What is Barbara Marx Hubbard doing at the LCWR?

Editor's note:  Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle, who has been charged by the Vatican with responsibility for supervising a reform of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), has been told by the group’s leaders that his presence “would not be helpful” at the LCWR’s annual assembly this week.

What does the Catholic Church have in common with the New Age?

Marx Hubbard is New Age.  Marx Hubbard is a Theosophist.  Marx Hubbard is an agent for change.  One doesn't have to depend on documentation from anti-Catholic Protestant Fundamentalist sites to know that.  One doesn't have to be an occultist to know it either.  Just read anything from Barbara Marx Hubbard, visit the website, connect the dots of her references.   Spiritualists such as Marianne Williamson, a New Age author many Catholics - religious and laity - enjoy reading, is also what I would call a co-agent for change, admired by Marx Hubbard.  If this isn't evidence that inclusive-minded, dissident, women religious and dissident Catholics have embraced heretical teaching - I don't know what is. 

I will post a few sections with familiar buzz words - signal expressions common in many parishes and religious ed programs these days - all from Hubbard's web site:

Synergetic Community. In the developmental path it is soon obvious that one cannot fully express and manifest unique creativity in chosen work in a world that is dissonant and unreceptive to our vocations. We cannot change large systems, or fix dysfunctional systems. We do what Bela H. Banathy calls for, “transcend and create” through the visioning of the ideal state and then creating design spaces to work toward that state, realizing new potential by building upon unfolded potential.

 “The evolutionary quantum jump, the big change, will happen in our myriads of communities, living and acting all over the evolutionary landscape. They will become the forces of conscious evolution”

Key words: co- evolution, co-creation, community, synergy, vision.

Conscious Evolution - agents for change.

I’ve realized that the psycho-spiritual evolution of the individual is going much faster than the societal transformation is able to keep up. Though we have many wonderful initiatives in terms of transforming society as a whole, it’s still quite embryonic.

You will be like gods:   

As we become aware as a species that we have tapped into these “powers of the gods” we realize we can guide these powers, and we must ask ourselves: toward what? What is the meaning of our new powers? In our existing religions, there’s really no social vision or developmental path to direct these powers. This is not to diminish the role religions have played, for they have provided us a transcendent potential toward which we can move; whereas our secular liberalism offers no such transcendent potential or vision. It’s basically a humanitarian ideal of comfort for everyone. But while we need to attend to these humanitarian needs, the human spirit will never be satisfied by simply being fed, housed and clothed.

There are theories suggesting that Gaia, this living system, is itself intelligent.

We can apply these ideas to ourselves. To consciously participate in this experience rather than merely being a passive witness, we can identify ourselves with the conscious Force seeking to manifest through evolution, developing our untapped cocreative potential. In my own efforts at self-evolution, I hold three aspects of consciousness in my heart simultaneously: I am an expression of the Whole Story of Creation; I am a vital participant in expressing my creativity to serve that Evolution and my own evolution; and thirdly, I am one with Source. This is Evolutionary Consciousness.

The quality that distinguishes evolutionary consciousness is that you feel the emergent potential within yourself and you are driven with a passion as great as the desire for self-preservation and self-reproduction, but turned now toward self-evolution and self-expression for the sake of yourself and the world. - Foundation for Conscious Evolution

 I think it is telling that a major Roman Catholic organization is publicly hosting an occultist to address its assembly.  It is really just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as to how deeply the Catholic Church in the United States is infected by New Age spirituality - typically based upon evolved anthropological/psychological/spiritual consciousness. 

This stuff is nothing to joke about or make fun of.  It is serious precisely because it is epic delusion, and the salvation of many souls are at stake.

Addendum:  What does Marx-Hubbard think of the Catholic Church?

Asked if she has seen a paradigm shift in Catholic theological circles:

"I'll never forget when I was staying with a group of nuns in South Bend, Indiana, during a Fourth of July weekend. I was there at the same time that WorldCom and Enron were falling. And there was a Catholic priest there named Diarmuid O'Murchu who wrote a book called Quantum Theology. Anyway, he got up and he said, "Evolution was working for billions of years before organized religion, and it will be working for billions of years after organized religion." And then, as a Catholic priest speaking to a group of nuns, he said, "The Catholic Church will not hold, because not only is the story wrong but the hierarchy is wrong. The structure is wrong. The whole thing is wrong." And the nuns all stood up and cheered! Now, they loved Jesus. It had nothing to do with not loving Jesus. And I suddenly thought, "Maybe this is the way it has to happen. Hierarchical, mechanistic structures are not adequate for an interactive, conscious, evolutionary world." And those structures are going. What we hope is that they don't collapse too fast and lead to complete chaos.

Incidentally, I think that all the major world religions were founded in an earlier phase of human evolution by people whose consciousness clearly was way beyond the ordinary  - Source

Catholic news stories are beginning to sound like blogger-parodies...

Agents of Conscious Evolution

Truth is stranger than bad writing.

I just read a story about a really bad Jesuit:

A Jesuit priest is encouraging al-Qaeda terrorists, financed by President Barack Obama, to bomb Catholic Churches in Syria for “ethnic cleansing” purposes, as revenge against Syrian President Bashar Assad for expelling him from the country.

