Some more stuff people don't know about me...

Abridged version.
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One of my favorite female performers and singers is Miss Piggy.  Seriously.
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I'm devoted to John Paul II but I have trouble with the "Great" title - oy - and all that writing!
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I can sing like Jack Jones - sort of a lounge singer to the unsophisticated -  but I can't play piano.  I'm especially good with the Love Boat theme, and surprisingly, I can take popular songs - rock, soul, hip-hop, what have you, and do it in a lounge singer manner - and it's danceable.  (Yes I can Mary J. Blige.)
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I love Blessed Teresa of Calcutta but I get tired of hearing about her all of the time.  Gosh!  We know already!
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I'm really handy around the house - like I can fix things.
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I admire Scott Hahn.
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Oh!  Oh!  Of all the people alive in the world today whom I believe is really great and a saint, it is Pope Benedict XVI - he outshines any saint or pope of the 20th century.  (Except for Pius X and Pius XII of course.)
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Anyway - this is filler.  I'll be at adoration today - pray for me that I will not put up any barriers to the love that comes to us in Jesus Christ.  I will be praying for all of you too - by name - especially you!  (If you felt that - you know who you are.)

The fascination with Halloween

And hauntings...
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Anyone with a television or radio knows that Halloween festivities are in full swing, and every year they get bigger and scarier and more occult.  While driving yesterday I was listening to talk radio and the interview of a ghost-buster.  The night before, another local group of ghost-busters were on the news.  Ghosts are cool.  I've never seen one however... although I'm curious... and don't forget - curiosity is a vice.
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Most of the ads associated with Halloween appeal to our curiosity, our morbid fascination with death and what is not seen... the occult.  Halloween isn't just for kids anymore - it hasn't been for a long time.  The innocent Halloween of our youth is far more occult now days.  Or is it?
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When I was younger we went to costume parties - as a child I went out trick-or-treating - but I'm talking about as an adult now - Halloween is really about adults these days - arrested-development-syndrome and all of that you know.  Anyway - as young adults - we played with the Ouija board, visited haunted houses, had fortune tellers read our cards and palms, and so on.  Were we serious?  Beneath the just doing it for fun attitude was a very real curiosity, a fascination which translate to an openness to the occult.
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I actually have one fortune that continues to haunt me - I don't want to say what it is, but I am frequently reminded of it.  Yes, I've gone through many rituals - I'm not controlled by it, but I'm reminded of it as a sort of chastisement.  I know it is not true, because the devil is a liar, and thus I pay no heed to the prediction and place all of my trust in the Divine Mercy.  It isn't scary either.
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What I've noticed however, with all the ads, the TV shows with Halloween themes and shows such as Ghost Whisperer, is that a certain level of fascination creates a greater openness or curiosity to the phenomena, thus a desire to explore these subjects becomes almost inviting once again.  I think to myself, "Wow!  I'd like to talk to a ghost."  I know it is sinful to try and conjure up an apparition - but if one just sat down across the table and started moving things on my desk - that would be cool - and I wouldn't have started it.  So I wouldn't sin...  Or would I have placed myself in the near occasion of sin by entertaining thoughts - fantasies - about this stuff, which in turn creates an openness to the occult? 
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Creepy, huh?  And then the occult stuff has a way of 'sticking' to a person - muddying the waters as it were - only to re-present as a phantom memory.  We tell ourselves it is not real, it is just harmless fun and superstition, yet we can remain fascinated by it.
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Do you know what it means to  fascinate?  Or what it means to be fascinated?  Webster defines it thus:
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• fas-ci-nate 1 obs: BEWITCH 2 a: to transfix and hold spellbound by an irresistible power b: to command the interest of all: ALLURE vi: to be irresistibly attractive.

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• fas-ci-nat-ing adj: extremely interesting or charming: TERRY NELSON ; captivating

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So anyway - I came across two interesting commentaries regarding Halloween and it's increasing popularity.
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Spanish Catholic leaders lash out at growing popularity of Halloween
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MADRID - Roman Catholic leaders sounded an alarm on Monday over the growing popularity of Halloween in Spain, calling it "pagan," "anti-Christian" and a celebration of death over life.

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"Children dress as witches, vampires, ghosts, masks, corpses, skeletons. And parents favour this type of festivities which plays with elements of death. But when a relative dies they prevent them from seeing the dead relative," he was quoted as saying by the online edition of the El Mundo newspaper.
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Flurry of ghost hunting shows...
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Photo:  My kitchen.

Read this:

"Few men—very few men, unfortunately—understand that the terrible crisis of the Church since the Second Vatican Council is a chastisement more terrible than any other, for this time the catastrophe is spiritual: what is wounded, what is noiselessly killed in the midst of an indifference worse than death, are souls. The loss of grace in a soul is the most terrible harm that can happen to it because it makes no noise, it is not felt. And the voice of the watchmen has fallen silent. The call to conversion, to penance, to the flight from sin, temptations and the world has given way, if not to indulgence, then at least to sympathy with the world. There is a real will to make peace with the modern world.  The mission of salvation has given way to a new sort of humanitarian mission; it is a matter of helping men of every condition and religion to live well together on earth." - Source
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Now read this...
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"She (Sr. Donna Quinn, OP) figures it's part of her religion to take these women in and protect them, and get them abortions," said Joe Scheidler of Quinn's recent activity. "Something dreadful has happened to make a Catholic nun become an escort at an abortion clinic - that's the lowest form you can reach, where you escort a woman with a living child in her into a place to have the child killed, and to ruin that woman's soul." - Nun Volunteering as Abortion Clinic Escort in Illinois 

"Ward, I'm worried about the Beaver."

