Joe McKnight as College Football fans know was the number 1 High School prospect for college football last year. He was a product of the acclaimed John Curtis school in the New Orleans area. LSU and USC both wanted him very badly. Much to my dismay USC won. However I like Joe McKnight and wished him the best of luck. He will succeed at USC given time. He is pretty good.
However the LA Times ran a very bizarre article this morning called Can McKnight take the game by storm? I think it puts Joe Mcknight in a very good light. However get this part:
Three games in and he has touched the ball only 17 times, almost all of them in mop-up duty. He has shown flashes of brilliance, moments when he has cut across the field like a blade through butter. But he also has fumbled, crumbled and looked confused."Joe," I told him, after practice this week, "maybe you shouldn't have come to Southern Cal. Convince me I'm wrong."
Now I am wondering what Coach Carroll of USC reaction to this will be. I would think that if Louisiana based sports journalist Glen Guilbeau went up to a LSU player that was a Freshman and said "Maybe you shouldn't have come to LSU" and on top of that printed it in the paper, Les Miles would go through the roof. I think a lot of Coaches would have.
Now one can maybe argue that the writer of this piece wants Joe to succeed. Who knows really what his motivation is. Still very improper I think.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
I have Major Concerns With the Connecticut Catholic Conference and THe Plan B "Morning After Pill"
I have been posting links the last few days about the actions of the Bishops of Connecticut USA and the morning after pill. This has come about because of a horrible law that was passed and Catholic Bishops trying to have their Hosptial comply with it if they can. It is a touchy issue.
I very much recommend that you read this post at Vox Nova called What American Papist isn’t telling you about Plan B. Read both that post and the American Papaist entry that is linked. However take time to read the comments on the Vox Nova entry. American Papist enters the fray in the comment section and I think there is some mutual meeting of the minds. I am siding with American Papist here. I think the Vatican needs to step in quick here. I am not comfortable at this point with the Catholic Bishops stance here.
I very much recommend that you read this post at Vox Nova called What American Papist isn’t telling you about Plan B. Read both that post and the American Papaist entry that is linked. However take time to read the comments on the Vox Nova entry. American Papist enters the fray in the comment section and I think there is some mutual meeting of the minds. I am siding with American Papist here. I think the Vatican needs to step in quick here. I am not comfortable at this point with the Catholic Bishops stance here.
Holy Toledo LSU Number 1 In the AP Poll
Good Grief. All Hail Les Miles and the Tigers. Just came out here is the SI article.Click Clack.
It is Sunday So it's Pope's Angelus Time- Full Translation of The Pope's Angelus From Today
Thanks to the Ratzinger Forum that got this translated pretty quick.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the noonday Angelus today in Castel Gandolfo:
Dear brothers and sisters! Today the Gospel of Luke presents the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Lk 16,19-31). The rich man impersonates the iniquitous use of wealth by those who use it for unrestrained and selfish luxury, thinking only of self-satisfaction, without a thought for the beggar who is at their door.
The poor man, on the other hand, represents those whom only God thinks about. Unlike the rich man, he has a name, Lazarus, short for Eleazar, which means 'God helps him'. God does not forget those who are forgotten by everyone else. Those who do not count for anything in the eyes of man are precious in the eyes of the Lord.
The parable shows how earthly iniquity is overturned by divine justice. After he dies, Lazarus is welcomed 'in the bosom of Abraham', that is, into eternal beatitude, whereas the rich man ends up "in the torments of hell'. They have both gone on to a new state which is definitive and unappealable, about which one must provide for in life, because nothing can be done about it it afterwards.
This parable also lends itself to a social reading, about which Pope Paul VI's teaching 40 years ago in the encyclical Popolorum progressio is memorable. Speaking of the battle against world hunger, he wrote: "It is a question of building a world in which every man...can live a life that is fully human...where the poor Lazarus can sit at the same table as the rich man" (n. 47). The Encyclical reminds us that the numerous situations of poverty are caused, on the one hand, by "the servitude which comes from other men" and on the other, from "nature that has not been sufficiently mastered' (ibid).
Unfortunately, some peoples suffer from both these causes. How can we not think, especially at this moment, of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, recently hit by grave flooding? Nor can we forget so many other situations of human emergency in different regions of the planet, in which fighting for political and economic power further aggravates human misery as well as the already significant environmental problems.
Pope Paul VI's appeal, "The hungry peoples dramatically confront the peoples of opulence" (Popolorum progressio, 3), keeps all its urgency today. We cannot say we do not know the course to take: we have the Laws and the Prophets, and Jesus tells us in the Gospel. Whoever does not wish to hear will not change even if someone comes back from the dead to remind them.
May the Virgin Mary help us to avail of the present time to listen and put into practice the Word of God. May she obtain for us that we become more attentive to our brothers in need, to share with them whatever we have and to contribute, starting with ourselves, to spread the logic and the practice of authentic solidarity.
After the Angelus, he said:
I follow with great trepidation the very serious events these days in Myanmar and wish to express my spiritual nearness to the beloved Burmese people during the sorrowful trials they are undergoing. As I assure them of my supportive and intense prayers and invite the entire Church to do the same thing, I sincerely hope that a peaceful solution may be found for the good of the nation.
I also call on your prayers for the situation in the Korean peninsula, where some important developments in the dialog between the two Koreas give us hope that current reconciliation efforts could consolidate themselves for the good of the Korean people, and the stability and peace of the entire region.
In English, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Angelus, including members of the Acton Institute, and administrators and benefactors of Seton Hall University. Today’s Gospel reading reminds us to be generous with the good things we receive in life. In this spirit, may your visit to Castel Gandolfo and Rome be a time filled with thanksgiving and renewed love of the universal Church. Upon you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of Christ the Lord!
To the Polish pilgrims, he said:
The beatification took place today in Nysa, diocese of Opole, of the Servant of God Mary Louise Merkert of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Elizabeth. She distinguished herself for her concern towards the sick, the poor, and the abandoned. May the life of Mary Louise be an encouragement for us to see in the needy the face of Christ. Finally: I address a warm Arrivederci to the community of Castel Gandolfo. In the next few days, I will be returning to the Vatican. Let us stay together in prayer.
I wish everyone a good Sunday.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the noonday Angelus today in Castel Gandolfo:
Dear brothers and sisters! Today the Gospel of Luke presents the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Lk 16,19-31). The rich man impersonates the iniquitous use of wealth by those who use it for unrestrained and selfish luxury, thinking only of self-satisfaction, without a thought for the beggar who is at their door.
The poor man, on the other hand, represents those whom only God thinks about. Unlike the rich man, he has a name, Lazarus, short for Eleazar, which means 'God helps him'. God does not forget those who are forgotten by everyone else. Those who do not count for anything in the eyes of man are precious in the eyes of the Lord.
The parable shows how earthly iniquity is overturned by divine justice. After he dies, Lazarus is welcomed 'in the bosom of Abraham', that is, into eternal beatitude, whereas the rich man ends up "in the torments of hell'. They have both gone on to a new state which is definitive and unappealable, about which one must provide for in life, because nothing can be done about it it afterwards.
This parable also lends itself to a social reading, about which Pope Paul VI's teaching 40 years ago in the encyclical Popolorum progressio is memorable. Speaking of the battle against world hunger, he wrote: "It is a question of building a world in which every man...can live a life that is fully human...where the poor Lazarus can sit at the same table as the rich man" (n. 47). The Encyclical reminds us that the numerous situations of poverty are caused, on the one hand, by "the servitude which comes from other men" and on the other, from "nature that has not been sufficiently mastered' (ibid).
Unfortunately, some peoples suffer from both these causes. How can we not think, especially at this moment, of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, recently hit by grave flooding? Nor can we forget so many other situations of human emergency in different regions of the planet, in which fighting for political and economic power further aggravates human misery as well as the already significant environmental problems.
Pope Paul VI's appeal, "The hungry peoples dramatically confront the peoples of opulence" (Popolorum progressio, 3), keeps all its urgency today. We cannot say we do not know the course to take: we have the Laws and the Prophets, and Jesus tells us in the Gospel. Whoever does not wish to hear will not change even if someone comes back from the dead to remind them.
May the Virgin Mary help us to avail of the present time to listen and put into practice the Word of God. May she obtain for us that we become more attentive to our brothers in need, to share with them whatever we have and to contribute, starting with ourselves, to spread the logic and the practice of authentic solidarity.
After the Angelus, he said:
I follow with great trepidation the very serious events these days in Myanmar and wish to express my spiritual nearness to the beloved Burmese people during the sorrowful trials they are undergoing. As I assure them of my supportive and intense prayers and invite the entire Church to do the same thing, I sincerely hope that a peaceful solution may be found for the good of the nation.
I also call on your prayers for the situation in the Korean peninsula, where some important developments in the dialog between the two Koreas give us hope that current reconciliation efforts could consolidate themselves for the good of the Korean people, and the stability and peace of the entire region.
In English, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Angelus, including members of the Acton Institute, and administrators and benefactors of Seton Hall University. Today’s Gospel reading reminds us to be generous with the good things we receive in life. In this spirit, may your visit to Castel Gandolfo and Rome be a time filled with thanksgiving and renewed love of the universal Church. Upon you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of Christ the Lord!
To the Polish pilgrims, he said:
The beatification took place today in Nysa, diocese of Opole, of the Servant of God Mary Louise Merkert of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Elizabeth. She distinguished herself for her concern towards the sick, the poor, and the abandoned. May the life of Mary Louise be an encouragement for us to see in the needy the face of Christ. Finally: I address a warm Arrivederci to the community of Castel Gandolfo. In the next few days, I will be returning to the Vatican. Let us stay together in prayer.
I wish everyone a good Sunday.
Links and Thoughts on Yesterday's LSU/Tulane Game
We shall be getting back into a more non football posting regime a little today. However this is one of three post I shall be posting on this incredible weekend in College football.
I was going to post all the links to coverage on the game. However this very interesting blog Jackson Jambalaya (A jambalaya of commentary, politics, culture, and jackassery in the Jackson, Mississippi area.) has done so here. Lot of good liks and vids there. I was hitting google news every ten minutes last night and he got most of what I saw coming over the wires. Check it out.