According to the Star, “a Jesuit thrown out of Syria for criticizing Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy forces is visiting North America and will be in Toronto Friday and Saturday. He’s bring a message to fellow Christians and others: ‘it’s un-Christian and immoral to be fretting only or mostly about the possible plight of the Christian minority in post-Assad Syria, while doing little to save the overwhelming majority of Syrians being massacred by the Assad regime.”

Rev. Paolo Da’ll’ Oglio is calling Syrian Christians Bosnian-style “war criminals” and accuses them of “sowing sectarian divisions.” He’s hoping that Obama deploys the US military to launch a terror campaign against innocent Syrian Christian civilians. - Source

Then there is the LCWR story du jour: Crackpots of the Noosphere:

Barbara Marx Hubbard, an evolutionary thinker who is to speak this week before the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, is not Catholic or part of any mainstream religion. But she says she has faith in the future.

She will bring this message of hope to LCWR when she delivers the keynote address at the organization’s annual meeting Tuesday through Friday in St. Louis. The audience is likely to still be reeling from the criticism in a Vatican assessment that has shaken communities of sisters throughout the country.

“It’s a message of hope, of cooperation and alignment,” Hubbard said of the ideas she will explore in her speech. “How can we align that impulse to the deeper impulse of Christ in evolution, of God in evolution?”

Not that it makes any difference ...

Part of the Vatican order to LCWR calls for a review of the speakers to the group’s annual conferences. The Vatican’s doctrinal assessment found that “Addresses given during LCWR annual Assemblies manifest problematic statements and serious theological, even doctrinal errors.” - Source

Really?  Anybody wonder why the Vatican should be worried about the LCWR?

Hold onto your donut-cushions Sisters, Barbara Marx Hubbard isn't just a "theologian", she's a Theosophist - her idea of evolution aligns quite well with the Jesuit priest's 'peace-plan' to cleanse Syria of its Christian minority.  What follows is a bit of Barbara Marx Hubbard's theology, philosphy, err, theosophy:

"The destructive one fourth must be eliminated from the social body."

“Out of the full spectrum of human personality, one-forth is electing to transcend…One-forth is resistant to election. They are unattracted by life ever-evolving. Now, as we approach the quantum shift from creature-human to co-creative human the destructive one-forth must be eliminated from the social body…Fortunately you, dearly beloveds, are not responsible for this act. We are. We are in charge of God’s selection process for planet Earth. He selects, we destroy. We are the riders of the pale horse, Death.”    Barbara Marx Hubbard

“…people will either change or die,” for “that is the choice.” According to those who would concur with Hubbard, Christians will need to be more open minded so they too can receive the mark of the Antichrist. If they will not join with the global community and its agenda, they will be killed by the “opened minded” New Agers. She states that, “This act is as horrible as killing a cancer cell. It must be done (or the sake of the future of the whole. So be it; be prepared for the selection process which is now beginning. We, the elders, have been patiently waiting until the very last moment before the quantum transformation, to take action to cut out this corrupted and corrupting element in the body of humanity. It is like watching a cancer grow; something must be done before the whole body is destroyed…. The destructive one fourth must be eliminated from the social body.”  - Barbara Marx Hubbard. 

Remembering the victims of the Sikh Temple shooting.

Americans murdered at their place of worship.  Story here.

Prayers for the victims and their families.


At least Deacon Kandra posts about the tragedy.

Ah! Look at this!

"O Jesus, King of Love,

I put my trust in thy

 merciful goodness."

Jesus King of Love.

Dom Mark of Silverstream Priory, Stamullen, County Meath, Ireland, writes of the devotion to the Child Jesus, King of Love.  The new Benedictine priory recently received a wood carving of the Little King from a generous benefactor and friend of the monastery.  Fr. Mark summarizes the history of the devotion here:

The image of Jesus, King of Love is linked to the little invocation given by Our Lord to Yvonne Beauvais on 17 August 1922. Yvonne was sojourning at the Augustinian Monastery of Malestroit when Our Lord manifested Himself to her, and : "Say morning and evening, O Jésus, Roi d'Amour, j'ai confiance en votre miséricordieuse bonté. -- O Jesus, King of Love, I put my trust in Thy merciful goodness."

On 28 August 1922, the feast of Saint Augustine, the Doctor of Charity, the Superioress of the Monastery of Malestroit, at Yvonne's request, introduced the practice of reciting the little invocation every morning and evening. She did this without revealing the origin of the prayer and without mentioning Yvonne.

At first, the little invocation spread by word of mouth. In 1927 modest bookmarks bearing an image of the Sacred Heart were printed to promote the recitation of the prayer. In 1932 the Bishop of Vannes, France, approved the invocation for his diocese. The following year, Pope Pius XI indulgenced the prayer for the Augustinian Canonesses of the Mercy of Jesus, for their sick and for those hospitalized in their institutions. Pope Pius XII renewed the favour and, on December 6, 1958, Blessed John XXIII extended it to the universal Church. - Vultus Christi

Fr. Mark composed a consecration prayer, part of which I share here:

O JESUS, KING OF LOVE,
WITH TRUST IN THY MERCIFUL GOODNESS,we consecrate ourselves to Thee;
and offer to Thy Sacred Heart
all that we have received from Thee:
our life itself,
our strength, and our talents,
our desires, our works, and our humble efforts.
At the same time we offer Thee
our weaknesses and our inconsistencies,
our fears, our failures, and even our sins,
for there is nothing of ours
that Thy merciful love cannot redeem, and heal,
restore, and turn to Thy Father's glory. - Consecration 

I have found that devotion to the Sacred Humanity of Christ, particularly to his infancy and childhood can be efficacious for healing the seemingly incurable wound of sexual abuse, sexual disorder, and obstacles related to arrested emotional development.  The Child Jesus inspires confidence and love, and bestows counsel and fortitude, he quickly stills the most violent storms and passions.  Below, I added a couple of verses to Dom Marco's beautiful consecration prayer:

It is your Sacred Heart, O Jesus, King of Love, 

which is hospital for the healing of sick souls, 

a safe refuge for fearful and anxious souls, 

a school for the confounded and discouraged, 

a welcoming home for poor and restless souls, 

O Jesus, King of love, I put my trust

in thy merciful goodness.

