in 1618, retired from worldly affairs to the friary at Caserta. He was recalled at the request of the rulers of Naples to go to Spain to intercede with King Philip for them against the Duke of Osuna, Spanish envoy to naples and convinced the King to recall the Duke to avert an uprising. The trip in the sweltering heat of summer exhausted him, and he died a few days after his meeting with the King at Lisbon on July 22nd. Lawrence wrote a commentary on Genesis and several treatises against Luther, but Lawrence's main writings are in the nine volumes of his sermons. He was canonized in 1881 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. His feast day is July 21st.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=442

Opening Prayer
Lord, for the glory of your name and the salvation of souls you gave lawrence of Brindisi courage and right judgment. By his prayers help us to know what we should do and give us the courage to do it.

We ask this though our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Exodus 12:37-42
Psalm 136:1, 23-24, 10-15
Mathew 12: 14-21

Apolliarnaris

2007-07-20T13:39:00.000-04:00

July 20
Apolliarnaris, Bishop and Martyr

Bishop, martyr, and possible disciple of St. Peter. Apollinaris was born in Antioch, Turkey, and became the first bishop of Ravenna, in Italy. He suffered exile because of his preaching and converts. When Emperor Vespasian banished Christians, Apollinaris was beaten by a mob and reputedly died soon after from his wounds. His shrine in the Benedictine Abbey of Classe in Ravenna was once a popular pilgrimage destination. Apollinaris was credited with many miracles. He also appeared to St. Romuald, the founder of the Camaldolese. He is patron of Ravenna, Burthscheid, Aachen, Remagen, and Düsseldorf, and he is invoked against gout, epilepsy, and diseases of the sexual organs. Apollinaris is depicted as a bishop in liturgical art. His cult was confined to local calendars in 1969.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1486

Exodus 11:10-12:14
Palm 116:12-13, 15-18
Matthew 12:1-8

What happened to Hilary?

2007-07-19T22:56:00.000-04:00

OK, well this was going to be a harsher blog post; however, I have found "better" news. This is what is up. I was watching "So You Think You Can Dance". The July 12th 2007 episode. The singer was Hilary Duff. For those who not know her story: she is a young girl who started out with Disney! Now she is like most singers... less than concealed. I was told previously that she was not yet 18 so the dress and actions were quite bothersome to me. However, I have found she is older than 18, she is 19!!! Wow what a difference. I guess her birthday is September 28, 1987.(Man I am getting old!) Anyway, I still do not think that a young girl her age should be wondering around onstage looking and dancing like she does... I will give links to the pages showing her pics and music video. This would not be something I would recommend everyone watching! However, I think it shows something about our society. She used to be the cutest girl! I was amazed that she could keep the young beautiful look; however, it looks as if she has turned that in for something much worse! I guess it is all to sell albums. Though I was saddened to see she even has hints of "activities" in her video "Stranger". Why did it have to go there? It is a good song... but then it just goes SO wrong with the clothing and images!

What is this prayer?

2007-07-18T12:10:00.000-04:00

Props for tellin me what "prayer" this is...

Priest: My peeps, let's roll with the Lord, givin' Him props and love.

Congregation:

Yo, Bid Daddy upstairs
You be chill'
So be yo hood
You be sayin' it, i be doin' it
In this here hood and yo's
Gimme some eats
And cut me some slack,
Sos I be doin' it to dem dat diss me
Don't be pushing me into no jive
And keep dem Crips away
'fcaus you always be da man

Aaa-men

Camillus de Lellis, Priest

2007-07-18T12:09:00.001-04:00

July 18
Camillus de Lellis, Priest

Son of a military officer who had served both for Naples and France. His mother died when he was very young. Spent his youth as a soldier, fighting for the Venetians against the Turks, and then for Naples. Reported as a large individual, perhaps as tall as 6'6", and powerfully built, but suffered all his life from abscesses on his feet. A gambling addict, he lost so much he had to take a job working construction on a building belonging to the Capuchins; they converted him.

He entered the Capuchin noviate three times, but a nagging leg injury, received while fighting the Turks, each time forced him to give up. He went to Rome for treatment where Saint Philip Neri became his priest and confessor. He moved into San Giacomo Hospital for the incurable, and eventually became its administrator. Lacking education, he began to study with children when he was 32 years old Priest Founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick (the Camellians) who, naturally, care for the sick both in hospital and home. The order expanded with houses in several countries. Camillus honored the sick as living images of Christ, and hoped that the service he gave them did penance for his wayward youth. Reported to have the gifts of miraculous healing and prophecy.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintc09.htm

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12
Psalm 103:1-4, 6-7
Matthew 11:25-27

Blog Addiction

2007-07-17T12:06:00.001-04:00

77%

Free Online Dating from Mingle²

Well I had to replace the cigs with something!

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

2007-07-16T12:51:00.000-04:00

July 16
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
This feast was established in 1726 to commemorate the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock, the Superior General of the Carmelite order, on July 16, 1251. She promised him a special blessing for everyone who wears her scapular. Since then, the Church has solemnly and repeatedly approved this devotion with began in England. For centuries, Christians have taken advantage of the protection promised by the Blessed Virgin. The devout use of the scapular shows our trust in the Blessed Virgin's motherly aid to help us at the hour of our death.

Opening Prayer

Father, may the prayers of the Virgin Mary protect us and help us to reach Christ her Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for every and ever.

Exodus 1:8-14, 22
Psalm 124:1-8
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Lets fix what I messed up!

2007-07-12T00:15:00.000-04:00

Ok, now when posting before I seem to have made some small errors! I am very sorry. I seem to have gotten the Saturday document and the Tuesday document merged! Though many of my statements are still true, I do want to set the record straight! I think this is how it goes... Please let me know if I am still a bit confused! I am very new at this and the terms and offices still confuse the daylights out of me!

The document released on Saturday July 7th was the Motu proprio. This was written by the Pope as an expression to the Bishops that the Pre-Vat 2 mass or the Tridentine mass can be said by local priests with out the expressed permission of the local bishop. There are ifs ands or buts about this, but that is basily it... for more please see this document

The document released on Tuesday July 9th was from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fatih. These are responses to questions regarding church doctrines. I am not quite sure what this is or quite who releases it; however, it seems the Congregation is really a group of people! (Maybe one of you smart people could let me know.) However, here is basically what it is...

"The vastness of the subject matter and the novelty of many of the themes involved continue to provoke theological reflection. Among the many new contributions to the field, some are not immune from erroneous interpretation which in turn give rise to confusion and doubt. A number of these interpretations have been referred to the attention of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Given the universality of Catholic doctrine on the Church, the Congregation wishes to respond to these questions by clarifying the authentic meaning of some ecclesiological expressions used by the magisterium which are open to misunderstanding in the theological debate."

Ok, the full artical can be found here
and now I have a great task in reading these items and trying to make sense of them... by forgetting all that has been written about them!

Motu Poroprio Summorum Pontificum

2007-07-11T11:37:00.000-04:00

OK there seems to be many problems revolving around the new Congregation of the doctrine of the Faith or the "Motu Poroprio Summorum Pontificum". Here I will give you a few moments to go and read this document... Go ahead!

Alright now that we know what it says let us talk about it. My friend John had mentioned to me that reading the news reports are like getting information by playing telephone. One reporter reads the document and reports, the next reads the article that was written and reports, then the next reports on the reaction to the report... so on. So it seems that there are reports that clearly claim the document says things that it CLEARLY does not! Then he read a comment from a Catholic claiming due to this document she is leaving the Faith! As John stated, it is clear she read the articles, but not the document. First how can we call news "news" if it is nothing more than false reporting. News should be at least factual; however, this is not. Additionally, it is sad that we have people in the church who have such a lack of faith and knowledge to walk a way from the truth at a drop of a hat. Though I think it is more about the fact they are LOOKING for a reason to leave, not just this was the start and end of everything.

OK, here is a few links to The Cafeteria Is Closed with some great commentary on the Motu Poroprio, the Motu Poroprio
it, as well as information on the traditional Latin Mass and other items!

2007-07-10T16:59:00.000-04:00

It seems many have a problem understanding what Vatican II was all about. Now I am not claiming to be a scholar on the topic, nor have I even read all of the documents; however, it seems strange that they would just assume that the meeting was to turn everything about the Catholic church on its head and make life as confusing as possible! Here we see not only the complaint that the people are trying to go back to Vat 2, but they are also claiming the Catholic Church should not proclaim they are the ultimate Church.

Here is what I think. I think that some people are too afraid to stand-up and say "These are my believes, and I am RIGHT!" I think that if more people had the conviction to stand up and fight for what they believed instead of pretending that everyone was correct life would be better.

Now I do not say that you have to believe what I do; however, I can honestly say that I know I am right and I do not believe that you are! If you are offended reading this, let me know!

Now also remember VAT 2 DID NOT DECIDE TO CHANGE EVERYTHING THE CHURCH STOOD FOR!

2007-07-09T17:04:00.000-04:00

Oh My!

Do you ever come across something that just makes you wonder "WHY!!!!"? I have had one such situation today. I was talking to a woman at work, she will be getting married to a non-practicing Catholic. She is planning on also converting even though she does not have to do so. Now the issue comes with the fact that she does NOT plan to go to church regularly. In fact, she said that the grandparents will take the children! So I sit here wondering why she would even convert? What is the benefit? If she would not be practicing she would just be causing herself more problems!

It also seems the priest that will be marring them is a really good friend of her soon to be husband's family. So she hangs out with him all of the time. She is worried about the confession since she has a direct friendship with this person. It just seems to me as if it is all about the outside and not the inside... Then I wonder if there are many people who think that is all we (Catholics) are... all just for show!

Elizabeth of Protugal

2007-07-04T19:08:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth of Portugal,

(1271-1336). She was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon and was named after her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose virtues she also inherited. In her married life with King Denis of Portugal, she entered trials with heroism. On more than one occasion she went to considerable pains to bring about Peace between her children and their father. After her husband's death she became a Franciscan Tertiary and showed unfailing charity toward the poor.

Thomas, Apostle

2007-07-04T19:05:00.001-04:00

Again, sorry this is late... It was from July 3, 2007.

Thomas, Apostle

Among the apostles, Thomas is remembered mainly because of his doubts about the resurrection of Christ. He did not want to admit anything that went beyond the bounds of his experience and reason. Eight days after the Resurrection, he made for that unbelief with a profession of faith, "My Lord and my God" (JN 14:5-6). According to tradition, he preached the Gospel in India, where he suffered martyrdom.

First Martyers of the Chruch of Rome

2007-07-04T19:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry this is late... it was from July 1, 2007

This too came from the Daily Roman Missal!

First Martyers of the Chruch of Rome

The Chruch celebrates this feast in memory of the martyers in the persecution under Nero in about 64 A.D. Many Christians were killed with brutal torments. They were people of all professions and levels of society. This celebration reminds us that Christians should seek sanctity regardless of their social status, age, or skills.

Saints Peter and Paul Apostles

2007-06-29T13:47:00.000-04:00

To continue with the information about the saint days I switched information sources and this came from the Daily Ropman Missal from Our Sunday Vistitor Publishing Division, huntington, IN 1998

Saints Peter and Paul Apostles

SS. Peter and Paul are the principal pillars fo the Catholic church founded by Christ. Peter was chosen by Christ to be His first Vicar on earth, endowed with powers of the keys of the kingdom of Heave (Mt. 16:13-19( and charged with the role of Shepard of Christ's flock (Jn 21:15-17). In peter and his successors, we can see a visible sign of unity and communion in faith and charity. Divine grace led Peter to profess Christ's divinity. St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in 66 or 67 A.D. he was buried at the hill of the Vatican, where recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of St. Peter's Basilica.

Paul was chosen to form part of the apotolic college by Christ himself on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-16). An instrument selected to bring Christ's name to all peoples of the Gentiles. St. Paul was beheaded in the Tre Fontane along the Via Ostiens and buried nearby, on the site where the basilica bearing his name now stands.

I need the assistance of a better Catholic than I...

2007-06-28T15:36:00.000-04:00

OK, Now here is my problem, I was reading this article and it has several interesting things to say. It is about the Pope allowing for a wider use of the old Latin Mass. Here are some of my comments about some of their comments... Maybe you can let me know if I am on the right page or not with my thoughts.

1. "a concession to traditionalists that has caused concern among those fearing a rollback of one of the Vatican's key liberalizing reforms"

OK, I am not really down with this. How is Mass in the vernacular a liberalizing reform? I mean the Latin WAS the vernacular! However, it is nice to have the option of hearing the mass in our own language, the problem is people losing respect for the mass. If we have a few more Lain masses (like the one at Holy Rosary) and it helps build respect... GREAT!!!

2. "The decision follows months of debate. Some cardinals, bishops and Jews..."

Why are the Jews in this debate? Would it be Catholic Jews, Orthodox.... What?

3. "The decision follows months of debate. Some cardinals, bishops and Jews have opposed any change, voicing complaints about everything from the text of the old Mass to concerns that the move will lead to further changes to the reforms approved by 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council."

OK, well that is fair; however, if the reforms have caused damage, the spirit of the changes were not to cause damage, so we need to re-examine the causes of the damage and FIX it.

4. "To celebrate the old Latin Mass now, a priest must obtain permission from the local bishop."

OK, so is the reform needed because too many bishops are outright denying the Mass?

5. "Some cardinals and bishops, ... have objected to any liberalizing of the terms for using the old rite, saying its broader use could lead to divisions within the church, and could imply a rejection of other Vatican II teachings."

I can see this objection; however, again, if there has been damage done (and it is apparent we have lost some reverence for the Mass) then it MUST be fixed! See my above comment.

6. "He said bishops were also worried that any major change "could erode their ability to control how the faith is practiced.'"

Well now, how well are many of these bishops really controlling? And what power do they think this will actually get rid of? I cannot think this will make a large impact either way for I am not sure may bishops would continuously say no to a Mass now that was really wanted by the people in the diocese.

7. "Tamas Moritz, 40, visiting from Hungary, said 'it seems archaic.'"

It does seem archaic, it is from the passed, a language not used anymore besides the wonderful church prayers!

8."'I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it," then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said. "It's impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that.'"

My last comment... it is sad to Deny people the mass. When visiting a country that speaks a different language, it would be nice if we had the option of going to a mass where we could still follow along with the prayers. I may go to Canada, but not know French, I may go to Japan and not know Japanese...

We are doing something right!

2007-06-28T12:08:00.001-04:00

Ok here are some daily news bits, but these are intended to show things going well. I for one am tired of bad news!!!

In my short history I have never heard of an animail being taken off of the endagnered list; however, the Eagle is making a comback and is no longer on the list!

In today's society it is sad when it is marriages that need the help. I think strong marriages help sociaety! Why then do we distroy them? Anyway, it seems the U.S. Biships are giving aid to married couples by Advertising Marriage

Last, but not least, we look at Pope Benedict XVI claiming catechists as a role model for the church and that it should address the whole person. Who is he talking about? None other than our saint from yesterday... Cyril. It is so cool how things work out.

St Irenaeus, Bishop and Father of the Church

2007-06-28T10:10:00.000-04:00

St. Irenaeus
Bishop of Lyons, Father of the Church, and Martyr?

Catholic Encyclopedia

Information as to his life is scarce, and in some measure inexact. He was born in Proconsular Asia, or at least in some province bordering thereon, in the first half of the second century; the exact date is controverted, between the years 115 and 125, according to some, or, according to others, between 130 and 142. It is certain that, while still very young, Irenaeus had seen and heard the holy Bishop Polycarp at Smyrna. During the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, Irenaeus was a priest of the Church of Lyons. The clergy of that city, many of whom were suffering imprisonment for the Faith, sent him (177 or 178) to Rome with a letter to Pope Eleutherius concerning Montanism, and on that occasion bore emphatic testimony to his merits. Returning to Gaul, Irenaeus succeeded the martyr Saint Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons. During the religious peace which followed the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, the new bishop divided his activities between the duties of a pastor and of a missionary (as to which we have but brief data, late and not very certain) and his writings, almost all of which were directed against Gnosticism, the heresy then spreading in Gaul and elsewhere. In 190 or 191 he interceded with Pope Victor to lift the sentence of excommunication laid by that pontiff upon the Christian communities of Asia Minor which persevered in the practice of the Quartodecimans in regard to the celebration of Easter. Nothing is known of the date of his death, which must have occurred at the end of the second or the beginning of the third century. In spite of some isolated and later testimony to that effect, it is not very probable that he ended his career with martyrdom. His feast is celebrated on 28 June in the Latin Church, and on 23 August in the Greek.

