Marijuana use approved for Caenacle Retreat Centers.

Who knew?
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"Contemporary life is just too stressful for the average contemplative," stated Sr. Mary Jane Hemp.  Sr. Hemp explained that limited use of marijuana seems to help in centering a retreatant's focus.  "Our community promotes Catering Prayer made simple through drugs.  Ideally peyote is our first drug of choice, but we are not a native American community and therefore are not authorized  for its use.  Since medical marijuana is widely available for use, we've selected it to spiritually medicate and relaz - err, relax our retreatants.  The community enjoys it as well" 
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As the interview continued, Sr. Hemp appeared to be disinterested in discussing marijuana use for meditation.  When asked to further explain the benefits of the practice, Sr. looked puzzled, giggled and then replied,  "What?"
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The interview ended abruptly.
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Editor's note:  Caenacle retreat centers are staffed by a new contemplative religious community of 'hermits' of Diocesan right, known as the Sisters and Brothers of the Higher Power.  The community was originally founded as a nursing order (see photo), but later decided to go completely contemplative.  They now operate for profit religious retreat centers in undisclosed remote areas in the Arizona/California desert regions.  They also offer Oriental healing and massage, as well as yoga - in addition to hair styling make-overs.  Catering Prayer seems to be the most popular however.  The community refers to it as Catering Prayer due to the fact that the religious serve snacks during meditation.  The rather corpulent Sr. Santa Marta Basuco, procurator for the communtity explained, "You see, marijuana tends to increase the user's appetite."
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Brother Founder

Terry Jones or Wayne Sapp? The preacher(s) who burned the Quran - and set ablaze Muslim anger.

Arrogance and misplaced zeal.

Editor's note:  The first report I read and linked to below, names Wayne Sapp as the actual Quran burner, but now it seems Terry Jones is taking the credit for this act of idiocy, since he's the so-called head of the Dove Outreach Center, and seems to be calling the shots.  Fanatics are hard to follow.
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On Sunday "Rev." Wayne Sapp, a member of the Dove World Outreach Center, torched a copy of Qur'an claiming that the holy book had been found "guilty" of crimes in the course of an eight-month trial and was therefore "executed." - Source
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Fanatics call unto fanatics.
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MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) – At least eight foreign U.N. workers were killed, two of them beheaded, on Friday in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif after a demonstration against the burning of Korans by a U.S. preacher, a regional police spokesman said.

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"Eight foreigners were killed and two were beheaded," said Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, a police spokesman for the northern region.
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Over a thousand protesters had flooded into the streets of the normally peaceful city after Friday prayers, and after two or three hours violence broke out. - Source
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People will condemn the Muslim extremists for this - and rightly so.  But over zealous fanatics like Sapp seem to me to be just as quilty.  I wonder if he is self-righteously pleased by all of this?   
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Photo:  "Minister" Sapp.  I'm confused - Sapp burned the Quran, but Terry Jones presided over it?  So they are both to blame, right?  But Terry Jones is shouldering it?  They are both false prophets.  I have to wonder what Sarah Palin thinks.

Bishop Aquila: Sound teaching.

Don't go to strangers...
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Avoid self-appointed prophets and visionaries.  At last the Church in the U.S. is getting  courageous and outspoken bishops defending the Truth of Catholic doctrine.  From Bishop Aquila:
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"Bishops and priests should not apologize or make excuses for the teachings of Christ and the Church, Bishop Aquila exhorted. Rather, they should teach with “charity and unhesitating truth.”

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The exercise of Church authority faces challenges because secular culture “makes man into god” and undermines any authority attributed to God. Bishops and priests should turn to Jesus Christ to learn how to exercise their authority in governing the Church, the Fargo bishop said.
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Jesus was “direct” in calling people to conversion and to change their way of acting and thinking, he pointed out.
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“This directness makes many of us uncomfortable today.
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“We should follow his example and language, even if we do not use his precise words. His language is good to contemplate and definitely should challenge us to look at how we correct the faithful, including priests and bishops, and speak the truth especially with those who say they are with Christ and the Church but do not accept the teaching of Jesus and the Church.”
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Jesus’ “forceful” language towards the Pharisees and Scribes “would never be tolerated today” but the Gospel writers did not hesitate to pass down his words, Bishop Aquila said.
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“In love Jesus makes these direct statements to open the eyes of those whose hearts and minds are hardened. His straight talk, given in love for the person, desires the conversion and holiness of the person to the ways of God,” the bishop explained.
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“(T)oo many people understand correction or punishment as not loving the other or as dominion over the other, and this is the work of ‘the father of lies.’ A reluctance or hesitancy to correct and properly punish does not invite the other into the truth that frees and ultimately fails in true charity.
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“As servants of truth, of Christ, we will correct those who sin for their own good and for the love of the other, even if it leads to our own persecution and rejection,” Bishop Aquila said. - CNA

Presidents and Demons.

"The devil made him do it" and modern day prophets and their excuses...

It just ain't conservative Catholics and Fundamentalists who fear Obama may be infected with evil. Louis Farrakhan seems to thinks so too.
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"Warning that destruction could be on America's doorstep because it oppresses “God's chosen people,” Minister Louis Farrakhan, the controversial Nation of Islam leader, defended Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi today, calling the U.S. action in Libya hypocrisy.
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Speaking from the pulpit of Chicago's Mosque Maryam, the Nation of Islam's international headquarters, purchased 40 years ago with a $3 million loan from Gadhafi, Farrakhan blamed demons for altering President Barack Obama's moral conscience and driving the assault on Gadhafi, who he calls a brother.

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“It is a terrible thing for me to hear my brother called all these ugly and filthy names when I can't recognize him as that,” Farrakhan said to the crowd assembled at the mosque on Chicago's South Side. “Even though the current tide is moving against him … how can I refuse to raise my voice in his defense? Why would I back down from those who have given so much?”

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On Thursday, Farrakhan said scenes from an earthquake- and tsunami-ravaged Japan inspired him to warn the American people about an impending natural disaster that will punish them for their arrogance.