Thoughts-
First half(except for LSU last drive) pretty disappointing. However football is a game of four quarters and the second half was much better.
Most inspiring moment was the pregame speech by the coach of Tulane. He asked all the player if they got a offer from LSU. NO one raised their hand. The Tulane players came out to show something and they did.
LSU people were in typical "the sky is falling" mode after the game. That was pretty silly. The events of the day pretty much put most peoples minds at ease. Two things LSU fans. First don't make a quarterback controversy where none exists. It is a distraction. Second if I hear one more time Keiland William should get more carries I think I will scream. Be patient and trust the coaches.
I was going to post all the links to coverage on the game. However this very interesting blog Jackson Jambalaya (A jambalaya of commentary, politics, culture, and jackassery in the Jackson, Mississippi area.) has done so here. Lot of good liks and vids there. I was hitting google news every ten minutes last night and he got most of what I saw coming over the wires. Check it out.
Thoughts-
First half(except for LSU last drive) pretty disappointing. However football is a game of four quarters and the second half was much better.
Most inspiring moment was the pregame speech by the coach of Tulane. He asked all the player if they got a offer from LSU. NO one raised their hand. The Tulane players came out to show something and they did.
LSU people were in typical "the sky is falling" mode after the game. That was pretty silly. The events of the day pretty much put most peoples minds at ease. Two things LSU fans. First don't make a quarterback controversy where none exists. It is a distraction. Second if I hear one more time Keiland William should get more carries I think I will scream. Be patient and trust the coaches.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Dan Hawkins makes Oklahoma Little boys cry
Wow what a game. Looks like the LSU/FLorida Game got real interesting. Oklahoma goes down in a thriller.
Then they were three :) LSU USC and Florida. WIld weekend so far and it aint over yet.
This poor kid will be all over ESPN tonight :)
It is Game Time_ Oh To those LSU Fans Complaining About the Uniforms
we are wearing for the game. Get a Life those Unis LOOK SWEET!!!!!!! Tulane Versus LSU coming up on in minutes on ESPN 2
GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!
GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!
Louisiana Catholic Blogger Roundup for Sept 29th
Our Lady Of Wisdom Church on Campus of the University of Louisiana Lafayette.
I have some very good memories of that Church. When I was in College I had some nice friendships with people that attended the Catholic Center there. I would often travel down from Louisiana Tech to visit friends there. The Sunday evening Mass there was a big part of the weekend. MY Friends and I from ULL would often travel to Nola for the weekend partying and get back in town for the 6pm Mass. Then it was off to Randalls for Cajun dancing. Good times. I was tired when I got back for Monday class at Tech to say the least. It has been years since I have been inside but i do remember it being very pretty inside. AHH College days. On to the blogs.
From The Recamier has a nice post up today. She has to nice pics and gives us the backgorund for the Saints of day for yesterday. That is Saint Wenceslaus St Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs. Both are quite interesting. Also she gives us as usual a ton of great historic facts relating to the history of the day yesterday. She also takes note of the historic LSU/Tulane Game being played today. She tell us the the correct way to pronounce "Tulane" by the way.
Catholic Tube has a two great Catholic Vid ups. Here is Another video of the great ministry Adore that is a Nationwide ministry based in Houma Louisiana. Also he is keeping his pro life focus up with another very good pro-life vid.
Footprints on the Fridge has a post up calledMore about Daily Rhythms. Wow I am exhausted looking at that.
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has a nice post with some links in celebration of her oldest sons birthday.
Thoughts & Ruminations from Fr. Ryan is letting us know he is in Florida visiting the folks. How nice especially if it is on the beach.
One of our other Priest bloggers Thy Nose to the Marble. has a new post under his Sept 28th Entry.
Full Circle has a nice post up. It is his thoughts and a link to a very good program that was on EWTN's Life On The Rock . Check it out.
The Brown Pelican Society has of course put up a ton of post. They are:
Connecticut Law Threatens Freedom of Catholic Health Care
SUNDAY'S HOMILY - Eternal Consequences
EDITORIAL: Vetoing Children’s Health Care?
Planned Parenthood's Stealth Facility in Aurora, Illinois Repeats History
The Burgeoning Modesty Movement
Who Is Like Unto God?
Massachusetts Abortion Victim's Mom Comes Forward
Distinguished Record?
The Push Is On: Planned Parenthood in California Gear Up To Persuade Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.......
Speaker Pelosi (A Catholic) Determines "Christianity Has Not Been Harmed" by S&M Last Supper Mockery
HPV Vaccine Now Associated with 7 Deaths, 3000+ Adverse Reports
Jesuit-Run Holy Cross College Hosts on-Campus Planned Parenthood Workshops, Awards Pro-Abortion Governor
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Angelic Company
SAINT OF THE DAY: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
Friday, September 28, 2007
Well Oh Well South Florida Wins
I just came in the door from the football game and saw the last two minutes. Congrats South Florida. They are For Real. What do they put in the water in Florida that just develops football players. Scary!!!!
Thoughts on College Football On Friday Nights and WV v South Florida Prediction
I am not a big fan of College Football n Friday nights. I think it borders on heresy. Fridays should always be High School Football night.
Even though two weeks ago , I did enjoy getting back from a local HS game and seeing Okla State and Troy play. It had been delayed by bad weather so much that started real late. Still I am pretty irked that I will have to miss a major college game tonight between South Florida and West Virginia. I love College Ball on Thursday nights but not Friday. So I will be wondering what the score is all throughout the game I shall be attending tonight
Prediction West Virginia wins. I do suspect it will be close though. However it is revenge time for last year
Even though two weeks ago , I did enjoy getting back from a local HS game and seeing Okla State and Troy play. It had been delayed by bad weather so much that started real late. Still I am pretty irked that I will have to miss a major college game tonight between South Florida and West Virginia. I love College Ball on Thursday nights but not Friday. So I will be wondering what the score is all throughout the game I shall be attending tonight
Prediction West Virginia wins. I do suspect it will be close though. However it is revenge time for last year
Looking At the Latest Vatican City State Stamp-
I think the recently established Vatican City State web site is still pretty cool. So much is there. I do enjoy looking at their stamps which you of course can buy. The above is the latest and can be located here. To look at Stamps so far for 2007 go here.
The above stamp is the V CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF SAINT FRANCIS OF PAOLA. The description of the Saint is:
Saint Francis was born in Paola, in the southern Italian province of Cosenza (Calabria), on 27 March 1416. As a child, Francis showed a desire to live a life marked by sacrifice. He grew steadily in wisdom and holiness and, after having spent a year in a convent with the Friars Minor, felt the need to visit the places where the friars' founder -Saint Francis of Assisi- had lived and worked. After returning home from his journey, at the age of 14, Francis decided that he wanted to live a life of solitude as a hermit and he retreated to the woods of Paola. Others joined him later to follow his way of life consisting of prayer and penance. Over the years, despite many difficulties, convents and churches were built throughout Calabria and Sicily. In 1473, his group of hermits received papal recognition and became known as the Order of the Minims. Throughout his life Francis performed many miracles, so much so, that his fame as a wonder worker and healer spread to royal courts throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. He was called by the King of France who never let him return to his native country. Meanwhile, the Order of the Minims spread throughout Europe. A women's branch of the Order started in Spain with the opening of new convents. On 2 April 1507 Francis died in Tours in the company of his friars. Just six years later, in 1513, he was beatified by Pope Leo X whose election to the papacy he had predicted when only six years old. On 1 May 1519 he was declared a Saint. He is the Patron Saint of Calabria and also a patron of maritime people. The work of Saint Francis of Paola still continues today through the Order he founded.
Updates On How The Pope's "Latin Mass" Directives are Going- Dallas Texas, Germany, Italy Edition
Father Z at What Does The Prayer Really Say? is keeping us to up to date on how the Summorum Pontificum is being implemented. Today we look at Italy(I have done Posts on the resistance there), Germany, and Dallas Texas.
Go to
German Bishops issue guidelines for Summorum Pontificum
Bp. Farrell on the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
Officers of Italian Bishops Conference on Summorum Pontificum
All interesting stuff with of course Father Z's great insightful commentary.
I also thought The Bob Catholic Show had a post that is good to read related to this great time in the Church and her Liturgy. That is his post The why of the Motu
Go to
German Bishops issue guidelines for Summorum Pontificum
Bp. Farrell on the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
Officers of Italian Bishops Conference on Summorum Pontificum
All interesting stuff with of course Father Z's great insightful commentary.
I also thought The Bob Catholic Show had a post that is good to read related to this great time in the Church and her Liturgy. That is his post The why of the Motu
Louisiana Governor Hopeful BOASSO PROMISES AN END TO ALL HURRICANES
Check out the details behind that Shocking Headline and More at the Link at the bottom of the post.
I have not talked about Bobby Jindal that is running for Governor lately. We shall be promoting him more in the next few weeks. Right now it looks like he is sailing in. I have also not forgot about he anti Catholic ads that were run against Jindal by the Democrat Party and who spoke out and who didn't. We shall be revisiting that topic SOON. I am going to come out pretty soon on whom I am supporting for Secretary of Agriculture. IT WILL NOT BE BOB ODOM I tell you that.
However Louisiana Football Fans let me point out that before you go tailgating on election day to go absentee vote. I shall have more post on that soon. I would hate for Bobby Jindal to have to go to into a runoff and the Republican National Committee have to spend already limited money because people could not fit in voting before they headed out to the college games to party. Just put a big sheet of paper on your Fridge that says :Absentee Vote October 6 - 13th. office hours 8:30am to 4:30pm on it. See so easy. Go here to find out where you can do it in your parish.
Jindal Is Good has his latest Political humor up which is always great for a Friday Afternoon. Go Check it out.
So What Do I Think About The Jena Six?
I delve into politics a good bit on this blog. I hope my silence on the whole Jena Six situation has not been misconstrued as just wanting to ignore it. I really wanted to get all the facts. Many people, after looking at a million blogs and breathless news reports I have read, did not do that.
First let me say I am not big Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton fans. The last three times they have come to Louisiana they have left a major bad taste in my mouth. There seems to be precious little about their visits that promote "healing" and "discussion" but seem to be pretty much a massive PR machine for them.