Irenaeus wrote in Greek many works which have secured for him an exceptional place in Christian literature, because in controverted religious questions of capital importance they exhibit the testimony of a contemporary of the heroic age of the Church, of one who had heard St. Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, and who, in a manner, belonged to the Apostolic Age. None of these writings has come down to us in the original text, though a great many fragments of them are extant as citations in later writers (Hippolytus, Eusebius, etc.). Two of these works, however, have reached us in their entirety in a Latin version:

A treatise in five books, commonly entitled Adversus haereses, and devoted, according to its true title, to the "Detection and Overthrow of the False Knowledge" (see GNOSTICISM, sub-title Refutation of Gnosticism). Of this work we possess a very ancient Latin translation, the scrupulous fidelity of which is beyond doubt. It is the chief work of Irenaeus and truly of the highest importance; it contains a profound exposition not only of Gnosticism under its different forms, but also of the principal heresies which had sprung up in the various Christian communities, and thus constitutes an invaluable source of information on the most ancient ecclesiastical literature from its beginnings to the end of the second century. In refuting the heterodox systems Irenaeus often opposes to them the true doctrine of the Church, and in this way furnishes positive and very early evidence of high importance. Suffice it to mention the passages, so often and so fully commented upon by theologians and polemical writers, concerning the origin of the Gospel according to St. John (see JOHN, GOSPEL OF SAINT), the Holy Eucharist, and the primacy of the Roman Church.
Of a second work, written after the "Adversus Haereses", an ancient literal translation in the Armenian language. This is the "Proof of the Apostolic Preaching." The author's aim here is not to confute heretics, but to confirm the faithful by expounding the Christian doctrine to them, and notably by demonstrating the truth of the Gospel by means of the Old Testament prophecies. Although it contains fundamentally, so to speak, nothing that has not already been expounded in the "Adversus Haereses", it is a document of the highest interest, and a magnificent testimony of the deep and lively faith of Irenaeus.
Of his other works only scattered fragments exist; many, indeed, are known only through the mention made of them by later writers, not even fragments of the works themselves having come down to us. These are a treatise against the Greeks entitled "On the Subject of Knowledge" (mentioned by Eusebius); a writing addressed to the Roman priest Florinus "On the Monarchy, or How God is not the Cause of Evil" (fragment in Eusebius); a work "On the Ogdoad", probably against the Ogdoad of Valentinus the Gnostic, written for the same priest Florinus, who had gone over to the sect of the Valentinians (fragment in Eusebius); a treatise on schism, addressed to Blastus (mentioned by Eusebius); a letter to Pope Victor against the Roman priest Florinus (fragment preserved in Syriac); another letter to the same on the Paschal controversies (extracts in Eusebius); other letters to various correspondents on the same subject (mentioned by Eusebius, a fragment preserved in Syriac); a book of divers discourses, probably a collection of homilies (mentioned by Eusebius); and
other minor works for which we have less clear or less certain attestations.The four fragments which Pfaff published in 1715, ostensibly from a Turin manuscript, have been proven by Funk to be apocryphal, and Harnack has established the fact that Pfaff himself fabricated them.

Today's News

2007-06-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

Here are some news links for some catholic news :)

Pope Benedict supports adult stem cell research.

European Minister Says Aid to Nicaragua Will Only Come with Abortion Ban Reversal

Cyril: Catechesis That Embraces Body, Soul and Spirit

U.K. Bishops Say Hybrid Embryos Should Be Treated as Human Embryos

Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor

2007-06-27T12:20:00.000-04:00

I think I am going to start something new. I am going to start to put a little something about each of the saints that are featured in the daily readings for the Roman Cathoilc Chruch according to the Criterion. This is a newspaper for my archdiocies (Indianapolis). So our first saint that we will be looking at will be Cyril of Alexandria.

Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor
This information comes from Catholic Encyclopedia.

found on the 9th of June, and (together with St. Athanasius) on the 18th of January.

He was from an alexandrain family and the nephew to Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria. For a period of time he was a monk; however, in October 15th of 412 he was named successor to his uncle as the "Synod of the Oak".

During his time he had a great deal of power that made others jelous. He also drove out the Jewish people who had been massacuring the Christians. He was also able to get 500 monks from Nitria to help defend the patriarch. During these years there were many such riots and battles. Cyril was able to honor martyers and he attempted to keep the peace the best he could.

It also seems, due to a lack of communication with Rome, he was a qersecutor of St. Chrysostom and refused to insert his name in the diptychs of his Church untill he later yielded.

He also took a stand against Antiochene Nestorius who became patriarch of Constantinople. It seems he had some heretical teachings; however, the Pope did not take sides of eather when Nestorius wrote to him. It seems the Pope did have a great deal of respect for Cyril due to him being the first prelate of the East and inheritor of the Athanasius and Pter traditions...

As a Theologian:
The principal fame of St. Cyril rests upon his defence of Catholic doctrine against Nestorius. He wished, against Apollinarius, to teach that Christ was a perfect man, and he took the denial of a human personality in Our Lord to imply an Apollinarian incompleteness in His Human Nature. The union of the human and the Divine natures was therefore to Nestorius an unspeakably close junction, but not a union in one hypostasis. St. Cyril taught the personal, or hypostatic, union in the plainest terms; and when his writings are surveyed as a whole, it becomes certain that he always held the true view, that the one Christ has two perfect and distinct natures, Divine and human. But he would not admit two physeis in Christ, because he took physis to imply not merely a nature but a subsistent (i.e. personal) nature. His opponents misrepresented him as teaching that the Divine person suffered, in His human nature; and he was constantly accused of Apollinarianism. On the other hand, after his death Monophysitism was founded upon a misinterpretation of his teaching. Especially unfortunate was the formula "one nature incarnate of God the Word" (mia physis tou Theou Logou sesarkomene), which he took from a treatise on the Incarnation which he believed to be by his great predecessor St. Athanasius. By this phrase he intended simply to emphasize against Nestorius the unity of Christ's Person; but the words in fact expressed equally the single Nature taught by Eutyches and by his own successor Diascurus. He brings out admirably the necessity of the full doctrine of the humanity to God, to explain the scheme of the redemption of man. He argues that the flesh of Christ is truly the flesh of God, in that it is life-giving in the Holy Eucharist. In the richness and depth of his philosophical and devotional treatment of the Incarnation we recognize the disciple of Athanasius. But the precision of his language, and perhaps of his thought also, is very far behind that which St. Leo developed a few years after Cyril's death.

His writings
The exegetical works of St. Cyril are very numerous. The seventeen books "On Adoration in Spirit and in Truth" are an exposition of the typical and spiritual nature of the Old Law. The Glaphyra or "brilliant", Commentaries on Pentateuch are of the same nature. Long explanations of Isaias and of the minor Prophets give a mystical interpretation after the Alexandrian manner. Only fragments are extant of other works on the Old Testament, as well as of expositions of Matthew, Luke, and some of the Epistles, but of that of St. Luke much is preserved in a Syriac version. Of St. Cyril's sermons and letters the most interesting are those which concern the Nestorian controversy. Of a great apologetic work in the twenty books against Julian the Apostate ten books remain. Among his theological treatises we have two large works and one small one on the Holy Trinity, and a number of treatises and tracts belonging to the Nestorian controversy.

The first collected edition of St. Cyril's works was by J. Aubert, 7 vols., Paris, 1638; several earlier editions of some portions in Latin only are enumerated by Fabricius. Cardinal Mai added more material in the second and third volumes of his "Bibliotheca nova Patrum", II-III, 1852; this is incorporated, together with much matter from the Catenæ published by Ghislerius (1633), Corderius, Possinus, and Cranor (1838), in Migne's reprint of Aubert's edition (P.G. LXVIII-LXVII, Paris, 1864). Better editions of single works include P. E. Pusey, "Cyrilli Alex. Epistolae tres oecumenicae, libri V c. Nestorium, XII capitum explanatio, XII capitum defensio utraque scholia de Incarnatione Unigeniti" (Oxford, 1875); "De recta fide ad principissas de recta fide ad Augustas, quad unus Christus, dialogus apologeticus ad Imp." (Oxford, 1877); "Cyrilli Alex. in XII Prophetas" (Oxford, 1868, 2 vols.); "In divi Joannis Evangelium" (Oxford, 1872, 3 vols., including the fragments on the Epistles). "Three Epistles, with revised text and English translation" (Oxford, 1872); translations in the Oxford "Library of the Fathers"; "Commentary on St. John", I (1874), II (1885); Five tomes against Nestorius" (1881); R. Payne Smith, "S. Cyrilli Alex. Comm. in Lucae evang. quae supersunt Syriace e manuscripts apud Mus. Brit." (Oxford, 1858); the same translated into English (Oxford, 1859, 2 vols.); W. Wright, "Fragments of the Homilies of Cyril of Alex. on St. Luke, edited from a Nitrian manuscript" (London, 1874); J. H. Bernard, "On Some Fragments of an Uncial manuscript of St. Cyril of Alex. Written on Papyrus" (Trans. of R. Irish Acad., XXIX, 18, Dublin, 1892); "Cyrilli Alex. librorum c. Julianum fragmenta syriaca:, ed. E. Nestle etc. in "Scriptorum grecorum, qui Christianam impugnaverunt religionem", fasc. III (Leipzig, 1880). Fragments of the "Liber Thesaurorum" in Pitra, "Analecta sacra et class.", I (Paris, 1888).

(for the full background please read the artical)

Wendy Shalit

2007-06-23T12:41:00.000-04:00

In the last post I was telling about a book I was reading. Well the author has a blog so now you can see more by Shalit BTW the link will be permanently over to the right!

Too much

2007-06-20T13:01:00.001-04:00

Ok, as many of you reading know, I do not post information about my personal life; however, here is one post that breaks the trend....

I have a theory! Now please understand this is again just based on my personal experiances.

I am reading A Return to Modesty by Shalit and it stated that girls in the 90's experianced more sexual harassment and more direct harassment than what occured in the 50's. This reminded me about the fact that I mentioned in High School that I would not know what sexual harassment was if it hit me in the face. I grew up with the idea that it was OK to touch members of the opposit sex. In fact I would regularly sit on my friends' laps (mainly guys) and also wrestle with them. This was normal everyday events for me. I thought it was funny because everyone else did, and if no one tells you or acts like something is wrong then it must be ok... or so I thought.

It seems sad to me that we become SO unsensitized to bad things occuring all around us. We feel it is normal to treat humans as eye candy. In fact, we dress so people DO treat us this way! Girls wearing shorts that are shorter than some people's underware, guys forgoing shirts to show off chests, and girls almost forgoing shrits for the same. It seems we feel the more flesh we show the more desireable we become. However, the only people we are attracting are people we more than likly do not want. Then we do things with them that are not a good idea; however, we do it anyway because it is what we THINK we are suposed to do. The sexual encounters are more common than playing tag anymore! Middle school girls getting pregnet, in fact I know a boy who has been active since he was like 11 or 12! Why is this occuring in our sociaty?

I am starting to think it is because sexual contact is all we see, we think there is nothing else avalible. I noted that even children's shows have little kids (3-6 years of age) claiming and proclaiming they have "boyfriends" or "girlfriends". At least they ALWAYS have a love interest! I think this should be STOPPED. Though I have not always felt this way.

My background may be a bit confused because I was sexually molested when I was quite young, this tends to change the sexual perspecitve; however, it should not have changed it THIS much! My mother was very open about sex and that it was normal to have. There was talk that I should wait till I was married; however, she never really could tell me why. She did not wait and she was living with a man she was unmarried and had 2 kids by him. What they could tell me is that it was wrong to "sleep" next to someone that you were not married to (they did/do not share a bed). This was strange to me.

Anyway... my first encounter was with my first real boyfriend. He said he wanted it and I wanted to give him something "good" so I decided that i would give him my body. When we broke up he told me this decision had been the sole thing that destroyed our relationship! So the next guy I tried even harder to "keep him satisifed" because all of the married women I worked with told me that was the most important thing in a relationship. Well we broke up... What a suprise! Now I know why these relationships did not work and why they could not have worked! Man I am GREAT at messing things up. Though it was not because I wanted to destroy the relationships, it was because I did not know there was anything better.
I did learn that sex was not the answer; however, I feel once you say yes one time it seems a bit off to say no the next. I am trying to teach myself that it is OK to say no. I feel like an after school special... that is not so special. I pray that one day I can learn to overcome my eary teachings that sex is as necessary as air, and I hope I can deprogram myself to beable to stand up for what is pure, right, and Holy!

Selling Your Self

2007-06-12T12:52:00.001-04:00

What happens when you sell yourself and no one wants you?
Put yourself on the line, emotions, time and effort
In return you get a thank-you and a smile
Not enough money to pay your bills
Wait, don't cry you will look weak!

What happens when you sell yourself and no one wants you?
There will always be people who are better
They are looking for experiance you do not have
Looking for the impossible from you.

What happens when you sell yourself and no one wants you?
Words they use attempt to build you up
What they say distroys you

What happens when you sell yourself and no one wants you?
You stand strong, dry your eyes, and smile...

TeamLeader Position

2007-06-11T09:56:00.001-04:00

Hey for all those following, I did not get the teamleader position. He did say I was extreamly impressive in my interviews and with my resume, referal letters, and exc so I should apply for other positions as they come avalible!
Pray for me to keep my head up and tears out of my eyes...

Life is Good!!!

2007-06-08T16:41:00.001-04:00

Ok, as you know a few days ago (Please Pray for Me) I was not doing so well. However now I am better!

OK, I am done with my second interview!!! It went really well!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found out that I SO impressed someone over the phone that they sent a thank-you letter or something like that to the agency whos contract I work on! So the guy who is doing the interviews was just told this week that I am SUPER worker by the people who hold our contract! I am so very excited. And to be told that during an interview makes me feel really good about the interview.

I KNOW this position is mine, and even if it is not, I should be getting a reward for this call!

Oh, and the interviewer mentioned he was impressed with the fact that I took so much care to get reference letters and examples of my work. This showed him that I was very interested in the job and a good canidate! Let us see how this turns out.

I will know Monday if I got it or not. I will post the results....

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

2007-06-08T09:54:00.001-04:00

I was talking to a friend (Hi John) about Sheen and I thought he had been beatified; however, as always John was correct in thinking that only his cause has been opened and he is clasified as a Servant of God.

Here is some info on his life...

A Brief Biographical Sketch

1895–Born on May 8th in El Paso, Illinois, Archbishop Sheen was the eldest of the four sons of Newton and Delia Fulton Sheen. Though he was baptized Peter John, throughout his life he was known by his mother’s maiden name, Fulton. After his baptism, his mother dedicated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary, a dedication he himself renewed at his First Holy Communion. He lived with his family for a time on a farm outside of Peoria, Illinois.

1900–His family moved to Peoria in order that young Fulton could enroll in St. Mary’s Cathedral [Parochial] School. He often served at Mass at the Cathedral.
1909–He attended High School at the Spalding Institute in Peoria staffed by the Brothers of Mary.
1917–He attended St. Viator’s College in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and later at St. Paul’s Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.
1919–On September 20th, Fulton Sheen was ordained a “Priest forever” for the Diocese of Peoria. At the time of his Priestly Ordination, he made his famous promise to make a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour, which he kept faithfully for the rest of his life.

1920–After ordination, he began two years of postgraduate studies in Theology at the Catholic University in Washington D.C., and another year at the University of Louvain in Belgium.
1923–He attended further theological classes at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Angelicum in Rome.

1923–He returned to the University of Louvain where he became the first American to receive the Cardinal Mercier Prize for International Philosophy as well as attaining the Aggrage degree with outstanding distinction.
1925–He spent 9 months working in St. Patrick’s, an inner city parish in Peoria.
1926–He began teaching Theology, then Philosophy and Religion at Catholic University in Washington DC. He was to remain there until 1950. He also began local radio broadcasting in the New York area.

1930–He began his national radio broadcast, The Catholic Hour, which continued for some 22 years, reaching an estimated four million listeners.

1934–He became a Very Reverand Monsignor.
1935–He became Right Reverend Monsignor.
1950–He become the National Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, supervising 129 diocesan directors throughout the country. He held this position until 1966.
1951–He was consecrated a Bishop in Rome by Cardinal Piazza in the Church of Saints John & Paul on June 11, 1951. In the Fall of 1951 he began his famous television series entitled, Life is Worth Living. It eventually reached an estimated 30 million viewers each week. He won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality in 1952. His series ran with great success until 1957.

1962–He attended all of the Vatican Council sessions in Rome, ending in 1965.
1966–He was named Bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York on October 26th.
1969–He resigned as Bishop of Rochester. As he said, “I am not retiring, only retreading.” Pope Paul VI named him Archbishop of the Titular See of Newport (Wales). The Archbishop remained relatively active, spending the last years of his life chiefly in writing and preaching.

1979–On October 3rd, the Archbishop experienced one of the greatest moments of his life when Pope John Paul II embraced him in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Holy Father said to him, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a loyal son of the Church!” On December 9th God called the Archbishop from this life to his eternal reward.

2002–On September 14th, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints officially opened the Cause of Archbishop Sheen, and conferred on him the title Servant of God.
2006 - Two packages containing documentation of two alleged miracles attributed to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen were sent to Rome where a panel of theologians, priests and doctors will further examine the documents to verify that the alleged miracles were indeed authentic.
http://www.archbishopsheencause.org/bio.html

Reclaim the supernatural

2007-06-06T15:31:00.000-04:00

The loss of the sense of the supernaturalhelps to explain the declineof the Catholic Church since Vatican Council II.

