I'm at a loss for words.

Really.

The problem with Monarchy and Monarchists.

I like pageantry as much as the next guy, but this is ridiculous...
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The Bishops of Spain have in effect said it is okay for King Juan Carlos to sanction, with his required royal signature of approval, a new law easing restrictions on abortion.
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"As the law was being debated, Spain's bishops had said Catholic members of parliament who vote to liberalize abortion would place themselves outside the church and should not receive Communion.

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"That his majesty the king must sanction this law with his signature is a unique situation. No other citizen would encounter this," and so "general principles" cannot be applied, said Auxiliary Bishop Juan Antonio Martinez Camino of Madrid, conference general secretary." - Source
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No kidding.
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"The late King Baudouin of Belgium faced a similar dilemma in 1990 when his nation's Parliament passed a bill liberalizing abortion.

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Saying his conscience and Catholic faith would not allow him to sign the bill, he worked out an agreement with parliament allowing him to resign for less than 48 hours. During his temporary abdication, the country's council of ministers assumed the king's powers and signed the bill. Parliament then reinstated the king." - Source
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Nuts anyone?  That's hypocrisy.

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Patron saint of gun owners...
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and therefore of Fr. Erik Richtsteig.
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February 27 is the feast of St. Gabriel, whose history may be found here.

The Beatles - Fixing a hole

Boozy ape.

I've been called worse.
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Anyway, I love this story:
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MOSCOW - A Russian chimpanzee has been sent to rehab by zookeepers to cure the smoking and beer-drinking habits he has picked up, a popular daily reported on Friday. An ex-performer, Zhora became aggressive at his circus and was transferred to a zoo in the southern Russian city of Rostov, where he fathered several baby chimps, learned to draw with markers and picked up his two vices.

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"The beer and cigarettes were ruining him. He would pester passers-by for booze," the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper said.
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It added he has now been transferred to the city of Kazan, about 800 km (500 miles) east of Moscow, for rehabilitation treatment. - Source
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At least I quit smoking.  Friday is a day of penance BTW.
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The Sacred Made Real

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I would love to see this exhibit.
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"The Sacred Made Real" - an emotionally searing exhibit of Spanish paintings and sculptures from 1600-1700 that will be on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington from Feb. 28 through May 31. 
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Top Image:  Polychromed sculpture, “Ecce Homo” sculpted pre-1621 by Gregorio Fernandez. 
Bottom image: "Venerable Mother Jeronima De La Fuente" by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velazquez.
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Links:
Exhibition Note, New Criterion - On "The Sacred Made Real: Spanish Painting and Sculpture 1600–1700" at The National Gallery, London, 2009
More images

The new Bishop of Scranton.

Doesn't he kinda look like an aged Kenny Bania in this shot?
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Photo: Msgr. Joseph C. Bambera
Bania: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0qm0KUPeD8

I love kids.

I absolutely hate the Olympics...

New Header!

I'm not worthy!

Many thanks to Vincenzo the art major!  Though he is a saint, please pray for him.

A post without a title.

A couple of thoughts from the Holy Father's book, "Jesus of Nazareth" - BTW, he got that title from the movie.  (I wonder if Zeffirelli could sue?)
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"The whole conversation of the second temptation takes the form of a dispute between two Bible scholars.  Remarking on this passage Joachim Gnilka says that the devil presents himself here as a theologian.  The Russian writer Vladimir Soloviev took up this motif in his short story "The Antichrist".  The Antichrist receives an honorary doctorate in theology... and is a great scripture scholar.  Soloviev's portrayal of the Antichrist forcefully expresses his skepticism regarding a certain type of scholarly exegesis current at the time.  This is not a rejection of scholarly biblical interpretation as such, but an eminently salutary and necessary warning against its possible aberrations.  The fact is that scriptural exegesis can become a tool of the Antichrist...  The alleged findings of scholarly exegesis have been used to put together the most dreadful books that destroy the figure of Jesus and dismantle the faith." - Jesus of Nazareth, The Temptations of Jesus.
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As we know, scholarly exegesis is currently employed in an attempt to undermine Church teaching on many issues these days, one that comes to mind is the denial that scripture condemns homosexual behavior.
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Anyway, don't waste your time looking for the Antichrist, or trying to identify him - be aware instead of the tactics to ensnare believers who count for nothing in the New World Order.
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Art: Geopoliticus Child - Dali

"For it is necessary to be agreeable to be accepted... And everybody agreed"

"The Open Way to Universal Peace and Prosperity."