It is not Nirvana on race relations down here 24/7. However, the portrait that is portrayed is not always accurate either. It is far better than what you are seeing on TV.
Let me say as to my views let me link two people. First I pretty much echo what Cajun Conservative is saying here at his post K.I.S.S. Observations About Jena. He is pretty blunt but I think he ison to the problems.
Also let me point out what Drell's Descants who is from Louisiana and Anglican and a Prison Minister and a lawyer had to say. He posted a link to what the District Attorney for that Parish had to say here at District Attorney Reed Walters: Justice In Jena.
Let me say as a Former Louisiana lawyer I pretty much agree with what the DA is saying . He is right. If someone can tell me where the DA is wrong here I would like to know. As I saw Mr Sharpton with the Defendant last night on the news this part of Mr Reed's statement really rung true:
Last week, a reporter asked me whether, if I had it to do over, I would do anything differently. I didn’t think of it at the time, but the answer is yes. I would have done a better job of explaining that the offenses of Dec. 4, 2006, did not stem from a “schoolyard fight” as it has been commonly described in the news media and by critics.
Conjure the image of schoolboys fighting: they exchange words, clench fists, throw punches, wrestle in the dirt until classmates or teachers pull them apart. Of course that would not be aggravated second-degree battery, which is what the attackers are now charged with. (Five of the defendants were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder.) But that’s not what happened at Jena High School.
The victim in this crime, who has been all but forgotten amid the focus on the defendants, was a young man named Justin Barker, who was not involved in the nooses incident three months earlier. According to all the credible evidence I am aware of, after lunch, he walked to his next class. As he passed through the gymnasium door to the outside, he was blindsided and knocked unconscious by a vicious blow to the head thrown by Mychal Bell. While lying on the ground unaware of what was happening to him, he was brutally kicked by at least six people.
Imagine you were walking down a city street, and someone leapt from behind a tree and hit you so hard that you fell to the sidewalk unconscious. Would you later describe that as a fight?
Only the intervention of an uninvolved student protected Mr. Barker from severe injury or death. There was serious bodily harm inflicted with a dangerous weapon — the definition of aggravated second-degree battery. Mr. Bell’s conviction on that charge as an adult has been overturned, but I considered adult status appropriate because of his role as the instigator of the attack, the seriousness of the charge and his prior criminal record.
There is really nothing shocking about the DA's actions here. In the end the ADULTS no matter what their race failed. That is pretty sad.
First let me say I am not big Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton fans. The last three times they have come to Louisiana they have left a major bad taste in my mouth. There seems to be precious little about their visits that promote "healing" and "discussion" but seem to be pretty much a massive PR machine for them.
It is not Nirvana on race relations down here 24/7. However, the portrait that is portrayed is not always accurate either. It is far better than what you are seeing on TV.
Let me say as to my views let me link two people. First I pretty much echo what Cajun Conservative is saying here at his post K.I.S.S. Observations About Jena. He is pretty blunt but I think he ison to the problems.
Also let me point out what Drell's Descants who is from Louisiana and Anglican and a Prison Minister and a lawyer had to say. He posted a link to what the District Attorney for that Parish had to say here at District Attorney Reed Walters: Justice In Jena.
Let me say as a Former Louisiana lawyer I pretty much agree with what the DA is saying . He is right. If someone can tell me where the DA is wrong here I would like to know. As I saw Mr Sharpton with the Defendant last night on the news this part of Mr Reed's statement really rung true:
Last week, a reporter asked me whether, if I had it to do over, I would do anything differently. I didn’t think of it at the time, but the answer is yes. I would have done a better job of explaining that the offenses of Dec. 4, 2006, did not stem from a “schoolyard fight” as it has been commonly described in the news media and by critics.
Conjure the image of schoolboys fighting: they exchange words, clench fists, throw punches, wrestle in the dirt until classmates or teachers pull them apart. Of course that would not be aggravated second-degree battery, which is what the attackers are now charged with. (Five of the defendants were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder.) But that’s not what happened at Jena High School.
The victim in this crime, who has been all but forgotten amid the focus on the defendants, was a young man named Justin Barker, who was not involved in the nooses incident three months earlier. According to all the credible evidence I am aware of, after lunch, he walked to his next class. As he passed through the gymnasium door to the outside, he was blindsided and knocked unconscious by a vicious blow to the head thrown by Mychal Bell. While lying on the ground unaware of what was happening to him, he was brutally kicked by at least six people.
Imagine you were walking down a city street, and someone leapt from behind a tree and hit you so hard that you fell to the sidewalk unconscious. Would you later describe that as a fight?
Only the intervention of an uninvolved student protected Mr. Barker from severe injury or death. There was serious bodily harm inflicted with a dangerous weapon — the definition of aggravated second-degree battery. Mr. Bell’s conviction on that charge as an adult has been overturned, but I considered adult status appropriate because of his role as the instigator of the attack, the seriousness of the charge and his prior criminal record.
There is really nothing shocking about the DA's actions here. In the end the ADULTS no matter what their race failed. That is pretty sad.
Learning To Love The Virgin Mother
Radical Catholic Mom over at Vox Nova has a nice post called Learning To Love Mary. I like the post a lot since it appears to come from a convert viewpoint.
I think many converts, such as myself, have had that same path to devotion to the Blessed Mother. My devotion to the Blessed Mother and realizing her importance in the whole scheme of things took some time. I believe many converts once they personally come to the conclusion that the Catholic Church knows what it is talking about on the Real Presence, Bishops, Sacraments, Church Authority, etc etc sort of go "ok I will trust her on this Mary stuff".
I do not think it is strange at all that for most converts it takes awhile to go from intellectual assent of Marian Dogma to developing a real relationship. Relationships and developing them take time as they do with in the temporal world.
I think many converts, such as myself, have had that same path to devotion to the Blessed Mother. My devotion to the Blessed Mother and realizing her importance in the whole scheme of things took some time. I believe many converts once they personally come to the conclusion that the Catholic Church knows what it is talking about on the Real Presence, Bishops, Sacraments, Church Authority, etc etc sort of go "ok I will trust her on this Mary stuff".
I do not think it is strange at all that for most converts it takes awhile to go from intellectual assent of Marian Dogma to developing a real relationship. Relationships and developing them take time as they do with in the temporal world.
Forty percent of Americans have never lived when there wasn’t a Bush or a Clinton in the White House.
That is pretty breathtaking when you think about.
That is one reason, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE JEB BUSH, I am glad there was no serious talk to him running. This is in the end something that will help the GOP. We Republicans need all the help we can get. AJ at the Strata Sphere has the story at America Is Done With Bushton and Clintush. As I mentioned in the comment section he should be putting Huckabee in that list of Republicans we should be looking at to stop the DYNASTY.
That is one reason, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE JEB BUSH, I am glad there was no serious talk to him running. This is in the end something that will help the GOP. We Republicans need all the help we can get. AJ at the Strata Sphere has the story at America Is Done With Bushton and Clintush. As I mentioned in the comment section he should be putting Huckabee in that list of Republicans we should be looking at to stop the DYNASTY.
We Have A Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Lover and Expert on the Church Fathers-DION!!!
The Way of the Fathers blog has a great post on this today at Jerome Rocks. Dion has a new song about St Jerome (YOu can get it at the link). This guy by the way is still getting Grammy Awards. If you notice in that post he has a link to a previous post on him that is much more in depth called Dion: Roots Rock and Religion. Check that out. Dion was a tad before my time but everyone knows songs of his such as “Teenager in Love,” “Runaround Sue,” “Ruby, Ruby,” “The Wanderer,” “I Wonder Why,” and “Abraham, Martin, and John” .
I love this:
"Dion’s fame had soared through his teen years. He got heavily into heroin and booze, and his life and career bottomed out. Then he found his way back to faith through the influence of his wife and father-in-law. He attended a number of storefront churches, looking for the truth. One Sunday he heard a sermon that startled him.
One of his pastors quoted St. Augustine, the fifth-century North African bishop who was a spiritual and intellectual giant of the early Church. So, Dion began reading Augustine. He was amazed to discover that Augustine had been instrumental in drawing up the list of books to be included in the Bible that Protestants now relied on solely as “the inerrant Word of God.”
One of his pastors quoted St. Augustine, the fifth-century North African bishop who was a spiritual and intellectual giant of the early Church. So, Dion began reading Augustine. He was amazed to discover that Augustine had been instrumental in drawing up the list of books to be included in the Bible that Protestants now relied on solely as “the inerrant Word of God.”
More eye-opening, he says, was the fact that Augustine had “Catholic beliefs” — including the belief that the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit guides the Catholic Church and guarantees the truth of its teachings.
When he confronted his pastor and friends with his findings, “they all just tossed it off,” Dion says. “They told me it’s all according to the way you see truth. I said, ‘Exactly! You it hit it right on the head!’ And I started to see truth differently.”
For a couple of years he continued what he describes as “reading myself back into the Church.” He read the writings of the so-called early Church fathers, the first and second generation of Church leaders, some of whom had been disciples of Jesus’s original 12 apostles."
Wow!!! Good Stuff.
Louisiana Catholic Blogger Update For Sept 28th
Catholic Tube has two great vids up. First he has this Gregorian Chanting Tube. Also check out 40 Days For Life - Day 3.
From The Recamier has her usual post up today here. She talks about the Saint of the Day from yesterday ,Saint Vincent de Paul, priest (died 1660,) and has a ton of info on other matters and fun facts.
Footprints on the Fridge has a nice post called The Path We're on..... I think this post would be interesting for all people that are thinking about Homeschooling
A Number of Things has a nice post Called Fall Fever. I don't know about thew Weather down in South Louisiana. But yesterday up here in North Louisiana was not fall like at all. Jeez it was hot and humid.
Full Circle has couple of good post up. Check out Vatican Rebuts Euthanasia Charge on John Paul II and Crazy health insurance system.
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has a funny post up called Either Way Works
Thy Nose to the Marble. is one our Louisiana Catholic Priest bloggers. He has a new entry if only it were this simple these days... :) under his Sept 28th entry. It appears to be a link to a You Tube post. I am having trouble with it so look for that to be corrected if it is not on my end.