Reclaim the supernatural

By Alice von Hildebrand

There is a very simple explanation for the devastation which has taken place in the Roman Catholic Church in the wake of Vatican II: THE LOSS OF THE SENSE OF THE SUPERNATURAL.

No doubt, this collapse was preceded by a steady erosion of this sense, an erosion which started at the time of the Renaissance. The first step was to limit one’s allegiance to the Church to lip service. Gradually this double-minded attitude (that is, keep a good conscience while divorcing the holy teaching of the Church frm one’s life) led to the temptation of watering down the divine message to make it more “palatable” to man’s fallen nature (according to Kierkegaard, this means “changing wine into water”). The next step was to praise the supernatural for purely naturalistic reasons: saints are acclaimed for their “efficiency” and Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Ted Turner are praised in the same breath!). Once on this downside slope, it is easy to fall into the temptation of placing nature over supernature. (A doctorate is more highly regarded than the priesthood). The road is now free for a total collapse of the divine message. Once the supernatural has been eliminated, it is logical that priests, monks and nuns should abandon religious life, and devote their time and energy to secularistic pursuits: to yoke themselves to the “wheel of human progress,” loaded with the rich promise of creating an earthly paradise here and now.

Not so long ago, I heard a nun proclaim that the most saintly priest she had met in her life was her father. I hardly had time to catch my breath to figure out how this was possible, when she volunteered the answer: “he had such a strong social sense.” Indeed, if a priest is only a social worker, seminaries should close. If there is no supernatural, religious life with its vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, becomes meaningless. Why submit oneself in obedience to a superior who has no doctorate, no diploma in the social sciences, no publication to his credit when one is endowed with all these admirable qualities! This is secularistic logic at its best.
Should we wonder that since the close of Vatican II many priests got married — oftentimes with ex-nuns gleefully liberated from “burdensome and crippling vows” which prevented them from being “fulfilled.”

In the sixties, the Catholic landscape reminded one of a piece of land devastated by a tornado.
But in the course of the last ten years, the invincible power of the supernatural has, once again, manifested itself. Father Benedict Groeschel stated in one of his programs at EWTN that in the course of the last ten years, an amazing number of new religious orders have sprung within the Church. Whereas many “old” orders are declining to the point of extinction, (the punishment meted to those who practice “spiritual birthcontrol”), these new foundations blossom at a surprising pace. In a short span of time, they double, triple and quadruple. What is their secret?
They have re-introduced the supernatural: this divine “intrusion” into the natural order, which is so sublime that it could never have been invented by man. The transforming power of the sacraments, the blessedness of the Eucharist, the incredible gift of the sacrament of Confession — “go in peace, they sins are forgiven thee” — are once again, showing their holy vitality. The havoc introduced in the liturgy — the horrible music (if it can be called music at all), the banality of the homilies are — in many places — being replaced by RELIGIOUS services in which the sacred is prominent. Let me mention the Parish of St. John Cantius in Chicago which was “defunct” ten years ago, and is now flourishing: the Latin Mass, (Novus Ordo), has been introduced, followed by the Tridentine Mass with Gregorian chant, and Masses of Mozart and Haydn). Women are not permitted to come to Mass immodestly dressed. There are long lines of parishioners waiting at the Confessional. The sacred is prominent: “Terribilis est locus iste; hic domus Dei est, et porta coeli” (This place is awesome; it is God’s house and the door of heaven).
The young generation has been starved, and as soon as they discover the beauty of the liturgy, the sublimity of Gregorian chant, the enriching silence that should reign in places of worship (which oftentimes remind one of convention centers), they flock there, gratefully, bringing their young children with them. God is re-conquering his Church. The battle is not over, but any one of good will must acknowledge that in the wake of Vatican II the church (with a small c) has deviated from the path of truth and peace.

Once the supernatural is lost sight of, the swarm of human imperfections will proliferate with vitality. “Menschlich, all zu menschlich” wrote Nietzsche. (Human, all too human). Let us briefly mention some of them (their name is legion).

The sublime vocation of the priesthood is a calling to give oneself totally and completely to Christ: to understand how great a privilege it is to be his servant, to do his will, to represent the Holy One at the altar, to give absolution to the sinners in His name. To become a priest because one comes from a modest background, and the priesthood is a sure way of ascending in the social scale, is an unworthy motive. Any wise spiritual director would turn down such “vocations.”
Alas, ambition is deeply rooted in one’s fallen nature, and it is a sheer illusion to believe that because one has a calling to the priesthood, one is ipso facto, liberated from this shackle. There are priests who hope to become a monsignor — a step that will possibly lead to being consecrated a bishop, and a bishop can potentially become a cardinal. The lives of saints testify to the fact that the true servants of God shun honors, and when they are offered to them, either turn them down (let us think of Don Bosco), or accept them under the cross. When the Holy Pius X was elected, — something which he dreaded — he said; “I accept under the cross.” (In his great work, The Republic, Plato already underlined the fact that the ruler worthy of this name is in no way anxious to take the reins of government in his hands). A holy priest is conscious of the fact that the greater the authority one receives, the greater one’s responsibility. St. Benedict writes in his Holy Rule: “Let the abbot remember always that at the dreadful judgment of God there will be an examination …. of his teaching and of the obedience of his disciples. And let the abbot realize that the shepherd will have to answer for any lack of profit which the Father of the family may discover in his sheep” (chap. 2).

These are words which anyone driven by ambition, should meditate upon. The responsibility of those in power is such that they justify the words of St. John Chrysostom who was troubled by the doubt whether any bishop could be saved” (quoted in Lowrie’s Kierkegaard, Vol. II, p. 53l, Harper, Torchbooks).

A simple test to determine whether one is happy to serve, or anxious to rule is the following: suppose that someone, hoping secretly to become a bishop, to become provincial or superior, to become president of a college, suffers a defeat. If his response is bitterness, rancor, it is luminously clear that the person in question was not supernaturally motivated. To be deigned to work in God’s vineyard, in whatever function, should be the only honor that one aspires to. A modest role, performed with love, glorifies God a lot more than a lofty position tainted by ambition (a form of pride). There the chasm separating the natural from the supernatural appears in all its depth. We only need think of the bitterness, the resentment, and sometime the rage of those defeated in politics, business or sports. All of us have seen tennis players hitting their racket upon the ground or shouting obscenities, because they are about to lose a match. If someone blessed with a supernatural attitude suffers a defeat — instead of ranting and raving, he will humbly examine whether this failure it is due to some fault of his: his rashness, his impatience, his lack of wisdom — and if the answer is positive, he will thank God for having opened his mind to this defect, and make the resolution to learn from his mistakes. He will say with the psalmist: “it is good for me that I was humiliated, that I might learn thy statutes” (Ps. 118: 71). If the defeat is due to injustice (a person is not elected because he takes a firm stand against abortion, or because he is not “politically correct”), this is something that God (for reasons that we shall perceive in eternity) has permitted. It should remind us that he can draw good out of evil, or wishes to grace us with the understanding that the servant should not be better treated than his Master who was flouted, rejected and spat upon. FROM A SUPERNATURAL POINT OF VIEW TO HUMBLY ACCEPT A DEFEAT CAN TURN OUT TO BE A RESOUNDING VICTORY, and glorify God in a unique fashion — much more than a victory which in ever so little a degree flatters one’s vanity. One’s attitude toward a defeat is a great test of one’s moral status. To let a defeat defeat one is the greatest defeat. Either to learn from a defeat, or to accept it with equanimity and composure is indicative of a soul that has real inner strength. History teaches one a great lesson: victories are not always beneficial to the victor. Oftentimes, it leads him to brashness, unhealthy self-assurance, and is the first step toward a future defeat. It is related in the life of the great Saint Ignatius that he once said that if his whole work in founding the Society of Jesus would collapse, it would not take him more than a quarter of an hour in front of the blessed sacrament to regain his peace. This is a sure sign of a supernatural spirit, of someone who knows that God is the master of history, and that not a single hair falls from our head without his permission.

Another sign that a “religious” person is not supernaturally motivated is if he allows a spirit of rivalry to penetrate into his work. There are persons who devote their lives to a noble cause, be it, for example, the fight against abortion. If such a person views this cause with a truly supernatural spirit, he will collaborate with any other organization fighting under the same flag. Unfortunately, there are cases in which such organizations develop a spirit of rivalry and actually denigrate one another to guarantee the predominance of their endeavor. Such “Menschlich, all zu menschlich” responses can, alas, also be found between religious orders, as if they were rival political factions, instead of working together in the same vineyard for the Kingdom of God. To ask which is the greatest order in the Church is an inane question; to assume that an order is necessarily greater because it has attracted a larger number of candidates is, once again, to take a secularistic yardstick, instead of adopting a supernatural outlook. How beautiful of St. Francis to call his order “fratres minimi,” to deflect the danger of spiritual pride. Each religious order, each lay religious organization can and will glorify God if its members are supernaturally motivated. Each one of them is called upon to play an instrument in the divine symphony, and no violin, sublime as the tones it produces may be, has a right to denigrate the trombone or the drum.

Man’s fallen nature faithfully accompanies him wherever he goes. This is why Saint Peter warns us that we should be vigilant. There are persons who give their time, energy and money to a worthy religious cause, but do so only if they are given a key position in the work, and if their merit is acknowledged. The very moment that they are replaced by someone else (let us assume that this replacement is justified), they become bitter, and refuse to collaborate in a lesser capacity. Misreading the sublime words of St. John the Baptist: “May He increase, and I decrease,” they are saying; “May he increase, and I with him.” Like Caesar, they prefer to be number one in a village than number two in Rome. They crave for the limelight and are allergic to being in the shade. From a supernatural point of view, it should be a matter of complete indifference whether another person or myself succeeds in accomplishing a task which glorifies God. “Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam” (Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give glory [Ps. ll5-1]).

There are even cases of people so convinced that their work is of crucial importance to the Church, so sure that they have the mission of saving the Church, that they refuse to acknowledge that other missionary works have any importance at all. To put it very bluntly, there are people so completely devoted to their work for the blind that they feel justified in being ruthless to the deaf.

The list of possible religious aberrations is long. What has been said should suffice to warn us how crucial it is to beg God for the grace to be animated by His spirit, and to acknowledge humbly that “without Him, we can do nothing.” This is the spirit which — in spite of human frailty and imperfection — has kept the Holy Catholic Church on even keel for two thousand years. Let us pray that it may reconquer the hardened heart of modern man.

Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex Part 4 of 4

2007-06-05T15:40:00.000-04:00

Trivial Pursuit

Contracepting the natural end of sexual union and deconstructing its basic nature should leave people not with an exhilarating sense of freedom, but a disturbing sense of meaninglessness. What would the meaning of eating be in the absence of both hunger and nourishment, and the presence of mere will? Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the popular sex education “expert” enjoins people to have “good sex.” But all she means by this maxim is high-powered sexual performance. Where does this leave those who are less than sexually athletic? Love, the nature of the relationship, and its respect for God’s plan are all neatly factored out of the equation. The performance is the thing. But is this not the ultimate trivialization of sex? If you get a good swing at a baseball late in the game when your team is down by 15 runs, is the swing of any importance? Bereft of context, drama, and meaning, is it even worth the effort? Other observers of the sex scene were not blind to the fact that what some commentators were calling “liberation,” more closely approximated “trivialization.” Accordingly, author Gavin Reid notes:
“Copulation-centered thought about human sexuality seeks, in the name of liberation, to turn us into sexual virtuosos. ‘So and so,’ we hear people say, ‘is good in bed.’ Skill in love-making is extremely important to acquire, but when we make it an end in itself and remove the spiritual and total commitment aspects, we relegate sex to the same level as ‘she plays a good hand of bridge’ or “he plays a good round of golf.’”

The attempt to maximize sex as an end in itself leads logically to its ultimate trivialization, or dissociation from any overriding importance. But if all the importance of sex is compressed into how well it is performed, the inevitable outcome of many people will be what psychologists refer to as “performance anxiety.” Impotence and sexual anorexia are also the byproducts of too much emphasis on performance. Sex will be joyful, rather than jaded, when it is accompanied by a rich context of natural and human meanings.

Germain Greer, who once exhorted women to revel in their sexuality, after closely scrutinizing the casualties of the contraceptive revolution, now warns her followers that sex has degenerated into a social gesture that is as trivial as a handshake. She claims that contraceptive technology, instead of liberating women, has turned them into geishas who risk health and fertility in order to be readily available for meaningless sex. Taking the pill, says Greer, is like “using a steamroller to crush a frog,” and the intrauterine device turns the womb into a “poisonous abattoir.” A teenage girl with a packet of pills in her purse and a copy of The Joy of Sex on her bookshelf is a pitiable creature, according to Greer’s new perspective.

Betty Friedan, America’s elder stateswoman of feminism, also began singing a different tune to her legion of followers in a book she wrote 18 years after The Feminine Mystique. Having witnessed the negative side of contraception’s legacy of “sexual freedom,” she used The Second Stage to preach the importance of the family, an institution toward which feminists had been “strangely blind.” She notes that after two decades of the women’s movement, too many women are facing economic misery as a result of divorce and are devalued in the workplace “and sometimes even replaced by other women who got into the men’s world and sometimes took away their husbands.” The Second Stage redirects the meaning of sex to bolster the relationship between husband and wife so that they are better prepared to be good fathers and mothers. The family, she declares, “is the nutrient of our personhood.”

Trying to maximize sexual pleasure would rule out the possibility of ecstasy because the partners are too preoccupied with their own individual satisfactions. In his insightful critique of modern secularism, Chance or the Dance?, Thomas Howard argues that the void of meaning that plagues the modern world makes ecstasy virtually impossible. The myth sovereign in the old order, he writes, was that each thing means everything. The meaning of the sexual act, surely, was not restricted to the mere experience of the act by its performers. Accordingly, “a man went into a woman in private and uncovered her and knew ecstasy in the experience of her being.” The myth sovereign in the new order is that “nothing means anything.” In the new order, we are fragmented, isolated, abandoned, and bereft of ecstasy, despite the exponential multiplication of sex manuals and self-help books.

We are creatures who are made for meaning. The shades of boredom quickly descend on the artificial womb that we fabricate out of comfort and security. And what is boredom but the void that results when the union of love and life is no longer present?

To humanize sex is to give it its fullness, both with regard to space and time. Sex involves love, life, God, and community; it also has implications of commitment, responsibility, and permanence. Contraception prevents sex from being everything it can and should be. But it also devalues what it excludes, making the process of restoring the integrity of sexual union most difficult. The danger is that sexual union will be perceived as trivial in its essence. Advocates of contraception initially wanted to improve love-making between spouses. That early optimism is nearly moribund at present. We need to recover something of that optimism, but restore sexual union to its proper human quality, not through technology, but through respecting the values that are inherent in human sexuality.

Donald DeMarco is a regular columnist for Lay Witness. This article was condensed because of space limitations. For the entire text, call CUF toll-free at (800) MY-FAITH (693-2484).

http://www.cuf.org/LayWitness/online_view.asp?lwID=670

Ok, there is the end of this artical... any thoughts?

Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex Part 3 of 4

2007-06-03T21:17:00.000-04:00

That’s Preposterous!

The common usage meaning of the word “preposterous” refers to something that is contrary to nature, or absurd. Its etymology offers an important additional insight to this meaning. Derived from the Latin words prae (before) and posterius (after), it literally means putting before that which comes after. Preposterousness, then, has to do with a change in order. It is, so to speak, putting the cart before the horse, or bolting the barn door after the animals have escaped.
Preposterousness in the moral domain has a particularly important ramification. When something that should be first is placed second, that which should be first is not simply demeaned, but is in danger of being either lost or rejected. Placing man ahead of God initially demeans religion, but, as history has shown, leads to a rejection of God. A person who places money above honesty will soon become dishonest. If spouses do not subordinate themselves to each other (cf. Eph. 5:21), their marriage is heading for a separation or divorce.

The great problem in placing the secondary end of sexual intercourse first is the likelihood that procreation will be demeaned initially and subsequently rejected. But, in addition to this, the meaning of lovemaking would have to be reinvented. Such recreation would inevitably be arbitrary and therefore subject to a distorted and possibly even perverse interpretation.
The Russian existentialist Nikolai Berdyaev had some insight into this problem when he argued, “If there were no childbearing, sexual union would degenerate into debauchery.” In hindsight, one must acknowledge that these points are well taken. While many have welcomed the “freedom” that contraception offers spouses, they have also recognized a need to restore some measure of nobility and romanticism to the sexual act. As the surrealist painter, Salvador Dali, once told a Time reporter, “The only way to make love is as a sacrament.”

Contraception signals the separation of love-making from baby-making. One is left to wonder about the deeper levels of fragmentation that may result.