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“A major earthquake is on the way to you and me and us,” he said. “Death and destruction is at the door of all of us, and we are worse prepared than the Japanese.” - Source
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Wow!  He sounds just like Christina Gallagher and so many other visionaries warning America!
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Seriously, this is what "we" sound like to others when we blame the devil for everything, or call  our opponents Nazis and Commies all of the time.  Men have free will and are capable of making their own choices, plans, and agendas.

So far the best thing about the Fr. Corapi story:

Some questions regarding his business and religious life have been answered.
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1) Fr. Corapi was given freedom to conduct his ministry more or less independently of SOLT.
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2) Though wearing a habit of a mendicant for a time, it appears he was permitted to have his own private company and residence.  A report from the National Catholic Register:
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"He made Santa Cruz Media a for-profit company, he told his superiors, in order to have the proper freedom to proclaim the Gospel without any fear of raising issues that might threaten the company’s tax-exempt status.  He said he would pay his taxes and proclaim the Gospel fearlessly. Father Flanagan allowed him to manage his own funds. No one knew it would become so big.
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Nevertheless, the vice president of operations of Santa Cruz Media, Inc. described Corapi's for-profit production company as a “secular corporation and not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. As such, we are not under the jurisdiction of any bishop or other official in the Catholic Church.” - Fr. Corapi's Superior offers a look into the SOLT's relationship with the priest.  
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Then to whom is Fr. Corapi accountable?  I noted on another site that he does not have faculties in the diocese in which he lives.  I'm aware that his superiors are investigating the allegations against him, but he seemed to be acting as a free agent up until now.       
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"There is great gain in religion..."
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Link:
Assessing the Fr. Corapi Case  Be sure and read the comments.

Marriage Prep.

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Quick, report this one to Bill Donohue too.

Equality Matters: Gay watchdog group for media and communications goes after priest.

Never heard of the group.
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I'm sure most of you haven't either.  Nevertheless, the gay activist group is going after a priest for teaching Catholic doctrine to his Catholic high school students.  And yet so many activists insist that special rights for homosexuals would never impinge upon religious liberty.  So here's the deal...
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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 29, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Catholic priest has come under fire from homosexual activists for “anti-gay indoctrination” after he taught his students what the Catholic Church teaches about homosexuality in his high school course on gay “marriage.”

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Equality Matters, a media and communications group for homosexual rights, on their website accused the chaplain of Indianapolis’ Cardinal Ritter High School of “spouting a stream of homophobic and offensive falsehoods about same-sex marriage and gay people in general to a classroom full of students.”
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Fr. John Hollowell, chaplain and teacher at the private Catholic high school, had posted the videos of the lectures on YouTube and his personal blog last week.

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In the lectures he explains Catholic teaching on homosexuality. However, his presentation was denounced as “anti-gay lecturing” by the media watchdog group, who said that the priest “calls homosexual acts ‘an abomination’, advocates for ex-gay therapy, and rails against same-sex adoption and marriage by comparing homosexuality to alcoholism and prostitution.”
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In the videos, however, Fr. Hollowell is seen challenging his students to think about and discuss the “difficult” issues of homosexuality and homosexual “marriage.”

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He points out that the Bible, in Leviticus 20:13 and other places in the New Testament, calls “homosexual acts” an “abomination.” “You have two options,” he says, “God is cool with homosexuality, homosexual acts, I should say … or what the Bible and the Church say about it is correct … There’s no middle ground on that issue.”
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The priest refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official book of the teachings of the Church, which states that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,” and condemns any form of “unjust discrimination” against them.

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However, the Catechism also states that homosexual inclinations are “objectively disordered” and homosexual acts are “acts of grave depravity.” “Under no circumstances can they be approved,” it says, explaining that people with the homosexual inclination are called to chastity. - Finish reading here.
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My comments.
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The group actually twists Church teaching, claiming Fr. Hollowell's catechesis was “anti-gay lecturing”.  They point out that Father's use of Biblical references calling homosexual acts "an abomination" is unjust discrimination - it is not - and they insist Fr. Hollowell advocates for ex-gay therapy as a solution to homosexual attraction.  That is not true.  

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It should come as no surprise that Equality Matters spokesmen are deliberately misinterpreting what Fr. Hollowell has taught.  Much of the pro-gay propaganda these days is manipulated and exaggerated.  Truth be told, Father has not advocated for ex-gay therapy, in fact he repeats Church teaching regarding persons with homosexual inclination, teaching that they “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,” and (he) condemns any form of “unjust discrimination” against them.

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Hollowell argues that the position he advocates is one of compassion. “If you’re struggling with homosexual attraction, the Church’s first message is compassion,” he told his students, “helping them overcome it is not the first inclination.”
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Programs such as Courage are in place to help people “who want it,” he said, “we’re not out there telling people they need to change.” - Source


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Prayers for Fr. Hollowell and his students.
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H/T Paula and Pewsitters

Affectation

Phonies... it's epidemic these days.

af·fec·ta·tion/ˌafekˈtāSHən/Noun

1. Behavior, speech, or writing that is artificial and designed to impress.

2. A studied display of real or pretended feeling: "an affectation of calm".
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Isn't that interesting?  I think many people are affected and actually believe it is a good thing - that it is their 'better side' as it were.

Remembering Two Holy Men for March.

Faithful models of holiness in ordinary life.
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It is the end of March and I forgot to write about one of my patrons, Blessed Alberto Marvelli.  His birthday was March 21, but I misread the autobiography I have in Italian and I transposed his age at death with the date of his birth - so I was waiting until March 28 to write about him.  Naturally, checking his stats, I realized my mistake.  Confused?  So am I.
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However, a very holy young man from these parts, who could be a canonized saint one day, was born in March and also died in March - March 20, 2000.  Charles Untz.  I was reminded of him while reading The Little Way blog.  It appears that devotion to Charles is spreading.  (His memorial card shown above.)  To learn more about him visit his family's website dedicated to Charles, My Lady's Knight.
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Blessed Alberto and Charles, pray for us and with us.  Amen.

The John Corapi Affair.