The Brown Pelican Society again has a lot of Pro-Life, Political, and Catholic news we need to know.
Who Is Like Unto God?
Living Out Gospel Poverty in an Age of Prosperity
The ‘Green Pope’?
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS HAVE AGREED TO LET HOSPITAL PERSONNEL GIVE ABORTION PILL( I am going to be looking into this and see if there is something more to this)
Social Doctrine Compendium Has a Companion
An Old Cherokee is Teaching His Grandson About Life
OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD
Benedict XVI Calls Paul VI Prophetic
Homily of the Day: Don't Forget Who Walks with You
Kennedy, Smith Succeed in Tying 'Hate Crimes' Measure to Dept. of Defense Bill
Children's Health Bill Becomes Center of Veto Fight
There's No Doubting Thomas(Interesting Article on Justice Thomas)
Boycott of Miller Beer Launched Because of Sponsorship of Sadomasochistic, Anti-Christian Gay Parade
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Who Do You Say That I Am?
SAINT OF THE DAY: St. Wenceslaus (907?-929)
From The Recamier has her usual post up today here. She talks about the Saint of the Day from yesterday ,Saint Vincent de Paul, priest (died 1660,) and has a ton of info on other matters and fun facts.
Footprints on the Fridge has a nice post called The Path We're on..... I think this post would be interesting for all people that are thinking about Homeschooling
A Number of Things has a nice post Called Fall Fever. I don't know about thew Weather down in South Louisiana. But yesterday up here in North Louisiana was not fall like at all. Jeez it was hot and humid.
Full Circle has couple of good post up. Check out Vatican Rebuts Euthanasia Charge on John Paul II and Crazy health insurance system.
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has a funny post up called Either Way Works
Thy Nose to the Marble. is one our Louisiana Catholic Priest bloggers. He has a new entry if only it were this simple these days... :) under his Sept 28th entry. It appears to be a link to a You Tube post. I am having trouble with it so look for that to be corrected if it is not on my end.
The Brown Pelican Society again has a lot of Pro-Life, Political, and Catholic news we need to know.
Who Is Like Unto God?
Living Out Gospel Poverty in an Age of Prosperity
The ‘Green Pope’?
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS HAVE AGREED TO LET HOSPITAL PERSONNEL GIVE ABORTION PILL( I am going to be looking into this and see if there is something more to this)
Social Doctrine Compendium Has a Companion
An Old Cherokee is Teaching His Grandson About Life
OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD
Benedict XVI Calls Paul VI Prophetic
Homily of the Day: Don't Forget Who Walks with You
Kennedy, Smith Succeed in Tying 'Hate Crimes' Measure to Dept. of Defense Bill
Children's Health Bill Becomes Center of Veto Fight
There's No Doubting Thomas(Interesting Article on Justice Thomas)
Boycott of Miller Beer Launched Because of Sponsorship of Sadomasochistic, Anti-Christian Gay Parade
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Who Do You Say That I Am?
SAINT OF THE DAY: St. Wenceslaus (907?-929)
More on the Episcopal Bishop That Became Catholic
I am still going to try to pound out that post on the state of the Anglican Church I keep promising. Last night I went out and watched the football game, and was too tired to when I got home last night.
However the Canterbury Tales has a good post called In Defense of Bishop Jeffrey Steenson. That is of course the influential Episcopal Bishop that announced he is becoming Catholic.
Catholics are in a a difficult position here. We need to be aware of what is going on and be sure that we let these Episcopal priest, clergy, and lay people that they have a home int he Catholic Church. However we need to be aware how painful this is all is for Episcopals here in the USA and in the communion. I like Canterbury Tales take because well he was a former Anglican priest.
More later. On a side note Canterbury has a very interesting side post here where he reports:
I just heard from Father William Stetson who is in Rome with the Anglican Use pilgrimage. On Wednesday, the Anglican Use Catholic had special seating at the papal audience. Afterward, the Holy Father greeted the Anglican Use pilgrims. I wish I would have been there. Sounds like they are having an excellent time.
Confession Time here. I promote the extraordinary form of the Mass here a good bit. However in my college days one of my favorite things to do was to across across the street to the Episcopal Church to go to liturgy and Canterbury after. Great folks. I am a big fan of the Book of Common prayer in many ways. I would love to have a Anglican use Parish as my main Church to attend.
However the Canterbury Tales has a good post called In Defense of Bishop Jeffrey Steenson. That is of course the influential Episcopal Bishop that announced he is becoming Catholic.
Catholics are in a a difficult position here. We need to be aware of what is going on and be sure that we let these Episcopal priest, clergy, and lay people that they have a home int he Catholic Church. However we need to be aware how painful this is all is for Episcopals here in the USA and in the communion. I like Canterbury Tales take because well he was a former Anglican priest.
More later. On a side note Canterbury has a very interesting side post here where he reports:
I just heard from Father William Stetson who is in Rome with the Anglican Use pilgrimage. On Wednesday, the Anglican Use Catholic had special seating at the papal audience. Afterward, the Holy Father greeted the Anglican Use pilgrims. I wish I would have been there. Sounds like they are having an excellent time.
Confession Time here. I promote the extraordinary form of the Mass here a good bit. However in my college days one of my favorite things to do was to across across the street to the Episcopal Church to go to liturgy and Canterbury after. Great folks. I am a big fan of the Book of Common prayer in many ways. I would love to have a Anglican use Parish as my main Church to attend.
Texas A@M Coach Again Gets Good Press(Not)
I am not a big fan of the Texas A@M football coach. I thought how he abandoned Alabama was alwasy a tad distasteful. Now it turns out he was running a private newletter that talked about inside information and PLAYERS injuries!!! Like so private hardly no one knew abbout it private.
My favortite part:
Franchione and McKenzie denied benefiting financially from the newsletter. Because of the confidentiality agreement, Franchione said, he doesn't believe any of the subscribers used the information for gambling.
"We asked them to sign something," Franchione said. "And for them not to do that."
Well Thank God they signed something :)
My favortite part:
Franchione and McKenzie denied benefiting financially from the newsletter. Because of the confidentiality agreement, Franchione said, he doesn't believe any of the subscribers used the information for gambling.
"We asked them to sign something," Franchione said. "And for them not to do that."
Well Thank God they signed something :)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Louisiana Catholic Update for Sept 27th
I have a business meeting this afternoon so let me fly through what our great Louisiana Catholic bloggers are saying.
Catholic Tube has a great vid up on a great Catholic Ministry called Adore. It is nationwide but based out of Louisiana
From The Recamier has her always great update up. She mixes Catholicism with history of the day. She has a great part on Daniel Boone that died on yesterdays date.
Catholic Underground based out of Louisiana has their latest podcast up. You can listen to it via your home computer. It is quickly becoming a nationwide hit. This episode is called Episode 52: Hello Sinfire. Their description is :"In this episode we talk about adulterous alibis and whether or not sin really matters, we discuss our Picks of the Week, and we open the door up to discussing the future of catholic vidcasting. Also, we answer our first manual backchat!" I am looking forward to listening to it tonight.
Looking at the Birds and Considering the Lilies has a very nice short post called Presbyopia. It is about Sacred tradition and scripture. He also gives some insight on the Saints of the Days we honored yesterday. That is St. Cosmas and Damian. They are important Patrons for a particular profession that really needs our prayers. The moral choices those people fact increase daily.
I can't believe I missed Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks contest she ran yesterday. For how that went down go to Let's Have a Book-Walk and We Have a Winner!!!. Also check out her post The Gift of One Day
The Brown Pelican Society has a ton of post up. Let me say I am having to rush but there appears to be a lot of stories here that responsible Catholics NEED to be really aware of. When I get home tonight I shall be looking at them more closely. They are:
SAINTLY QUOTES ON CONVERSION
Explaining Liberal Thinking In A Single Column
The Teenage Casualties of Casual Sex
THE ENEMY WITHIN: Who is Ahmadinejad Addressing? Columbia Students or the World?
WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE - Pontiff: Primacy of People Comes First
Time Magazine is Irresponsible for Printing Pope John Paul II Euthanasia Article
Homily of the Day: Let God Show You How to Live It
Senator Thompson Confirmed for FRC'S Washington Briefing: Values Voter Summit
General Peter Pace Restates Opposition to Homosexual Acts
Aurora Abortion Center May Have Failed to Get Special Use Permit
Senate Set to Vote on Hate-Crimes Amendment
CNN’s Message To the Nation: Fear Religion
European Court Upholds Decision to Penalize Poland for Pro-Life Law
SHOCKER: Catholic Georgetown U. Will Now Fund Law Students to Lobby for Abortion
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Herod Saving
SAINT OF THE DAY: St. Vincent de Paul (1580?-1660)
Catholic Tube has a great vid up on a great Catholic Ministry called Adore. It is nationwide but based out of Louisiana
From The Recamier has her always great update up. She mixes Catholicism with history of the day. She has a great part on Daniel Boone that died on yesterdays date.
Catholic Underground based out of Louisiana has their latest podcast up. You can listen to it via your home computer. It is quickly becoming a nationwide hit. This episode is called Episode 52: Hello Sinfire. Their description is :"In this episode we talk about adulterous alibis and whether or not sin really matters, we discuss our Picks of the Week, and we open the door up to discussing the future of catholic vidcasting. Also, we answer our first manual backchat!" I am looking forward to listening to it tonight.
Looking at the Birds and Considering the Lilies has a very nice short post called Presbyopia. It is about Sacred tradition and scripture. He also gives some insight on the Saints of the Days we honored yesterday. That is St. Cosmas and Damian. They are important Patrons for a particular profession that really needs our prayers. The moral choices those people fact increase daily.
I can't believe I missed Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks contest she ran yesterday. For how that went down go to Let's Have a Book-Walk and We Have a Winner!!!. Also check out her post The Gift of One Day
The Brown Pelican Society has a ton of post up. Let me say I am having to rush but there appears to be a lot of stories here that responsible Catholics NEED to be really aware of. When I get home tonight I shall be looking at them more closely. They are:
SAINTLY QUOTES ON CONVERSION
Explaining Liberal Thinking In A Single Column
The Teenage Casualties of Casual Sex
THE ENEMY WITHIN: Who is Ahmadinejad Addressing? Columbia Students or the World?