 Link to an earlier post I wrote on Devotion to the Child Jesus.

What did Moses and Elijah discuss with Jesus during the Transfiguration?

Death and Transfiguration - Terence Davies Trilogy

"They appeared in glory and spoke of his passage, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem." - Luke 9:31

In other words, his passion, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.  In Matthew, Christ's prophecy of his passion, as well as his exposition of the doctrine of the cross, precedes the event. [Matt. 16:21-28]  As they descended the mountain, he repeated the prophecy, "The Son of Man will suffer..." [Mt. 17:12]

Take courage.

Triggers

Always there to remind me.

It seems to me that some people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse can experience a sort of post-traumatic-stress-disorder, even long after they assume they have already resolved and come to terms with issues related to the abuse and early sexualization, which happened to them so long ago.  Sometimes, the most obscure incident can act as a trigger, resurrecting memories of particular incidents.  Something as simple as a scent can initiate a flash back.  It still happens to me of course, but I'm more or less accustomed to the experience and seem to be able to handle it better than I used to do.

In the post immediately before this one, I mentioned the details of a specific incident which triggered one such memory.  When we were little - people who have gone through sexual abuse that is - we were usually not permitted to speak about it.  In fact, not only did we blame ourselves for those sins, anyone who ever found out about what happened, blamed us as well.  Hence we were always wrong about happened, how we felt, what we said, what we did, and so on. 

Believe me, I know what abuse is - in all of its forms.  I know what scandal is.  I know what post-traumatic-stress is.  I know what harm adult misbehavior and bad example does to kids.  I know how self-interested people try to stifle, or twist the  truth to fit their agenda or cover-up their crimes.  I know what it is like to have bad parents.  I know about the lives of gay men.  I know about repressed memories.  I know about implantation of memories by therapists.  I also know about being falsely accused.

Remember, what you do to kids, what you show to kids, what you do in front of kids, remains in their defenseless heart...  

I would rather have a millstone around my neck than be responsible for scandalizing a kid.

 

Kissing and Kiss-ins: Ruffling feathers at Chick-fil-A

So queer!

That was how we said things back when I was in high shool.  "So queer!"  It meant something was 'lame', 'dumb', 'gay', all meaning, 'so-not-cool', back in the olden days.  And I think the expression  works quite well for the Chick-fil-A kiss-in-fail.  I came across a couple of videos which showed a few same sex couples chomping at each other's mouths in a staged kiss - it was so dumb.  Probably really gross to any kid who might have seen it.  Yet, maybe there is no shock factor any longer?  So why do something so immature? 

The staged event reminded me of one of my 'first kisses' when I was just a little, stupid kid.  One of the men who molested me tried to kiss me, sticking his tongue down my throat.  I choked, but he was intent upon 'making-out' - kissing and hugging me.  I distinctly remember how I kept squirming, protesting, "Men don't kiss each other!"  But I was a kid - it didn't matter to that guy.

It's an ugly thing to corrupt the morals of a child.  An awful, terrible sin.

"See, here you have passed by a small child, passed by in anger, with a foul word, with a wrathful soul; you perhaps did not notice the child, but he saw you, and your unsightly impious image, has remained in his defenseless heart. You did not know it, but you may have thereby planted a bad seed in him, and it may grow, all because you did not restrain yourself before the child, because you did not nurture in yourself a heedful, active love." - Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov; Talks and Homilies

These people circle the earth and the sea in order to train their children, and they make them children of perdition twofold more than they themselves are. [Mt: 23:15]

Mass Chat: Mantilla sighting at my parish.

Charlene Wittstock, Princess of Monaco*

Looking good in a mantilla.

Third Sunday in a row - the woman in the mantilla. 

Recently our parish merged with another parish - and since the 'unification' Mass I've noticed several strangers at Mass.  One, an older woman, wears a mantilla, although she stands to greet those around her before Mass begins, applauds on key, and extends her hand for the sign of peace.  It's all good though.  It doesn't matter - I mean, look how beautiful the princess of Monaco looks in a mantilla - nothing wrong with wearing one if a woman feels so inclined.  I'm only mentioning the head covering because Fr. Z just did a post on women and mantillas - again.  Lots of mileage on that subject.

I noticed one commenter, obviously interested in starting another thread, mentioned women in pants - like it's a bad thing.  This stuff never gets old for some people, does it. 

Anyway - Speaking of trousers on women, I came across a really cool Armani ad: stunning model, dressed in one of his suits for women.  I like the look.  Which is why I scanned and posted the ad for Mass Chat.  Something different to discuss at Donutz and coffee for a change.

Here's another thought:

"Feminism can only occur in societies where men allow it." - Author unknown.