The feminization of boys.
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I came across a story about a Danish study claiming gender-bending chemicals may be responsible for the feminization of boys.  It appears earlier discoveries of hermaphrodite frogs in the wild may have been taken more seriously by scientists than we realized.  It should come as no surprise however, when you consider how current research suggests contraceptive chemicals may also change a woman's natural attraction to men, causing her to choose unsuitable partners, and so on.    Then of course, it is believed by some that contraceptives pose a probable link to breast cancer.
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From the Telegraph.co.uk:
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"What a cute little squirt!"
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Here's something rather rotten from the State of Denmark. Its government yesterday unveiled official research showing that two-year-old children are at risk from a bewildering array of gender-bending chemicals in such everyday items as waterproof clothes, rubber boots, bed linen, food, nappies, sunscreen lotion and moisturising cream.
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The 326-page report, published by the environment protection agency, is the latest piece in an increasingly alarming jigsaw. A picture is emerging of ubiquitous chemical contamination driving down sperm counts and feminising male children all over the developed world. And anti-pollution measures and regulations are falling far short of getting to grips with it.
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The Danish government set out to find out how much contamination from gender-bending chemicals a two-year-old child was exposed to every day. It concluded that a child could be "at critical risk" from just a few exposures to high levels of the substances, such as from rubber clogs, and imperilled by the amount it absorbed from sources ranging from food to sunscreens.
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And it is in the womb that babies are most vulnerable; a study of umbilical cords from British mothers found that every one contained hazardous chemicals. Scientists at the University of Rochester in New York discovered that boys born to women exposed to phthalates had smaller penises and other feminisation of the genitals. - Source
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It's probably best not to use your cell phone to tell your husband about this either.
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H/T Western Confucian




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Get this...

I actually answered the phone when my sister called yesterday afternoon and we talked for quite awhile.  Among other things, I found out she volunteers as a grandmother or something to help kids in schools.  (I'm in awe of her volunteerism.)  She tutors kids who are having troubles in class - mostly first and second graders.

She told me about one kid she had last year - a resistant, somewhat rebellious little first grader.  My sister won him over of course and they became friends.  He confided in her that he preferred to play with girls rather than boys, and liked their games better and stuff like that.  It was a huge secret she had to promise to keep.  My sister encouraged him to be himself and all of that, but she wasn't able to do more. 
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My question is, how does a kid in first grade even know or care about this stuff?  Why would that be a big deal at his age?  When I was in first grade I would never have thought about that stuff.  Who is telling kids at that age they are queer?

My sister confided in the director in charge of volunteers concerning the young boy - he asked how she handled it and then he told her he was gay too. 

Anglican reunion...

And gay double talk...
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From one:
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"I also wanted to make a brief mention about those on both sides of the “political” spectrum who have tried to make this about “gay bishops” and “gay marriage.” The Pope did not erect the new structures for those who simply want to flee from a more progressive church discipline about gay people and their place in the Church. Most of those who will take advantage of the plan will not be those in the Anglican Communion whose feathers are constantly ruffled over gay people. That contingent is largely composed of evangelical Anglicans who would have absolutely no desire to become Catholic in any way, as their liturgies tend to be, at best, of the “prayer book” variety only (Book of Common Prayer), and who also tend to embrace Calvinistic theology. Anglican Catholics are usually not bothered nearly as much by human sexuality as they are adament about authentic worship, Eucharistic theology, and traditional disciplines and church order (eg., female priests and bishops)." - Ad Dominum
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To another:
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"Let history record this theological scandal for what it is. Touted by Rome as a step forward in ecumenical relations with a cousin communion, it is in fact the joining of two camps united in their rejection of women and queer people as unworthy of religious leadership." - Source
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Photo: Gay American Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson... he likes high church too.

Politicizing the Prayer of the Faithful.

I've seen commentary on this subject elsewhere: using the prayer of the faithful to make political statements or promote an agenda - either personal, as in the case when individuals in the congregation are invited to call out their particular intentions to be prayed for; or communally, when the intentions are composed by the liturgist or a pastoral associate for the local assembly.  The latest Kennedy funeral is a good example of what I am talking about, when family members ascended the pulpit to promote a political agenda.

Last evening at Mass one of the intentions inserted into the prayer of the faithful had a particular political ring to it.  The intention was for the United States to abolish the death penalty.  I know we pray for an end to abortion and to overturn the laws permitting it, and therefore it is convenient to equate the death penalty on the same terms.  
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I get the irony of pro-life Catholics in support of the death penalty, while their pro-abortion (choice) counterparts are against capital punishment.  I wouldn't be surprised if many Catholic sisters who happen to be pro-choice are militantly opposed to the death penalty as well.  Nevertheless, the Church is clear in Her teaching on abortion and euthanasia, yet it seems to me there is some ambiguity as regards capital punishment.  
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As for inserting prayers concerning the death penalty, I can accept praying for an end to the need for it, or praying for an end to egregious capital crimes that many believe may warrant it, even praying for a better solution to capital punishment.  Nevertheless not everyone agrees that the death penalty should be absolutely abolished.  Although the Church believes the need for it be rare and practically non-existent, Catholic teaching does not forbid it.  Whereas Catholic moral teaching, indeed, natural law, forbids the killing of unborn infants and infanticide, it allows for limited use of the death penalty in extreme cases, just as it allows for just wars.
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At least that is my understanding of the matter.

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Church Teaching:  
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2266 The State's effort to contain the spread of behaviors injurious to human rights and the fundamental rules of civil coexistence corresponds to the requirement of watching over the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and duty to inflict penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime. The primary scope of the penalty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. When his punishment is voluntarily accepted by the offender, it takes on the value of expiation. Moreover, punishment, in addition to preserving public order and the safety of persons, has a medicinal scope: as far as possible it should contribute to the correction of the offender.[67]
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2267 The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor.
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"If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
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"Today, in fact, given the means at the State's disposal to effectively repress crime by rendering inoffensive the one who has committed it, without depriving him definitively of the possibility of redeeming himself, cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically non-existent.' [68] - CCC 
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"This is the context in which to place the problem of the death penalty. On this matter there is a growing tendency, both in the Church and in civil society, to demand that it be applied in a very limited way or even that it be abolished completely. The problem must be viewed in the context of a system of penal justice ever more in line with human dignity and thus, in the end, with God's plan for man and society. The primary purpose of the punishment which society inflicts is "to redress the disorder caused by the offence."(46) Public authority must redress the violation of personal and social rights by imposing on the offender an adequate punishment for the crime, as a condition for the offender to regain the exercise of his or her freedom. In this way authority also fulfills the purpose of defending public order and ensuring people's safety, while at the same time offering the offender an incentive and help to change his or her behaviour and be rehabilitated.(47)
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It is clear that, for these purposes to be achieved, the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated and decided upon, and ought not go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society. Today however, as a result of steady improvements in the organization of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent.
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In any event, the principle set forth in the new Catechism of the Catholic Church remains valid: 'If bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public authority must limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.'" - Evangelium Vitae

Speaking of Princesses...

