The history of cross-dressing: First installment.

Kilts.

Mid-20th century menswear styles

 for girls and young women.

It began with the women.

As everyone knows, the 20th century fashion industry introduced manly dress for women.  It began with Coco Chanel of course, who took women out of unnatural, constraining under garments and into sheaths, shortened skirts, blouses, jackets - as well as pants.  Yet the more insidious changes occurred when the look of Scottish kilts was introduced, quickly adopted by Roman Catholic nuns to force their female students into such attire.  After all, the kilt and shorter skirt have always been male attire.

War and its consequences.

WWII radicalized women

even more.

Politics and Religion

Fernando Botero

Don't mix.

One or two priests online seem to be getting really political - really, really political.  Kind of like a smear campaign in one case.  While the stuff may be true, I'm not sure it's all that appropriate.  For a priest, I mean.

I think Fr. Corapi got rather political towards the end of his religious career too.

President Marco: Why not?

He will be bald too - don't vote for looks.

Just think, if Marco Rubio gets in we will have our own President Marcos.

How cool is that?  For four years we can obsess over his wife's shoes.

Please don't vote for a man because of his religious beliefs - especially when they change like the weather.

What?

I know he's Cuban.

Today is the anniversary of the 1906 Quake in San Francisco.

Then and now.

The earthquake struck at 5:12 AM, April 18, 1906.

Mr. Peabody suggests you get up early today and be nice to Archbishop Cordileone.

I would like to add that April 18 is the feast of Bl. Marie of the Incarnation, OCD - AKA Barbe Acarie, Madame Acarie. She was the foundress of the French Carmel.  Short biography here.

It's also the anniversary of my leaving the Discalced Carmelite novitiate way back when ... which is why I always remember Bl. Marie of the Incarnation.  Pray for me Blessed Marie!

+ Cardinal Francis George +

 

1937 - 2015

"A man of peace, tenacity and courage has been called home to the Lord."  - Archbishop Cupich

Prayers for the migrants: Muslim migrants throw Christian migrants overboard between Libya and Sicily.

Save me, O God,

for the waters have risen to my neck.

I have sunk into the mud of the deep

and there is no foothold.

I have entered the waters of the deep

and the waves overwhelm me. - Ps. 69

This is unbelievable.

ROME (AP) — Italy's migration crisis took on a deadly new twist Thursday as police in Sicily reported that Muslim migrants had thrown 12 Christians overboard during a recent crossing from Libya, and an aid group said another 41 were feared drowned in a separate incident.

Palermo police said they had detained 15 people suspected in the high seas assault, which they learned of while interviewing tearful survivors from Nigeria and Ghana who had arrived in Palermo Wednesday morning after being rescued at sea by the ship Ellensborg.

The 15 were accused of multiple homicide aggravated by religious hatred, police said in a statement. - Finish reading here.

Prayers for the migrants, the persecuted, the martyred ...

St. Benedict of Palermo, pray for us.

Rescue those traversing dangerous seas.

Convert those misled by Muslim teaching.

Strengthen those who suffer under Muslim cruelty.

The Fioretti: On how St. Francis was just kidding about Lady Poverty ...

The habit of St. Francis.

From the Saint's last will and testament.

And when the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what I ought to do, but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the holy Gospel.  And I caused it to be written in few words and simply, and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me. And those who came to take this life upon themselves gave to the poor all that they might have and they were content with one tunic, patched within and without, by those who wished,  with a cord and breeches, and we wished for no more.

We clerics said the Office like other clerics; the laics said the Paternoster, and we remained in the churches willingly enough. And we were simple and subject to all. And I worked with my hands and I wish to work and I wish firmly that all the other brothers should work at some labor which is compatible with honesty. Let those who know not [how to work] learn, not through desire to receive the price of labor but for the sake of example and to repel idleness. And when the price of labor is not given to us,  let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, begging alms from door to door.

The Lord revealed to me this salutation, that we should say: "The Lord give thee peace."  Let the brothers take care not to receive on any account churches, poor dwelling-places, and all other things  that are constructed for them, unless they are as is becoming the holy poverty which we have promised in the Rule, always dwelling there as strangers and pilgrims. - Source

No, St. Francis was not just pretending.