Some thoughts...
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One risks being called a bad Catholic if one expresses reservations concerning this very public story about this somewhat famous priest, currently accused of sexual misconduct and drug abuse.  As most of my readers know, the priest, Fr. John Corapi issued a public statement last week concerning canonical, non-criminal investigations into the charges against him as a result of a whistle blower former employee, described as disgruntled, and letters she sent to more than one bishop.  Corapi's superior's, not the bishops, called for the investigation and as is customary, placing Corapi on administrative leave in the process - at least until the investigation is completed.
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It is hardly an attack upon the Church, priests, or the priest under investigation, to question the one sided version of this story made public by the man accused.  Catholics have been pretty much shell shocked since the height of the sexual abuse scandal and cover-up throughout the Catholic Church.  The stories keep on coming, most recently involving Fr. Euteneuer, a famous American priest.  Not too many months prior to the Euteneuer case, the Catholic faithful were scandalized by the Fr. Maciel revelations of a double life.  Locally a few priests have had their personal double lives exposed as well.  This is stuff Hollywood movies are made of.  Hence, when another accusation surfaces - thinking Catholics actually pay attention to details, and they ask questions, even sorting through possible evidential signs of behavior and statements by the accused.
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One particular misstatement made by Fr. Corapi's 'company', of which he is the head, owner, director - what have you, states that Bishop William M. Mulvey of Corpus Christi, Texas, acted illicitly in removing Fr. Corapi from public ministry.  The spokesman for Corapi's company, Bobbi Ruffatto claimed the Bishop acted improperly and that the USCCB's policy of removing accused priests from active ministry after such accusations is wrong.  That statement echoes Fr. Corapi's personal statement regarding the events.
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The truth is, Corapi's congregation enacted the suspension, not the diocese.  It is curious how that fact could be obscured.  Obviously, I am not the only person to question such things.  From my local Archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Spirit:
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Fr. Corapi's company...
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"A representative of the media company owned by Father John Corapi challenged the action to place the popular speaker on administrative leave from priestly ministry, saying that it was illicit under “several points of canon law.”

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Bobbi Ruffatto, vice president of operations at Santa Cruz Media, Inc., in Kalispell, Mont., charged in a posting on Father Corapi’s Facebook page March 25 that Bishop William M. Mulvey of Corpus Christi, Texas, acted improperly, according to canon lawyers consulted by the company.
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The statement offered no specific citations of canon law.
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However, Marty Wind, director of communications for the Diocese of Corpus Christi, disputed Ruffatto’s claim that Bishop Mulvey placed Father Corapi on leave. He said the action was taken by officials of the priest’s order, the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity in Robstown, Texas.
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"We have been clear from the beginning that the bishop of Corpus Christi was notified by the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity that the administrative leave was imposed by the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, not the bishop of the diocese,” Wind told Catholic News Service March 25.
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Wind said that although Father Corapi was placed on leave, “it’s been the position of the Diocese of Corpus Christi from the outset that the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise is of the highest importance.”

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Calls and emails from Catholic News Service to Santa Cruz Media requesting comment from Father Corapi and Ruffatto were not returned.
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Online records with the Montana secretary of state list John Corapi as the registered agent for the company. A company with the same name also is registered in Nevada and online records in the secretary of state’s office there indicated John A. Corapi holds the office of president, treasurer, secretary and director. - Catholic Spirit
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Links to other writers who have been objectively and dispassionately watching the case as it unfolds:
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Elizabeth Scalia

Deacon Greg Kandra

Tom O'Toole

Mark Shea

Military Chaplains face court-martial for 'religious, conscience' objection to homosexual conduct?

Curtailing of religious liberties to be enacted?
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Can this be true?  And yet they said this could/would never happen.
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The U.S. Army has officially threatened military chaplains they must either embrace the new openly homosexual military, resign from service, or face court-martial for their "religious, conscience" objections. The Pray In Jesus Name Project has obtained leaked copies (unintended for media disclosure) of a private briefing given to chaplains, threatening them with court-martial unless they compromise their Christian message.
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Christian Chaplains who speak out against homosexual sin can be accused of "harassment" by homosexuals and face disciplinary action simply for voicing their religious views outside the "context" of their religious ministry.
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[Chaplains' interpretation: The phrase "vocational reflection" is not-so-subtle code language meaning "reconcile with homosexuality or find another line of work." The phrase "do NOT tolerate harassment" is code language for "don't speak against sin, for ANY reason, or you the Chaplain will be disciplined for quoting the Bible, and the homosexual protected."] - Source

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“Gay marriage will affect you and you should be concerned. And there’s a lot we can do.” - Bishop Tobin
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Advocates of gay marriage hope to convince us it just isn't so, insisting legalized same sex marriage will never result in churches being forced to go against their teaching and perform gay weddings or host receptions for same sex couples. 
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Bishop Tobin, Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island recently warned about the implications the recognition of same-sex “marriage” would have for religious liberty:

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“We’re familiar with other examples of the gay agenda infringing on religious freedom,” he said, noting how Massachusetts required the Catholic Church to place children for adoption with homosexual couples and how some countries have charged Christian preachers of hate crimes for voicing Christian doctrine about homosexual practices.
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“Proponents of gay marriage say that the Church won’t be forced to witness such marriages. Don’t believe it,” he said, warning that the Church may be required to admit homosexual couples as sponsors for baptism, to rent its facilities for homosexual wedding receptions, or to hire employees despite their immoral lifestyles.
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“For simply maintaining its teachings in these and many other possible scenarios, the Church will be accused of bigotry and unlawful discrimination. The threat to our religious freedom is real, and imminent,” he said. - Source
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H/T Pewsitters

Today is Teresa of Jesus' Birthday.

She was born on March 28, 1515.

And yet I try to be diplomatic...

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New Paintings

Be forewarned!

Considering all of the painting I've been doing lately, I only have 2 new ones I consider suitable to show online. I know some of you are offended by nudity, so please be advised that one of the paintings is titled, "Nude Beach". I provided a detail above. If you dare, check out my art blog here.


What?