WEDNESDAY'S AUDIENCE - Pontiff: Primacy of People Comes First
Time Magazine is Irresponsible for Printing Pope John Paul II Euthanasia Article
Homily of the Day: Let God Show You How to Live It
Senator Thompson Confirmed for FRC'S Washington Briefing: Values Voter Summit
General Peter Pace Restates Opposition to Homosexual Acts
Aurora Abortion Center May Have Failed to Get Special Use Permit
Senate Set to Vote on Hate-Crimes Amendment
CNN’s Message To the Nation: Fear Religion
European Court Upholds Decision to Penalize Poland for Pro-Life Law
SHOCKER: Catholic Georgetown U. Will Now Fund Law Students to Lobby for Abortion
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Herod Saving
SAINT OF THE DAY: St. Vincent de Paul (1580?-1660)
An Update on the Anglican Communion From A Catholic Viewpoint
I have posted on the important events that were happening in the Anglican communion revolving around the big meeting in New Orleans. I think what happened has major ramifications for Christianity and for the Catholic Church. I decided to let the dust settle before I gave my thoughts. I am hoping to have a post up after midnight tonight on the matter. Till then go to Louisiana Anglican blogger Drell's Descants that has a lot of news and insightful commentary.
A Pretty Significant Game For Louisiana Football is Tonight(My Prediction Boise versus Southern Miss)
Tonight Southern Miss of Conference USA plays Boise St of the WAC Conference. I am predicting a Boise State win. This has more significance for the state of Louisiana College Football than people realize. When I do my Louisiana Tech football post tonight I shall put forth my theory.
What We can Learn From the Apostle's Occupations
The more I study scripture the more I find nothing in it is by accident. Many things have significance we just don't catch.
I have often thought this as the Apostle's occupation. Especially the Fisherman aspect. If I was not rushed for time this morning I would post all the verses that had to deal with their fishing activities. These were in fact were businessmen. I am sure like today they often dreamed of setting the market for the day when they had a great catch. I have gotten to know some Gulf Fishermen recently here in Louisiana and their personality and outlook is unique. I think that is something that helps us in understanding these men. Pope Benedict in his new book gives us new insight on what happened around Crucifixion by looking at the occupation of the Apostles.
The Way of the Fathers Blog has a interesting post called Was His Barque Worse Than His Bait? that gives us some more insight into an important part of the Apostles life. I also suggest going to a site that is mentioned in the comments that is related. That is the post Fishers of Men at biblicalia. Good stuff.
I have often thought this as the Apostle's occupation. Especially the Fisherman aspect. If I was not rushed for time this morning I would post all the verses that had to deal with their fishing activities. These were in fact were businessmen. I am sure like today they often dreamed of setting the market for the day when they had a great catch. I have gotten to know some Gulf Fishermen recently here in Louisiana and their personality and outlook is unique. I think that is something that helps us in understanding these men. Pope Benedict in his new book gives us new insight on what happened around Crucifixion by looking at the occupation of the Apostles.
The Way of the Fathers Blog has a interesting post called Was His Barque Worse Than His Bait? that gives us some more insight into an important part of the Apostles life. I also suggest going to a site that is mentioned in the comments that is related. That is the post Fishers of Men at biblicalia. Good stuff.
What Does Pope Benedict Think of Capitalism?- A Great Overview
Like all things "Catholic" the secular press gets Pope's Benedict's views on economics and capitalism wrong. However in this case so do many Catholics.
The fact that even Catholics get this wrong is not surprising. I read a great article a few months back about how Americans(and I think this could be applied to more than us) have such systematic errors as to their understanding of economics that they often vote against their interest in the voting booth(this is on all sides of the political spectrum). Economics touches very closely on the political realm and thus people that have agendas that are threatened or agendas they wish to advance are very vocal in giving their interpretation of what the Pope is saying.
We know that economics and yes the free market will be a topic that Pope Benedict will engage on during his pontificate.
Tip of the Hat to Vox Nova who led me to a great post called Pope Benedict's Critique of Capitalism .I think the article is not only fair , but is very readable. I encourage all to read it. If I have time in the next few days I might comment it and explore it further.
The fact that even Catholics get this wrong is not surprising. I read a great article a few months back about how Americans(and I think this could be applied to more than us) have such systematic errors as to their understanding of economics that they often vote against their interest in the voting booth(this is on all sides of the political spectrum). Economics touches very closely on the political realm and thus people that have agendas that are threatened or agendas they wish to advance are very vocal in giving their interpretation of what the Pope is saying.
We know that economics and yes the free market will be a topic that Pope Benedict will engage on during his pontificate.
Tip of the Hat to Vox Nova who led me to a great post called Pope Benedict's Critique of Capitalism .I think the article is not only fair , but is very readable. I encourage all to read it. If I have time in the next few days I might comment it and explore it further.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
A Little Doggie Visits LSU's MIke The Tiger
A LSU fan brought his doggie with them to visit Mike the Tiger at LSU. Seems Mike has a thing about dogs.
After MIke VI realized he couldn't have a tasty Lunch because of the very strong Glass impeding him he decided to get his frustration out and attack his ball.
After MIke VI realized he couldn't have a tasty Lunch because of the very strong Glass impeding him he decided to get his frustration out and attack his ball.
Looks like our new Tiger is having fun. Geaux check out his web site.
A Protestant Pastor(Post- Evangelical) Ask A Catholic 5 Questions
A very popular Protestant Pastor on the internet asks a noted Catholic apologist 5 interesting questions. That Catholic Apologist is David Armstrong. I very much like these questions especially the first one. Here are Five questions he ask:
Ireally appreciate the kindness and all the time represented in the answers. I haven’t read the thread, but have read the MANY emails that I received. I’ll catch up on the thread later. (Internet has been down.) I especially thank those of you who know that I am not interested in converting to the Roman Catholic Church, but have friends I love who quite possible may some day, and I am asking in reference to my relationship to them. Again, thanks for your gracious answers and the very helpful, positive tone of the discussion. ]
* * *
I have some questions for a knowledgeable Roman Catholic. Pretty important matters.
1) Do Roman Catholics consider Protestant ministers like myself valid ministers? More particularly, if a good friend becomes Roman Catholic, are they now confessionally required to believe that I was never called of God to be a minister?
2) Why is so much of my dialog with Catholics frustrated with “cafeteria Catholicism?” Catholics will tell me that I must accept the church’s teaching on subject X, but if I point out that they also must accept the church’s teaching on subject Y, I often hear, “Don’t put words in my mouth. That’s not what I believe.” With all due respect, since when did the beliefs of an individual catholic matter? If a Protestant demonstrates that the church has infallibly taught Y, isn’t that the end of the discussion for the catholic?
3) What would be the church’s view on someone who is convinced the Catholic faith is true, but who is unable or chooses not to openly convert to Catholicism at this time? Is such a person committing a sin?
4) Exactly what is meant when a non-Catholic goes forward at communion to be blessed, but not partake? What if such a person- like myself- openly disagrees with some of the church’s teaching and is not seeking reception into the church?
5) What is the church’s view of leadership and submission in marriage? Would the church teach that a wife should join the church over the objections of her Christian, but Protestant, spouse? If so, how does this fit into the church’s teaching on marriage?
Go to his post here for his answers.
Ireally appreciate the kindness and all the time represented in the answers. I haven’t read the thread, but have read the MANY emails that I received. I’ll catch up on the thread later. (Internet has been down.) I especially thank those of you who know that I am not interested in converting to the Roman Catholic Church, but have friends I love who quite possible may some day, and I am asking in reference to my relationship to them. Again, thanks for your gracious answers and the very helpful, positive tone of the discussion. ]
* * *
I have some questions for a knowledgeable Roman Catholic. Pretty important matters.
1) Do Roman Catholics consider Protestant ministers like myself valid ministers? More particularly, if a good friend becomes Roman Catholic, are they now confessionally required to believe that I was never called of God to be a minister?
2) Why is so much of my dialog with Catholics frustrated with “cafeteria Catholicism?” Catholics will tell me that I must accept the church’s teaching on subject X, but if I point out that they also must accept the church’s teaching on subject Y, I often hear, “Don’t put words in my mouth. That’s not what I believe.” With all due respect, since when did the beliefs of an individual catholic matter? If a Protestant demonstrates that the church has infallibly taught Y, isn’t that the end of the discussion for the catholic?
3) What would be the church’s view on someone who is convinced the Catholic faith is true, but who is unable or chooses not to openly convert to Catholicism at this time? Is such a person committing a sin?
4) Exactly what is meant when a non-Catholic goes forward at communion to be blessed, but not partake? What if such a person- like myself- openly disagrees with some of the church’s teaching and is not seeking reception into the church?
5) What is the church’s view of leadership and submission in marriage? Would the church teach that a wife should join the church over the objections of her Christian, but Protestant, spouse? If so, how does this fit into the church’s teaching on marriage?
Go to his post here for his answers.
An American Cardinal Gets A Powerful Job and Meet the First Lady of the Curia
Whispers in the Loggia again has some very interesting posts up. He is of of course the blogger that even the Vatican folks read.
First here is a very important post he has called Crowning Glory. Cardinal Justin Rigali has the most coveted of Curial appointments that isa seat among the kingmakers of the Congregation for Bishops. In other words he will be a major player in picking New Bishiops. All I got to say to Cardianl Rigali is don't forget us poor people in the Diocese of Shreveport. I think it is a interesting read and gives some background on a VERY important congreagtion that effects us all.
He also has a very interesting post called The Curia's "First Lady" . Women in the Vatican Power structure, quoting the as the old Jefferson TV show theme song , are "Moving on Up". Reality smashes Myth again!!! It turns out that all those old men really do think women should be put in areas of massive responsibilty. Of course no one will notice in the secular media.