Of course things have changed over the centuries, the rule modified, the various branches moving from reform to moderation and so on, I just find it troubling how contemporary writers seek to revise the earliest writings and claim Francis didn't really intend actual poverty for his followers.  So many other saints, from Clare to Teresa of Avila, sought to emulate such absolute poverty, and always, they were confronted with arguments to the contrary.  An amazing fact actually, when Christ declared about himself, "Foxes have holes, the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

In every age, God raises up souls who cling to the Lord in holy poverty, to remind us of these things.  From St. Benedict Joseph Labre to Willy Herteleer.  From the Missionaries of Charity* to the Fratti Minori Rinnovati:  Fools, paupers, homeless, beggars, refugees, the persecuted and religious - follow the poor Christ.

 And I strictly enjoin on all my brothers, clerics and laics, by obedience, not to put glosses on the Rule or on these words saying: Thus they ought to be understood; but as the Lord has given me to speak and to write the Rule and these words simply and purely, so shall you understand them simply and purely  and with holy operation observe them until the end. - St. Francis of Assisi

This venerable old friar was Fra Tommaso Maria di Gesù,

Fratti Minori Rinnovati.  I met him years ago in Naples.

The Rinnovati are a reform group-offspring of the Capuchins.

They live the primitive Franciscan life.

The Order's website here.

*BTW - did you know the Missionaries of Charity do not do fundraisers or allow Mother's name to be used for that purpose?

No more making fun of the L.C.W.R. ... What are Catholic bloggers going to do now?

-source-

I know!

Vatican City, 16 April 2015 (VIS) - Officials of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (C.D.F.), Archbishop Peter Sartain and officers of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (L.C.W.R.) met April 16. Archbishop Sartain and L.C.W.R. officers presented a joint report (attached) on the implementation of the C.D.F. Doctrinal Assessment and Mandate of April 2012. The joint report outlines the manner in which the implementation of the Mandate has been accomplished. The Congregation accepted the joint report, marking the conclusion of the Doctrinal Assessment of L.C.W.R. Present for the April 16 meeting were His Eminence Gerhard Cardinal Muller, Archbishop Peter Sartain, Sr. Carol Zinn, S.S.J., Sr. Marcia Allen, C.S.J., Sr. Joan Marie Steadman, C.S.C., and Sr. Janet Mock, C.S.J., and other officials of CDF. - Vatican News

As Fr. Martin said:

[D]ialogue works. The process has involved extensive, and honest, exchanges of perspectives on matters involving faith and its practice, the roles of church leadership and religious life, hopes for the life of the Catholic church, and so on. As the Pope pointed out in the Synod on the Family, when these exchanges are carried on in a spirit of mutual respect, deeper understandings of differing perspectives can better be heard and appreciated. Both sides seemed to have genuinely heard the concerns of the other and tried to understand the context of those concerns. - America

Works for me.

Maybe go to Patheos now, huh?

From now on Abbey Roads is too.

Today is also the birthday of St. Toribio, patron of immigrants.

Short biography of St. Toribio.

Born in Santa Ana de Guadalupe, which belongs to the parish of Jalostotitlán, Jal. (Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos), 16 April 1900. Vicar functions pastor in Tequila, Jalisco., (Archdiocese of Guadalajara). Priest sensitive heart, assiduous prayer. Passionate about the Eucharist asked many times: "Lord, let me not a single day of my life without saying Mass without Communion hold in'. In a First Communion, to take the Sacred Host in his hands, said: "And would accept my blood, Lord, I offer you the peace of the Church? 'While in Aguascalientes, a location near Tequila that served as refuge and center of his ministry, he wanted to acquaint the parish. Worked on Friday all day and all night. At five in the morning of Saturday February 25, 1928, wanted to celebrate the Eucharist but, feeling very tired and sleepy preferred to celebrate a little sleep better. He had hardly fallen asleep when a group of agrarians and soldiers entered the room and when one of them pointed, saying, "That's the priest, kill him"Father Toribio woke up scared, stood up and received a discharge. Wounded and walked a little hesitant, a new download, in the back, cut the life of the martyr and his generous blood that reddened the land of Jalisco Canyon. -Vatican website

Prayer
.
Holy Father, you who sent your Son to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven to us, and He, obedient to your will, carried out the mission you gave Him to do, we pray that through the intercession of St. Toribio:
.
You care for and guide members of our families that have had to leave their homes for distant lands to improve their lives and those of their families. Keep them safe from harm and help them to stay firm in their Faith so that they can soon return to their homes strengthened in soul and body.
.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen

I was thinking it was the birthday of another young martyr

I like this painter.