Contraception, the original sin of modern times: Redux

More voices acknowledging the fact.
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Contraception is the underlying factor responsible for today’s scourge of unwed pregnancies, single-parent families, sexually transmitted diseases, deficient fatherhood, and high abortion rate, says a prominent family expert.

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“Since the introduction of contraception, everything else has fallen,” said Patrick Fagan, director of the Family Research Council’s Marriage and Religion Research Institute, reported CNS.
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Addressing the annual conference of the Frederick Douglass Foundation in Washington, D.C. last week, Fagan cited “alienation of men from women, the breakdown of marriage,” and “sex outside of marriage” as a few of the tragic results of contraception use. The foundation is a black, faith-based organization.

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“Universally, in all the history of Christianity, contraception was always seen as a grave sin against God,” he said, “a sin by which one lost divine life and the soul.”
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Planned Parenthood’s birth-control campaign, said Fagan, was the beginning of the societal scourge.
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“The first family targeted by Planned Parenthood in the late 30s, early 40s was the black family,” said Fagan.
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The abortion giant campaigned in low-income, black neighborhoods. That campaign, said Fagan, is partly responsible for the breakdown of the black family as well as a host of other consequences affecting society at large.
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Black families had remained intact until the 1930s when the American Birth Control League, later renamed Planned Parenthood Federation of America, implemented their pro-abortion agenda on the minority group, he said..
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“By the late 1960’s, after ‘family planning’ clinics were widespread, there was a clear pattern of a preponderance of them being in black neighborhoods.” - Source
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An interesting comment on the Lifesite post, cited here:
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“In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there [Poland and Russia] had as many abortions as possible. Active trade in contraceptives ought to actually be encouraged in the Eastern territories, as we could not possibly have the slightest interest in increasing the non-German population. … We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman’s health. … It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions [“clinics”] and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics.”  - Adolf Hitler, Tischgesprache im Fuhrerhauptquartier, 1941-42.

Mass Chat: The great facade: Reputation and Honor.

Pride in external goods. (From I Want To See God,  Fr. Eugene-Marie, OCD)
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"The external goods in which one takes pride are all those that secure honor and consideration for their possessor, and therefore exterior advantages and qualities; such as beauty, fortune, fame/name, rank, honors.  These goods simply constitute a facade - brilliant perhaps - which, as we know, conceals our interior poverty very effectually.  And yet we like to dwell on them in secret admiration of our own supposed excellence, and we display them to win honor and praises.  But the world is not deceived; after satisfying what convention requires, it reserves to itself the right to pass interiorly the severe judgement of justice.
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This pride, the most foolish but also the least dangerous because exterior, is ordinarily the first to give way before the light of humility (humiliations).  In her Life, St. Teresa of Jesus writes::
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Thus the soul "is weary of the time when it paid heed to niceties concerning its own honor, and of the mistaken belief which it had that what the world calls honor is really so.  It now knows it to be a sheer lie and a lie in which we are all living.  It realizes that genuine honor is not deceptive, but true, that it values what has worth and despises what has none; for what passes away, and is not pleasing to God, is worth nothing and less than nothing.  It laughs at itself and at the time it set any store by money and coveted it. [Life, xx; Peers]
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I see some people whose actions are very holy and do such wonderful things that everyone is astonished at them!  God bless me then!  Why are such souls still on earth?  How is it they have not reached the summit of perfection?  What is the reason for this?  What can it be that is impeding one who is doing so much good for God?  Why?  Simply because of his punctiliousness about his reputation.  And the worst of it is that this sort of person will not realize he is guilty of such a thing, the reason being that sometimes the devil tells him that punctiliousness is incumbent upon him.  [...]  Such a concern is a thing which harms the soul whenever it occurs, but in the life of prayer, it is pestilential.  [Life, xxxi; Peers]
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A day will come when the soul will enjoy a quiet laugh when it sees 'men of prayer making a fuss about niceties concerning their honor'; for it will know very well 'that if they subordinated the authority due to their positions to the love of God they would do more good in a day than they are likely to do as it is in ten years.'" - I Want To See God, Humility; Marie-Eugene, O.C.D.
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Icon:  St. John of Egypt - March 27 is his traditional feast day.

Confession is good for the soul.

Thanks be to God for the sacrament of Penance.
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The Holy Father said it is good for humility - both for the penitent and the priest. 
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As regards the penitent, the Holy Father explained; "an integral confession of sins 'educates the penitent in humility, in recognition of his own fragility and, at the same time, in awareness of the need for God's forgiveness and trust that divine grace can transform life.'  In an age characterized 'by noise, distraction and loneliness,' said the Pope, 'the penitent's conversation with the confessor can be one of the few, if not the only occasion to be truly heard and in profundity.  To be received and heard is also a human sign of the acceptance and goodness of God to his children," he said." - Zenit
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Link:
The Catechism: On The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Bishop Paul Dudley, a man falsely accused.

Bishop Paul Vincent Dudley (November 29, 1926—November 20, 2006)
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Bishop Dudley was a local bishop accused - more than once - of sexual abuse.  The cases stretched back to the 1950's.  Bishop Dudley was a very holy priest, one sensed that immediately upon meeting the man.  He was meek and humble and full of charity - much like his Master. 
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He barely uttered a defense of himself when accused, except in an effort to avoid scandalizing the faithful, he declared his innocence saying,  "I totally deny these allegations. They are brutally unfounded."  To my knowledge, never did he defend himself further, nor ever castigate his accusers. 
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After the last accusation concerning a minor altar boy from the 1950's, the bishop made the personal choice to voluntarily withdraw himself from priestly ministry until the investigation into the charges were concluded.  He acted thus to avoid adding to the spectacle of the flurry of media coverage on the sexual abuse scandal which swept the nation at the time. 
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Bishop Dudley was soon exonerated of all charges.  Speaking of the ordeal afterwards he stated, "While living under the cloud of these accusations has been one of the greatest challenges of my life, I never lost faith and confidence that the truth would prevail."  His reputation was never even tarnished by the false accusations, in fact, his reputation for sanctity increased.
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The beloved, saintly Bishop Dudley died in 2006, at the age of 79.  He seems to me to be a good example to all of those who are falsely accused.
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More information here.