First here is a very important post he has called Crowning Glory. Cardinal Justin Rigali has the most coveted of Curial appointments that isa seat among the kingmakers of the Congregation for Bishops. In other words he will be a major player in picking New Bishiops. All I got to say to Cardianl Rigali is don't forget us poor people in the Diocese of Shreveport. I think it is a interesting read and gives some background on a VERY important congreagtion that effects us all.
He also has a very interesting post called The Curia's "First Lady" . Women in the Vatican Power structure, quoting the as the old Jefferson TV show theme song , are "Moving on Up". Reality smashes Myth again!!! It turns out that all those old men really do think women should be put in areas of massive responsibilty. Of course no one will notice in the secular media.
12 Signs That Kentucky Football Is Here to Stay.
I am really enjoying the Kentucky football story. Kentucky has been undefeated since they played LSU last year. What many players will say was that massive loss to LSU was a turning point for them. It was a crossroads and unlike many teams that falter, Kentucky took the road to excellence
LSU fans, with good reason, are really starting to get worried about the Kentucky Game. It is becoming the most dangerous game on the road for LSU and it is causing some buzz. Also what about "Karma". It would seem that after the "Bluegrass Miracle" that we pulled on them years ago that the Universe demands some satification for Kentucky against LSU. It is worriesome.
Anyway Clay Travis, who writes great funny Columns for CBS Sports, has one on Kentucky. Read the whole thing here. He has a top 12 in that piece is just hilarious. I think many SEC fans will agree that number 2 is pretty darn funny. We have all been there.
2. Ashley Judd is coming to a football game but she's announced she's not willing to attend a Lincoln Financial morning telecast because, "We're so over being LF's bitch."
3. Campus newspapers are already running ads imploring fans not to storm the field after the 'Cats upset Florida because, "We've got to act like we've been there before."
4. 'Cats fans have already made reservations for both the SEC Championship in Catlanta and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. (The 'Cats have been to neither of these games in the lifetime of any readers.)
5. Last week, coach Rich Brooks went out to dinner and someone recognized him.
6. Tim Couch is hitting the Lexington tanning beds again so he looks good when the cameras find him in the stands.
7. 'Cats fans have forgotten how much they hate Rajon Rondo.
8. When people wear football jerseys out to eat at Joe Bologna's, they aren't guaranteed to be Lexington visitors.
9. 'Cats fans are starting to believe UK football players really do use Nutter Fieldhouse to train instead of the previous theory that it was actually a barn in a field where frat boys took tri-delts after formals.
10. Old cheer? C-A-T-S. New cheer? C-A-T-S-'
11. Ramel "Smooth" Bradley threw a rap concert and no one came because they forgot he existed.
12. My friend Weatherholt has already run the SEC East tie-breaking criteria based on approximately 48 permutations. He's also e-mailed them to me. Here they are for your perusal.
Oh he also rips into Coach O at Ole Miss in his column. That is always fun too.
LSU fans, with good reason, are really starting to get worried about the Kentucky Game. It is becoming the most dangerous game on the road for LSU and it is causing some buzz. Also what about "Karma". It would seem that after the "Bluegrass Miracle" that we pulled on them years ago that the Universe demands some satification for Kentucky against LSU. It is worriesome.
Anyway Clay Travis, who writes great funny Columns for CBS Sports, has one on Kentucky. Read the whole thing here. He has a top 12 in that piece is just hilarious. I think many SEC fans will agree that number 2 is pretty darn funny. We have all been there.
Here are 12 signs football success has gone to Wildcat fans' heads.
1. Popular T-shirt on campus: Fear the Apostrophe.
1. Popular T-shirt on campus: Fear the Apostrophe.
2. Ashley Judd is coming to a football game but she's announced she's not willing to attend a Lincoln Financial morning telecast because, "We're so over being LF's bitch."
3. Campus newspapers are already running ads imploring fans not to storm the field after the 'Cats upset Florida because, "We've got to act like we've been there before."
4. 'Cats fans have already made reservations for both the SEC Championship in Catlanta and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. (The 'Cats have been to neither of these games in the lifetime of any readers.)
5. Last week, coach Rich Brooks went out to dinner and someone recognized him.
6. Tim Couch is hitting the Lexington tanning beds again so he looks good when the cameras find him in the stands.
7. 'Cats fans have forgotten how much they hate Rajon Rondo.
8. When people wear football jerseys out to eat at Joe Bologna's, they aren't guaranteed to be Lexington visitors.
9. 'Cats fans are starting to believe UK football players really do use Nutter Fieldhouse to train instead of the previous theory that it was actually a barn in a field where frat boys took tri-delts after formals.
10. Old cheer? C-A-T-S. New cheer? C-A-T-S-'
11. Ramel "Smooth" Bradley threw a rap concert and no one came because they forgot he existed.
12. My friend Weatherholt has already run the SEC East tie-breaking criteria based on approximately 48 permutations. He's also e-mailed them to me. Here they are for your perusal.
Oh he also rips into Coach O at Ole Miss in his column. That is always fun too.
It is Wednesday- So that Means the POPE SPEAKS!!
The Pope At Today's Wednesday Audience
Time for weekly posting of the Pope's Wednesday audience. The Pope is still talking about the mostly dead guys called the Church Fathers and why we Catholics should think they are important. Not only important but Critical to living out all daily Catholic and Christian faith. Thanks again to the Ratzinger forum that has again translated the text in a very quick fashion.
The Pope is doing part II of his talk on St. John Chrysostom. I have part I from last week in my post It is Wednesday So It 's Pope Wednesday Audience Time(WITH PICS) - Benedict talks St. John Chrysostom and Marriage .
I find this talk and the last one on St John Chrysostom one of the best he has done on the Church fathers. I also think his connection between this Father and Catholic Social Doctrine is something to take note of for our lives and also future Church teaching on this subject from him. Anyway I shall post it in full.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience today in St. Peter's Square:
Dear brothers and sisters!
Today we will continue our reflection on St. John Chrysostom. After his time in Antioch, he was named in 397 Bishop of Constantinople, capital of the eastern Roman empire. From the start, John intended a reform of his Church: the austerity of the bishops' palace should be an example to all - the clergy, monks, widows, persons of the court, the wealthy. Unfortunately, not a few of them, feeling themselves adjudged by him, distanced themselves from him. Much sought after by the poor, John came to be called 'the alms-giver'. A careful administrator, he succeeded to create charitable institutions which were greatly appreciated.
His entrepreneurship in various areas made many consider him as a dangerous rival. But, as a true pastor, he treated everyone cordially and in a fatherly manner. He especially reserved kind tones for women and special attention to marriage and the family. He invited the faithful to take part in liturgical life, which he made splendidly attractive with creative genius. Notwithstanding his good heart, he did not have a tranquil life. Pastor of the imperial capital, he often found himself involved in political questions and intrigues because of his continuing relationships with civil authorities and institutions
. On the ecclesiastical level, having deposed 5 Asian bishops in 401 for having been improperly elected, he was accused of stepping beyond his jurisdiction, thus becoming an easy target for facile accusations. Another matter taken against him was the presence in Constantinople of some Egyptian monks who had been excommunicated by the Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria and who then sought refuge in the Byzantine capital. A lively controversy arose from the Chrysostom's criticisms of the Empress Eudoxia and her courtiers, who reacted by hurling back discredit and insults on him. This led to his dismissal as bishop by a Synod organized by Patriarch Theophilus, which condemned him to his first brief exile.
When he came back, the hostility he had aroused by protesting feasts in honor of the Empress - feasts he thought were pagan and lustful - and the witch hunt against the priests responsible for Baptism in the Easter Vigil of 404 signalled the start of persecution against John and his followers. John then denounced these by letter to the Bishop of Rome, Pope Innocent I. But it was too late. In 406, he was sent into exile again, this time to Cucusa, in Armenia. The Pope was convinced of his blamelessness, but he did not have the power to help him.
He was unable to call together a Council which Rome wanted in order to pacify both parts of the empire and reconcile their churches. An exhausting transfer from Cucusa to Pytius - a destination he never reached - was meant to keep John's supporters from visiting him and wear down their resistance by keeping him in indefinite exile. The exile was virtually a death sentence. The letters John wrote from exile are moving in which he expresses his pastoral concerns in tones of participation and sorrow for the persecutions against his followers. Johm's death march ended in Comana, where the dying John was brought to the chapel of St. Basil martyr. There, he drew his last breath and was buried, a martyr next to another martyr.
It was September 14, 407, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Chrysostom's rehabilitation took place in 438 under Theodosius II. The remains of the sainted bishop were brought to the Church of the Apostles in Constantinople, from which they were brought to Rome in 1204 and kept in the Constantinian Basilica that preceded the construction of the present Basilica in the 16th century. Now they repose in the Chapel of the Canons of the Basilica. On August 24, 2004, a large part of these remains were turned over by John Paul II to Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. St. John Chrysostom's liturgical commemoration takes place on September 13. Blessed John XXIII named the Chrysostom patron of the Second Vatican Council.
It has been said of John Chrysostom that when he sat on the bishop's throne of the New Rome, Constantinople, God made people see in him the second Paul, a teacher of the Universe. Indeed, the Chrysostom always showed a substantial unity of thought and action, in Antioch as in Constantinople. Only the situations and roles changed. Meditating on the eight labors completed by God during the six days of Creation narrated in Genesis, the Chrysostom wished to shift the attention of the faithful from what was created to the Creator. It is good, he said, "to know who is the creature and who is the Creator." He shows us the beauty of creation and the transparency of God through his creations, which thus becomes almost like a 'stairway' towards God and to knowing him. But to this first step he adds a second: God the Creator is also the God of 'condescension' (synkatabasis).
We are weak in making this 'climb' towards God, and our eyes are weak. So God 'condescends' by sending to fallen man his Worcd - Sacred Scripture - and thus, creation and Scriptures complete each other. In the light of Scripture, the Word God has given us, we can decipher creation. God is called 'tender father' (Philostorgios) (ibid.), healer of souls (Homily 40,3 on Genesis), mother (ibid.) and affectionate friend (On Providence,8,11-12). But to this second step - first, Creation as 'stairway' to God; and then, God coming down to us through his Word, Sacred Scripture - was a third one. God not only sent down his word to us. Finally, he himself comes down to us, becomes flesh, really 'God with us', our brother up to his death on the Cross.