Princess Grace of Monaco

Little known fact:  "In 1954, the 100th anniversary of the Immaculate Conception, Prince Rainier made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, to pray to Mary for a suitable wife. Several years later, Princess Grace revealed that her confirmation name was Bernadette, for the French girl to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared in Lourdes. On the 25th anniversary of the prince's pilgrimage, Princess Grace would also visit Lourdes in thanksgiving." - Zenit  (Prince Ranier and Princess Grace were married in 1956.)

"A touching exhibit opened in Rome last Friday: "The Grace Kelly Years" will be at the Palazzo Ruspoli until Feb. 26, 2010, and features photos, videos, clothes and other mementos from the extraordinary life of a beloved American actress turned European Princess." - Elizabeth Lev, Zenit
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Photo:  Princess Grace receiving Holy Communion on her wedding day.

Catholic Princesses

There is a pejorative term - sometimes even used by Jewish people - referring to a spoiled daughter or wife as a Jewish Princess or JAP (Jewish American Princess).  Every culture has their term for their prima donnas, and of course we have always had our Catholic princesses as well.  Even real ones.  Watching the Spanish documentary of Teresa of Jesus last evening, the story of the Princess of Eboli unfolded for those of us following the mini series on EWTN.  What a hoot.  Yet what a good lesson for and about beginners...

Both Teresa and John of the Cross discuss at length the faults and presumptions of beginners in the spiritual life, as do the other masters, Garrigou-Lagrange, Marie-Eugene, Tanquerey, and others.  I constantly re-read these passages, but nothing has sunk in yet.  (I'll have to post about it another time however.)

That said - if you get a chance to see the film, Teresa of Jesus, please do.  There is a scene where Teresa is obliged to accept the position of prioress over the community at the monastery of the Incarnation in Avila, and the nuns literally revolt...  I couldn't help think of the Apostolic Visitation of American women religious in the works today - it just demonstrates that it's not unusual for nuns to be rebellious.

But back to the Princess of Eboli and some of the other characters who annoyed St. Teresa.  There is so much to be learned from them - and they also help us understand why some people find many religious people to be so insufferable.  (I'll have to post about it another time however.)

Slavishly literal...

Bishop Trautman on the new English translation of the Roman Missal...
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"The vast majority of God’s people in the assembly are not familiar with words of the new missal like ‘ineffable,’ ‘consubstantial,’ ‘incarnate,’ ‘inviolate,’ ‘oblation,’ ‘ignominy,’ ‘precursor,’ ‘suffused’ and ‘unvanquished.’ The vocabulary is not readily understandable by the average Catholic,” Bishop Trautman said. - Source 
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I know what all of those words mean - but for those who may not, the Church offers instruction in the faith through innovations such as the Catechism and religious education, which includes RCIA, priest's homilies and so on.  Authentic doctrine is contained in slavishly accurate translations.

Seinfeld - Interfaith Marriage

This is really what I meant Tom. LOL!

So here's the deal...

I just read Tom of Vegas' blog and commented on his post about celebrities.  He asks:  "Here is a list of celebrities that find popularity across a wide section of the population, but have liberal political leanings, or live a life that is diametrically opposed in some way to Catholic social teaching. Are you a fan despite the incongruity or is there something about their lives that turns you off to their work?"


I liked them all, my least favorite was Martin Sheen - and he's the most Catholic.  But I liked everybody else - even though I disagree with their politics, religious views, and/or what they do in the bedroom. 
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Given the chance, most people are very like-able just for who they are.  Likewise, I try to respect the opinion of other people - at least the fact that they have an opinion, that they think and feel and bleed when you knife them, you know. 
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Of course, I don't agree with their position if it is in opposition to my faith and values - very rarely in my life have I ever met anyone who agrees with me on everything.  I do not insist my friends must believe as I do or else they are not my friends.  (Because I love them and know that I am right, I wish they would though.)  Nevertheless friends stop being friends with me, and often because they disagree with my faith and values.  If they push too hard, I'm no idiot, I step back of course, and maybe keep a safe distance.   Although I never try to convert them to my way of thinking, even though they can get all bent out of shape because of what I think and believe.
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So anyway, when celebrities (or friends) get all militant and attack the Church or traditional morality - I will disagree and will defend myself and/or the Church if and when the opportunity presents itself.  That said, I can still like them or appreciate their work, I can still be entertained by them, laugh at them, share the same planet with them, talk to them civilly if I meet them, eat dinner with them if they like, and so on - I'm just not in bed with them.  If a celebrity or any friend decides they do not like me, or reject me, or make fun of me, that's just fine.  I'm used to it - I grew up like that.  My family never really practiced the faith since Catholic moral teaching conflicted with their lifestyle - it was good training for the world we live in.
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Whatever - did you get all of that?  So get this - among the people Tom listed was Fr. Richard McBrien - believe it or not, I really like that guy.  Of course I do not agree with his liberal theology and stuff, but he is a very like-able fellow - he reminds me of my first spiritual director who had a bit of a crush on a girl friend of mine...  See, I'll go after the junk some of these people teach or represent - but I can still like the person.  (Declared enemies are another category all together of course.) 
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Oh!  Oh!  I have to admit I'm not a big fan of LCWR nuns - sorry Sr. Joan Collins Chittister.  Call me a bigot if you must - but it is really more about the outfits and the hair.
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I'm sure I'm wrong about all of this however.  (Wouldn't I have made a perfect husband?  "Yes honey, I'm wrong again!")
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Oh.  And I'm not a fan of any of the Catholic celebs pictured in this photo either. Joan again.  LOL!  (She is.)

Raphael, Archangel.

24 of October is the traditional feast of St. Raphael, archangel.  He is one of my favorite angels, since he represents the angel as friend, patron, companion, partner, in other words, someone intimately involved in our life.  In that respect, he is much like the angel guardian we all have.  I usually think of angels best unconsciously - only to recognize their presence or action after the fact.  When I attempt to imagine them, I suppose I think of them like ourselves - only perfect.  I do not always imagine wings - but I imagine them always to be male; always strong, always wise, always compassionate and understanding - like an ideal dad or an older brother.  Most often I imagine them exactly my own age - which has nothing to do with my chronological age - I always think of myself as being in my 20's - someplace between 22 and 29.  Strangely, this was the same age I imagined myself to be when I was a teenager too.
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Anyway.  The Archangel's feast day is also the birthday of two of my friends, Fr. Tom and Wayne.  Prayers and best wishes to them both.