*Remember the Taki Magazine story claiming the Princess was drugged and forced to marry Prince Albert?  Apparently she's still there, married to the wicked Prince - and she loves mantillas.

After living alone for so many years...

Yeah, so - once there was a way to get back home...

Sharing the lot of the saints in light.

Devotion to the saints.

Today is the feast of John Vianney.  "Vianney!"  The devil used to taunt him, derogatorily commanding his name at him - like a gestapo agent.  Errraough!  The Saint quietly went about his duties, nonplussed.  I love St. John - others find him intimidating - too rigorous - forbidding dances and drinking and bawdy jokes - a prude, a Jansenist, and so on.  Yet when you read his sermons and consider his generous sacrifices, you see nothing but humility, sweetness, and charity.  Charity makes what seems harsh lovely and agreeable - even having one's bed set afire. 

Sharing the lot of the saints in light is the Christian's delight in this life and his beatitude in the next.  If something from their earthly life bothers you or seems incomprehensible to our ears - ignore it.  Look to what is attractive in their example - even if it is only the way an artist has depicted them - that is how the Holy Spirit is attracting you... grasping you. 

For instance, I was reading the life of St. Martin De Porres once, and in the narrative on his penances - which make no sense to contemporary standards - it was related how before dawn he would go to the lowest level beneath the bell tower of the church, where a slave would scourge his naked body bloody.  Way too S&M for my taste - no wonder some Dominicans got into ... never mind.  Anyway, I put the book down, never to take it back up to read again.  TMI.  I do not need to know that crap.  Instead, I prefer to share the lot of St. Martin in light; the light which emanates from his charity, his kindness, his contemplation amidst the duties of his state in life - the ordinary.  Thus you get an idea of what I mean about ignoring those cultural practices I don't understand - and what we are not called to imitate.

So.  If the saints condemned this or that which has become commonplace in our era - what is one to do?  Give up the faith?  No.  First, check your scruples with your confessor or spiritual director - especially if you think of scourging the hell out of yourself.  Then check the earlier, cultural discipline against what the Church recommends today - you can't be holier than the Church.  It's like the Communion in the hand deal.  Is that the norm?  Then you aren't sinning if you do likewise.

Fear is useless, what is needed is trust.

We need to have more trust in God, thanking him for having made us worthy to share the lot of the saints in light - he gives us the strength we need to deal with the present moment, to endure whatever may come - each day.  He it is, who in the saints and in ourselves, accomplishes even more than we could ever ask or hope for.  He chose us - calls us (vocare - vocation) in our own peculiar way - and no it is not 'individualism' - since he chose us in Christ before the world began to be holy and blameless in his sight.  This choosing makes us his handiwork - not ours.  He chose us - to be conformed to the image of his Son, not to the image of the saints - each saint is but a facet of of that image, just as we are destined to be.

So in that light, if when our heart is attracted to the secret encounter between the Child Jesus and St. Anthony - we are attracted to experience such an encounter.  Perhaps in the lectio of our morning prayer - sharing the lot of the saints in light...  We know the little Jesus emerged in light while Anthony ruminated the Scriptures... the Word became flesh in that moment of ecstasy.  We can share in that - our hearts burning within us.

Similarly, the vision of St. Paschal of the Blessed Sacrament amidst his scullery duties reveals to the simple how our daily duties can be lifted up as an offering, an active participation in the silent, loving action of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist... sharing the lot of the saints in light.

So the harshness, the all too wonderful accomplishments of this saint or that, and other discouraging feats posited from their lives, ignore it if it causes you to stumble; leave aside every encumbrance it poses for you - and look to the light the saints attract us with.  When we seek what is holy and good, full of light and truth, consoling in its mystery, we encounter the love of God - we share the lot of the saints in that light.  We can't appropriate their light for ourselves, we share in it.  The example of the saints serves to attract us to seek first his kingdom, his way of holiness, and then everything else falls into place.

Don't try to measure up, measure down.  Humility is more pleasing to God than accomplishing great feats of penance, dressing like a frump, condemning every thing and every one who doesn't fit the mold of a plaster saint.  God chose us - the weak of the world, those who count for nothing - to share the lot of the saints in light... to praise his glory.

Thoughts on Truth, Love, and Happiness.

From the author of Letters to Christopher.

I hesitate to embarrass the man by linking to another of his posts - he writes eloquently and beautifully on the subject of same sex attraction and fidelity to Catholic teaching on sexuality.  I try to write on the same subject, but I'm not able to do so with nearly as much sensitivity and charity.  Indeed, I've read comments on other sites where my name comes up and people have referred to Abbey Roads as "that horror of a blog".  LOL!  It reminded me of the line from As Good As It Gets when Simon referred to Melvin as an "absolute horror of a man".  I actually deserve the title because I'm such a dork - my humor is inappropriate and tacky, my comments can be sarcastic and mean, and I'm not the smartest writer online.  I'm too aggressive and lack sensitivity towards others who disagree or misunderstand what I'm trying to say.  Ah - worst of all - I make everything all about me.  Please accept my apologies - especially those of you whom I offended this past week or so.