The sin of pride - more grievous than sins of the flesh.

THE DEFECTS BORN OF PRIDE

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The principal defects springing from pride are presumption, ambition, and vainglory.
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Presumption is the desire and inordinate hope of doing what is above one's power.(16) The presumptuous man believes himself capable of studying and solving the most difficult questions; he settles the most abstruse problems with rash haste. He fancies that he has sufficient light to guide himself without consulting a director. Instead of building his interior life on humility, renunciation, fidelity to the duty of the present moment even in little things, he speaks particularly of magnanimity, of apostolic zeal, or indeed aspires to the immediate attainment of the high degrees of prayer without passing through the various stages, forgetting that he is still only a beginner, whose will is still weak and full of egoism. He is still full of self; a great void must be created in him in order that his soul may some day be filled with God and able to give Him to others.
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From presumption springs ambition, under one form or another. Because a man presumes too greatly on his powers and judges himself superior to others, he wishes to dominate them, to impose on them his ideas in matters of doctrine, or to govern them. St. Thomas (17) says that a man manifests ambition when he seeks offices carrying with them honor which he does not merit; when he seeks honors for himself and not for the glory of God or the profit of others. How many schemes, secret solicitations, and intrigues ambition inspires in all walks of life! (18)
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Pride leads also to vainglory, that is, the wish to be esteemed for oneself, without referring this honor to God, the source of all good, and often a wish to be esteemed for vain things. This is the case of the pedant who loves to display his knowledge, binding himself and wishing to bind others to trifles.(19)
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Defects from vainglory.
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Many defects spring from vainglory: (20) boasting, which easily makes a person ridiculous; hypocrisy, which under the appearances of virtue, hides vices; stubbornness, contention or asperity in defending one's opinion, which engenders discord; and also disobedience, sharp criticisms of superiors.
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The way of perdition.
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Thus we see that pride which is not repressed sometimes produces disastrous effects. How many discords, hatreds, and wars are born of pride! It has been justly said that pride is the great enemy of perfection because it is the source of numerous sins and deprives us of many graces and merits. Scripture says: "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (21) And Christ says of the Pharisees, who pray and give alms in order to be seen by men: "They have received their reward"; (22) they cannot expect that of our heavenly Father, since they have acted for themselves and not for Him. Lastly, a life dominated by pride is grievously sterile and presages perdition unless a remedy is promptly applied. - Garrigou-Lagrange

"It was good for me to be afflicted..."

"To learn your statutes." - Ps 119: 71
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The more I think about the Fr. Corapi affair, the more I see it as a good thing.  I speak from experience.  Without going into personal detail, I can tell you that to be accused, shamed, and ostracised - deservedly or not - though painful, difficult and troubling, is always providential and grace-filled.  If one prays, there are always great lessons to be learned.  It is purifying to the soul, and if one is perfect (I'm not - maybe Corapi is) it can be redemptive and reparative for others.  Our nature rebels at first, but after reflection, self-examination and prayer, we find our peace and equilibrium in Christ, our rock.  While the mountains of our reputation tumble into the sea, and the facades of our own or other's construction tumble down, we are brought back to our early love and dependence upon God alone.  We turn once again to God's mercy and love that once found us broken and battered in the gutter of personal sin.  God alone is good.
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"Though proud men smear me with lies, yet I keep your precepts." - Ps. 119: 69
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I should probably look it up for the actual passage in her works, but St. Teresa scolded her nuns for being too concerned about their reputations and honors, while she disdained any income for her foundations.  One must not forget that she herself was subject to the Inquisition without complaint.  There is so much to learn from the humility and example of the saints.  And of course we can't forget, John of the Cross was imprisoned and persecuted by his own congregation.  These troubles were the source of great graces for the saints - just as our troubles can be for us... "It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn your statutes."
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I find it edifying that we are all praying for Fr. Corapi, some of you even participating in public novenas, hoping that Father will be exonerated; but what is more interesting is how we pounce on those who have been accused of similar things, justly or falsely, and because they may not be as 'conservative' as a Corapi, we fore go any defense or support and set out to vilify and condemn those who by their office, we are still obliged to show respect and obedience.  It is good to be afflicted in conscience about our double standards and bias.
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Good lessons to ponder here I think - at least for me.
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"The season of judgement has begun, and begun with God's own household." - 1 Peter 4: 17
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Annunciation

Some Catholics are quite thrilled because they can eat meat today and break their Lenten fast as well, since the Annunciation is a Solemnity.  That's kind of cute, don't you think?  It seems so juvenile for some reason.  It must rejoice the Heart of Jesus - "let the children come to me!" 
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Art: Annunciation, John Collier.  Contemporary religious art is so refreshing sometimes.

Servant of God, Oscar Romero, March 24

Sharing the lot of the saints in light.
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I almost missed the anniversary of his assasination, only to be reminded of it because President Obama visited Archbishop Romero's tomb this past week.  I recall having been deeply moved when I heard about his death - learning that he had been shot during the consecration and elevation of the chalice.  
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Drinking the cup of the Lord:  "My chalice you will indeed drink..."
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Romero was shot on 24 March 1980, while celebrating Mass at a small chapel located in a hospital called "La Divina Providencia", one day after a sermon where he had called on Salvadoran soldiers, as Christians, to obey God's higher order and to stop carrying out the government's repression and violations of basic human rights. According to an audio-recording of the Mass, he was shot while elevating the chalice at the end of the Eucharistic rite. When he was shot, his blood spilled over the altar along with the contents of the chalice.

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On the tenth anniversary of the assassination in 1990, the sitting prelate archbishop of San Salvador, Msgr. Arturo Rivera, appointed a postulator to prepare documentation for a cause of beatification and canonization of Romero. The documents were formally accepted by Pope John Paul II and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1997, and Romero was given the title of "Servant of God". The process continues today with further investigation of the heroism and martyrdom of Romero. Upon the declaration of heroism and martyrdom, it is expected that Romero will achieve the title of "Venerable". If the decree finds that Romero was a martyr, there would be no further obstacles to his beatification. A declaration of only heroic virtue, however, would require that a miracle must be attributed to Romero in order for him to be declared Blessed. - Source

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Photo:  Moments after the Archbishop was shot.