Man is a meaning-oriented creature far more than he is a pleasureseeker. There is no pleasure that man enjoys to which he will not ascribe some meaning. But the very notion of meaning implies a relationship or correspondence that goes beyond what a thing is in itself. For example, one is not satisfied in hearing a stream of words; one wants to know what meaning they convey. The activities within a baseball game are meaningful because they are subordinated to the goal of winning. It is the prospect of winning that gives the game its ultimate meaning, otherwise no one would bother to keep score.

Paul Tillich has pointed out that while the great anxiety of antiquity was death, and the chief anxiety of the Middle Ages was condemnation, the principal anxiety of the modern era is meaninglessness. This anxiety is a direct result of the fragmentation of the modern world and the preposterousness that results when the natural order of things is reversed. Unable to bear life in a meaningless world, people are compelled to invent meanings. Unfortunately, these fabricated meanings cannot offer real sustenance for human beings. They reduce everything to the status of a game. And while games can be refreshing diversions from the seriousness of life, they cannot nourish the inner spirit that seeks an answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” There is a hunger in all of us that inclines us to search for and be in love with wisdom. In his own self-indulgent way, Alex Comfort is right. The author of the mega-selling secular “bible” of sex, The Joy of Sex, holds that sex is the most important human sport. But Christopher Derrick is right when he says, “The case against Playboy and everything similar is that one’s attention is thereby fixed not upon sex, but upon sexual unreality.”

Fragmentation and preposterousness, therefore, lead to a flight from reality and a preoccupation with fantasy. Reality, of course, being the stronger force, will always be victorious when the two collide. On the dust jacket of a best-selling book that promotes the revolutionary potential of contraception, we find these words from a mortified young husband: “I married a lovely, sexy girl—then she turned into someone’s mother.”

People will age and die, beauty will fade, and children will continue to come into the world, planned or unplanned. That is the reality. With the advent of contraception, many actually believed that it would bring about a paradise on earth. In the words of influential feminist Shulamith Firestone, contraception and its kindred technologies “could undo Adam’s and Eve’s curse both, to reestablish the earthly Garden of Eden.”

http://www.cuf.org/LayWitness/online_view.asp?lwID=670

Wow!

2007-06-01T12:48:00.001-04:00

Check out the post on Ukok's Place about "Love the Sinner Hate the Sin..."

Please Pray for Me

2007-06-01T12:39:00.000-04:00

If you are reading this please pray for me. I really need to learn to keep the bright light and Joy of Christ in me always. Sometimes it disappears. I do not know where it goes, but fight to keep the bad thoughts away. It has been awhile since I have felt this way. I could be the lack of sleep, a cycle thing, it could be extra stress at work/home, or it could just be me not dealing as I should with life. I often feel that those around me despise me. They are just waiting for me to fail or go away. I guess I am not really that nice of a person. I am rude, abrasive, curt, and annoying! How can anyone stand to be around me. I try to make things easier for people at work, but they think I am bossy for doing that. I do not understand. I cannot wait to get to heaven. Maybe then I will finally be the person I feel I need to be.

Speaking of work, I have been here longer than anyone else at the entry level! I have gained so much since starting, but I know that that does not matter. I will never be given a promotion around here. Next week I will find out if that is true. I think I truly hate this job. I do not mind my normal daily work; however, I hate when I have to get on the phones, and I do not much enjoy the co-workers any more. They claim I am rude, but it seems OK for them to speak to me any way they feel they would like to do so. I guess over the years I have lost MUCH respect for those that I work with. I know they do not care about the job and they do not like me because I do! This is about the first time I have really felt bad for doing what Jesus wanted me to do.

I know I am over reacting. God will provide for me and care for me. I have more people who would go to the ends of the world for me than any one person deserves. I need to be thankful for what I have and stop dewelling on what I do not. Honesly who cares if the poeple at work appreciate me, the people at church do, my family does, my friends do. If Lockheed Martin does not think that I am worthy of a promotion after 5.5 years, then I guess when my 6 year anniversery is up and I can leave without penality (tuition reimbursement) then I will be GONE before the door closes.

Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex Part 2 of 4

2007-05-31T09:23:00.000-04:00

Out of Order
Pius XII feared the fragmentation, “layer by layer,” of human sexuality. Therefore, he denounced the divorce of the unitive aspect of sexual intercourse, which united husband and wife in a profoundly personal way, from the procreative end that invoked God’s creative hand. He denounced procreation without personal love because it disparaged the physical and interpersonal dimensions of sexual union that God Himself had created. He denounced sexual union that negated the possibility of procreation for a more complex reason. As he stated, he feared the “deplorable consequences” that would happen if the secondary end of marriage—the good of the act of intercourse for the spouses—was no longer “subordinated” to the primary end which is to honor the generative implications of the sexual act.

By subordinating the secondary end of sexual union to the primary end, Pius XII was merely restating a long and firmly-held tradition. The 1917 Code of Canon Law, canon 1013, provided: “The primary purpose of marriage is the procreation and education of children. The secondary purpose is mutual support and a remedy for concupiscence.”

The Holy Father was not suggesting, nor did he hold, that one end is superior or more excellent than the other. He simply affirmed that the integrity of the marital act demands an ordination of one part to the other. To reject this order is to violate the integrity of the act. This notion of order, how one thing naturally leads to another, is what our fragmented world has great difficulty in comprehending. Yet for many, contraception, which separates the two ends of the marital act from each other, seems to unlock a door of freedom. How could “deplorable consequences” spring from an act of freedom?

As order is disrupted, meaning becomes eroded. Marriage and sexual union between husband and wife are matters of such incomparable importance that one must be extremely wary of what dire consequences or altered meanings might follow upon the disruption of their natural purposes.

In farming, the order of planting, cultivating, and harvesting is established by nature and cannot be altered. To say that planting is subordinated to harvesting is to say that the latter fulfills the purpose of the former. But it is also to say that harvesting gives meaning to planting. Can one separate the two ends of marital union without radically altering their meanings?

http://www.cuf.org/LayWitness/online_view.asp?lwID=670

I wonder how long it is going to be before most realize that we must have things in order BEFORE our lives go on correctly!

Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex Part 1 of 4

2007-05-29T12:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, here is an artical from the CUF website. I have separated it into 4 parts for slow people like me who can only read a paragraph or 2 at a time!

Contraception and the Trivialization of Sex

Donald DeMarco .

From the Jul/Aug 1999 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine

The experience of fragmentation has shaped the artistic and moral sensibility of our age. World Wars I and II, and all the innumerable regional wars that followed, have brought to modern consciousness a world that has been shattered and ripped to pieces. Order has yielded to disorder, continuity has been replaced by discontinuity, cosmos has given way to chaos. We now live in the atomic age, the age of anxiety, a post-Christian world in which God is presumed to be dead. Families are uprooted, industrialized labor is piecemeal, ethics is devoid of universal norms. University educators routinely teach that meaning, religion, law, and morality have all been deconstructed. In the words of the Irish poet, William Butler Yeats, “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” Prominent psychologists speak of our “collective death wish,” while philosophers harp incessantly about the problem of alienation. And sociologists decry the rapidly diminishing number of face-to-face relationships within society. Pope John Paul II diagnoses the contemporary climate as a “culture of death.” Back in 1941, Pope Pius XII was deeply concerned about the effect a climate of fragmentation would have on attitudes toward human sexuality. In retrospect, his words were remarkably prophetic: “[T]here are two tendencies to be avoided: first, the one which, in examining the constituent elements of the act of generation, considers only the primary end of marriage, as though the secondary end did not exist, or were not the finis operis established by the Creator of nature Himself; and second, the one which gives the secondary end a place of equal principality, detaching it from its essential subordination to the primary end—a view which would lead by logical necessity to deplorable consequences.” http://www.cuf.org/LayWitness/online_view.asp?lwID=670

My dear young friend By Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand

2007-05-26T08:38:00.000-04:00

Here is a letter from Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand to try and let girls know they are more important than what the world tends to say they are.

My dear young friend:
I know that young girls like secrets, and I am going to share one with you. God has chosen your sex for you; He made you to be a girl. You know that girls today are often told by feminists that the Church is "sexist" and has "discriminated" against them from the very beginning. She is accused of having treated them as "inferior", less talented, less gifted, made to be man’s servants. She has denied them power in the Church, and prohibited them from receiving the highest honor, to be ordained to the priesthood and so on.

No doubt, you have heard this siren song, because the media are good when it comes to spreading this negative message. And this is why, to rebut these false claims, I would like to make you realize that women – far from being discriminated against – have been granted a unique place by God in the work of redemption. The beauty of their mission is already hinted at in the Old Testament, but it finds its fulfillment only in the New, that is in the sweet Mother of our Savior; in Mary, the gentle Maid of Nazareth who was chosen from all eternity to be the Mother of the Redeemer.

Let us take off our "secular" eyeglasses, and then we shall be able to see that women, far from being "discriminated" against, are in many ways privileged. And this is the "secret" I wish to share with you. The body of every little girl born into this world is mysteriously sealed by what is properly called the "veil of virginity". That is to say, a "secret" is entrusted to her body, and a secret is always "veiled". According to Christian teaching, this veil closes the entrance to a mysterious garden which belongs to God in a special way, and for this reason cannot be entered into except with His express permission, the permission that God grants spouses in the Sacrament of Matrimony. Any little girl aware of this "mystery" will feel that her body is to be modestly clothed, so that its secret will be hidden from lewd looks.

Little girls, of course, grow up. How beautiful when a bride can say to her husband on their wedding night, "I have kept this garden virginal for you, and now, with God’s permission I am giving you its key, knowing that you will enter into it with reverence".

Moreover, when a wife conceives a few hours after her husband has embraced her, God creates the child’s soul in her body, (as you certainly know, neither husband nor wife can produce the human soul; God alone can create it.) In other words, there is a personal "contact" between God and the woman which, once again, gives to the female body a note of sacredness. Don’t forget that He whom the whole universe cannot contain, was "hidden" in the womb of the Holy Virgin for nine months. Once you realize this, you will be awe-filled for the double mystery that God has confided to you: to conceive a human being made to God’s image and likeness, and to give birth to it in pain and anguish. Do not forget that it was also in pain and anguish that Christ re-opened for us the gates of paradise – which had been shut by sin. To women has been granted the awesome privilege of nobly suffering so that a new human being, made to God’s image and likeness, might come into the world. Meditate upon this for a moment, and you will feel a deep reverence for your body. It belongs to God, and is not a "play thing" that you can dispose of as you please.

If you ever study pagan art, you will discover that it pays tribute to the male reproductive organ, representing it in various sculptures and paintings as a symbol of strength, virility, creativity, power. But from the very moment that the Catholic Church became a recognized religion, she fought relentlessly against this pagan cult. But the Church introduced a prayer uttered millions of times every single day in which the female organ par excellence, the "womb" is mentioned. "Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus". I am sure, my dear young friend, that if you meditate on this, you will understand that it is a privilege to be born a woman, and will respect the mystery that God has put in the female body.

Thank God that He has made you to be born a woman; I am sure now that you understand that it is a great privilege.

Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand

Dirty Sheets

2007-05-23T13:06:00.000-04:00

Several of my "friends" have been posting about Sex. They have been discussing the religious since of what is it made for. Simply just procreation or is there more to it than that. I have posted ideas on their sites so I will leave it at that. However, what about the idea of how do we keep our young people from making the dreaded mistakes I and many others have made?

Here is something interesting to say the least. We were talking at work and no one in the conversation waited till their wedding night for their first sexual encounter. Even fewer had only one partner in their life time. Now I am not sure if the remarried people have had it limited to the spouses. Most seemed to think that you had to "test" the product before purchase, like a car. However, I responded it is more like sheets! NO ONE WANTS SHEETS SOMEONE ELSE HAS TRIED. Now some got upset that I referred to them as "dirty sheets;" however, that is how I feel so that is what I say!

Now as things change in my life they are puzzled why I would bother trying to be more chase now! I guess chastity is just something our current world just does not understand.

Just to let everyone know, I will be making posts every few days on this topic so there are plenty of chances to see my opinions and the ideas I chose to give.

How this is done!

2007-05-18T15:06:00.000-04:00

I have found that there are people out there that do not know how to post to this blog. I will make it easy for you!

All you have to do is click comment... leave your comment... put the letters and numbers in the box. Then you click "other" if you do not have a blog. Then you and leave me your name! That is all I need. I do not require people to have a blog to post. You can also place yourself under Anonymous!

Divine Mercy

2007-05-12T00:55:00.000-04:00

Well I wanted to put a post out there, even if no one in the word is going to read this. I also wanted to post a pic; however, my laptop will not connect to the internet so I do not have access to my pics. Anway, how much do you know about the Divine Mercy?

Well here is some information...

Background of the Divine Mercy Devotion

From the diary of a young Polish nun, a special devotionbegan spreading throughout the world in the 1930s. Themessage is nothing new, but is a reminder of what theChurch has always taught through scripture and tradition:that God is merciful and forgiving and that we, too, mustshow mercy and forgiveness. But in the Divine Mercydevotion, the message takes on a powerful new focus,calling people to a deeper understanding that God’s love isunlimited and available to everyone — especially thegreatest sinners.

The message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercyis based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, anuneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritualdirector, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording therevelations she received about God’s mercy. Even beforeher death in 1938, the devotion to The Divine Mercy hadbegun to spread.

The message of mercy is that God loves us — all of us —no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize thatHis mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call uponHim with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us toothers. Thus, all will come to share His joy. It is a messagewe can call to mind simply by remembering ABC.

A — Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approachHim in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins andasking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and uponthe whole world.
B — Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercyand let it flow through us to others. He wants us toextend love and forgiveness to others just as He doesto us.
C — Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to knowthat the graces of His mercy are dependent upon ourtrust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we willreceive.

The Divine Mercy Devotion

Devotion to The Divine Mercy involves a total commitment toGod as Mercy. It is a decision to trust completely in Him, toaccept His mercy with thanksgiving, and to be merciful asHe is merciful.

The devotional practices proposed in the diary of SaintFaustina and set forth in this website are completely inaccordance with the teachings of the Church and are firmlyrooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Savior.Properly understood and implemented, they will help usgrow as genuine followers of Christ.

Merciful Heart

There are two scriptural verses that we should keep in mindas we involve ourselves in these devotional practices:
1. "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts arefar from me" (Is 29:13);
2. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt5:7).
It's an ironic and somewhat frightening fact that many of themost religious people of Christ's time (people who wereactively practicing their religion and eagerly awaiting thepromised Messiah) were not able to recognize Him whenHe came.

The Pharisees, to whom Christ was speaking in the firstquotation above, were very devoted to the prayers, rules,and rituals of their religion; but over the years, these outerobservances had become so important in themselves thattheir real meaning had been lost. The Pharisees performedall the prescribed sacrifices, said all the right prayers, fastedregularly, and talked a lot of about God, but none of it hadtouched their hearts. As a result, they had no relationshipwith God, they were not living the way He wanted them tolive, and they were not prepared for the coming of Jesus.

When we look at the image of the Merciful Savior, or pausefor prayer at three o'clock, or pray the Chaplet — are thesethings drawing us closer to the real sacramental life of theChurch and allowing Jesus to transform our hearts? Or havethey just become religious habits? In our daily lives are wegrowing more and more as people of mercy? Or are we justgiving "lip service" to God's mercy?

Living the Message of Mercy

The devotional practices revealed through Saint Faustinawere given to us as "vessels of mercy" through which God'slove can be poured out upon the world, but they are notsufficient unto themselves. It's not enough for us to hang TheDivine Mercy image in our homes, pray the Chaplet everyday at three o'clock, and receive Holy Communion on thefirst Sunday after Easter. We also have to show mercy to ourneighbors. Putting mercy into action is not an option of theDivine Mercy Devotion; it's a requirement!

Our Lord strongly speaks about this to SaintFaustina:
I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out oflove for me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors alwaysand everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try toexcuse yourself from it (Diary, 742).

Like the gospel command, "Be merciful, just as your Fatheris merciful," this demand that we show mercy to ourneighbors "always and everywhere" seems impossible tofulfill. But the Lord assures us that it is possible. "When asoul approaches Me with trust," He explains, "I fill it with suchan abundance of graces that it cannot contain them withinitself, but radiates them to other souls" (Diary, 1074).

How do we "radiate" God's mercy to others? By our actions,our words, and our prayers. "In these three degrees," he tellsSister Faustina, "is contained the fullness of mercy" (Diary742). We have all been called to this threefold practice ofmercy, but we are not all called in the same way. We need toask the Lord, who understands our individual personalitiesand situation, to help us recognize the various ways we caneach show His mercy in our daily lives.

By asking for the Lord's mercy, trusting in His mercy, andsincerely trying to live His mercy in our lives, we can assurethat we will never hear Him say of us, "Their hearts are farfrom Me," but rather that wonderful promise, "Blessed arethe merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
It is our hope that you will continue to read and reread theinformation on this website and make the prayers, attitudes,and practices presented a real part of your life, so that youmay come to trust completely in God and live each dayimmersed in His merciful love — thus fulfilling the Lord'scommand to let your life "shine before people, so that theywill see the good things you do and praise your Father inHeaven" (Mt 5:16).