That said, without the author's permission, I reprint here a few key points from his essay, Truth, Love, and Happiness - please read the entire post after the following excerpt:

The question that I always come back to when it is concerning love is this: what does it mean, to truly love another? Is love whatever we say it is? It seems that the definition of love we have now has essentially become exactly that. I say what love is, and no matter what that looks like, then it is love, because I define it as such. C. S. Lewis wrote about St. Augustine’s view of love and virtue this way, in Abolition of Man: “St. Augustine defines virtue as ordo amoris, the ordinate condition of the affections in which every object is accorded that kind and degree of love which is appropriate to it.” The classic definition of love in Christian philosophy through the ages has been, “to love is to will the good of the other,” which is akin with Christ’s definition, loving others as we would love ourselves. The caveat, in that, of course, is that we don’t always love ourselves in the ways in which we would if we could see ourselves through the eyes of God.

The call to love, I’ve become convinced, must be determined not by our particular concepts of love, or the way others may want us to show love to them, because in some cases, to acquiesce to the way some want to be loved is to actually not love them at all. I will tell you this: I recently went to a priest (I’m Catholic) and out of compassion, he told me to find a man and settle down with him, so that I can be happy. That was not love, though the priest believed he was loving me. His compassion towards me, and my loneliness, was not love, in the truest sense, since I know that my subjective concept of what I think might bring me earthly happiness is not the way that I will be happy, ultimately. Some aspects of my life which make me unhappy could be mitigated: I could have a companion to come home to, other than my dog; I could have a sexually active life and enjoy that aspect of the human existence; I could have someone to travel with and plan my life, but ultimately, those forms of happiness are not worth the cost of disobeying God.

God says no to us, and to me, in particular, because he loves me. The younger generation needs to understand that God’s commandments lead us to the blessed life, and one of the hallmarks of showing our love for God, as Jesus told us, is to “keep his commandments.” If you are a Christian with LGBTQ friends, and you urge them on in believing that God is “Side A,” or ever has been “Side A” concerning this subject, you’re not doing them any favors. You’re urging them on in believing a lie about themselves, about God, and about what will make them happy. - finish reading at Love, Truth, and Happiness

What this author says is pretty much all that I've ever wanted to say on my blog - but this guy says it more eloquently and honestly than I am capable of doing.  I highly recommend you read his blog and follow it:  It is Letters to Christopher - I really think the Holy Spirit is the author.

Thanks for reading.

Have to run  ...

I'm online, and I can hear the Olympics on TV in the other room...

Family of Acrobats - Picasso  1905

The acrobats - is that what you call them?  Oh - gymnasts, I think.  Anyway - evidently some of the American girl gymnasts are being interviewed, but their voices are so little, and they are talking so fast, they sound like chipmunks to me.  Now some Russian circus trainers are speaking, I think.  I'm not into the Olympics the way I used to be. 

Anti-Nuke Nun Arrested - armed and dangerous.

Look at those lifeless eyes!

The mean expression!

The arrogant smirk!

The filthy collar on her shirt!

Bloody shame.

The 82 year old religious sister - Sr. Meg, AKA Megan Rice, broke into a heavily guarded nuclear facility in Tennessee with two young male accomplices and painted slogans and threw what they said was human blood on the wall of the facility before they were arrested shortly before 4.30am last Saturday.  Full story here.

This is wrong on so many levels.  The woman is 82.  She was dressed in shorts and a filthy T-top.  She was out during the Grande Silence -  leaving the enclosure without her habit, and with two younger men.  They destroyed property - cutting through a fence, and then threw blood and painted slogans on the wall.  So sick!  They defaced Government property.  She - who more than likely comes from a convent that is regulated as a nuclear free-zone, walks shamelessly into a nuclear facility and contaminates herself and the young boys she forced to accompany her.  I know!  I thought she was against nuclear stuff?  Publicity hound.  Furthermore - how do we know the human blood was not contaminated with Ebola or AIDS?  Don't get me started on obedience.  (BTW - she's not allowed to ask for donations - but she's been good there.)

I thought the Vatican investigated these renegade, run-a-round, fly-by-night nuns?

What?

Caught red-handed.

Jacques Fesch is a good patron for you - and me.

Photo source.

You know who you are.

I like very much the meditation from today's Magnificat.  It stuns me every time I think about Jacques' rapid ascent in the short time between his arrest and execution.  He writes about faith:

I can see that faith is truly a gift of God.  One believes with the heart, without knowing why or even seeking to know.  The intimate certitude that fills one is enough.  Of all things, love is the most powerful. - Jacques Fesch 

Don't over think it: unlike atheism, it requires humility.

I also love his prayer, his insight considering how we do not know ourselves - it sounds very Teresian...

Lord, give us light.
How hard it is to love someone
 who does not love you,
to open to one
 who does not knock,
to give health to one
 who enjoys being sick
  who cultivates illness...
Have pity on those who have
 no pity for themselves. - JF

Art source.

Sign of Contradiction

You talking to me?

This past week, thousands have come to the defense of a restaurant chain and the owner's right to free-speech.  Thousands support the man in his religious convictions - and that's a very good thing.  I support the same causes. 

I've also lost friends and business in the process. 

This is very cool: Michele Bachman News...

For me, this news is proof Congressman Bachmann is NOT crazy:

The Thomas More Law Center today announced that Congresswomen Michele Bachmann (R- MN) has agreed to serve on the Law Center’s Citizens Advisory Board.

In accepting service on the Advisory Board, Congresswoman Bachmann stated, “I am pleased to join forces with the Thomas More Law Center. They are in the courts aggressively fighting the internal threat to America posed by radical Islam.”