Traditional Catholic Web Pages - Ratings: Tradition in Action

I never realised such websites were rated.
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From Catholic Culture:
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Tradition In Action:  Description

Tradition in Action claims to be "committed to defend the perennial Magisterium of Holy Mother Church and Catholic traditions. TIA also works for a restoration of Christian civilization, adapted to contemporary historical circumstances."
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However, TIA's members attempt to do this by ridiculing the Roman clergy, the Pope, and many prominent Catholic leaders and religious. Their manner of presenting pictures and commentary completely aside from any context is both a misrepresentation of facts and disgraceful to the Church and Her hierarchy. While ostensibly seeking to reinstate traditions in the Church, this site ridicules the living Tradition of the Church’s Magisterium and therefore, it cannot validly claim a right to defense of Holy Mother Church. We recommend avoiding it altogether. - Link
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And to think I would link to stories and photos on that website.  Uber-trads can be as dangerous as the ultra-liberals, and both undermine the Magisterium.




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Policy Note:  I am now using Comment Moderation for all comments.

An example of recovering one's reputation...

It's not impossible.
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"Cardinal Bernardin's public life was far from "over" after the allegations of pedophilia against him were proven false. He went on to have a very successful career as Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Chicago and authored a wonderful book on the value of suffering." - Commenter on Lessons from the allegations against Father John Corapi.

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Bernadin was certainly a well known Churchman - even outside of the Church.  Of course the Cardinal's reputation has been totally destroyed, and just about all of his works demonized by 'the many' since his death from cancer, but he certainly suffered all of his trials gallantly and heroically.  Humility is a very great virtue. 

Archangel Gabriel

Supreme commander of God,

Minister of His divine glory,

Leader of the angels and instructor of men:

Ask for us great mercy and that which is profitable,

In that you are the supreme commander of the incorporeal hosts.

Heavy Snow in Minneapolis.

No - that is not a code for coke.
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They closed adoration at my parish today.
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I also have to shovel/snow-blow again.
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Do you know it is kind of faithless to complain about the weather?  At least Angela of Foligno thought so - she pointed out that Christ subjected himself to all sorts of inclement weather, and was obedient.
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I wonder why we are always surprised when some misfortune happens to us?  As if we deserve otherwise?
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I love how Teresa of Avila used to scold people for being so concerned about their honor and their rights - reminding them of the humiliations Christ submitted himself to.
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Even the saints found religious people tiresome.

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Top photo:  Montreal - I'm pretending Minneapolis is that charming.
Lower photo:  Heavy snow in Avila.

Remembering Dame Elizabeth

She was a caring, loyal, loving woman.  Love covers a multitude of sins.  May she rest in the mercy of God.

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Elizabeth Tayor

February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011
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Another post on the Fr. Corapi Accusations.

"The blogosphere has been crackling..." Greg Kandra
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Fr. 'I'm so well known that the damage is irreparable' Corapi.  I was thinking about that statement.  That's a pretty high opinion of oneself.  I haven't noticed anything on national news regarding this story - just online Catholic sources.
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When these stories come out about priests I am always shaken.  It bothers me and tempts my fidelity.  While pondering the Corapi discussion, I've concluded that even if Fr. Corapi is innocent of the accusations, I believe this whole interruption to his life and career just might be good for him and his followers.  We believe in Divine Providence, right?  God draws good out of evil, right?  Perhaps this is a correction, a needed break to step back and examine the 'business' Corapi is about?  Maybe the 'for profit' deal isn't the way to go when fulfilling the mission to 'preach the Gospel without charge'?  Discounting the business part, maybe it is a good reminder just how fallible human beings are and that we ought to place our faith and trust in God alone - not 'princes'.  
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I've never read the Deacon's Bench before, but today I came upon some objective commentary on the Corapi affair not found elsewhere online.  Most of Corapi's middle American fan base seems ready to defend the priest to the death and come close to condemning anyone who dares to suggest the accusations just might make sense.  In the beginning I liked Corapi - although I never thought he had the greatest elocutionary skills, but he pretty much lost me during his copyright wars over his material and speaking tours, not to mention the death threat drama and security detail he incorporated into his entourage.  None of that meant he can't preach the Word of God however - Jim Baker, Ted Haggert, Jimmy Swaggert, and other televangelists have brought many a soul to Jesus Christ as well.
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Though it is extremely difficult and shameful to be accused unfairly - believe me I know how that feels; after all is said and done, it seems to me to be conformed to our Master through accusation and persecution may not be such a bad thing - at least to the extent of not complaining and saying "Why me?"  "No servant is above his Master."  Unless the servant begins to imagine he is, and then humiliations clear that misconception up - if we're lucky.
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Fact is, we all need purification, and no one is his own master.  And troubles are the lot of the Christian in these times.
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UPDATE:  A friend sent me this link to an even better commentary: Regarding Father Corapi: I Wish This Were Less Predictable

The Consequences of Our Personal Sins.

The way you look.
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Mortification is clearly imposed on us by reason of the effects of our personal sins. Renewed actual sin engenders a habitual bad disposition which, when grave, is called a vice or at least a defect. These defects are habitual modes of seeing, judging, willing, and acting, which combine to form an imperfect mentality, a spirit which is not that of God. And sometimes they translate themselves to our exterior, so much so that someone has rightly said that at thirty or forty years of age every man is responsible for his own countenance, according as it expresses pride, self-sufficiency, presumption, contempt, or disillusionment. These defects become traits of character, and little by little God's image is effaced in us.
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The things you did can come back to haunt you.
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When sins are confessed with contrition or sufficient attrition, absolution obliterates sin, but it leaves certain dispositions, called the remnants of sin, reliquiae peccati, 24 which are, as it were, im­printed in us, like a furrow in our faculties, in our character and temperament. Thus the seat of covetousness remains after baptism. It is certain, for example, that although a man who has fallen into the vice of drunkenness and who accuses himself of it with sufficient at­trition receives together with pardon sanctifying grace and the infused virtue of temperance, he preserves an inclination to this vice, and, unless he flees from the occasions, he will fall again. This trying inclination must not only be moderated, it must be mortified, made to die in order to unfetter both nature and grace.