Eduardo Naranjo

The Holy Father: “ask for the gift of poverty – not misery, but poverty ..."

YES!

When I was in 6th grade I remember sitting at the supper table and saying, "I wish we were poor!"  I didn't know we were.  My parents freaked - my dad almost slapped me off my chair and yelled, "You're a g--d--n idiot."  My mother started crying, "How can you be so stupid!"

We are poor you moron!

At the time, I was reading Johannes Jorgensen's biography of St. Francis and was deeply impressed by Francis' poverty and 'foolishness for Christ'.  In fact, around the same time, I embarrassed my brother one day acting as if I was truly crazy and announcing over and over, "I'm touched!  I'm touched!"  I learned early on not to imitate the saints in everything.

That said, I wish Pope Francis could have talked to my parents ...

I love how the Holy Father praises poverty...

A Christian community – the Pope continued – shows that it is renewed in the Holy Spirit “when it is in search of harmony” and not internal division: “when it seeks poverty, and does not hoard riches for itself, because riches are to be put to the service of the needy”, and when “it does not show anger” or offense in the face of difficulties, but is patient like Jesus:

“In this second week of Easter, during which we celebrate the Easter mysteries, it would be a good thing to think of our communities, be they diocesan communities, parish communities, family communities or other, and ask for the grace of harmony” – a gift of the Spirit; “ask for the gift of poverty – not misery, but poverty: the capacity to manage my possessions with generosity and for common good”; to ask for the grace of patience. - Vatican Radio

St. Benedict Joseph Labre

St. Angela of Foligno praised the gift of poverty as well:  "through temporal poverty the soul will find eternal riches; through contempt and shame it will obtain supreme honour and very great glory..."

Today is the feast day of my special patron, my man, St. Benedict Joseph Labre.  So poor.  Such a fool for Christ.  He is also special patron to Benedict Joseph Ratzinger, whose birthday is today.

[Yeah, but ...  Now watch how defensive all those vowed to poverty will get.  I'm thinking a couple of priests may have some defensive posts up as well - what did the pope really say ...  he said POVERTY.]

What?

Happy Birthday Holy Father!

Catholic Bloggers and Rumor-mongering... Getting worse.

Pope as the Antichrist, signing and selling indulgences

Worse and worser.

I came across some serious detraction regarding the Holy Father and the recent Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.  The rhetoric, the speculation offered on some of these sites verges upon calumny.  One writer exclaimed: "The diabolical influence on this pope is unmistakable!"  Before that, he declares his good intentions announcing: "Let it not be said that I am out to attack the pope; rather, I am simply out to defend the truth." 

Beware the Catholic blogosphere.

Pray for the Holy Father.

Blessed Rolando Rivi ...

Blessed Rolando Rivi

70 years ago, a young Italian seminarian was martyred.

Blessed Rolando Rivi was shot and laid in a shallow grave by Communist partisans on April 13, 1945, in the Italian Emiliano Mountains. Bl. Rolando was singled out because he wore his cassock and made it known he intended to be a priest. According to one of the partisans, killing the boy would eliminate one more priest.

Rolando was only fourteen. His seminary closed when the Nazis came through the region, but the young seminarian continued to wear the cassock as a sign of his consecration and intent to be a priest. He considered life as a seminarian a form of consecrated life already. In the region Rolando's family lived, Communist partisans found refuge in the mountains. They were anti-Catholic and anti-clerical: “The fascists and Germans are almost extinct… our fight must now be made against the masters, the rich and certain priests… These are now our enemies.”

Blessed Rolando was abducted on April 10 and after beatings, torture and obscene humiliations, he was killed on April 13, 1945 in the forest of Piane di Monchio (Modena). After praying for his parents, he was shot twice and died. The partisans covered his body with leaves and twigs and a few shovels of dirt.

He was killed in hatred of the faith, in hatred of the priesthood, just because he wore a cassock. He believed the seminarians ought to wear the cassock, even on home visits or on holiday.  Read more about him here.