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/backgr.htm

Why do some consider themselves Catholic?

2007-04-17T22:09:00.000-04:00

Ok, I know reading my blog you may think I am full of myself, but that is not quite true. However, I can honestly say that I hold no one up to a standard that is as high as the standard I hold for myself... yes I do drive myself CRAZY with my imperfections. However, as a member of Catholics United for the Faith I am sworn to up hold and spread the teachings of the Mother Church in Rome! So here I go again on another fit!

I found this on the following website.... http://ncrcafe.org/node/378

Here it is....

Does the Church really need more vocations?Submitted by laudateeum on August 21, 2006 - 10:39am. --- Parish Life <http://ncrcafe.org/forum/12>

We frequently hear and talk about vocations, as if they were a special calling, a direct communication from God. The hierarchy and clergy ask us to pray for priestly vocations as if we could move God to make his voice heard loud and clear in the minds and hearts of gifted men, but of course not of gifted women. So that married and single people do not feel left out, we talk about vocations to the married and single state. Doesn't anyone question this stuff?If I had a vocation, the seeds of it were sown in my family life and in my catholic school education. My parents' respect for priests was unconditional, as was the respect of the nuns and brothers who taught me. To be a priest was the highest calling one could have, they said. Still I had never met a priest who was a role model. As persons they were remote from my life. Yet, I held them in awe. I thought that I had heard a call to the priesthood when I told a chaplain at college that I sometimes thought about becoming a priest and he said to me that I should be encouraging that thought, not discouraging it. Up to that point I had always discouraged the thought of priesthood because I wanted to get married and have a family but from that day forward I became obsessed with the idea of becoming a priest. My girl friend did not like the idea but I put her and her feelings out of mind. I was called by God to leave family and friends.After seven years in the priesthood, I decided after much soul searching that it was not the life for me. Those in authority readily agreed. They made it easy for me to go and never really cared what became of me. They still don't, almost forty years later.I left the active priesthood with the belief that I had to answer to God for the decision to leave. No one in authority, not even the Pope, could make that decision right with God if it were the wrong decision. It was either right or it was wrong and I believed that it was right.Perhaps because there was much that was positive in my life as a priest I soon subscribed to the view of others that there was a legitimate role for temporary vocations in the priesthood. No Christian Community called me to serve it as a priest. I decided that I wanted to become a priest. After doing the requisite studies, prayer, meditation, and observance of the rules I was accepted into the priesthood. Was doing all those things for many years a sign that I was called? I don't know.We can talk about listening to God in prayer and self reflection, discerning his call in the deepest recesses of our being where we evaluate the events and experiences of our life. This call is very imprecise and personal, at times, contradictory. Is it truly a call or simply a decision making process?If I were to pray today for vocations to the priesthood it would not be a sincere prayer. I am not sure that anyone should choose to become a priest nor do I think that there is any such thing as a vocation to the priesthood. Furthermore, I do not sense that priests are very happy, and why would I want someone to choose a life that is not happy. I realize that a recent survey of priests indicates that most of them say that they are happy. The question arises: why don't they show it? I would concede that some may.Joseph Campbell opined that we should follow our bliss. I could easily pray for this that all people would come to understand what their bliss is and that they be given the freedom and the opportunity to follow it. Some may find that their bliss is the priesthood. Then, by all means pursue it, unless, of course, you wear a dress. At this senior stage in my life I wonder why we need priests. Having them may be a blessing if they are true leaders, spiritually oriented, positive forces for good, scholarly in scriptural studies, gifted with a sense of warmth and humor, respectful of the intelligence of the laity, interested in the people of the parish, compassionate, non judgmental, and hospitable.If we do not have enough priests for all the parishes then let the celebration of the liturgy be communal. Parishioners can pray the mass together, responding to the invitation of our Lord to do this in memory of him. If in some mysterious way the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, it happens through the power of God, and God's power can work through the whole community as it did in the early Church.We might just be more vibrant Christian communities if we lived and prayed the mass as co-equals. We might feel that we are the Church.Laudateeum

OK, first of all we do need vocations. There is NO substitute for the priest at mass. The members of the church CANNOT change the wafer into Jesus’ body, the wine into his blood! And anyone who claims to be Catholic and does not believe in the real presents is a LIAR. There is no other term for them. More importantly the Church does care about the priests that abandon their wives and mission (the church is his wife for any who is confused by that statement)! It is a shame that someone could possibly think little lone write that it is just fine to abandon ones wife to the wolves. However, I can say with that total lack of respect for the Church and her teachings… it is good that this wolf did not continue to lead a flock of sheep!

"The Catechism and proofs for the Resurrection"

2007-04-15T22:59:00.000-04:00

Jesus Rose from the Dead? Prove It!
4/4/2007
The Catechism and proofs for the Resurrection

"If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14).

Easter, the high point of the Christian year, brings opportunities to witness to the truth of the Resurrection of Our Lord. With the eyes of faith, it is possible to see the Resurrection as a historical fact. That believers see it as a fact, though, does not necessarily mean that it can be empirically proven. In fact, the Catechism teaches that while rational proofs can be helpful, the faith is passed on through witnesses with the help of the Holy Spirit.

There are a number of "proofs" we can employ that give a defense for the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15). We might show people that we’re not crazy for believing. We might show people that they wouldn’t be crazy for believing. The more ambitious might even use proofs in an attempt to convert others. While proofs are helpful, they can take us only so far.

What moves us to believe is not the fact that revealed truths appear as true and intelligible in the light of our natural reason: we believe "because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived." So "that the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit." (Catechism, no. 156).

For an example of proofs, we can look to St. Thomas Aquinas’ five ways in which man can come to know the existence of God. These proofs are paths of reasoning that can be helpful in disposing a person—softening his heart—toward the work of the Holy Spirit. As the Catechism says,
Man’s faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God. But for man to be able to enter into real intimacy with him, God willed both to reveal himself to man, and to give him the grace of being able to welcome this revelation in faith. The proofs of God’s existence, however, can predispose one to faith and help one to see that faith is not opposed to reason. (Catechism, no. 35)

So man is capable of reasoning to the existence of God. In fact, St. Thomas teaches that the existence of God, because it "can be known by natural reason," is not an article of faith (Summa Theologica, I.2.2). St. Thomas teaches that the Resurrection, on the other hand, is an article of faith: "Some things come to our knowledge by nature’s common law, others by special favor of grace, as things divinely revealed" (Summa Theologica, III.55.1).

This is important for our understanding of the use of proofs. We can lead people to see that an article of faith, in this case the Resurrection, is reasonable, but revelation is also received in faith, passed down by witnesses. The Catechism says:
But no one was an eyewitness to Christ’s Resurrection and no evangelist describes it. No one can say how it came about physically. Still less was its innermost essence, his passing over to another life, perceptible to the senses. Although the Resurrection was an historical event that could be verified by the sign of the empty tomb and by the reality of the apostles’ encounters with the risen Christ, still it remains at the very heart of the mystery of faith as something that transcends and surpasses history. This is why the risen Christ does not reveal himself to the world, but to his disciples, "to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people." (Catechism, no. 647)

Thus, as St. Thomas said, it is the nature of the Resurrection not to be subject to proofs and known by natural reason, but is "beyond the common ken of mankind." Instead, the Resurrection was revealed by Christ to a few witnesses "by whose testimony it could be brought to the knowledge of others."

http://www.cuf.org/news/newsdetail.asp?newID=171

Sort of a retraction

2007-04-15T22:54:00.000-04:00

I would like to make a sort of retraction from my previous post. It is not a full retraction because I am still saddened; however, I will retract the idea that they are not “good Catholics.” I should say they do not outwardly behave as such. Where being told this to some would be good, others not so good. So I will just leave it at the fact that I have been injured, but I will continue to pray for them and myself. If anyone is reading this, please do the same.

Love for the Mother Church lost

2007-04-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

I know that all have felt the pain of losing a love one. Now I want to talk about the feeling of “losing” a love one in the spiritual realm. I am not sure if physical or spiritual loss is easier. It seems when we lose someone physically we can have comfort that they are now in God’s grace. When it is spiritual loss we still place them in God’s mercy; however, we are constantly fearful for them for as long as we/they live or until they come back home. I am sure my old friends and family feel that way about me coming to the Catholic Church.

What brought this to mind is I have a “friend” who started me on my journey into the fullness of the faith. He has a degree in “medieval” political science or something like that. He loves the church fathers and proclaimed to love the Mother Church. However, now he claims to love the Church, but does not follow her teaching. He claims to love the Mother Church, but does not visit her. He proclaims to love the Church, but does not wish to get closer to her. He married someone who entered into the Catholic Church, but she does not love the Mother Church enough to follow the teaching either.

I know I am being hard on them. I am really hurt. I have been shunned by my friend for asking him how his faith is going. Pray for me to help me get over the hurt and pray for him so he will come back in and start living the love he proclaims.

Sin after Death?

2007-04-04T12:53:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

I was sitting at work one day thinking about God, Faith, Life, and such and started to think about sin and free will. I decided to post a question to see what responses I would get from all those who care to respond!

Will we sin after we get to heaven? I ovious answer is NO! But why is it no. We know that due to free will creation was able to sin in heaven (the fallen angels). We know that this was done with no outside tempation. We also know we will still have free will because God has free will so we will keep ours.

So what will keep us from sinning and losing our salvation after death?

Religious Liberty

2007-03-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

At some point we should be allowed to uphold our religious views in our work place. Why is it OK to force someone to violate his/her heart because someone else thinks it is more convent?

15-March-2007 -- Catholic News Agency

Conn. Bill Could Jeopardize Religious Liberty of Catholic Hospitals
Hartford, Mar 15, 2007 (CNA) - Catholic groups are urging the Connecticut legislature not to pass a bill that would force the state's four Catholic hospitals to provide the emergency contraception pill to all rape victims, independent of whether ovulation has begun.
The Connecticut Catholic Conference, the Catholic League, the four Catholic hospitals, Connecticut Right to Life, and the Family Institute of Connecticut have all voiced their opposition to the bill, presented by Rep. Deborah Heinrich.

The same proposal failed to pass last year. The Human Services Committee must act on the bill by March 22 or, like last year, it would fail.

“I respectfully urge you not to jeopardize the religious-liberty prerogatives of Catholic hospitals,” said Catholic League president Bill Donohue in a letter to the Legislature’s Human Services Committee.

“The emergency contraception pill may act as an abortifacient — not a contraceptive — depending on whether the woman has begun ovulation,” he said. “In those instances, it would be totally immoral for Catholic hospitals to cooperate in the termination of innocent human life.”
The four Catholic hospitals have been following a protocol since January 2006 in which they can offer the morning-after pill only under certain circumstances.

“If it has been determined that ovulation has not taken place, then Catholic hospitals are free to prescribe Plan B,” Donohue explained.

If the patient has ovulated, the doctors cannot prescribe Plan B. The protocol directs doctors to provide the rape victim with a list of places where she can receive it and transportation if necessary.

While Plan B has been available over the counter since January, advocates of the proposed legislation say it should be part of standard medical care for rape victims at the time of their treatment.

The Connecticut Catholic Conference notes that if the policy of Catholic hospitals regarding emergency contraception can be altered by legislation, then the next effort will most likely be to force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions.

“The Catholic health care system has provided the citizens of Connecticut with a high standard of care for decades. These institutions should not be forced to violate their religious beliefs, especially those concerning the human dignity of every person, no matter at what stage of life,” the conference said in a statement.

Immigration

2007-03-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

For those of you who know me well you know not too long ago I was all for closing our borders to anyone who does not meet the highest standards. Now my opinion has changed. I still agree we should not tolerate undocumented, simply for a security issue. However, the current undocumented should not be booted; however, they should be encouraged to come forward to obtain training to obtain documentation. The problem with people is they tend not to want to follow laws if they do not have to do so. For example, a friend of mine was driving and someone hit her. When the cops came they found the other driver was undocumented, so he did not have a license or insurance. The officer stated that Indiana INS does not deport for “minor” infractions. So here this person has broken 2 laws, destroyed my friends auto, and he had no consequences to pay!
On the other hand you hear about the undocumented being given free schooling and even being allowed college. Many of these programs are supported by the taxpayers; however, if they are not here legally, they do not pay taxes. This could be viewed as another form of welfare. I propose to get documentation for all of them, get taxes from them, and enforce our laws on them. I figure anyone who is on foreign soil should obey the laws of that land (as long as they do not come in conflict with God’s laws).
Here is an article from EWTN: http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory_print.asp?number=76835
Take your time and look though this. If anyone reads this let me know your opinion. BTW it would be helpful if you add your religious/political stance. This way I can more fully understand your position. Mine is Catholic/Republican.

EWTNews
16-Mar-2007 -- N
Cardinal O'Malley Calls for More Humane Immigration Policy
Boston, Mar 16, 2007 (CNA) - The immigration raid in New Bedford last week is evidence of the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform in the United States, said Cardinal Sean O'Malley in a comment published yesterday in the Boston Globe.
"President George W. Bush has called for it, Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain have worked for it, but the objective has been mired in political rhetoric and obstructive tactics at several levels of the political process," the Cardinal-Archbishop of Boston wrote.
While the people arrested in last week’s raid are illegal immigrants, respecting their humanity and the meeting the needs of the women and children, whose situation is desperate, should be foremost, the cardinal said.
The Cardinal said he is concerned about some of the principles guiding the response and the fact that a policy that meets the immediate needs of those who were caught up in last week's raid is not yet in place.
O’Malley pointed out that in order to be released from custody those arrested in New Bedford had to assert that they were "the sole caretaker" of their children.
“The question is intended to guarantee one parent or caretaker for each child, but reports indicate that this goal has not been met,” he said.
“More important, the question fails to produce an acceptable humanitarian policy. Mothers can be separated from their children, and perhaps deported, as long as there would be a caretaker for the children remaining in Massachusetts,” he stated.
“Our shared respect for humanity and our faith in the promise of a better future call us to do better,” he concluded.

HOLY SEE SUPPORTS INITIATIVES AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY

2007-02-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

HOLY SEE SUPPORTS INITIATIVES AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY, FEB 7, 2007 (VIS) - Made public today was a declaration of the Holy See delivered during the course of a world congress on the death penalty, held in Paris, France from February 1 to 3.

"The Paris congress," reads the French-language text, "is being celebrated at a time in which, because of recent executions, the campaign against the death penalty is facing new and disquieting challenges. Public opinion has become sensitized and has expressed its concern for a more effective recognition of the inalienable dignity of human beings, and of the universality and integrity of human rights, beginning with the right to life."

As in previous meetings on the same subject, "the Holy See takes this opportunity to welcome and affirm once more its support for all initiatives that aim to defend the inherent value and inviolability of all human life, from conception to natural end. In this perspective, it is worth noting that the use of the death penalty is not just a negation of the right to life, but also an affront to human dignity."

"The Catholic Church continues to maintain that the legitimate authorities of State have the duty to protect society from aggressors," but "some States traditionally include the death penalty among the means used to achieve this end," an option "that is difficult to justify today." States now have new ways "of preserving public order and people's safety," which include "offering the accused stimuli and encouragement" to mend their ways. Such non-lethal means of prevention and punishment "correspond better to the ... the common good and conform more to the dignity of the human person."

"Any decision to use the death penalty involves many dangers," such as "that of punishing the innocent, and the temptation to foment violent forms of revenge rather than true social justice." It is also "a clear offense against the inviolability of human life ... and, for Christians, an affront to the evangelical teaching of forgiveness."

"The Holy See," the text concludes, "reiterates its appreciation to the organizers of the congress, to governments, ... and to everyone who works ... to abolish the death penalty or to impose a universal moratorium on its use." DELSS/DEATH PENALTY/PARISVIS 070207 (380)
Given to us by http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/c2_en.htm

DC March

2007-01-23T14:47:00.000-05:00

I took a pilgrimage to DC for the pro-life march. I will post the pics and information on my personal site, dustymbrahlek.net

Please take time to see what was involved in the trip and pray for the unborn, old, and disadvantaged.

Does a woman REALLY have the right to chose this?

2007-01-20T00:34:00.000-05:00

Please Read... Look at... Pray about!

http://bulletin.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bulletin.read&messageID=2565273178&Mytoken=D0BF8388-F35A-49D4-8869C6EDD056E65E14347061

Post Term Abortions

2007-01-20T00:08:00.000-05:00

I have talked to many people who do not know or don't want to believe that full term abortions occur in the US... well here is an artical given to me by Pro-Life (her link to the right) showing just that...