The Agenda...

(Retitled from Fr. Longenecker's "The Slippery Slope: How Satan spreads his lies")
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1. Natural Law is ignored, undermined or made to look stupid by particular instances where it seems not apply.


2. Subsequently religious and civil authorities have their laws questioned because they are 'too strict' too 'black and white', 'unworkable' or 'lacking in compassion'.

3. Relativism is therefore introduced. An understanding gradually grows that 'there are no objective rule' that apply to all people at all times.

4. Individualism is the next step. 'I guess I have to decide what is right for me in my situation.'

5. Sentimentalism: People who live in a sinful situation demand that they not be judged. They deserve compassion and understanding. They are nice people really...but they have a problem. They're sick. They're wounded. Who are you to judge?

6. Dialogue is demanded. "You need to listen to us and to our stories. Then you will understand we are just like you."

7. Once sympathy is won, the goalposts are moved. Now they are not 'sick' or 'wounded' they're just 'different'. They expect to be accepted despite their 'differences'.

8. Equal rights are expected by those who are acting against God's law. "We are not asking you to approve us. We are simply asking you to tolerate a difference of opinion. Simply allow us to be who we are!"

9. Equal rights are demanded. Legislation and lobbying and protests are now in order. The pressure group for sin starts to get aggressive. They do so out of 'hurt' and 'woundedness.' Once they get their 'rights' (they claim) they will be happy and won't be so aggressive.

10. Tolerance being won, they will not stop. They now demand not only that you tolerate, but that you approve. They've moved from being 'sick' or 'wounded' or 'disabled' by their condition to tolerance, and now they proclaim their condition to be 'good'. As Thomas More was not allowed to remain silent on the King's 'great matter' but had to approve, so the presssure group insists on approval.

11. What was once tolerated now becomes mandatory. Society must integrate the new morality into every level--right down to schools and churches and scout groups. Everyone must adopt the new morality or suffer.

12. Persecution of those who resist.

13. Devil's real happy. - Fr. Longenecker
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BTW - As expected, the Senate just passed the hate crimes bill... "To assure its passage after years of frustrated efforts, Democratic supporters attached the measure to a must-pass $680 billion defense policy bill the Senate approved 68-29. The House passed the defense bill earlier this month.  Hate crimes law enacted after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968 centered on crimes based on race, color, religion or national origin.  The expansion has long been sought by civil rights and gay rights groups. Conservatives have opposed it, arguing that it creates a special class of victims." - Source
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H/T Adrienne for the link to Fr. Longenecker.

Christopher West: Defending his life.

Christopher West seems to have made a very credible defense of his teaching of Theology of the Body.  It's all good - he's good - JPII is good - every body is good - okay, only God is good.  But West attempts a pretty good defense - he cites the following from the writings of JPII to demonstrate his pivotol point:

With the passage of time, if we persevere in following Christ our Teacher, we feel less and less burdened by the struggle against sin, and we enjoy more and more the divine light which pervades all creation. This is most important, because it allows us to escape from a situation of constant inner exposure to the risk of sin – even though, on this earth, the risk always remains present to some degree – so as to move with ever greater freedom within the whole created world. This same freedom and simplicity characterizes our relations with other human beings, including those of the opposite sex... Christ, supreme Teacher of the spiritual life, together with all those who have been formed in his school, teaches that even in this life we can enter onto the path of union with God... [This union allows us to] find God in everything, we can commune with him in and through all things. Created things cease to be a danger for us as once they were, particularly while we were still at the purgative stage of our journey. (Memory and Identity, pp. 29-30)

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In Conclusion:

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One of the most common responses I receive when I present this beautifully challenging and hopeful vision of human life and sexuality is this: I’ve been a Catholic my whole life – why haven’t I ever heard this!? The truth of the matter is that it is rarely taught... - Source

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I'm no expert, but it seems to me the truth of the matter is that it is rarely taught because this grace is normally only given to souls who have been elevated to a certain degree of contemplation and/or mystical union, and usually only after serious mortification and purgation of the senses.  West might do well to study more closely the authentic mystics of the Catholic Church - especially the works of St. John of the Cross.
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UPDATE:  Be sure and Check out Steve Kellmeyer's latest response to West.

What Fr. McBrien said about adoration of the Eucharist.

His opinion is not unusual.
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Yesterday I realized that only about 9 people come regularly to the weekly day of adoration offered at my parish, and every one is old.  Aside from personal devotion, I spend so many hours there because I'm filling in for a couple of people who can no longer make it due to illness or incapacity.  While there, I can't help but on occasion notice some of the parish staff coming and going - religious and ordained.  Most often, no one ever takes the time to spend even a few moments in an attitude of prayer - kneeling, or sometimes even just genuflecting. 
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Of course I have no idea of their interior disposition and I am not making a judgement in that regard.  Nevertheless based upon their comportment, devotion to the Blessed Sacrament appears to have a different meaning for these folks.  Traversing the sanctuary, they appear to ignore the monstrance containing the Eucharist, while nodding to the tabernacle as they open it to remove consecrated hosts for a sick call.  Yesterday, the woman religious who would conduct today's Liturgy of the Word (Regular morning Mass is cancelled when the priest has a funeral Mass later in the day.) arrived minutes before the closing of adoration to prepare the lectionary.  She was quickly in and out.  It appears her Eucharistic piety is most likely focused upon celebrating the Liturgy of the Word... and perhaps her homily.
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Active participation of the laity...
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I suppose I should mention that although the weekly parish bulletin publishes the hours for adoration and notes it's conclusion with Benediction - there is no real Benediction.  The 2 or 3 lay people present simply read the rite for Benediction and one of them reposes the Blessed Sacrament on their own.  That is permitted of course, but the lack of a priest or religious to participate either in adoration and or to officiate at the rite of Benediction suggests to me a relative disinterest in the practice.
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Which calls to mind what Fr. McBrien had to say regarding Eucharistic Adoration.  Indeed, he and other progressive Catholics appear to no longer see a need for such piety, believing the Novus Ordo Mass sums up Eucharistic piety sufficiently for our day.  In fact, piety itself is looked down upon as only useful for the ignorant, illiterate, and the under-educated.  Although the learned and the clever often forget that piety is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; as such, it ought not to be disparaged or so easily dismissed.
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The Christ in me, the Christ in you; I'm okay, you're okay.
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I think Fr. McBrien and his ilk consider reverence for the Eucharist outside of Mass to be localized exclusively in one another - that is, the Christ in me and the Christ in you - while the sacrament in the tabernacle is just for the sick - activated at the point of communion - or something like that.  Such a loss of faith can engender doctrinal error and alien spirituality, which might explain why some priests and women religious incorporate Native American and/or New Age ritual to supplement their spiritual malnutrition.     
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Anyway - the following is what Fr. McBrien had to say, and like I suggested, I think a number of progressive pastors and sisters agree with him:
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Notwithstanding Pope Benedict XVI's personal endorsement of eucharistic adoration and the sporadic restoration of the practice in the archdiocese of Boston and elsewhere, it is difficult to speak favorably about the devotion today.
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Now that most Catholics are literate and even well-educated, the Mass is in the language of the people (i.e, the vernacular), and its rituals are relatively easy to understand and follow, there is little or no need for extraneous eucharistic devotions. The Mass itself provides all that a Catholic needs sacramentally and spiritually.
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Eucharistic adoration, perpetual or not, is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward, not forward. - Source
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Such thinking seems to be out of step with the devotional life and popular piety of  faithful Catholics however, while the rule of attrition appears to be having its effect upon the aging progressive element in the Church.  Better days are coming.  I hope.