Congresswoman Bachmann is a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. As a member of that Committee, she has steadfastly advocated for peace through strength to ensure America’s national security.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “We are honored to have the counsel of a tough, tested, true American patriot; a person who puts her country above politics, party and political correctness. She understands and shares our concerns about the internal threat to our nation posed by Stealth Jihad as well as maintaining the Judeo-Christian values that made this nation ‘the shining city on the hill.” - Read the entire press release here.

Works for me.

Toldja she was smart.  Yes I did.  I did!  Yes! I! Did!

H/T Raimundo della Stella

Getting high on bathsalts...

Drugs - more dangerous than ever.

The stories of crazed people chewing the face off of their victims, and others arming themselves against imaginary gangstas hiding beneath their house, along with news stories of others running naked through the streets terrorizing onlookers - most of these reports seem to be related to bath salts abuse.  Incredibly, adults who could probably get better drugs*, are even using this stuff. Not that ordinary drugs are safe: Many of the recent 'sudden, unexpected' deaths of celebrities and others have been attributed to prescription pain killer use.  Likewise, it may turn out that the shooter in the Colorado theater massacre numbed himself with Vicodin before committing the attack.  Drug abuse in this country is pretty insane.

It makes me wonder if the devil even has to bother with possession when drugs can do the work for him? 

I blame the perpetrators.

*Remember the Whitney interview with Diane Sawyer?  Houston corrected Sawyer insisting that she and Bobby never used tacky street drugs - that stuff is low-class.

The Porziuncola

IL PRIMITIVO CONVENTO DEI FRATI ATTORNO ALLA PORZIUNCOLA

the little portion
for little friars
of our little
father francis...
a little portion
of heaven
on earth...
a little place
in my heart -
enclosed
in a great basilica
of the immaculate heart
of the blessed
vrgin mary,
queen of angels
and
friars minor.

Porziuncola Indulgence

The norms and grants of indulgences were completely reformed by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council in his Apostolic Constitution "Indulgentiarum Doctrina" (1967), and the Portiuncula Indulgence was again confirmed at that time. According to the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, the Catholic faithful may gain a plenary indulgence on 2 August (the Portiuncula) or on such other day as designated by the local ordinary for the advantage of the faithful, under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), by devoutly visiting the parish church, and there reciting at least the Lord's Prayer and the Creed. The Indulgence applies to the cathedral church of the diocese, and to the co-cathedral church (if there is one), even if they are not parochial, and also to quasi-parochial churches. To gain this, as any plenary indulgence, the faithful must be free from any attachment to sin, even venial sin. Where this entire detachment is wanting, the indulgence is partial.

I still love this song...

Chic fille ...

Isabelle Blow

"That went well - the eat-in, I mean."

Chick-fil-A-ppreciation Day! Yay!

Notice the guy at the back in the tie-dye-T and plaid shorts.  I think it is too.

This hare piture wars sent ta me by Stella. [top - up der]  It shurs fulks ate Coffman Uniun ate tha Urneversitay o' Minnersoda Campuss, Manniapolis.

I kud not be thar in su-port, so saraously folks, su-port trad marriage and fray speech, freedom o' religion and all da stuff da gays ur tryin' to take erway.  Yup, I'm aginst da qay marriage crap too.

h/t to Ray at Stella for top photo.

Disclaimer:  2B sure:  I am against gay marriage and I support the Minnesota marriage amendment to protect traditional marriage, etc..  Likewise, I support businesses such as Chick-fil-a taking a stand on social issues, and so on and so forth, etc..  That said, it looks to me everyone waiting in line to place their order today enjoyed themselves - this post was done in that exact same spirit. 

BREAKING!  Update at 17:39 CST  Crescat and the other Catholic blogs at Patheos were down.  Kat and Fr. L posted on Chick-fil-A-ppreciation day - and now there blogs have gone black.  You know what they say - Once you go black, you never come back.  If something happens to my blog, notify the authorities.

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal

1925-2012

RIP

The "bitch" is dead.

Before Christopher Hitchens there was Gore Vidal.  He loved to fight and rile conservatives - a trait which, if there was anything likable about him, I appreciated and found rather entertaining. 

Though he had the reputation of being 'gay' he insisted he wasn't.  He hated such labels and limitations and tended more towards the notion of sexual fluidity.  A longstanding feud with William F. Buckley originated from a Buckley insult calling Vidal 'a queer' - that in retaliation to Vidal's fingering Buckley as a 'crypto-Nazi'.  Intellectual bitch fights.  Vidal battled Capote and Norman Mailer in much the same way.

He himself boasted there was no love in his heart:  “I’m exactly as I appear. There is no warm, lovable person inside. Beneath my cold exterior, once you break the ice, you find cold water.”  At least he was honest, although there must have been more warmth than he let on - he had cats and dogs.

All in all, he was a brilliant man.  Fortunately for him, he appeared to have found solace in a deep friendship with his companion, Howard Austen - once noting, 'the secret of their relationship was that they had never slept together.'

In every one there is good, perhaps in that first step into eternity, encountering such mystery, he was able to let himself be loved. 

Saint's relics...

Heart of St. John Vianney

Un-corrupted.

I'm not aware of any brains remaining incorrupt are you?  Saint's bodies and body parts, such as St. Anthony's tongue, St. Catherine's hand, remain incorrupt - but I'm not aware of incorrupt brains specifically.  That said, it seems to me the most extracted body part venerated as a relic has been the heart.  Not the brain.*

The heart.