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The same is true of our unreasonable antipathies. They must be not merely veiled, not only moderated, but mortified, because they are seeds of death. That from this point of view an idea may be formed of the necessity of mortification, we must bear in mind the numerous vices that are born of each of the seven capital sins. For example, from envy are born hatred, slander, calumny, joy at the misfortune of another, and sadness at his success. From anger, which is opposed to meekess, come disputes, fits of passion, insults, abusive words, and at times blasphemy. From vainglory spring disobedience, boasting, hypocrisy, contention through rivalry, discord, love of novelties, and stubbornness. St. Thomas lays emphasis on each of these vices which spring from the capital sins (25) and which are sometimes more grave than they. The field of mortification is consequently very wide.  Three Ages, Garrigou-Lagrange
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Photo: Keith Richards, sporting the hard-rockstar look.

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Please pray for Theo.

Theo is my friend Angela's uncle.  He lives in the Netherlands.  He has a terminal illness and is scheduled to be euthanized this coming Friday, feast of the Annunciation.  Please pray for him and his family.  I pray Our Lady of the Angels to dispatch her angels to intervene in this matter.  Our Lord specifically asked that we pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy for the dying.  How important that is makes so much sense in a situation like this.
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It is nothing less than stunning that euthanasia has become routine in the Netherlands.

With all that is going on these days...

These days there's so much going on
No one seems to want to know... - Talking Old Soldiers
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"Odious to the Lord and to men is arrogance..." - Sirach 10:7
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"For they preach but do not practice... they widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.  They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces... Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." - Matt. 23: 1-12
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"I will correct you by drawing your sins up before your eyes." - Ps. 50
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God loves humility so much...

Refocusing for Lent.

Only God does not deceive - He can neither deceive nor be deceived.
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"That our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for GOD's sake, which we commonly do for our own.
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That it was lamentable to see how many people mistook the means for the end, addicting themselves to certain works, which they performed very imperfectly, by reason of their human or selfish regards.
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That the most excellent method he had found of going to GOD, was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men, [Gal. i. 10; Eph. vi. 5, 6.] and (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of GOD. 
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That it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times.
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That we are as strictly obliged to adhere to GOD by action in the time of action, as by prayer in its season. 
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That his prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence of GOD, his soul being at that time insensible to everything but Divine love: and that when the appointed times of prayer were past, he found no difference, because he still continued with GOD, praising and blessing Him with all his might, so that he passed his life in continual joy; yet hoped that GOD would give him somewhat to suffer, when he should grow stronger. 
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That we ought, once for all, heartily to put our whole trust in GOD, and make a total surrender of ourselves to Him, secure that He would not deceive us. - Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, Practice of the Presence of God
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Put not your trust in princes,

in man, in whom there is no salvation. - Ps. 146

Pictures at an exhibition...

Story.

Father Zuhlsdorf: On Priests, Holiness and Avoiding Spiritual Peril.

Excellent advice.  The best I have ever read.  Go read it.
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Thank you Father Z.

The goatee: Orgins and meaning.

A more or less unconscious statement about virility and temperament.
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Throughout history facial hair on gentlemen has been an important grooming statement for the man, often dictated by fashion and convention, facial hair can be said to be representative of a man's need to assert his masculinity and status.  Simply by his attentiveness to detail and by his carriage, the perfectly groomed gentleman announces his genteel taste and superiority to the public.  Whereas the poorly groomed, scruffy bearded man reveals his disinterest in material wealth and honors, and more often than not his lower status.  He may be a student or artist - whose disinterest is demonstrated by a nonchalance about his appearance - much like the monk, whose identity is frequently associated with the lowly and the poor.
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The goatee on the other hand, gives the wearer a quite distinct identity from all other beards.  Originally the goatee was seen as a fashion fop for the very vain and pompous, a characteristic which endures to this day.  Of course it became identified with the intellectual and creative elite as well.  It was also adopted by the avant garde to distinguish themselves from the bourgeoisie in the 20th century. 
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Likewise, as the name indicates - goatee - the beard is modeled after the he-goat, hence the beard became associated with evil and the occult.  Pop-culture demonstrates this frequently in media and practice, especially when worn with shaved heads.  The goatee also can make a sexual statement.  In cases of shaved heads and highly styled goatees, it can signal a shaved body as well as other erotic accessories and proclivities - otherwise not perceived by the uninitiated.
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Like body piercings, most men have no idea the significance of their fashion statements and how they are perceived by the public.
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What?
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Disclaimer:  This post has absolutely nothing to do with anyone living or dead.  Please be advised that I made the entire thing up as well.  It kind of makes sense though. 
    

Fr. Corapi Accused: I think I solved the mystery...

Impostor.
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If the accusations turn out to be true, and I hope not, it wasn't the real Fr. Corapi - it was an impostor.  I think these photos are irrefutable proof.
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Surprised?  Don't be.
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As everyone knows, Paul VI was replaced with an impostor who did all of the damage to the post-Vatican II Church.
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Then there is the Sr. Lucy of Fatima impostor - they bumped off the real Sr. Lucy and had the impostor pretend the Third Secret of Fatima was actually revealed in it's entirety.  Who were they trying to kid?
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I know!  Makes no sense.  So, I'm moving on now to more serious matters.  Why I get caught up in these things I do not know.  And yes I am praying for Fr. Corapi.

The expanded war.

“The disturbing news coming from Libya has awakened in me fear and trepidation,” Pope Benedict told the faithful in St. Peter’s Square after the traditional Sunday Angelus prayers. He reported that he had made a “special prayer” about the state of affairs in Libya during his Lenten spiritual exercises last week. - CNA
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I'm consoled by the fact that the Holy Father can also be afraid.