To these three steps - God is visible in creation, God gives us his word, God comes down and becomes one of us - there is a fourth step. Within the life and actions of the Christian, the vital and dynamic principle is the Holy Spirit (Pneuma) who transforms the reality of the world. God enters our personal existence through the Holy Spirit and transforms us from within our own heart.
With this as background, John, in his continuing comments on the Acts of the Apostles, proposed the model of the early Church (Acts 4,32-37) as a model for society to develop a social Utopia (almost an 'ideal city'). In short, to give a Christian face and soul to the city. The Chrysostom understood that it was not enough to give alms or to help the poor now and then, but that it was necessary to create a new structure, a new model of society, one based on the perspective of the New Testament. And the nascent Church showed what the new society could be. Thus, St. John Chrysostom is truly one of the great Fathers of the Social Doctrine of the Church. The old idea of the Greek polis had to be replaced by the new idea of a city inspired by the Christian idea. Chrysostom agreed with Paul (cfr 1 Cor 8,11) on the primacy of the individual Christian, of the person as such, even if he was a slave or a poor man.
This was a change from the Greek vision of the polis or city, in which large parts of the population were excluded from citizenship rights. In the Christian city, all men are brothers and sisters with equal rights. The primacy of the person is also the consequence of the fact that one can build the city, starting with the individual, whereas in the Greek polis, the country was above the individual, who was totally subordinate to the city as a whole. Thus, the vision of a society built on and by the Christian conscience began with the Chrysostom, who tells us that our polis is something else, "our homeland is in the heavens" (Fil 3,20), and in this homeland, even here on earth, we are all equal, brothers and sisters, which obliges us to solidarity.
Towards the end of his life, in exile in far Armenia - 'the most remote place on earth' - John returned to his early preaching in 386 and took up a theme dear to him, God's plan for mankind: it is a plan that is 'inexpressible and incomprehensible' but certainly something carried out with love (On Providence, 2,6). This is our certainty. Even if we cannot decipher the details of the plan in our personal and collective lives, we know that it is always inspired by his love.
Notwithstanding his sufferings, the Chrysostom reaffirmed the discovery of a God who loves each of us with infinite love and wants only the salvation of everyone. For his part, the sainted bishop cooperated generously towards this salvation without sparing himself, throughout his life. Indeed he considered the glory of God to be the ultimate end of his existence, and as he lay dying, his last words were: "Glory to God for everything!" (Palladio, Life 11).
Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English this way:
Today we continue our reflections on Saint John Chrysostom. In 397, when he became Bishop of Constantinople, he set an example to the people of the city by his simplicity of life and his constant concern for the poor. He did not hesitate to speak out against corrupt or pagan practices, even in the Imperial Court, and for this he was sent into exile. In his teaching, he showed how our wonder at the beauty of creation should lead us to give glory to the Creator. Yet God is also a tender father, a healer of souls and an affectionate friend. The Creator of the Universe loved us so much that he did not spare his only Son. The Holy Spirit also features prominently in Saint John’s writings – the life-force that transforms the world and gives wings to those Christians who are docile to the Spirit’s promptings.
This authoritative teaching earned Saint John Chrysostom the title of a second Saint Paul, Teacher of the Universe. The exiled bishop continued until his death to proclaim the infinite love of God, who wants all to be saved. With his last breath he spoke of the ultimate end of human life – the glory of God. Let us learn from Saint John’s example to love Christ in the poor and to bear faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel.
I extend a warm welcome to all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including groups from Britain and Ireland, New Zealand, Thailand, and North America. I greet in particular the new students from the Venerable English College and the priests from Ireland who are taking part in a renewal course here in Rome. May the time that you spend in this city deepen your love for Christ and his Church, and may God’s blessings of peace and joy be with you always!
Ross Perot Is Selling the Magna Carta
I agree with the sentiments of Maritime Sentry that has has the his thoughts as well as the details in his post here.
I am not the biggest Ross Perot fan. Ever since he got on Sixty Minutes way back and said George Bush SR. tried to sabotage his daughters wedding , I thought he was indeed out to lunch on some things.
Now true it is his so why should he not do this. Well I do think that people that are blessed with wealth should think about giving back. He has lived in a country that has given him the opportunity to be a huge success and even run for President based on that. If one goes to the National Mall and to all the great Museums one is struck that people of wealth in this Country often gave a lot back. Have no doubt that much of what you are see was not bought by the Government. In fact the donation that was started this great treasure we have up there on the Mall was given by someone that not even an American. He was British and never even had visited the United States.
I hope Ross Perot has a change of heart and thinks about donating it to the American people.
I am not the biggest Ross Perot fan. Ever since he got on Sixty Minutes way back and said George Bush SR. tried to sabotage his daughters wedding , I thought he was indeed out to lunch on some things.
Now true it is his so why should he not do this. Well I do think that people that are blessed with wealth should think about giving back. He has lived in a country that has given him the opportunity to be a huge success and even run for President based on that. If one goes to the National Mall and to all the great Museums one is struck that people of wealth in this Country often gave a lot back. Have no doubt that much of what you are see was not bought by the Government. In fact the donation that was started this great treasure we have up there on the Mall was given by someone that not even an American. He was British and never even had visited the United States.
I hope Ross Perot has a change of heart and thinks about donating it to the American people.
Katie Couric of CBS News Gives her Views of Iraq
Good Grief. Thanks to the Godmother of the American Catholic Blogsphere , the Anchoress, for bringing this story. My cable provider does not have C-Span(I live in the sticks) and so I often miss out on what tidbits you can pick up at the National Press Club Meetings and Luncheons.
It appears Katie, the Voice of the News for millions of Americans, gave us her thoughts on Iraq. The Anchoress not only bring us the story but also takes us down a trip down memory lane. I hate to say it but I suspect Katie Couric will not be reading it. Go to her post Couric and Kline on Iraq. A great post and I am putting this as one of the best political must read posts of the day.
The Anchoress asked "Are people’s memories really that short?" I hate to say it butthey are. I have ceased to be shocked even in the age of the internet and access to information how we Americans have a attention span of 5 minutes.
It appears Katie, the Voice of the News for millions of Americans, gave us her thoughts on Iraq. The Anchoress not only bring us the story but also takes us down a trip down memory lane. I hate to say it but I suspect Katie Couric will not be reading it. Go to her post Couric and Kline on Iraq. A great post and I am putting this as one of the best political must read posts of the day.
The Anchoress asked "Are people’s memories really that short?" I hate to say it butthey are. I have ceased to be shocked even in the age of the internet and access to information how we Americans have a attention span of 5 minutes.
Where are All the Miracles In Catholicism?
I have a few free hours this afternoon and catching up on the blogs I like to visit. I noticed that like me the The BOB CATHOLIC Show is following a post and conversation in the comment section of this post by a very popular and insightful Catholic blogger.
I was really struck with something Bob Catholic had to say. He said in part:
Jesus uses the ordinary everyday things to proclaim the reality of God. I have just returned from the greatest miracle I can witness - Mass. Here in the form of bread the very presence of my Lord enters my life. All those years ago, the miracle of baptism changed me and made me a Catholic - although it took me a while to realize it. My priest’s words of absolution change me and restore my relationship with God and my neighbor - a miracle.
How true. At times I have felt the real presence of God in a most personal way. As Catholics we know or SHOULD know that it is the Christ that is forgiving our sins in that Confessional. God gives us glimpses of the mysterious at times. I remember one Day I was going to confession at Our Lady of Mercy In Baton Rouge. Just a average day and just average (not downplaying them) ole sins I struggled with. When the priest said:
There was no doubt who was saying it. It was no doubt that it was not Father X but those words I was hearing were coming from Christ himself. That the voice that was coming from the Priest was the big "I" himself. Ii is something I will always remember.
Historical Christian is one of those people that are gifted by insights had this great story to tell about a Mass she went too. She said:
I was really struck with something Bob Catholic had to say. He said in part:
Jesus uses the ordinary everyday things to proclaim the reality of God. I have just returned from the greatest miracle I can witness - Mass. Here in the form of bread the very presence of my Lord enters my life. All those years ago, the miracle of baptism changed me and made me a Catholic - although it took me a while to realize it. My priest’s words of absolution change me and restore my relationship with God and my neighbor - a miracle.
How true. At times I have felt the real presence of God in a most personal way. As Catholics we know or SHOULD know that it is the Christ that is forgiving our sins in that Confessional. God gives us glimpses of the mysterious at times. I remember one Day I was going to confession at Our Lady of Mercy In Baton Rouge. Just a average day and just average (not downplaying them) ole sins I struggled with. When the priest said:
God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
There was no doubt who was saying it. It was no doubt that it was not Father X but those words I was hearing were coming from Christ himself. That the voice that was coming from the Priest was the big "I" himself. Ii is something I will always remember.
Historical Christian is one of those people that are gifted by insights had this great story to tell about a Mass she went too. She said:
I love the Eucharist, and have had many beautiful experience of Christ in the Eucharist, entering me in Holy Communion, since I entered the Church, especially when I received my first Holy Communion in the Church, which I wrote about here. This winter I had yet another lovely experience that brought home for me again, deeply and joyfully, the reality of Christ in the Eucharist. I told the story yesterday to my RCIA class, now that they have received Christ themselves in Holy Communion, and I tell it again here:
I attend mass at the Cathedral here with our Archbishop, a very beautiful and uplifting mass which I love. One evening I was watching the Archbishop during the Eucharistic prayer, when suddenly I saw Christ step down from heaven, pause behind him for a moment, and then and lay himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop.
He was nude, whole and entire, unharmed and unbloody, lying there completely peaceful, calm, and beautiful, as the Archbishop prayed above him – making a complete and perfect offering of Himself. And the Archbishop, as he prayed, was actually praying over Christ Himself. The sight was so beautiful I got lost in prayer for several minutes.
At the close of the consecration I looked back at the altar, to look at Christ again – and to my surprise, He was gone. Where did He go? Then I realized: into the bread and wine. He is now present in the bread and wine. And I joyfully joined the communion line, to go receive Him, whole and entire, in the bread and wine. I wanted to dance up the aisle, I was so excited.