Barway Edwin Collins

I recalled Bl. Rolando today after a young boy's body was found in the Mississippi river - his dad is accused of killing him.  The boy was African, from Liberia, his dad is suspected of killing him for insurance money.  The boy's legs and hands were duct-tapped before he was thrown in the river.

Tonight while praying my rosary for him and the other young children murdered around the globe, Blessed Rolando came to mind, reminding me yesterday was the 70th anniversary of his death.  My dates have been off - but I immediately commended to Bl. Rolando all kids, boys and girls, abused, mistreated, bullied, exploited, and martyred - and in particular, young Barway Collins.

Blessed Rolando Rivi, pray for us.

Candidate for canonization: Archbishop Annibale Bugnini ...

  It's just a joke.

Funniest ad ever: Our Song ...

Just do it. SSPX - part of the Catholic Church

In Argentina.

Argentina formally recognizes SSPX as part of the Catholic Church - at the request of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires ... - read the story here.

Part of the Catholic Church?  Of course it is.


Now what are people like Fr. Paul Nicholson going to say?  Remember when he said the SSPX followers who demonstrated against the black mass which took place on September 21, 2014 in Oklahoma City were worse than the actual celebration of a black mass?

I know?!

It's a big Church.

We have to watch out who we condemn.

Things I keep thinking about ...

1906 San Francisco

The 'Big One' ...

It must be because the 1906 San Francisco quake occurred in April.  I don't know why, but I've been thinking that the big one might happen soon.  When I noticed a story today that Los Angeles had a quake - just thinking out loud here - I thought, yep.

The assassination of the Pope ...

It was a Turk who attempted to kill John Paul II.  Now that Pope Francis publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide, and Turkey recalled it's Vatican ambassador - just thinking out loud here - I thought, yep.


What?  It keeps popping up... but I don't 'entertain' the thoughts.

Polls still open: Don't forget to vote for JPII as Doctor of the Church.

I'm watching Wolf Hall.

Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell

I'm not supposed to like it, but I do.


Even though it is a highly fictionalized account, it's interesting to watch - it reminds me of the state of church and politics today - and the interaction of some of the more popular characters within the Catholic blogosterium.  I never ever imagined Thomas Cromwell as a sympathetic character before this.


Last night's episode was a bit slow, but the acting is very good and the sets and costumes are excellent.  I'm always interested in looking at history from the bigoted, anti-Catholic POV.  Cromwell's criticism of the monasteries and his suggestion to a cleric that surely he must have a woman on the side is contemptuous.  The same invective is spread today as well.  I dislike the way St. Thomas More is portrayed, although the depiction seems to fit the profiles of a few of the staunch Catholics one encounters online.


Somehow, none of it matters to me right now.

The Feast of Divine Mercy

Jesus I trust in you.

The Divine Mercy is not 'cheap grace' by any means.  Rather, I'm convinced it is like the Father, running to meet the prodigal son, while he is still at a distance.  It is the Father ready to embrace the erring son even before he proclaims his sorrow, even before he is able to blurt out his confession of sin, and even before he is able to ask for mercy.  The Father anticipates his return in and through the holy wounds of his dearly beloved Son.

The mercy of God is just.

Jesus Christ crucified is the justice of God ...  He is our reconciliation with the Father.

When he appeared to the disciples on the evening of the first day of the week, he did not rebuke them for abandoning him, neither did he shame them for their betrayal or their retreat into hiding.  The first thing he said, the very first thing he did, was to grant them peace: "Peace be with you."   One Word the father spoke ... St. Teresa of Avila said that "His words are deeds."

Pardon and peace...

Mercy and truth have embraced,
Justice and peace have kissed. Ps. 85

That happens in the sacrament of penance - the tribunal of mercy - at the moment of absolution, pardon and peace embrace the penitent... mercy and love flood the soul.

Mercy - divine love moved by the truth of our misery - pardons ... Divine Justice bestows peace.

It seems to me that it is true to say that these Divine attributes meet in the Divine Mercy.  Mercy and Justice.  Pardon and Peace.  I might be wrong.




UPDATE:  "God's justice is his mercy," said Pope Francis as he proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin on Dec. 8. - Fr. James Martin, SJ