*However, I did read somewhere that St. Gemma Galgani's brain remained incorrupt - But I can't verify it.

Some random thoughts you neither have to read, nor agree with...

In Christ there is no 'gay' or 'queer'...

There isn't - there can't be.  He is the perfect man, the complete man.  Likewise, as scripture tells us, in Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female, but Christ is all in all - the Christian is truly a new creation; the old man has died - our authentic self is hidden with Christ in God.  There is no separate, special spirituality, no new anthropology, in fact, in Christ we are re-formed in the image of our Creator, God, our Father, in whom there is nothing queer - nothing disordered.  Hard for some to hear - and believe, but it is true. 

Today, for some, the argument appears to be little more than parable, no longer relevant or comprehensible to our highly evolved, enlightened 21st century intellectual and spiritual consciousness.  Many refuse to listen to what they perceive as a memorized script of traditional interpretations of scripture, as well as doctrine and dogma, recited over and over by 'naive' believers, who are easily dismissed as uncritical followers of what the Church teaches.  Yet it is precisely through Catholic teaching that one comes to know and accept one's true identity in Christ.  As one author puts it, "things which are already clear to believers are to be made obscure" so that, as yesterday's Gospel affirms, 'seeing, they do not perceive, hearing they do not understand.' 

To paraphrase a selection from the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola printed in Magnificat:

Some want to be free of their attachment to their sexual orientation, but they want this to be in such a way that they will still retain possession of that identity; so God is to approve what they themselves want, and there is no decision to relinquish it (in order to go to God), even if it might be better for them if they did.

“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike." - Matthew 11:25

 

Editor's note:  As many readers know, I am struggling to understand the gay-Catholic identity phenomenon.  I removed this post because I was afraid it came off as judgemental of those who appear to promote 'queer' identity - that is not my intent.  Readers asked that I restore the post - so here it is.  Moving on ... 

St. Ignatius of Loyola

art source

Ignatius of Loyola, July 31, 1556, was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation. Loyola's devotion to the Catholic Church was characterized by unquestioning obedience to the Catholic Church's authority and hierarchy. - Biographical details here.

It doesn't matter.

I wrote about that the other day, but then took it down. 

I should have just kept it in the post.

It doesn't matter.

Two monks, each 105 years old, die on the same day, July 29, 2012.

One an Athonite, the other a Trappist... born on opposite sides of the world, in 1907... die on the same day.

 The Athonite, Fr. John of Hilandari.

Fr. John of Hilandari

Today, Sunday 29 July 2012, the oldest living monk on Mount Athos reposed in the Lord. Fr. John of Hilandari was 105 years old. He lived at the Serbian Monastery of Hilandari.

Fr. John was born on 10 May 1907 in Serbia. Following World War 2 he emigrated to England where he stayed until the early 80's. It was during this time that his wife died and he decided to become a monk at Hilandari Monastery. Since then he never stepped foot off of the Holy Mountain.

Though he was a patriot of Serbia, he never once visited since World War 2, because, he says, "it is not the place I knew. It would not remind me of my childhood years and this would sadden me."

He lived a life of prayer and obedience. His service work all these years was as a gardener. Many remember him as the monk with bags on his knees crawling throughout the garden. - finish reading here.

The Trappist, Fr. Daniel of New Melleray.

Fr. Daniel of New Melleray

Fr. Daniel Lenihan* died July 29, 2012 at 11:40 AM. He was 105 years old. Fr. Daniel entered New Melleray on May 17, 1946 and made his first profession of vows on September 12, 1948, and his solemn vows three years later. He was ordained a priest on May 3, 1955. The day and time of his funeral will be announced later.

Fr. Daniel, a native of Chicago, served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II in Europe. His duties as a monk have included construction work, laying concrete block, purchaser, guest master, spiritual director and Mass Secretary. - New Melleray

* I was blessed to know Fr. Daniel when I was at New Melleray in the novitiate.  He was a wonderful, faithful monk.

Many thanks to Mark of Joe Vs. the Volcano blog for the news on Fr. John of Mt. Athos.

"The poor you will always have with you, so make the best of it." - Terrance of Windom

My Muse...
"Never dress down for the poor.  They won't respect you for it.  They want their First Lady to look like a million dollars."  - Imelda Marcos


Thinking of you Fr. G and E.!

The problem with the Olympics...

It's become too "celebriteased"... too much about winning and endorsement and excess. 

"It’s not the winning that matters, it’s the taking part."  - Wasn't that the old motto?

An Awesome Fine Artist: Katie Schmid

St. Francis of Assisi - Katie Schmid

Evening in Assisi - Katie Scmid

About the Artist.

The Monk at 105.

+ Fr. Daniel Lenihan ocso +

1907-2012

"He who dwells in the shelter of the most High and abides in the shade of the Almighty says to the Lord "My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom in I trust." ... With length of life I will content him; I shall let him see my saving power." - Ps. 90

A friend sent me news of a monk we both knew, who had recently observed his 105 birthday, died today, July 29, 2012:

Monastery birthday notice: 

Today Fr. Daniel Lenihan is 105 years old. He retired from managing Mass Offerings about two months ago because of his declining health. During the last two weeks he has needed assistance to leave his bed in the infirmary. And for the past two days he has been resting quietly, ready to meet the Lord. If Fr. Daniel is not the oldest priest in the world he comes close. We are trying to find out if there are any older priests. He joined New Melleray in 1946. Rejoice with us as we celebrate the life and holiness of this wonderful monk.