LifeNews.com Note: Veteran TV news anchor Bill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and author of the book "Who's Looking Out For You?" There is something terrible going on in Kansas, and you should know about it. A doctor named George Tiller is performing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of late-term abortions using a variety of medical reasons, including a mother's depression. In Kansas, there is a mental health exception that allows an abortionist to terminate a fetus at any time up until birth. The exception is vague, and so is Tiller's oft-used depression diagnosis, according to documents currently under investigation by Kansas authorities. So the deal is this: If you want to walk away from your pregnancy at any time, just contact Dr. Tiller; he'll help you out. But only if you have at least $5,000. The doctor, known as "Tiller the baby killer" among some people who object to his practice, lays it all out on his web site. He'll terminate your baby, and even cremate it for you if you wish. He's one-stop shopping. According to published reports, Tiller injects the fetus with poison while in the womb, removes it and disposes of the body. While it's true that sometimes a mother's health is severely impacted in late term, most doctors agree this is rare. Babies can now live after 22 weeks when removed by C-section. Late-term abortions are almost never necessary. Unless the mother wants out, that is. And that's what some people believe Tiller is doing: terminating viable, healthy babies because the mother simply doesn't want the child. While the American media wails about alleged human rights violations at Guantanamo Bay, champions fetal stem cell research in the name of compassion, and hollers aplenty at the atrocities in Darfur, the press is largely ignoring the Tiller story, with the exception of the Los Angeles Times. It has glorified Tiller. An article by Times reporter Stephanie Simon focused on Tiller terminating babies who are seriously ill. Ms. Simon makes no mention of the "depression" factor. She does, however, report that Tiller is aborting Down Syndrome babies, which, when you think about it, is kind of chilling. George Tiller could not do what he's doing in ultraliberal France or even in permissive Holland. In France, a baby cannot be aborted after 12 weeks unless two doctors certify a woman's physical health is endangered or the fetus has a serious abnormality. In the Netherlands, abortion is prohibited at all times once the baby is viable outside the mother's womb. But in Kansas, if the mom is feeling a bit blue on Tuesday and carries a certified check, Dr. Tiller is willing and able to terminate the baby. Is this what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they created the Constitution? I don't think so, but the secular press disagrees. Just this week The New York Times, whose editorial writers worship at the altar of abortion, called the investigation into Tiller's gruesome practice a "gross assault on privacy and legal rights ..." You see, to the Times' editorial board, no baby in the womb deserves any protection at any time. It's all under the secular-progressive banner of "reproductive rights." But even the secularists who run France and Holland are not that militant. It is hard to believe that babies have more protections in Paris and Amsterdam than they do in Wichita, Kansas. But that's the truth.

Sometimes it is not good to Listen to Doctors!

2007-01-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

It has been more than 15 years since I almost killed my son.In my defense, all the doctors agreed it was the sensible thing to do. My wife did not want to go through with the abortion, so it fell to me to convince my wife to sign a medical consent form so her doctors could proceed with the abortion that would kill my son.It all began 25 weeks into my wife’s second pregnancy. Our first child, a girl, had been born less then two years before and there was no reason to expect complications with our second child. When my wife felt slight contractions, she insisted on going to the local hospital for observation. There, she was put on “bed rest” but, over the next several days, her doctors repeatedly dismissed my wife’s concern that she was in premature labor.After three days and nights at her bedside, one of my wife’s doctors stopped by her room to tell us that they were now sure the whole thing had been a “false alarm” and that she was being sent home. The doctor suggested that I take a break for a few hours — go home, clean myself up and get something to eat — and that they would have my wife ready for discharge when I got back.Several hours later, when I walked back into the maternity ward, a doctor I had never met approached me with a somber look on his face and said, “We can't save the baby, but we think we can save your wife.”Puzzled, I assured the doctor he must have me confused with someone else because my wife was being discharged. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the other doctor from earlier in the day and reached up to point her out. Seeing me motioning towards her, the color drained from her face. She quickly broke eye contact, opened a door and disappeared into a small closet.Now, thoroughly confused, I listened in disbelief as this stranger ticked off the bad news: My wife was in premature labor, she was hemorrhaging badly, the baby was no longer viable, even if the baby survived the birth the hospital did not have a pediatric ICU to care for him, even if he lived he would likely end up with brain damage, blindness and other complications. The doctor was emphatic: The pregnancy needed to be terminated.When I was finally taken to see my wife, I found her in tears, pleading with a nurse, “Don’t let them take my baby.”Raised a Catholic, I was always vaguely opposed to abortion, but now there was no avoiding the issue. The doctors were demanding an answer, all the while whispering in my ear that they were prepared to proceed without a consent form. Under the circumstances, you could hardly blame me for agreeing to an abortion.But I didn't. My son didn't die that day.I took my wife by the hand, looked her in the eye and told her: “We're getting out of here.” I turned to the doctor and said, “You're fired.” The doctor muttered something about my not being competent to make a decision and stalked off saying that he was going to proceed on his own authority. I chased after him, grabbed his arm and told him in no uncertain terms, “If you proceed I am going to sue … if you don’t get my wife to a hospital with a pediatric ICU immediately, I am going to own your practice, your house and your dog.”Five minutes later, my wife and I were in an ambulance on our way to the nearest tertiary care facility and 12 hours later my son was born weighing a pound and a half.It was only years later that my wife told me what had happened when I left the hospital that day. As soon as I walked out, the doctors began pressuring my wife to have an abortion. They told her they had come to realize — too late — that my wife was in premature labor. Afraid to move her and fearing a lawsuit, they decided to cover up their error by browbeating my wife into agreeing to an abortion while assuring her that they would tell me she had miscarried.Today my son is 15 years old. He had a tough first few years, but has had no lasting medical problems related to his premature birth. He is now an honor student at our local high school. And while we argue from time to time, I am fairly certain he is glad I did not go along those doctors who wanted to kill him all those years ago

This was given to me by a person on my myspace page...http://www.myspace.com/13824724

2007-01-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

Ok here is an artical from the Catholics United for the Faith website on Stem Cell Resarch and why the Embryonic Stem Cell Research is wrong. Some very noteworthy information is in green.

http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=156

Drawing the Line: The Church's Teaching on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Issue: What are stem cells? What does the Church teach about embryonic stem cell research?

Response: Stem cells are the building blocks of human tissues. The Church teaches that the intentional destruction of human embryos, which is necessary for embryonic stem cell research, is gravely immoral (cf. Catechism, no. 2274-75).

Discussion: Stem cells have two characteristics that make them stem cells. First, they can reproduce without becoming differentiated (specialized). Examples of differentiated cells are nerve, muscle, and blood cells. Second, stem cells can produce other cells, called progenitor cells, which can eventually spawn highly differentiated cells. In other words, a stem cell can produce a cell that can become the “ancestor” of a lineage of cells that produce muscle or blood cells. The progenitor cells and the lineages of cells they produce are together called stem cell lines.

Stem cells can be extracted from living human embryos or from the tissues of those who have been born, including the tissues of a mother’s placenta. The former type of extraction for the purposes of research is called embryonic stem cell research; the latter, adult stem cell research.

Embryonic stem cell research involves several stages:

· First, embryos are obtained for experimentation, either by being deliberately brought to life for this purpose or by using already living embryos. In either case, these embryos have been brought to life through in vitro fertilization—the fertilization of an egg by a sperm outside the human body—and may have been frozen for some time.

· Second, the fertilized eggs divide and develop from one cell to blastocysts of at least 32 cells. Ordinarily, the development of a human being from his or her first stage of life (as a fertilized egg) to the blastocyst stage occurs during the first four or five days of life.

· Third, the embryoblast, or inner cell mass, of the blastocyst is removed by the researcher. This removal of the embryoblast kills the embryo.

· Fourth, the embryoblast is placed on irradiated mouse cells; here the human cells are cultured and multiply. · Fifth, human cell lines are harvested; these cell lines eventually differentiate into nerve, blood, and other cell lines.

Stem cells can be classified as totipotent, pluripotent, or multipotent stem cells. Totipotent stem cells can differentiate into all of the various stem cell lines. Pluripotent stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into most human tissues. Embryonic stem cells obtained from embryoblasts are pluripotent. Multipotent stem cells can differentiate into more specialized stem cell lines. Adult blood stem cells, for example, can become red or white blood cells, or platelets. Recently, pluripotent adult stem cells have been discovered in the brain, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and in other organs. The distinction among the types of stem cells is important because multipotent cells are the least versatile of the three and can potentially treat the fewest number of diseases.

The Promise of Stem Cell Research Stem cells, according to scientific consensus, hold promise for restoring the tissues of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and other debilitating illnesses. For example, insulin-producing cells developed from stem cells could cure some forms of diabetes. Nerve cells developed from stem cells could mitigate the effects of paralysis from spinal injuries.

Currently, a majority (but not a consensus) of scientists believes that embryonic stem cells hold more promise than adult stem cells for the treatment of such conditions. Embryonic stem cells exist in greater quantities and multiply more rapidly than adult stem cells.

However, the much-touted promise of embryonic stem cell research is not yet a reality—embryonic stem cells have yet to help a single human patient. “There is no evidence of therapeutic benefit from embryonic stem cells,” according to Marcus Grompe, M.D., Ph.D., of the department of molecular and medical genetics of Oregon Health Sciences University.[1] Dr. Bert Vogelstein, professor of oncology and pathology at Johns Hopkins University, states that the promise of embryonic stem cell research is “conjectural.”[2]

Adult stem cells, in contrast, are currently being used to help patients who suffer from the following conditions: (1) cancer, including brain tumors, retinoblastoma, ovarian cancer, solid tumors, testicular cancer, multiple myeloma and leukemias, breast cancer, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma; (2) autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis; (3) stroke; (4) immunodeficiencies; (5) anemias; (6) cartilage and bone diseases; (7) corneal scarring; (8) blood and liver disease; (9) gene therapy; and (10) heart damage. [3]

Advances in biology have proven that a new human being exists with his or her own well-defined genetic identity at the moment of fertilization. From that point forward, the individual will develop gradually and continuously into a mature human being. At the moment the human person begins to exist, he has a right to life (Catechism, no. 2270). Every medical intervention on a human embryo that does not seek to benefit that particular human being is morally illicit.[4]

For these reasons, the Church teaches that the removal of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, which kills a human being in his embryonic stage, is a gravely immoral act, whether the embryo was brought to life for this specific purpose or whether the embryo already exists.[5]

No intention, however good, can justify the killing of an innocent human being. Even if human embryonic stem cell research could one day provide relief for those who suffer from debilitating illnesses, the killing of one human embryo for this purpose could never be justified.[6]

Suppose, however, a researcher were not directly involved in the killing of the embryos. Could his participation in embryonic stem cell research be justified? If his cooperation were formal, the answer is clearly no. Formal cooperation is the willing or intentional cooperation in an act committed by the principal agent (doer) of the act. Formal cooperation in an evil, like embryonic stem cell research, is always immoral—much as the accomplice in a bank robbery who does not rob the bank but drives the getaway car commits an immoral act.

If a researcher does not approve of the gravely immoral acts by which embryonic stem cells are produced, and intends to conduct research on already existing embryonic stem cell lines for the benefit of humanity, would his cooperation be morally permissible?

The bishops of the United States and the Pontifical Academy for Life say no. The Pontifical Academy believes such acts constitute proximate material cooperation in the evils of in vitro fertilization and the killing of embryos:

Is it morally licit to use ES [embryonic stem] cells, and the differentiated cells obtained from them, which are supplied by other researchers or are commercially obtainable? The answer is negative, since prescinding from the participation—formal or otherwise—in the morally illicit intention of the principal agent, the case in question entails a proximate material cooperation in the production and manipulation of human embryos on the part of those producing or supplying them.[7]

Embryonic stem cell research on existing stem cell lines is also immoral because the embryos never consented to the research. Even if the parents consented to the research, such consent would be gravely immoral because the research does not benefit the child but, on the contrary, kills the child. The Catechism teaches:

Experimentation on human beings is not morally legitimate if it exposes the subject’s life or physical and psychological integrity to disproportionate or avoidable risks. Experimentation on human beings does not conform to the dignity of the person if it takes place without the informed consent of the subject or those who legitimately speak for him (no. 2295).

Parents who consent to embryonic stem cell research on their children do not legitimately speak for their children because such consent kills the child. While parents under ordinary circumstances legitimately speak for their children, they fail to do so when they consent to homicide.

Moreover, embryonic stem cell research on existing stem cell lines is immoral because it is contrary to the dignity owed to the bodies of the deceased:

The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy; it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit (Catechism, no. 2300).

And further:

The corpses of human embryos and fetuses, whether they have been deliberately aborted or not, must be respected just as the remains of other human beings. . . . Furthermore, the moral requirements must be safeguarded that there be no complicity in deliberate abortion and that the risk of scandal be avoided. Also, in the case of dead fetuses, as for the corpses of adult persons, all commercial trafficking must be considered illicit and should be prohibited.[8]

By Their Fruits You Will Know Them

Embryonic stem cell research is a poisonous fruit of in vitro fertilization. The Church teaches that in vitro fertilization, even when the donors of the sperm and the egg are married, “is in itself illicit and in opposition to the dignity of procreation and of the conjugal union, even when everything is done to avoid the death of the human embryo.”[9]

In vitro fertilization is gravely immoral because it destroys “the inseparable connection, willed by God and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meanings of the conjugal act: the unitive meaning and the procreative meaning.”[10] Contraception is always immoral because it excludes the conjugal act’s procreative intention. In vitro fertilization is always immoral because it excludes the conjugal act’s conjugal relation.

In vitro fertilization, moreover, is ordinarily attended by the grave moral evil of masturbation.

In conclusion, embryonic stem cell research is gravely immoral because it necessarily involves the killing of an innocent human being. Adult stem cell research is already helping patients who suffer from nearly two dozen conditions. The former should be shunned and the latter pursued, to the glory of God.

2007-01-13T19:41:00.000-05:00

Here is somthing I found during my discussion with the one and only person looking at this blog! Well if I am wrong and more than one person looks at this, here is some information from our Presidental Administration...

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
January 11, 2007
(House)
STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 3 – Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007H.2007
(Rep. DeGette (D) CO and 210 cosponsors)
The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 3, which would use Federal taxpayer dollars to support and encourage the destruction of human life for research. The bill would compel all American taxpayers to pay for research that relies on the intentional destruction of human embryos for the derivation of stem cells, overturning the President’s policy that funds research without promoting such ongoing destruction. If H.R. 3 were presented to the President, he would veto the bill.
The President strongly supports medical research and has worked with Congress to increase resources for the National Institutes of Health. This Administration is the first to provide Federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research and has done so without encouraging the destruction of human embryos. The President’s policy permits the funding of research using embryonic cell lines created prior to August 9, 2001, the date his policy was announced, along with stem cell research using other kinds of cell lines. Scientists can therefore explore the potential applications of such cells, but the Federal government does not offer incentives or encouragement for the destruction of human life.
Over the past six years, more than $130 million in taxpayer dollars has been devoted to human embryonic stem cell research consistent with the President’s policy. Overall, nearly $3 billion has gone to innovative research on all forms of stem cells, contributing to dozens of proven medical treatments. However, this bill would provide Federal funding for the first time for a line of research that involves the intentional destruction of living human embryos for the derivation of their cells. Destroying nascent human life for research raises serious ethical problems, and millions of Americans consider the practice immoral.
The Administration believes that government has a duty to use the people’s money responsibly, both supporting important public purposes and respecting moral boundaries. H.R. 3 seeks to replace the Administration’s policy with one that uses Federal dollars to offer a prospective incentive for the destruction of human embryos. Embryonic stem cell research is at an early stage of basic science and has never yielded a therapeutic application in humans. Alternative types of human stem cells – drawn from adults, children, umbilical-cord blood, and other non-embryonic sources, without doing harm to the donors – have already achieved therapeutic results in thousands of patients with many different diseases.
Researchers are now developing promising new techniques to produce stem cells similar in nature to those derived from human embryos, but not requiring the use of embryos. A series of encouraging research reports, the latest of which was released this week, offers hope that stem cells drawn from non-embryonic sources may possess characteristics like those of embryonic
stem cells. The Administration believes that the availability of alternative sources of stem cells further counters the case for compelling the American taxpayer to encourage the ongoing destruction of human embryos for research.
Moreover, private sector support and public funding by several States for this line of research, which will add up to several billion dollars in the coming few years, argues against the notion of any urgent shortfall of research funding. Whatever one’s view of the ethical issues or the state of the research, the future of this field does not require a policy of Federal subsidies that is offensive to the moral principles of millions of Americans.
H.R. 3 advances the proposition that the Nation must choose between science and ethics. The Administration believes it is possible to advance scientific research without violating ethical principles – by enacting appropriate policy safeguards and pursuing thoughtful scientific techniques. H.R. 3 is seriously flawed legislation that would undo essential ethical protections, and slow the development of new techniques that avoid bio-ethical concerns.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/legislative/sap/110-1/hr3sap-h.pdf

What's in a name?

2007-01-13T01:34:00.000-05:00

Side note, this will be short!

I looked up the "name" given for our anonymous poster! Yes, I am not up to date on my Latin, though I attend the Latin Mass... Something for the future I suppose! Anyway this is what I found from Wikipedia (so if it is not correct please let me know). It means the voice of the people and is, "Often quoted as, Vox populi, vox dei, (The voice of the people is the voice of God). This old proverb, was first quoted by William of Malmesbury in the Twelfth Century" I would say that his/her post is a voice of a person, and even of a group of people, but it is not THE voice of the people. I pray as time goes on this voice will sofen as the voice defending those whom cannot defend themselves becomes more powerful.