The Pope of Christian Unity.

I couldn't agree more. 
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Pope Benedict is preeminently the Pope of Christian Unity.

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Pope Benedict has been struggling against forces within his own fold to achieve Christian unity.
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His is decidedly not the unity that liberals (Richard McBrien, Gerald O’Collins) have in mind when they think of Christian unity, with its watered-down version of Roman primacy, liturgy, catechesis, sexual ethics and church discipline. In other words, a Christian unity without a Christian identity (christian with a small ‘c’).
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No, Benedict’s unity is real unity, true unity that costs something, that stretches people, but that does not compromise what is essential to the Church.
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This is not Rahner’s "world church" where anything and anyone goes. It is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus. - WDTPRS
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Fr. Z nails it.
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For some background on the new "Personal Ordinariates" go here.

The scarf: Instead of the chapel cap or veil.

Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This

This Saturday I am actually going to a High School reunion. I know! Yep - I'm going - I can't wait.

The state of grace...

Today was my adoration day - my weekly day of recollection.  It is so heaven on earth to be in the state of grace - and that is what a good confession pretty much guarantees every Catholic.  Yet one can feel so discredited, and know - by experience - one is the creepiest of the creepy, and yet God loves me... and looks at me.  It is that "Ah!  I don't know what!" moment...  and you know without any ability to comprehend or explain, that our soul is hidden with Christ in God.

That's all.

Jamiroquai - Runaway

Prayers of Thanksgiving

For the new Apostolic Constitution...
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The new canonical structure will allow former Anglicans to enter into full communion with the Church while “preserving elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual patrimony,” said Cardinal Levada. Addressing the status of married clergy, the cardinal said that married Anglican clergy would be allowed to be ordained as Catholic priests just as takes place in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Similarly, following the same tradition, those priests will not be allowed to be ordained bishops.
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These ‘Personal Ordinariates’ will be formed, “as needed, in consultation with local Conferences of Bishops, and their structure will be similar in some ways to that of the Military Ordinariates which have been established in most countries to provide pastoral care for members of the armed forces and their dependents throughout the world,” the cardinal prefect said. - CNA 
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Makes me think of a story...
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"The new Pope, putting the enemy to rout and overcoming every obstacle, guides the ship right up to the two columns and comes to rest between them; he makes it fast with a light chain that hangs from the bow to an anchor of the column on which stands the Host; and with another light chain which hangs from the stern, he fastens it at the opposite end to another anchor hanging from the column on which stands the Immaculate Virgin.

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At this point, a great convulsion takes place. All the ships that until then had fought against the Pope's ship are scattered; they flee away, collide and break to pieces one against another. Some sink and try to sink others. Several small ships that had fought gallantly for the Pope race to be the first to bind themselves to those two columns. Many other ships, having retreated through fear of the battle, cautiously watch from far away; the wrecks of the broken ships having been scattered in the whirlpools of the sea, they in their turn sail in good earnest to those two columns, and having reached them, they make themselves fast to the hooks hanging down from them and their they remain safe, together with the principal ship, on which is the Pope. Over the sea their reigns a great calm." - St. John Bosco

What I'm up to...

I've been working in the yard - pulling up Engleman ivy trailers - cutting down dead lilac trees, bringing in pots - oh - did you hear Obama is going to pull-off the Feds from going after medical marijuana dealers?  I know!  I can't wait to get sick.  If marijuana was legal, would it still be a sin?   

I cut down a cherry tree today too - I'm making a rough crucifix out of it to mount a 19th century hand carved wooden corpus upon.  I'm going to start selling  a good portion of my collection - I suppose on eBay - any one familiar with how to do that?  I hate to figure stuff out for myself.  Believe me - possessions are such a burden - at one time I wanted all this stuff, but now it weighs me down.

Anyway, in all honestly, I have been really bored with the Internet and blogging.  Doesn't it seem like the same thing over and over?  We keep writing about the same stuff and people who object to our being right about everything - all the time - keep writing their own crap trying to refute us and no one even cares what they have to say in the first place, ya know?

That said - thanks to all of you who read me and comment and stuff - I like you too - really a lot.  I pray for you every day as if you are my family - and some of you feel so close, you could be family, or at least my BFF next door neighbor.  You guys are amazing - you know me and yet still like me.  Big hug!

I have to go now.

Oh! if only this interior abjection were accepted, loved and valued, no one would consent to be without it, because it brings the soul nearer to God.