Monastery death notice:

Fr. Daniel Lenihan died this morning at 11:40 AM. He was 105 years old. Fr. Daniel entered New Melleray on May 17, 1946 and made his first profession of vows on September 12, 1948, and his solemn vows three years later. He was ordained a priest on May 3, 1955. The day and time of his funeral will be announced later. - New Melleray Abbey

He was quite a monk. 

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts." - Proverbs 8:34

Thanks be to God.

If you want to be a monk

go here.

Most of us need the cabbages.

On wholesome spiritual friendship.

Fr. Mark of Vultus Christi posted a peculiar - in a good way - little piece on friendship, which resonated with me and reminded me of one of my Desert Father stories...

First a glimpse at Dom Marco's piece:

"... one must have friendships in life. [ . . .] Let yourself love. There is no danger so long as the spirit of prayer exists in you. And young priests have hours of loneliness that are very hard. They need affection and tenderness. If you don't give it to them, they will go looking for it just anywhere.

Also, at certain hours we need someone to show us affection: a mother, a sister, a brother. Otherwise, if the heart is not anchored, it goes anywhere at all, and is lost." - One must have friendships in life.

And then, wisdom from the desert...

Mark asked Arsenius, 'It is right, isn't it, to have nothing unnecessary in one's cell? I saw a brother who had a few cabbages, and he was rooting them out.' Arsenius said, 'It is right, but each should do what is right for his own way of life. If he is not strong enough to endure without the cabbages, he will plant them again.' - Sayings of the Desert Fathers

It's a simple thing.   

...............For the priest, the religious, and the single layman.

Rabbits too.

Miraculous Image of The Blessed Virgin

Not on a tree trunk...

Not on an underpass wall, nor in an office-tower window-wall panel - but in rock.  The miraculous image, not painted by human hands is actually embedded in the rock walls of a cave once thought to be haunted.  It is this cave painting I had in mind in reference to the Virgin of Guadalupe pareidolia, which people in New Jersey believed appeared in a tree trunk a couple of weeks ago.  I offered that in Spanish colonial times, an original pareidolia could have been later enhanced by artists to bring out features and details otherwise undefined in the primitive imprint.  In the case of Las Lajas, it appears my theory was wrong.  The image has been studied and there is no natural explanation for its precision and detail.

But tests done when the church was built show how stupendous this image actually is. Geologists from Germany bored core samples from several spots in the image. There is no paint, no dye, nor any other pigment on the surface of the rock. The colors are the colors of the rock itself. Even more incredible, the rock is perfectly colored to a depth of several feet. - Nuestra Señora de las Lajas

The story.

On the borders between Colombia and Ecuador is a beautiful sanctuary, a wonder to its visitors. There is a venerated image of Our Lady of Las Lajas, and thousands and thousands of pilgrims from both countries visit each year and obtain many favors from God.

In the eighteenth century, María Mueses de Quiñones, a local woman from the village of Potosi, Colombia, often walked the six miles between her village and the neighbouring one of Ipiales. One day in 1754 as she was making the journey, she approached the place called Las Lajas (the Rocks), where the trail passes through a deep gorge of the Guaitara River. Maria never liked this part of the trail because there were rumors that a cave in Las Lajas was haunted. Such superstitions remained among the converted Christian Indians.

Maria was carrying her daughter Rosa, a deaf-mute, on her back. And by the time she had climbed to Las Lajas she was weary and sat on a rock to rest. The child got down from her back to play. The next thing Maria knew Rosa was at the cave shouting: “Mommy, there is a woman in here with a boy in her arms!” Maria became very frightened. This was the first time she had ever heard her daughter speak! She didn't see the figures the girl was talking about, nor did she want to. She grabbed the child and ran on to Ipiales.
[...]
Fearful of ridicule, Maria kept quiet about the event. But frequently she and Rosa went to the cave to place wild flowers and candles in the cracks of the rocks. The months went by with María and Rosa keeping their secret. However, one day the girl fell gravely ill and died. A distraught Maria decided to take her daughter’s body to Las Lajas to ask Our Lady to restore Rosa to life.

Pressed by the sadness of Maria’s unrelenting supplications, the Blessed Virgin obtained Rosa’s resurrection from Her Divine Son. Overflowing with joy, Maria went home. It didn’t take long for a crowd to gather. Early next morning everyone went to Las Lajas, each wanting to check the details for themselves.

That was when the marvellous picture of Our Lady on the wall of the grotto was discovered. Maria Muese de Quinones could not recall noticing it until then. The child Jesus is in Our Lady’s arms. On one side of Our Lady is Saint Francis; on the other is Saint Dominic. Her delicate and regal features are those of a Latin American, perhaps an Indian. Her abundant black hair covers her like a mantle (The two-dimensional crown is metal and was added by devotees much later on). Her eyes sparkle with a pure and friendly glow. She looks about fourteen years old. The indians had no doubt: this was their Queen.
[...]
So the mystery remains unsolved. Did angels do it? Or did God Himself do it at the dawn of creation, when he contemplated the most excellent of all His creatures? The One whom He would make Queen of Heaven and Earth and to whose maternal care the future nation of Colombia would be entrusted. - Nuestra Señora de las Lajas

Santuario de Las Lajas

Mass Chat: Vigils

Grand silence...