Contraceptives

2007-01-13T01:30:00.000-05:00

Again with the Pro-Life March coming up, it is important for Catholics to remember that the movement is not just to protect the unborn children from surgical abortions, but also from chemical ones. These chemical abortions include contraception. I know that many think that contraception is a way to lower the changes of getting diseases and unwanted pregnancy; however, if this is the goal of a sexual union, then it is not truly a union.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Jesus taught that the marital union was willed by the Creator from the start of time and were to last for all of time (CCC 1614). The church also teaches in paragraph 1631 that the fulfillment of a faithful contract of marriage is required for many different reasons.
The purpose of these marriages is not only to bring two people together, but to imitate the Trinity (CCC 2335); this is done by the procreation of children. The marriage is also there to educate the children (CCC 2249). This idea is also repeated in paragraph 2263. Here we are told that the union is twofold, the transmission of life as well as the good of the spouses. It continues to proclaim these ideas cannot be separated from marriage without altering the spiritual life and the good of the family unit.
If you do not agree with my interpretation, please comment and I will be glad to defend the Church’s teachings. Though I am not highly educated in theology, I have been well taught by the Church. Also here are the quotes used from the Catechism.
As a side note, if you are a Catholic and you are reading this, remember if you are knowingly behaving in such a manner that contradicts the Church you are living in sin and should not be partaking in the sacraments of the Church until you make things right with Her and God.

Contraception
Original meaning 1614
1614
In his preaching Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as the Creator willed it from the beginning: permission given by Moses to divorce one's wife was a concession to the hardness of hearts.106 The matrimonial union of man and woman is indissoluble: God himself has determined it: "what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder."107
As a state of life in the Church 1631
1631
This is the reason why the Church normally requires that the faithful contract marriage according to the ecclesiastical form. Several reasons converge to explain this requirement:134
· Sacramental marriage is a liturgical act. It is therefore appropriate that it should be celebrated in the public liturgy of the Church;
· Marriage introduces one into an ecclesial order, and creates rights and duties in the Church between the spouses and towards their children;
· Since marriage is a state of life in the Church, certainty about it is necessary (hence the obligation to have witnesses);
· The public character of the consent protects the "I do" once given and helps the spouses remain faithful to it.
Ordered to the procreation and education of offspring 1652, 2249
1631
This is the reason why the Church normally requires that the faithful contract marriage according to the ecclesiastical form. Several reasons converge to explain this requirement:134
· Sacramental marriage is a liturgical act. It is therefore appropriate that it should be celebrated in the public liturgy of the Church;
· Marriage introduces one into an ecclesial order, and creates rights and duties in the Church between the spouses and towards their children;
· Since marriage is a state of life in the Church, certainty about it is necessary (hence the obligation to have witnesses);
· The public character of the consent protects the "I do" once given and helps the spouses remain faithful to it.
· 2249
· The conjugal community is established upon the covenant and consent of the spouses. Marriage and family are ordered to the good of the spouses, to the procreation and the education of children.

Marriage union of man and woman 2335, 2363
2335 Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way. The union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator's generosity and fecundity: "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh."121 All human generations proceed from this union.122
2363
The spouses' union achieves the twofold end of marriage: the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life. These two meanings or values of marriage cannot be separated without altering the couple's spiritual life and compromising the goods of marriage and the future of the family.The conjugal love of man and woman thus stands under the twofold obligation of fidelity and fecundity.

Comment

2007-01-13T01:26:00.000-05:00

I received a comment on my posting "I Really Hate This". I would like to post the comment here with my response since that person posted anonymously and I cannot respond directly... I also felt it was important enough to obtain its own post :)

From: Vox Populi anonymous-comment@blogger.com
You know what I really hate? Seeing people suffering from curable diseases because a handful of their countrymen think that a cluster of cells is more entitled to life than a living, breathing human being. I've got news for you: Every member of Congress that voted against stem cell research just voted to destroy 400,000 embryos (which you call 'babies'), not for research purposes, but just because that's what will happen to the 400,000 embryos now sitting in storage freezers, left over from in vitro fertilization procedures. With the stem cell research you hate so much, those embryos might be put to some use, saving lives. When you vote against stem cell research, your vote not only says that it's ok to kill the millions of people suffering from what may be curable diseases, you're also voting for an even more wanton, wasteful destruction of embryos than would occur via stem cell research. The bottom line is this: Those embryos are going to be destroyed, and there's nothing you can do about it. Now do you want to do the real pro-life thing and use these embryos to save human life, or do you want to just pitch them in the dumpster and call it moral? --Posted by Vox Populi to Gethsemane at 1/13/2007 12:36:55 AM

***My response***
Thank-you for your words. I do understand and once held the same ideas :) As far as the research goes, the bill was to add federal funding for these programs. It is different if it is personal funds and the embryos are already available. Also there is nothing wrong with using stem cells from adult cells. In fact to date these are the only cells that have achieved any results! It is the embryonic cells that are the road to a very scary place. God has given man wondrous abilities to find ways to preserve life, this I have no doubt. Just remember, there are always the adult cells, we can concentrate on those and leave the embryo cells alone. It is like saying that we need a child's life to be sacrificed to save a life when we can use materials from an adult without harming the adult! This was off the cuff so I hope it makes sense. Again thank-you for your comments and interest in the topic.

The children die

2007-01-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

OK, I am going to the Pro-Life March in DC. My co-worker and I were speaking about my trip. Another co-worker got angry because there was a march! She said that it is no ones business if a girl wants to "fix-it" if her father molests her! What bothers me is the fact most people do not understand is most of the time the abortion is there to PROTECT the offender. The abused young girl hides the event and has to live with the pain her entire life that she not only was violated, but she killed her child. I did not know how much abortion hurt the women until I read things from the Indianapolis archdioceses Pro-Life office! It is amazing these things are hidden from us. Women do not know that their child has a beating heart when it is savagely ripped from her, or even when it is cut up.

In fact they have found that the child feels the pain! Think about that when someone says that it is a woman's choice! It is also the woman's choice to drown her children, no, but it is OK if she has someone else cut it to pieces and vacuums it up.

I really hate this

2007-01-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

Now here is something very sad... Why does the House spend so much of our tax money to make it legal to spend more tax moeny to kill babies?

It amazes me that so many people think that it is OK to kill children! I firmly believe the research should be done, but it should be done with adult cells not embryonic! Besides all of the break thoughs have been made with the adult, so why push the agenda? It seems so sad to me that people still fight to distory instead of save.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-01-11-stem-cell_x.htm?csp=34
Bill's backers predict end to stem cell limitsUpdated 1/11/2007 8:58 PM ET
By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Despite threats of a presidential veto, supporters of research on embryonic stem cells say an end to restrictions on federal funding is inevitable after an overwhelming House vote Thursday.
The House of Representatives voted 253-174 on a stem cell research bill identical to one President Bush vetoed last year. Supporters were 37 votes shy of the 290 needed to override a veto but got 14 more votes than last year.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Bush remains opposed to the legislation. "We believe we should not be using tax dollars to provide incentives for the continued destruction of embryos," Fratto said.
In the Senate, Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said he has 66 votes lined up in favor of the bill; he needs 67 to override Bush. "We're working on everybody," Harkin said.
Harkin and other proponents of research with embryonic stem cells — basic building blocks that can be coaxed into developing into a wide range of cells — say the work holds the promise of curing diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases.
Opponents such as Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., say it's an unproven field of study that involves the destruction of human life, because embryos are used to obtain the stem cells. "This is not necessary, and it's morally wrong," said Weldon, a doctor. He and others argued that medical breakthroughs can be achieved by using adult stem cells, such as those derived from a pregnant woman's uterus.
At issue is whether to lift restrictions on embryonic stem cell research that Bush established early in his first term. Under an Aug. 9, 2001, order, Bush limited federal funding for research to stem cell lines created before that date. Of the $600 million the National Institutes of Health provides for stem cell research, $39 million went to human embryonic stem cells last year. The rest went for studies on animal and adult stem cells.
"None offer as much promise as human embryonic stem cells," said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., a microbiologist.
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and other bill supporters said the measure would provide a positive use for leftover embryos kept at fertility clinics and destined for destruction. That was the reason Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., switched his vote this year to support the bill. "He felt that since the embryos were going to be destroyed anyway, it was better that some good come out of it," said Christopher Mansour, Kildee's chief of staff. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said federal funding for the research would amount to a financial endorsement for "a policy that innocent life can be destroyed for utilitarian purposes."
Some lawmakers cited friends and family members they said might be aided by embryonic stem cell research. Freshman Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., said the research could help his predecessor, Lane Evans, an Illinois Democrat who retired last year because of Parkinson's disease. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., told members about his 5-year-old daughter's battle with brain cancer.
In all, 38 freshmen lawmakers voted for the bill. "I'm a pro-life Democrat," said Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania. "This is a pro-life vote."
DeGette and Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del., the bill's sponsors, said the growing support in the House of Representatives is a sign that political momentum is shifting. "This will be the law of the land in 2009 no matter what," said Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., referring to the year Bush's term ends. "Our job is to get the inevitable to happen as early as possible."
DeGette said she's eager to discuss a compromise with the White House, but she said Bush has rejected offers to meet with her and GOP bill supporters.
Contributing: David Jackson and Dan Vergano

The tabernacle

2007-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Personal beef!
I went into a Catholic Church and I could not find the tabernacle! I guess from what some people tell me it is in the backroom, or in other strange places. I feel it should be front and center and near the alter. However, it seems that some churches do not agree. So let us see what the Catechism has to say…
IV. Where Is the Liturgy Celebrated?
1179
The worship "in Spirit and in truth"53 of the New Covenant is not tied exclusively to any one place. The whole earth is sacred and entrusted to the children of men. What matters above all is that, when the faithful assemble in the same place, they are the "living stones," gathered to be "built into a spiritual house."54 For the Body of the risen Christ is the spiritual temple from which the source of living water springs forth: incorporated into Christ by the Holy Spirit, "we are the temple of the living God."55
1180
When the exercise of religious liberty is not thwarted,56 Christians construct buildings for divine worship. These visible churches are not simply gathering places but signify and make visible the Church living in this place, the dwelling of God with men reconciled and united in Christ.
1181
A church, "a house of prayer in which the Eucharist is celebrated and reserved, where the faithful assemble, and where is worshipped the presence of the Son of God our Savior, offered for us on the sacrificial altar for the help and consolation of the faithful—this house ought to be in good taste and a worthy place for prayer and sacred ceremonial."57 In this "house of God" the truth and the harmony of the signs that make it up should show Christ to be present and active in this place.58
1182
The altar of the New Covenant is the Lord's Cross,59 from which the sacraments of the Paschal mystery flow. On the altar, which is the center of the church, the sacrifice of the Cross is made present under sacramental signs. The altar is also the table of the Lord, to which the People of God are invited.60 In certain Eastern liturgies, the altar is also the symbol of the tomb (Christ truly died and is truly risen).
1183
The tabernacle is to be situated "in churches in a most worthy place with the greatest honor."61 The dignity, placing, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle should foster adoration before the Lord really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.62 The sacred chrism (myron), used in anointings as the sacramental sign of the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, is traditionally reserved and venerated in a secure place in the sanctuary. The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick may also be placed there.

Eastern Churches

2007-01-07T22:32:00.000-05:00

I have found much happiness in the Catholic Church. I am Roman Catholic. There are many other types of Catholic Churches out there, most Eastern Churches. These should not be confused with the Orthodox Churches. The difference between the two types is that the Eastern Churches are in communion with the Pope where Orthodox is Catholic Churches that are not in communion with the Pope. Here is an article from the Catholics United for the Faith website that may be able to shed some light on the different Catholic Churches. Also remember that all of churches that are in communion with Rome are all under the ONE Catholic Church!

Eastern Catholic Churches
Issue: What are the Eastern Catholic Churches?

Response: Eastern Catholic Churches are “Churches of the East in union with, but not of Roman rite, with their own liturgical, theological, and administrative traditions, such as those of the Byzantine, Alexandrian or Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite, and Chaldean rites. The variety of particular churches with distinctive traditions witnesses to the catholicity of the one Church of Christ, which takes root in distinct cultures” (Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church, second ed.).
Discussion: Most Catholics in the United States belong to the Roman, Latin rite of the Catholic Church. They are “Western” Catholics. Unfortunately, many Western Catholics do not know or understand the rich heritage of the Eastern Catholic Churches. These Churches, together with the Western Church, constitute the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church,” which we profess in the Nicene -- Constantinopolitan Creed.
While these individual Churches differ somewhat in respect to their liturgy, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage, they all profess the same faith and submit themselves to the authority of the Pope. The Bishops of all the Churches constitute the Apostolic College of Bishops. And, united through bonds of the Holy Spirit, the faithful of all these Churches are properly called “Catholic.”[1]
This diversity within the Church encourages unity. It allows the rich traditions of many peoples to be expressed in an authentic encounter with Christ. These traditions, because they are diverse, witness to the inculturization of the Gospel intended by Christ.[2]
Some Eastern Churches have patriarchs, all of whom are equal in dignity but some of whom retain traditional places of honor in assemblies.
While Western Catholics should cherish their own rite,[3] Pope John Paul II has asked all Catholics, Western and Eastern, “to be familiar with that [Eastern] tradition, so as to be nourished by it” (Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen, May 2, 1995, 1).

Five Traditions, Twenty-one Churches

Different Eastern Catholic Churches share different traditions of liturgy, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage.[4] In many areas, Latin Rite dioceses coexist with Eastern Catholic Churches.

Alexandrian Tradition

The Alexandrian tradition, which comprises two Eastern Catholic Churches, has its roots in the evangelization of Alexandria by Saint Mark.
The Coptic Catholic Church, with 196,248 members (as well as 10,000 in diaspora under the care of Latin bishops), has six eparchies (dioceses) in Egypt. The hierarchy and laity of the Church in Egypt by and large did not accept the dogmatic Christological definitions of the Council of Chalcedon (451); thus the Coptic Orthodox Church developed. In 1442, the Coptic Orthodox Church briefly united with the Holy See. In the seventeenth century, Jesuit, Capuchin, and other Franciscan missionaries became active among the Copts. In 1741, a Coptic bishop in Jerusalem became a Catholic, and Pope Benedict XIV named him Vicar Apostolic of the 2,000 Coptic Catholics in Egypt. In 1824, the Holy See temporarily established a Patriarchate of Alexandria, which Pope Leo XIII re-established in 1895. The current Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts is His Beatitude Stephanos II Ghattas (born 1920, elected 1986), who resides in Cairo. The Church’s liturgical languages are Coptic and Arabic.
The Ethiopian Catholic Church, with 202,043 members, has two dioceses in Ethiopia and three in Eritrea. Ethiopia was evangelized by Saint Frumentius in the early fourth century. The Church in Ethiopia, like the Church in Egypt, did not accept the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon, and thus the Ethiopian Orthodox Church developed. Catholic missionaries arrived in the fourteenth century. In the early 1500s, the Ethiopian emperor appealed to the Portugese for help in repelling an Islamic invasion, and Jesuit missionaries accompanied the Portugese. In 1622, the emperor converted to Catholicism, and four years later the Ethiopian Orthodox Church united with the Holy See. Pope Gregory XV appointed a Portugese Jesuit as patriarch; his Latinizations of the liturgy, along with the autocratic rule of the emperor, helped contribute to the dissolution of the union in 1636 under the emperor’s successor. Catholic missionaries were allowed to return in 1839, and missionary activity expanded when Italy ruled the country from 1935-41. The present ecclesiastical structure was established in 1961. The current head of this Church is Metropolitan Archbishop Berhane-Yesus Demerew Souraphiel (born 1948, appointed 1999) of Addis Ababa. Liturgical languages are Ge’ez and Amharic.

Antiochene Tradition

The origin and development of the Antiochene tradition, which comprises three Eastern Catholic Churches, is recorded in the New Testament and involved Saints Peter and Paul (Acts 6:5, 11:19-26, 15:22-32, Gal 2:11). The Antiochene liturgy was strongly influenced by the Liturgy of Saint James in Jerusalem.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, with 326,654 members, has four dioceses in India, which traces its evangelization to Saint Thomas the Apostle. Christians in India were in communion with the Assyrian Church of the East, which broke off from communion with the Holy See after the dogmatic Christological definitions of the Council of Ephesus (431). Portugese colonialization brought the forced Latinization of this Church, which most “Thomas Christians” rejected. Thus in 1653 the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, which rejected the authority of the Roman Pontiff, was formed. In the following century, four attempts to reunite this Church with the Holy See failed. In 1930, two bishops, one priest, one deacon, and one layman of this Church were received into the Catholic Church, and the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was formed. By 1950, membership in the Church had grown to over 65,000. There are seventeen Syro-Malankara Catholic communities in the United States, Canada, and Germany. The current head of the Church is Metropolitan Archbishop Cyril Mar Basileos Malancharuvil (born 1935, appointed 1986) of Trinvandrum, Kirala State, India. The liturgical language is Malayalam.
The Maronite Catholic Church, with 3,221,939 members, has ten dioceses in Lebanon, three in Syria, two in the United States, and one each in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, and Mexico, as well as exarchates in Jerusalem and Jordan. The Church traces its origin to the establishment of a monastery in Lebanon by Saint Maron (c. 400). The Maronite Catholic Church has always been in communion with the Holy See. The Church’s current patriarch is His Beatitude Mar Nasrallah Cardinal Sfeir (born 1920, elected 1986), who resides in Bkerke, Lebanon. The liturgical language is Arabic.