From the Letters of Fr. Jean Pierre Caussade:
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When the reproaches of your conscience, however well merited they may be, throw you into a state of trouble and depression; when they discourage and upset you, it is certain that they come from the devil who only fishes in troubled waters, says St. Francis of Sales.
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The rebellion of the passions, and that excessive sensitiveness which causes one to be put out beyond measure on the slightest provocation ought not to disquiet, nor to discourage anyone suffering from them, nor to make him think that his desire of sanctification is not sincere. This mistake and the discouragement it occasions are more harmful than all the other temptations. To get rid of them, or to overcome them we must
be well persuaded that these rebellions, and this extreme sensitiveness are sent to us by God to be the ground of our combats and victories; and that these little falls are permitted to help us to practise humility.
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Looked upon in this light our falls will be incomparably more useful to us than victories spoilt by vain self-complacency. This is a very certain and a very encouraging truth. We must be convinced, thoroughly convinced that our miseries are the cause of all the weakness we experience, and that God, in His mercy, allows them for our good. Without them we should never be cured of a secret presumption and a proud confidence in ourselves. Never should we be able to rightly understand that all that is bad is ours, and that all that is good is from God alone. To acquire a habit of thinking thus it is necessary to pass through a great number of personal experiences, and there is a greater necessity for this the more deeply rooted these vices are, and the greater the hold they have on the soul.
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You must never feel surprised at finding that a day of great recollection is followed by one full of dissipation; this is the usual condition in this present life. These changes are necessary, even in spiritual things, to keep us in humility, and a state of dependence on God. The saints themselves have passed through these alternations, and others still more troublesome. Only try not to give rise to them yourself; but should this, unfortunately, happen, then humble yourself peacefully and without vexation, which would be a worse evil than the original one; then endeavour to regain self-control, and to return to God; doing so quietly without over-eagerness, and by means of a total holy abandonment to God’s ways.
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Oh! if only this interior abjection were accepted, loved and valued, no one would consent to be without it, because it brings the soul nearer to God. This great God has, in fact, declared that He draws near to those who humble themselves and who love to be humiliated. If it is good for us to be humbled in the sight of others it is no less useful to be annihilated in our own eyes, in our pride and self-love which are put an end to in this way. It is thus, in fact, that they are gradually extinguished in us, and for this purpose does God permit so many different subjects for interior humiliation. It only remains to know how to profit by them, by following the advice of St. Francis of Sales, and practising acts of true humility, gently and peacefully; and this will drive out false humility which is always in a state of vexation and spite.
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Vexation and spite under humiliation are so many acts of pride, just as worry and irritation during suffering are so many acts of impatience. Let us not forget this, and let us take good care not to look upon the want of feeling we experience for the things of God as callousness; it is simply dryness, and a trial as inevitable and ordinary as distractions. If it is constant it is a still better sign, because it is in this way that God prepares the soul to proceed by pure faith, the most sure and meritorious way. - Jean Pierre de Caussade, Letter XVII
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Art: "Forgiven" by Thomas Blackshear

Why were the North American Martyrs killed?

What were they doing trying to convert Native Americans in the first place?
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"All of these Martyrs were killed for the faith by the Indians because they preached Christ." - Fr. Hardon: On the North American Martyrs: Suffering and Martyrdom
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Yet today, in our age of the New Evangelization,  it seems that Roman Catholics are many times discouraged from proselytizing - to proclaim the Gospel and to make converts - and not just by the groups they are hoping to evangelize either.

Blogs, Twits, and Twats

IMHO

The runaway balloon guy...

Desperate for fame.
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Kind of like bloggers.
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I'm so bored with this stuff.

Almost Like a Brigittine Rosary...

Eighteen decades worth.

Art: Source

At Mass tonight...

I thought of Our Lord's words to the rich young man:

"Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone." - Mark 10

St. Peter of Alcantara

Saint Peter of Alcantara's liturgical feast has always been celebrated on October 19, the day after his death. Due to the fact that the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist is observed on October 18, his feast was assigned to October 19, when his feast was included in the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in the year 1670. Owing to reform of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in the year 1969 and the limited importance of his feast worldwide, St Peter's feast was removed. The inclusion of Saint Peter of Alcantara in the Roman Martyrology as one of the saints of October 18 means that he may still be given official honors everywhere. Traditional Roman Catholics continue to celebrate the feast day of "St Peter of Alcantara, Confessor" on October 19. - Source

Michael - recovering from brain surgery.

I received the following from Michael yesterday:
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michael r. said...
I want to thank you and your readers for the prayers. I am humbled by your generosity. My surgery went rather well. I seem to be mosly ok; not doing anything too inappropriately. I have a lot of pain, but I can deal with physical pain. I will know more about the path ahead in a couple of weeks when the staples are removed from my head and all of the biopsies are complete. It sounds like more radiation and chemo. I had a good visit with a priest while in the hospital. He seems to have sought me out. I think some prayers were guiding him along. It was a rather profound experience for me. The question remains, why do I keep beating such odds?

Let's keep praying for him.  Thanks.

So there really is no gay agenda?

And the Hate Crimes Bill will not impinge upon Church teaching regarding homosexuality?
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That is what many homosexual activists want people to believe, while accusing of lying or exaggeration those contending the opposite.  There are grave concerns the federal hate crimes bill - currently before the senate - has the potential to limit freedom of speech and religion.  The bill clearly states that "courts may consider relevant evidence of speech, beliefs, or expressive conduct to the extent that such evidence is offered to prove an element of a charged offense or is otherwise admissible." (Source)  Opponents to the bill (including the ACLU) are concerned that it's passage would allow that any politician, pastor, preacher, priest, rabbi or imam who teaches or makes statements, based upon their moral traditions - that homosexual acts are disordered, unnatural or immoral - could be found guilty of a federal crime. 
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Charges of thought crimes have been brought against public figures elsewhere - Europe and Canada  to be specific.  European homosexualists have started to use repressive powers of state to silence expressions of opposition... as implied by British pro-homosexual activist Peter Bradley's e-mail to AFTAH stating, “You are very lucky that you live in the United States as we have laws in the United Kingdom about inciting hatred based on sexual orientation… here you would be imprisoned; and justly so.” - Source 

Under such hate crime legislation - which BTW protects a special group of people who already have the same equal protection under the law as other US citizens - it is entirely likely that church groups and/or religious leaders could face prosecution for inciting hatred if and when an individual act of discrimination or violence perpetrated against a protected group could be blamed upon a specific religious teaching, or even a homily condemning immoral sexual acts, and so on.  After all, it is part of the gay agenda...
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At least for people like David Bohnett...
 
“We must treat the causes of intolerance and bullying as well as the symptoms of them,” he remarked. “And as we see most often, it is the evangelical and fundamentalist groups that teach homosexuality is a sin, who stand in the way of fairness and equality.


“It’s time to combat head-on the religious organizations that are funding the opposition to marriage equality and safe school legislation.”