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"The superman's previous books and public activity had always met with severe criticism, though these came chiefly from people of exceptionally deep religious convictions, who for that very reason possessed no authority and thus they were hardly listened to when they tried to point out, in everything that the "coming man" wrote or said, the signs of a quite exceptional and excessive self-love and conceit, and a complete absence of true simplicity, frankness, and sincerity.
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But now, with his new book, he brought over to his side even some of his former critics and adversaries. This book, composed after the incident at the precipice, evinced a greater power of genius than he had ever shown before. it was a work that embraced everything and solved every problem. It united a noble respect for ancient traditions and symbols with a broad and daring radicalism in socio-political questions. It joined a boundless freedom of thought with the most profound appreciation for everything mystical. Absolute individualism stood side by side with an ardent zeal for the common good, and the highest idealism in guiding principles combined smoothly with a perfect definiteness in practical solutions for the necessities of life. And all this was blended and cemented with such artistic genius that every thinker and every man of action, however one-sided he might have been, could easily view and accept the whole from his particular individual standpoint without sacrificing anything to the truth itself, without actually rising above his ego, without in reality renouncing his one-sidedness, without correcting the inadequacy of his views and wishes, and without making up their deficiencies.
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Nobody raised his voice against the book. On every side it was accepted by all as the revelation of the complete truth. In it, all the past was given such full and due justice, the present was appraised with such impartiality and catholicity, and the happiest future was described in such a convincing and practical manner that everybody could not help saying: "Here at last we have what we need. Here is the ideal, which is not a Utopia. Here is a scheme which is not a dream." And the wonderful author not only impressed all, but he was agreeable to all, so that the word of Christ was fulfilled: "I have come in the name of the Father, and you accept me not. Another will come in his own name -- him you will accept." For it is necessary to be agreeable to be accepted.

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It is true some pious people, while praising the book wholeheartedly, had been asking why the name of Christ was never mentioned in it; but other Christians had rejoined: "So much the better. Everything sacred has already been stained enough in past ages by every sort of unacknowledged zealot, and nowadays a deeply religious author must be extremely guarded in these matters. Since the book is imbued with the true Christian spirit of active love and all-embracing goodwill, what more do you want?" And everybody agreed. - A Short Tale of the Antichrist
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Hans Urs von Balthasar on the author, Vladimir Soloviev
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"The Antichrist will blur the edges of the apocalyptic rift between morality and the cross, between cultural progress and the resurrection of the dead. He will permit Christianity to merge into this synthesis as one positive element. 'Christ divided men in terms of good and evil; I shall unite them through the benefits of salvation, which are necessary to good and evil alike. Christ brought the sword, but I bring peace. He threatened the earth with a terrible Last judgment; but I shall be the last judge, and my judgment is one of grace.'

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Satan fills his son with his spirit; his soul is filled with a glacial abundance of enormous power, courage and effortless skill. He composes a manifesto, The Open Path to World Peace and Welfare, an all-embracing programme that unites all contradictions in itself--the highest degree of freedom of thought and a comprehension of every mystical system, unrestricted individualism and a glowing devotion to the general good.
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He establishes a European union of states, then a world monarchy, satisfies the needs of all the poor without perceptibly affecting the rich and founds an inter-confessional institute for free biblical research. He seeks to be elected by the general assembly of the churches as head of the Church (from now on ecumenically united), and receives the approval of the majority." - Source 

This is creepy.

I don't know about you.
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It is probably just me, but I think this is a creepy photo.  Now my dad liked to kiss us kids on the lips and maybe that is why I think parent/child kissing on the lips is gross.  I never, ever kissed my parents on the lips - I always turned my cheek as my dad's wet open mouth descended upon my face.  Gross!  As an adult, I rarely, if ever, kissed my parents  - yes, and my dad tried to kiss me on the lips as an adult and we got into a big argument as to why I thought that was inappropriate.  Hugs were okay if there was no butt-cheek grabbing; and if a kiss had to be made, it was a quick one on a facial cheek.  Real quick like.  Ohhhhh!  Shudder.
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My dad's lips/mouth looked like Ted Haggard's.  I know!
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Top Photo: Tiger kissing his mother.
Bottom Photo: My dad's mouth.

Mass-chat...

At the church I attended last evening, during the homily, the priest was especially animated.  I know him so I could tell his recent studies and workshops were influencing his homiletics - he was exhibiting a bit more enthusiasm than usual.  He also sounded as if he were reading someone else's script.  I think his recent studies were showing through.  His homily wasn't what I would deem perfectly dogmatic - there were a few chinks or subtle errors... perhaps better defined as ambiguities.  Believe me when I tell you I wasn't looking for the chinks - I was just listening to the homily.  I doubt anyone else even noticed.
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I've heard the stuff he was saying many times before.  I was a bit surprised however that old dogs would learn old tricks, yet the so-called errors are fairly minor.  Some people would probably have told me I should talk to Father about it, either after Mass or catch him at another time.  I didn't and I won't.
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I have more important things on my mind.
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"What availeth a great dispute about abstruse and obscure matters for not knowing which we shall not be questioned at the day of judgement?" - Imitation, Bk. I, Chp. 3: 1