The Syrian Catholic Church, with 128,931 members, has four dioceses in Syria, two in Iraq, and one each in Egypt, Lebanon, and North America, as well as patriarchal exarchates in Iraq/Kuwait and Turkey. After many Christians in Syria did not accept the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon (451), the Syrian Orthodox Church developed. In 1444, this Church briefly reunited with the Holy See. In 1626, Capuchin and Jesuit missionaries began to work among the Syrian Orthodox. So many became Catholic that Syrian Catholics had their own patriarch from 1662-1702. During the 1700s, the Ottoman Turkish government persecuted Syrian Catholics harshly, and the Church was driven underground. In 1783, the newly elected Syrian Orthodox patriarch became a Catholic and fled to Lebanon. The Church’s current patriarch is His Beatitude Ignatius Peter VIII (born 1930, elected 2001), who resides in Beirut. The liturgical languages are Syriac/Aramaic and Arabic.

Armenian Tradition

The Armenian tradition embraces one Eastern Catholic Church and traces its origin to the missionary activity of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the Apostle of Armenia (c. 257-c. 337).
The Armenian Catholic Church, with 343,198 members, has two dioceses in Syria and one each in Argentina, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, and the Ukraine, as well as an apostolic exarchate for the United States and ordinariates in Eastern Europe (Armenia), Greece, and Romania. In 506, the Armenian bishops formally rejected the Christological definitions of the Council of Chalcedon (451), and thus the Armenian Apostolic Church was born. Armenians in Cilicia reunited with the Holy See from 1198-1375, and the entire Church reunited briefly with the Holy See in 1439. Subsequent Catholic missionary activity was successful, and the increasing number of Catholics led Pope Benedict XIV in 1742 to name a former Armenian Apostolic bishop as patriarch. A large number of Armenian Catholics lost their lives in the Turkish genocide of their nation (1915-6). The current patriarch is His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tamouni, who resides in Beirut. The liturgical language is classical Armenian.

Byzantine Tradition

The Byzantine tradition comprises thirteen Eastern Catholic Churches. It began with the construction of Constantinople as the second capital of the Roman Empire in 330.
The Albanian Church, with 2,164 members, has one apostolic administration in Albania. In the fourth century, Roman soldiers and traders brought the Gospel to Albania. The Great Schism of 1054 led to the development of the Albanian Orthodox Church. In 1628 and 1900, small groups of Albanian Orthodox became Catholic. The head of the Albanian Church, appointed in 1996, is Bishop Hil Kabashi. The Church has no other priests and no parishes, and the liturgical language is Albanian.
The Belarussian (Byelorussian, White Russian) Church has no hierarchy. A 1992 Belarussian State University survey estimated that 100,000 Belarussians are Eastern Catholics; there are 5,000 Belarussian Catholics in diaspora. Modern day Belarus was once part of Kievan Rus’, which received the Catholic faith when Saint Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev, was baptized in 988. The Great Schism of 1054 led to separation of the Orthodox in Belarus from the Holy See. Most Orthodox Christians in Belarus became Catholic as a result of the Union of Brest (1595-6). The liturgical language is Belarusan.

The Bulgarian Catholic Church, with 15,000 members, has one apostolic exarchate. While there was a bishops’ synod in 343 in what is now Bulgarian territory, the beginnings of the evangelization of Bulgaria are usually dated to the baptism of King Boris I by a Byzantine Rite bishop in 865. The Great Schism of 1054 led to the development of the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria. In 1861, when a group of Bulgarian Orthodox approached Pope Pius IX to become Catholic, he named one of them an archbishop. The current head of the Church is Bishop Christo Proykov (born 1946, appointed 1995), who resides in Sofia. The liturgical language is Old Slavonic.
The Eparchy of Krizevci, with 48,920 members, has one diocese in Croatia with jurisdiction over all of the former Yugoslavia. Pope Saint Martin I sent John of Ravenna to evangelize the Croats in the middle of the seventh century, and the evangelization of the Serbs dates from this period as well. In 1219, the Church in Serbia broke from communion with the Holy See, and thus the Orthodox Church of Serbia developed. In the early seventeenth century, some Serbs in Croatia sought union with the Holy See, and in 1611 they were granted a bishop. The current head of the Church is Bishop Slavomir Miklove (born 1934, appointed 1983), who resides in Zagreb, Croatia. Liturgical languages are Croatian and Old Slavonic.
The Greek Catholic Church, with 2,345 members, has apostolic exarchates in Greece and Turkey. The New Testament records the evangelization of Greece. The Orthodox Church of Greece developed after the Great Schism of 1054. In 1829, the Ottoman sultan removed restrictions against the formation of an Eastern Catholic community in Greece. Catholic missionary activity began in 1856, and Pope Saint Pius X appointed a bishop for the Church in 1911. The current head of the Church is Bishop Anarghyros Printesis (born 1937, appointed 1975), who resides in Athens. The liturgical language is Greek.
The Hungarian Catholic Church, with 281,998 members, has one diocese and one apostolic exarchate in Hungary. Saint Adalbert came to Hungary in 985 to evangelize, and Saint Stephen, who died as a Latin Rite Catholic, became king in 997. Turkish invasions throughout Europe caused many Carpatho-Russian and Romanian Orthodox to emigrate to Hungary, and most of them became Catholic in the 1600s. In 1924, these Catholics, who had been under the care of non-Hungarian Eastern Catholic bishops, were constituted into the Hungarian Catholic Church. The current head of the Church is Bishop Szilard Keresztes (born 1932, appointed 1988), Bishop of Hajdudorog and Apostolic Administrator of Miskolc, who resides in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary. The liturgical language is Hungarian.
The Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, with 63,956 members, has two dioceses and one territorial abbey in Italy. In the fourth century, Roman soldiers and traders brought the Gospel to Albania. The Great Schism of 1054 led to the development of the Albanian Orthodox Church. In the 1400s, the Turkish conquest of their nation caused many Albanians to flee their country for southern Italy. The Albanian Orthodox who eventually became Catholic were granted their own Byzantine Rite bishop by the Holy See in 1595. Because the Church’s two dioceses are of equal rank, the Church does not have a single head.
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church, with 1,189,557 members, has seven dioceses in Lebanon, five in Syria, and one each in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, and the United States, as well as exarchates in Iraq, Kuwait, and Venezuala. The origin and development of the Church of Antioch is recorded in the New Testament and involved Saints Peter and Paul (Acts 6:5, 11:19-26, 15:22-32, Gal 2:11). After the Great Schism of 1054, the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch developed. In the mid-1600s, Capuchins, Carmelites, and Jesuits began missionary activity among these Orthodox. In 1724, two men were elected Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, and one of them became Catholic. The current Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem is His Beatitude Gregory III Laham (born 1933, elected 2000), who resides in Damascus. Liturgical languages are Greek and Arabic.
The Romanian Greek Catholic Church, with 1,118,823 members, has five dioceses in Romania and one in the United States. In the third century, missionaries evangelized Romanian, and the Great Schism of 1054 led to the development of the Orthodox Church of Romania. In 1698, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Transylvania sought communion with the Holy See, and the reunion was made formal in 1700. The head of the Church is Metropolitan Lucian Murean (born 1931, appointed 1994), Archbishop of Fagara and Alba Iulia, who resides in Blaj. The liturgical language is Romanian.
The Russian Church, with 3,500 members in diaspora, has no hierarchy. The evangelization of Russia followed from the baptism of Saint Olga (950s) and Saint Vladimir (988), and the Great Schism of 1054 led to the development of the Orthodox Church of Russia. Eastern Catholic Churches were illegal in Russia until 1905. After Czar Nicholas II’s edict of toleration that year, a few small Eastern Catholic communities formed. Apostolic exarchates were then established in Russia in 1917 and China in 1928 (for Russian emigrants); these have not been reconstituted since the fall of Communism. Today, there are two Russian Catholic parishes in the United States, one in Australia, and one in Canada.
The Ruthenian Catholic Church, with 533,000 members, has one diocese in the Ukraine and four in the United States, as well as an apostolic exarchate in the Czech Republic. The motherland of this Church is Transcarpathia, which is located in what is now the western part of Ukraine. The Carpathians (Rusines, Rusyns) who lived there were evangelized by Saints Cyril and Methodius in the 860s. After the Great Schism of 1054, Christians in this area were Orthodox and no longer in communion with the Holy See. The Ruthenian Catholic Church dates from the Union of Uzhorod in 1646, when 63 Orthodox priests were received into the Catholic Church. The current head of the Church is Bishop Ivan Semedi (born 1921, appointed 1991), Bishop of Mukaeevo of the Byzantines, who resides in Uzhorod, Ukraine. In the United States, Ruthenian of Pittsburgh is an autonomous, metropolitan Church with its own hierarchical structure. The archbishop of the Pittsburgh metropolitan is Archbishop Basil Myron Schott, O.F.M. (born 1939, appointed 2002). Liturgical languages are Old Slavonic and English.
The Slovak Catholic Church, with 221,757 members, has one diocese in Slovakia, one diocese in Canada, and one apostolic exarchate in Canada. Saints Cyril and Methodius evangelized the Moravians from 863-67. Like the Ruthenian Catholic Church, the Slovak Catholic Church dates from the Union of Uzhorod in 1646. The current head of the Church is Bishop Jan Babjak (born 1953, appointed 2002), Bishop of Preeov (Slovakia) of Catholics of the Byzantine Rite. Liturgical languages are Old Slavonic and Slovak.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, with 5,181,759 members, has one archepiscopal exarchate and six dioceses in the Ukraine, five dioceses in Canada, four dioceses in the United States, two dioceses in Poland, and one each in Argentina, Australia, and Brazil, as well apostolic exarchates in France, Germany, and Great Britain. Kievan Rus’ received the Catholic faith when Saint Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev, was baptized in 988. The Great Schism of 1054 led to separation of the Orthodox in the Ukraine from the Holy See. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was formed in 1595-96, when the Orthodox bishops of the Metropolitan Province of Kiev sought reunion with the Holy See at the Union of Brest. The current head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church is Cardinal Archbishop Lubomyr Husar of Lviv (born 1933, appointed 2001). The liturgical languages are Old Slavonic and Ukrainian.

Chaldean (East Syrian) Tradition

The Chaldean (East Syrian) tradition, which comprises two Eastern Catholic Churches, traces its roots to the evangelization of Mesopotamia (Persia) by the mid-second century.
The Chaldean Catholic Church, with 303,096 members, has ten dioceses in Iraq, three in Iran, and one each in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and the United States. The Church in Persia did not accept the dogmatic Christological definitions of the Council of Ephesus (431), and thus the Assyrian Church of the East developed. In 1552, a group of Assyrian bishops sought union with the Holy See, and thus in 1553 the Chaldean Catholic Church was formed. The current Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans is His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly (born 1927, elected 2003), who resides in Baghdad, Iraq. The liturgical languages are Syriac and Arabic.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, with 3,885,388 members, has 22 dioceses in India. The Church in India traces its origins to the evangelization of India by Saint Thomas. In 1498, when Portuguese colonizers encountered these “Thomas Christians,” who were in communion with the Assyrian Church of the East, the “Thomas Christians” declared their allegiance to the Roman Pontiff. In 1923, Pope Pius XI established a full hierarchy for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. The current head of the Church is Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil (born 1927, appointed 1999), Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly, India. The liturgical language is Malayalam.
The varied liturgical traditions, disciplines, and structures of government of the Eastern Catholic Churches express the diversity of the Catholic Church. From this diversity comes the unity of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Because of this unity, the Church encourages the faithful to acquaint themselves with the various traditions found within the Church, and recognizes the right of the faithful to receive the sacraments within any rite of the Catholic Church.

http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=177

One More thing...

2007-01-03T01:27:00.000-05:00

I just reread the post I made called "Political Issue :( " and this was before I knew that the Church was against both birth control AND artificial insemination! So it is all good.

I hate when Catholics proclaim one thing and live another.

2007-01-03T01:20:00.000-05:00

Though my title may be a bit misleading, it is true. I hate when ANYONE proclaims something and acts contrary to it, though I have accused of doing it myself. For anyone actually reading this... CATHOLICS ARE PRO-LIFE... there is no other way to be. If you proclaim to be apart of The True Church then you must go by Rome! Rome says that every life is worthwhile and should not be killed. Well here is another example of a person who does not know what it means to be Catholic! It really hurts me!

Pro-Abortion Pelosi Insults Catholic Faith
By Judie BrownPosted Jan 02, 2007The new speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, is showing what I consider extreme arrogance, even for a pro-abortion figure in public life who claims to be a faithful Catholic. Her handlers are making it abundantly clear that anything goes in their effort to showcase Pelosi and her life story, including the use of a Catholic Mass to cement her public image as a Catholic mother and grandmother.That, my friend, is a disgrace that I cannot ignore.As a practicing Catholic mother and grandmother, I am highly offended that this woman would use the influence of her new office to flaunt her Catholic label while advocating the brutal murder of Preborn children without apology. This “mother and grandmother” from California’s 8th District in San Francisco has been one of the most outspoken advocates for unrestricted abortion in Congress.Perhaps the only thing more egregious than her support for aborting Preborn children is her inability to comprehend the sacrilegious nature of her intended use of the Mass scheduled for tomorrow at Trinity University, a Catholic institution in Washington, D.C. To prevent such a scandal from occurring we have respectfully asked Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. To intervene and cancel any festivities at the Catholic college, particularly any attempt to honor Pelosi during Mass.The reasons for this request are best characterized by quoting Archbishop Wuerl’s recent commentary, “The Human Quest for God.” He faithfully wrote, “a reflection on the moral order in the universe can lead us to a natural knowledge of God. We are aware that our actions should be just, truthful and temperate.”The act of abortion is a grave injustice perpetrated against an innocent human being created by God in His own image. Those who advocate this act are deceiving mothers by suggesting to them that their children are nothing more than disposable problems and instilling in these mothers the idea that “freedom of choice” empowers them to make a decision that results in the death of their child. There is nothing temperate about the act of abortion. In fact, aborting a child falls into the category of one of the most intemperate acts currently engrained in the culture.A thinking person with any sort of moral sensibilities would conclude that the bald-faced contradiction between advocating for abortion and heralding one’s attendance at a Catholic Mass is simply outrageous and should not be permitted. While it is usually the case that we should not prevent another person from attending Mass, which is a source of grace and blessing, this is no ordinary grandmother attempting to reconcile her abortion advocacy with her God; this is the soon-to-be speaker of the House making a public spectacle of the Mass for political purposes as she attempts to improve her public image.At what cost does a prelate of the Catholic Church permit such an atrocity?Archbishop Wuerl wrote in the same column that we “hear in the voice of our conscience,” which is a “manifestation of the presence of God,” the insistent call to goodness. “Conscience is described as the still, quiet voice of God within each of us,” he said. It seems to me that the archbishop would be doing Congresswoman Pelosi a tremendous favor if he were to quietly but firmly inform her that her staff’s public and repeated focus on the Mass as part of her “agenda” is an insult to her faith because she has not listened to the voice of God, but rather has succumbed to the voices of the culture of death. Otherwise, she would not champion abortion on demand as a “right” in America, nor would she be continually casting her votes against even the slightest pro-life legislation.Our request of the archbishop is based on the most basic of Catholic teachings: That the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is both a reminder of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us by His death on the Cross, and also an opportunity for Catholics, with contrite hearts, to come to Him and receive Him in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The Mass is not a political rally; the Mass is not a public relations event; the Mass is not an “extreme makeover” for an intransigent, pro-abortion politician.Perhaps, as our public statements on this tragic state of affairs settles in on the minds and hearts of those closest to Pelosi, she herself will realize that her choice of venue is more scandalous than it is anything else. Perhaps that still, quiet voice within will invite her to cancel her public forays into a Mass that she might otherwise have attended without the public hoopla and without the disingenuous statements of those who work for her.Perhaps, as Archbishop Wuerl wrote, Pelosi will come on her knees before the Lord, publicly repudiate her support for abortion, human embryonic stem cell research and other crimes against life, and “respond to God’s loving call with a ‘yes’ of faith.”If not, we hope and pray that Wuerl intervenes for the sake of every believing Catholic, young and old, who knows that every single abortion is an act of murder. For the sake of all those who believe, we beseech the archbishop to act in defense of Christ, regardless of headlines or public image. We need his leadership and, as a Catholic grandmother myself, I realize that Pelosi desperately needs his moral guidance as well.