Let us make it known, however, that we will challenge those religious leaders and institutions that shamefully and cowardly use the imprimatur of their church and the name of god [sic] and Jesus to promote hatred and bigotry toward lesbians and gay men,” Bohnett declared. “Among our greatest adversaries who actively work against us are the leaders of the Catholic, Mormon, and evangelical churches who seek to deny equal protection for us and for our children.”



“The bible [sic] is all too often used as a weapon against us, quoted and misquoted by those who seek to deny us freedom and equality,” he continued, arguing that children taught that the Bible condemns homosexuality may become “school bullies” and later become the adults who vote “to deny marriage equality.”


“It’s time we raise our children to be independent thinkers and deeply suspicious of bible beating organized religion. We’d be much better off if parents were honest with their children about the hypocrisy of some churches with regard to homosexuality.”

Bohnett then outlined tactics to "counter faith based discrimination,” saying it is an obligation to take “active measures” to create a world “free of bigotry and intolerance.” He advised an “aggressive response” to critics that “confronts lies with facts” and also a “preemptive campaign” that anticipates the arguments of homosexual activists’ opponents and undermines their credibility.


He said activists should speak with friends, family and co-workers about “religious intolerance as one of the main impediments to progress in the march toward full equality for lesbians and gay men and their families.” - David Bohnett, acceptance speech for his GLSEN award, October 9, 2009 Respect Awards
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Talk about an agenda, or the slippery slope of hate crimes legislation.  Strange twist to the term religious intolerance as well - from my perspective it seems obvious gays are the ones intolerant of Catholic teaching.
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So anyway:  The Catholic Church is NOT homophopic.
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Those opposed to homosexual behavior are often charged with "homophobia"—that they hold the position they do because they are "afraid" of homosexuals. Sometimes the charge is even made that these same people are perhaps homosexuals themselves and are overcompensating to hide this fact, even from themselves, by condemning other homosexuals.
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Both of these arguments attempt to stop rational discussion of an issue by shifting the focus to one of the participants. In doing so, they dismiss another person’s arguments based on some real or supposed attribute of the person. In this case, the supposed attribute is a fear of homosexuals.
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Like similar attempts to avoid rational discussion of an issue, the homophobia argument completely misses the point. Even if a person were afraid of homosexuals, that would not diminish his arguments against their behavior. The fact that a person is afraid of handguns would not nullify arguments against handguns, nor would the fact that a person might be afraid of handgun control diminish arguments against handgun control.
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Furthermore, the homophobia charge rings false. The vast majority of those who oppose homosexual behavior are in no way "afraid" of homosexuals. A disagreement is not the same as a fear. One can disagree with something without fearing it, and the attempt to shut down rational discussion by crying "homophobe!" falls flat. It is an attempt to divert attention from the arguments against one’s position by focusing attention on the one who made the arguments, while trying to claim the moral high ground against him.

The Call to Chastity.

The modern arguments in favor of homosexuality have thus been insufficient to overcome the evidence that homosexual behavior is against divine and natural law, as the Bible and the Church, as well as the wider circle of Jewish and Christian (not to mention Muslim) writers, have always held.

The Catholic Church thus teaches: "Basing itself on sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357).

However, the Church also acknowledges that "[homosexuality’s] psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. . . . The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s cross the difficulties that they may encounter from their condition.

"Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection" (CCC 2357– 2359). - Source
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Links:
Support for Catholics with homosexual inclination:  http://www.couragerc.net/

Would you be worried?

Teaching about Fatima in Catholic schools.  Oh my.
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I came across a blog post by a Catholic dad questioning a worksheet his eldest child brought home from school asking what our Lady of Fatima had revealed to the seers during the apparitions in 1917.  The subject matter struck the dad as "quite odd".  The fact that he found it quite odd strikes me as quite odd.  After all, Fatima is an approved apparition, with a great deal of official Church support, frequently visited and referenced, even promoted by popes, and lest one forget, the message of Our Lady at Fatima was explained and well documented by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 
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In addition, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima is fixed in the Roman Calendar, albeit observed as an optional memorial outside of Portugal and titular parishes.  (Optional memorial doesn't imply optional belief.  When an apparition is approved - the Church is declaring it is worthy of belief; when it is assigned a liturgical feast, I'd say it can not be so easily dismissed as optional to accept.)   Therefore, why wouldn't a Catholic student learn about such things in a Roman Catholic school?  If I were a parent, I'd be concerned about a great deal more that can find its way into the curriculum of our Catholic schools.

That said, while it is true private revelations are not part of the deposit of faith, and Catholics are not obligated to follow them, Catholic piety and devotion as well as the liturgy, recognizes, includes, accepts and encourages the faithful in such practices.  It should be remembered that the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes has been extended to the Universal Church, the shrine itself an international destination for pilgrims.  Likewise,  the feasts and devotions of the Brown Scapular and Miraculous Medal - both sacramentals originating from apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, have been established throughout the Universal Church; there is a feast of OL of the Miraculous Medal, and a feast of OL of Mt. Carmel.  Of course, Our Lady of Guadalupe is a solemnity in many places in the Western Hemisphere, and commemorated by Spanish speaking countries everywhere, yet she is the patron of the Americas.  All three of these devotions originated with apparitions, that is, private revelations.

As the Catechism explains:  "Throughout the ages, there have been so-called private revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church.  They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith.  It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history.  Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church." - CCC 67

"Yet even if Revelation is already complete, it has not been made completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries." - CCC 66

The Blessed Virgin introduced nothing new at Fatima, she simply reiterated authentic Catholic teaching:  As one famous priest stated, "Our Lady came to Fatima as Mother and Catechist."

"Father, Lord of heaven and earth, to you I offer praise; for what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children." - Matt. 11:25

Photo source.

Congratulations Bishop Sirba

Te Deum Laudamus!
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The Holy Father has named Fr Paul Sirba, 49, vicar-general of St Paul and Minneapolis, as bishop of Duluth, succeeding Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, who was named coadjutor of Cincinnati a year ago this month.

This is the 5th bishop I actually know!  Fr. Sirba is one of the kindest, holiest priests I have ever known.  He is friends with Bishop Christensen in the diocese right next door to his... what a pair.  God bless them.

I will miss Fr. Sirba very much.

H/T to Ray for sending me the announcement after he found it on Whispers... 

This is as good a time as any to mention that these guys were not at all ambitious for such honors - being named bishop was most likely never even on their radar screen.  "He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly!"
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Prayers and best wishes for Bishop Sirba.  Read more here.