FLOTUS and POTUS: Photo-Op in Brazil.

Sheesh!  What the hell is Michelle wearing now?
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What?

Rainy Sunday Morning Mysteries: Apocalypse Now.

See you at the rapture.
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Franklin Graham said that the earthquake in Japan could be the birth pangs spoken about in the Bible preceding the second coming of Jesus.  I think that thought may have crossed many a mind - but it's not cool to talk about stuff like that because we all know that no one knows the date or the hour it will happen.  I did find it interesting that he felt the earthquake was of such magnitude  however.  And then, after some thought, I realized something...
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No. 9, No. 9, No. 9....
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The Beatles song, Revolution No. 9 - of course!  The Beatles were like Prophets!  The world is fomented by revolution.  The Islamic revolution, neo-Marxist revolutionaries like Chavez and Obama, the gender revolution, the cloning revolution, the drug cartels.  And then, and then - the Japanese disaster - the 9.0 quake.  No. 9, No. 9, No. 9....

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Factoids you probably did not know...
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The Number Nine
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The number nine is a most remarkable number in many respects. It is held in great reverence by all who study the occult sciences; and in mathematical science it possesses properties and powers which are found in no other number.*
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* Among others may be mentioned (1) that the sum of the digits which form its multiples are themselves always a multiple of nine; e.g., 2 x 9 = 18 (and 1+8=9); 3 x 9 = 27 (and 2+7=9); 4 x 9 = 36 (and 3+6=9); 5 x 9 = 45 (and 4+5=9), etc., etc.; and so with the larger numbers: 52843 x 9 = 475587 (and 4+7+5+5+8+7=36, and 3+6=9). (2) The sum of its multiples through the nine digits = 405, or 9 times 45.
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It is the last of the digits, and thus marks the end; and is significant of the conclusion of a matter.
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It is akin to the number six, six being the sum of its factors (3x3=9, and 3+3=6), and is thus significant of the end of man, and the summation of all man's works. Nine is, therefore, the number of finality or judgment.
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The Number of Finality or Judgment

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The number of finality or judgment is committed unto Jesus as "the Son of man" (John 5:27; Acts 17:31). It marks the completeness, the end and issue of all things as to man—the judgment of man and all his works.
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It is a factor of 666, which is 9 times 74.
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The gematria of the word "Dan," which means a judge, is 54 (9x6).
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"th orgh mou" (tee orgee mou), my wrath, = 999 (Hebrews 3:11).
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The solemn amhn (ameen), amen, or "verily," of our Lord, amounts also to 99, summing up and ending His words.
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The First Contest

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(Genesis 14)
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The first contest is a battle between the 4 kings and 5 (=9).*
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* The Gematria of verses 3 and 4, Genesis 14, which describe the rebellion and the battle, is 5655 (13x435). And verses 4 and 5, which describe the coming of the four kings, = 5590 (13x430). Thus the rebellion verse binds the war and its cause together. Verse 9, also, which describes the battle, is 4732 (132x28).
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The swift vengeance of Abram, verses 13-16, = 10738 (13x7x118).
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The standing of Abram before Melchisedech (Melchizedek) = 19019 (13x7x11x19). Thus with Abram we find not only the 13, but 7 marking the spiritual character of himself and his mission.
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And here it is - the clincher - hang onto your remotes!
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Sodom

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Genesis 19, recording the judgment of Sodom, is marked by multiples of nine. Verses 4-29 amount to 89550 (9x9950, or 9x50x199). The same is seen if we divide it into sections:—
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•Verses 4-18. From the riot in Sodom to Lot's plea for Zoar is 50733 (9x3x1879).
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•Verses 19-25. From Lot's plea to the overthrow is 24543 (9x9x303).
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•Verses 26-29. From "Lot's wife" to the end of the history is 14274 (9x2x13x61).*
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* It is interesting to note that in the midst of all this, the words which refer to the deliverance of Lot, "Haste thee" (v 22) to "out of the midst" (v 29), give a multiple of 8, the Dominical Number; it is 25304 (8x3163); while four of the verses of this section (25-28) are each separately multiples of 8; their total sum being 11312 (8x1414). The sum of the whole chapter is a multiple of 13.
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We see the same phenomena in the account as given in the Second Epistle of St. Peter. As we do also in the judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem. - Source
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Michael Brown, eat your heart out.

Mass Chat: Nothing much to talk about.

Moonstruck
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Mass was rather quiet last evening - I like that.  Before Mass started however, they announced that someone left their car running with the keys in the ignition - turns out it was an old lady in her 90's.  Someone had taken care of it and the usher returned her keys after she identified herself.  She uses a cane and I'm sure it is an event to get in and out of her car.  People smiled and even chuckled a bit.  Lately I've been noticing a lot of ageism - people making fun of old people and stuff.  Some people want geezers dead.  Haven't you read that kind of stuff on blogs?  "I can't wait until those liberals die off."  Or, "The ageing hippies will soon be dead, yay!"
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It was cloudy last night and I couldn't see the full moon.  I watched Moonstruck instead and missed my old neighborhood and all of my old friends - who are dead of course.  Talking Old Soldiers - my favorite song by Elton John speaks to that.
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I am working on my painting of Cardinal Burke - it is one of three I'm planning.  This one is a serious one.  As I paint him, concentrating intensely upon his face - every little wrinkle in fact, I realize he is a very 'nice' man.  I can tell he is very warm and compassionate, charitable and somewhat humble.  It surprised me because he likes a lot of grandeur.  His ring is huge, and of course he obviously loves the cappa.  I want to paint him in the biretta next, and then do something with the galero outfit.  If I complete these, I will have done 4 paintings so far of Cardinal Burke.
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Oddly enough, a couple of comments on Fr. Z's blog post of the the Cardinal in the galero suggested Burke as papabile.  Wishful thinking I hope, but I'm plussing as to why they would see him as the next pope?  The comments are always amazing on Father's blog anyway.
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Home For Purim!

Purim begins today, March 20.
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h/t Adrienne