Teresa de Jesus

Happy feast day.
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I found a site with some of the saint's Letters.

What?

Day of recollection in preparation for the feast of St. Teresa.

Who is Tessa Bielecki?

For starters, she's no longer a monk.
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Tessa Bielecki cofounded the Spiritual Life Institute with Fr. Wm. McNamara, and lived there as monk and Mother Abbess for almost 40 years. She now lives alone in a log cabin in the wilderness outside Crestone, Colorado, where she writes and teaches. Tessa recently created the Desert Foundation, an informal Circle of Friends who explore the wisdom of the world’s deserts, focusing on peace and understanding between the three Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. She was one of the first teachers at Naropa University’s Buddhist-Christian dialogue in the 1980s and considers that experience pivotal in her life. She is the author of several books and CDs on St. Teresa of Avila, and recently recorded Wild at Heart for Sounds True. - Source
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Watch out for New Age false mysticism.

Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, 1917

Please remember in your prayers my friend Michael R. who is undergoing brain surgery today.  Thanks.  (Michael has been a regular reader of my blogs from the beginning.)

Christopher Columbus, Third Order Franciscan.

The "Columbian" evangelization.
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Columbus was not only a good man. He was extraordinary.
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"What is not commonly known is that the growing power of the followers of Mohammed had closed the normal pathway from Europe to the Orient. In God's providence, this is what occasioned the search for another way to the Indies. Most historians claim that this was the dominant motive for Columbus going west so that the wealth of the East might be found. The Book of Prophecies shows the opposite. Commercial interests were certainly prominent in the minds of others. But Columbus had deeper spiritual interests at heart. It was surely part of God's mysterious design that Columbus should have planted the true faith in the New World at the same time that Islam was overrunning Africa, the Near East, and was being driven out of Southern Europe.
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As early as 1493, Columbus wrote a letter to the Royal Treasurer of Spain in which he speaks of the discovery of the New World as a great victory. Yet, it was not a victory by force of arms but a victory of bringing the truth to people who were sitting in the darkness of unbelief. He wrote, "Since our Redeemer gave this victory to our most illustrious King and Queen and to their famous realms, in so great a manner, it is fitting for all Christendom to rejoice and to make celebrations and give solemn thanks to the Holy Trinity with many solemn prayers for the great exultation which it will have and the turning of so many peoples to our holy Faith."
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Franciscan tertiary.
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All that we know about Columbus testifies to his having lived up to his Franciscan Rule. We know that he would wear the Franciscan habit, especially when he appeared before the Royalty or nobility. Except for the Franciscans with whom he stayed before leaving on his historic voyage, he would never had received the entree to Ferdinand and Isabella which opened the door to the New World. He went to confession to Franciscan priests. He would spend long periods of time in worshiping before the Blessed Sacrament in Franciscan chapels. When he left Palos, Spain on August 3, 1492 to cross the Atlantic, he left his son in the care of the Franciscans at their monastery.

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There was one feature of Columbus' Franciscan spirituality that by now we have seen was dominant in his historic discovery. It is the zeal of St. Francis, as expressed in his Rule of Life, "To go among the Saracens or other unbelievers." As we know, Francis himself did the incredible thing of personally visiting the Moslem Sultan in the Near East to bring him the Gospel of the Christian faith. To this day, Franciscans are the authorized guardians of the sacred places in the Holy Land." - Fr. Hardon on Christopher Columbus

Rafael Arnaiz Baron

Rafael was canonized today in Rome.

Didget on the march on Washington...

“He knows this march is happening, and he can’t even acknowledge it?” said Robin McGehee, 36, a co-director of the march.


Sweetie, he did the same thing with the Tea Party marchers, so at least take comfort in the fact that in that category, gays have achieved a semblance of equality.  Alas, the President ignores you, too. See, at only about 2% of the population, well, he's just not that into you. And he knows that liberals - and I am guessing a lot of gays fall into that category too - have a codependent relationship with him, like a battered spouse. Y'all will forgive him and after stamping your feet, return to the fold. You can't help yourselves.

After all, you still like Bill Clinton and he gave you both the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and the Defense of Marriage Act.

By the way, when the New York Times says "thousands" came out and there is no wide angle shot of the Mall, it was less than 10,000. Maybe even less than 5,000. - Digital
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I know!  Thanks Didget!

Teresa of Avila

Last evening I watched episodes of the Spanish film Teresa de Jesus, produced in 1984 as a mini-series for Spanish television.  It is an absolute jewel of a film and the saint is magnificently portrayed by the Spanish actress Concha Velasca, who I think bears a remarkable resemblance to Teresa.  The series is faithful to the writings of St. Teresa which, if one is familiar with them, one recognizes the scenes or recalls her wonderful descriptive prose describing the events and the persons involved, not to mention her teaching on prayer.  Watching this film is the next best thing to actually being  present with her in these circumstances.  The historical accuracy is incredible for a theatrical production.  One of the most edifying aspects of the series is how it traces Teresa's conversion story - she is a wonderful saint for sinners.

Last evening I watched the episode which included her friendship with a wayward priest, to whom she made her confessions and sought guidance.  (Read Peers translation here - Chapter 5 of Autobiography.)  I was touched by her charity and reverence for his supernatural vocation despite her knowledge of his infidelities.  It was through her friendship with the the priest that he was able to break free of an adulterous affair.  The lesson was well taken, and hopefully from now on I may follow suit and become less chastening in my remarks concerning errant clergy.

St. Teresa's feast day is this Thursday, October 15.  If you haven't read her, try to do so - I found her Autobiography to be the best place to start - it contains excellent teaching on prayer.  Her style is easy to understand.  I think the very best translation of her work has been done by the Institute of Carmelite Studies.  Her Life (Autobiography) is available in Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. I through Amazon.com
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Art:  Communion of St. Teresa, Claudio Coello.  St. Peter of Alcantara giving communion to St. Teresa of Avila.  Source - I had copies of paintings done by this company before - their work is excellent - perfect hand painted copies of the original at very modest prices.     

Mother of God

October 11 was once observed as the feast of the Divine Maternity of Mary, but in the reformed calendar the feast is now commemorated on January 1.
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Between the Orthodox and the Latin rite, I think there is some sort of feast day for Our Lady every day.
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Fr. Hardon on Devotion to the Divine Maternity.