I attend mass at the Cathedral here with our Archbishop, a very beautiful and uplifting mass which I love. One evening I was watching the Archbishop during the Eucharistic prayer, when suddenly I saw Christ step down from heaven, pause behind him for a moment, and then and lay himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop.
He was nude, whole and entire, unharmed and unbloody, lying there completely peaceful, calm, and beautiful, as the Archbishop prayed above him – making a complete and perfect offering of Himself. And the Archbishop, as he prayed, was actually praying over Christ Himself. The sight was so beautiful I got lost in prayer for several minutes.
At the close of the consecration I looked back at the altar, to look at Christ again – and to my surprise, He was gone. Where did He go? Then I realized: into the bread and wine. He is now present in the bread and wine. And I joyfully joined the communion line, to go receive Him, whole and entire, in the bread and wine. I wanted to dance up the aisle, I was so excited.
I saw Him a few more times like that during the winter, stepping down from heaven to lay Himself down on the altar in front of the Archbishop while he was praying the consecration, and it was beautiful every time. I don’t know if I’ll see Him again like that – I never know – but I know He is there, and I know He is in the bread and wine which I then receive, and it is wonderful – makes me want to sing and dance and shout with joy, every time.
Wow. Well I never experienced that. However if you are open to him and prepare for him who knows what you see. Miracles happen all the time.
I Swear I am Not Overlooking the LSU/Tulane Game
However I can't stop thinking of next week when the Florida Gators and the demi God Tebow come to town :).
By the way I have some cute pics of MIke VI I shall be putting up later tonight
Getting Back That Ole Fashioned Catholic Male Spirituality
Spanish Catholic Matador.
When one thinks of Catholicism in history one is struck has various images that would seem to collide really don't. That has always struck me with the images of Catholic practice and masculinity. The most glaring example is of course Marian devotions. How many stories are there of rough Catholic Sailors and military folks in history that have the most tender devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Saints. Look at what Priests and clergy wear( or used to wear more). Some might call them "dresses" but to be honest the traditional priest wear if worn right and with the proper attitude just screams Manhood. I think that is very important for a Priest and especially as his role as an Alter Christi in performing the Sacraments.
Now I know there is some debate on this. There are "traditionalist" that spend way too much time on how to wear a biretta. Then there are those that say "this doesn't matter one bit Jesus wants us to be more concerned about the Poor". As usual there is no balance which tends to lead to the status quo we have which I find a tad lacking. It is funny but I am amazed how people who proclaim themselves to have a Catholic vision often fall into the old Protestant "either/or trap. For example Spirit is good matter bad therefore Sacraments are bad etc etc. Catholics should break away from this "either/or" line of thought
Hallowed Ground ( no doubt a Traditionalist) has a post with a lot of great photos at “A Girl Thing” I find those pictures so compelling and symbolized something we need to recover.
Now I am not buying into all that his argument in his opening paragraph alludes too. However he is on to something. Let me quote:
During the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 1967, after seeing a demonstration of the proposed new Mass, Cardinal Heenan told the Synod: “At home it is not only women and children but also fathers of families and young men who come regularly to Mass. If we were to offer them the kind of ceremony we saw yesterday in the Sistine Chapel we would soon be left with a congregation mostly of women and children”. His words of warning went unheeded.
The above is unfortunately true. The only place I have seen a large male presence in church was at the Latin Mass. Something about the Old Ritual speaks to men, whether it’s the Hierarchal/Sacerdotal nature of the ceremony, or the rigidness of the Rubrics, or whatever. The quickest, easiest way to drive men out of anyplace (church or otherwise) is overt emotionalism (holding hands, talk of love, basically anything too saccharine). The objective nature, quietness, and use of Latin in the Old Mass provides a “blacket” to express yourself while not feeling like a sappy extroverted buffoon. The expression is kept internal, God can see it, my neighbors should be focusing on Him.
Well as I say I disagree a tad. I have seen a large male presence at Masses that were not the extraordinary form. However again he is on to something. It also went far past the liturgy of Mass. You saw men at devotions back in the "olden days " that too outside eyes might appear "sappy" but were not. But there was a order to them and a touch of the mysterious. I do think that is why so many men are not only attracted to the patrimony of Catholicism but also to Eastern Orthodoxy where it is displayed 1000 squared . There is something we need to recover.
Speaking as a guy here let me give you my thoughts. When I go to a "Latin Mass" or visit a Orthodox service I can detect that little boy in me. Boys love to be awed and to steep themselves in the mysterious. Just look what young boys do when they play "pretend". Boys can get pretty elaborate on pretend and it often involves great ceremony and tradition. It was not uncommon at one time for Catholic boys to "play" priest with mock altars. That was not a bad thing. The mysterious and Ceremony combined with the Real fact and presence of God is a combination that cannot be beat.
Hopefully wider use of the extraordinary form of the Mass will affect the ordinary form that I and most Catholics will always attend. Hopefully how we express male Spirituality in the liturgy and the million Catholic devotions we have access too will be recovered also.
Could the GOP Be Heading Toward A Brokered Convention?
Well that is a exciting thought.
I am pretty much a political nerd. When I was kid my grandparents had one of those big ole satellite dishes. Back then none of the channels . For a boy that at that time had no Cable even it was Nirvana. I spent most of my time watching C-Span and News Channels during the day and sneaking into the living room to watch dirty movies at night.
I have always been fascinated by brokered conventions in our nations history. They just look so darn exciting. Which leads us to the GOP. John Judis has a piece up at the New Republic called The GOP's Political Nightmare Delegate Responsibility.
Let me say upfront I disagree with two parts of his piece. First the title itself. Brokered Conventions have not always led to defeat in the fall. The fact is that if it is brokered it will be the most exciting political news event in decades. People will be tuning in. People will be talking Republican ideas. I suspect more people will be engaging the GOP than the Democrat Clinton Coronation snooze fest.
I also think that Huckabee will get a lot more votes than that(By the way expect a Huckabee update soon). I am not assuming that a whole much of voters will find Fred Thompson the best thing since the invention of sweet tea.
Other people who are salivating about this scenario are people that run blogs like Campaign2008VictoryA that is really promoting the Alaskan Governor for President. BY THE WAY I HAVE MY EYE ON HER TOO. That blogger might be on the Rudy bandwagon now but people that have their eyes and agenda on the number 2 spot will become a lot more fluid in a brokered convention. The VP spot will become very important. More new faces and more ideas is exciting to voters.
Of course for a brokered convention to be taken advantage of , the person coming out of it must unite the party. I think several top runners including Huckabee are good people to do that.
Stay tuned.
I am pretty much a political nerd. When I was kid my grandparents had one of those big ole satellite dishes. Back then none of the channels . For a boy that at that time had no Cable even it was Nirvana. I spent most of my time watching C-Span and News Channels during the day and sneaking into the living room to watch dirty movies at night.
I have always been fascinated by brokered conventions in our nations history. They just look so darn exciting. Which leads us to the GOP. John Judis has a piece up at the New Republic called The GOP's Political Nightmare Delegate Responsibility.
Let me say upfront I disagree with two parts of his piece. First the title itself. Brokered Conventions have not always led to defeat in the fall. The fact is that if it is brokered it will be the most exciting political news event in decades. People will be tuning in. People will be talking Republican ideas. I suspect more people will be engaging the GOP than the Democrat Clinton Coronation snooze fest.
I also think that Huckabee will get a lot more votes than that(By the way expect a Huckabee update soon). I am not assuming that a whole much of voters will find Fred Thompson the best thing since the invention of sweet tea.
Other people who are salivating about this scenario are people that run blogs like Campaign2008VictoryA that is really promoting the Alaskan Governor for President. BY THE WAY I HAVE MY EYE ON HER TOO. That blogger might be on the Rudy bandwagon now but people that have their eyes and agenda on the number 2 spot will become a lot more fluid in a brokered convention. The VP spot will become very important. More new faces and more ideas is exciting to voters.
Of course for a brokered convention to be taken advantage of , the person coming out of it must unite the party. I think several top runners including Huckabee are good people to do that.
Stay tuned.
The Catholic Church is Anti Science
Why Don't People Know who that Man on the Left is?
It is really amazing how people just repeat the same ole Cliches and falsehoods. I think that is because people are comfortable with them and hate to change. The Catholic Church often has the silly charge that it is anti Science lobbed at it. This charge is hurled by anti Catholics and the secular media all the time. It seems that if they say Galileo a million times that they think that proves the argument.
Of course this is false. I could do a post after post about Catholics and Science. Did you know for instance that the Science of Seismology was started by the Jesuits? Did you know that the Cathedrals of Europe and elsewhere in the World often functioned as Observatories to study the Heavens? Did you know that at The church of St. Ignatius in Rome was the site of the observatory that Angelo Secchi used to discover carbon stars." That in fact 35 craters on the moon, in fact, are named after Jesuit scientists and mathematicians. We also learn that the Jesuit Order:
had contributed to the development of pendulum clocks, pantographs, barometers, reflecting telescopes and microscopes, to scientific fields as various as magnetism, optics and electricity. They observed, in some cases before anyone else, the colored bands on Jupiter’s surface, the Andromeda nebula and Saturn’s rings. They theorized about the circulation of the blood (independently of Harvey), the theoretical possibility of flight, the way the moon effected the tides, and the wave-like nature of light. Star maps of the southern hemisphere, symbolic logic, flood-control measures on the Po and Adige rivers, introducing plus and minus signs into Italian mathematics — all were typical Jesuit achievements, and scientists as influential as Fermat, Huygens, Leibniz and Newton were not alone in counting Jesuits among their most prized correspondents [Jonathan Wright, The Jesuits, 2004, p. 189].
Jesuit were not the only ones either. If you get a chance one should really go out and buy How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization THOMAS E. WOODS, JR. Good read and his section on Science and the Catholic Church is stellar.
By the way we have not stopped either. The Vatican Observatory in Arizona is still doing great work.
Which leads us to the picture above of Father Georges Lemaître who just was somebody that proposed the Big Bang Theory. Some how I missed all this in school!!!!!! I am guessing they don't teach this in catholic schools either because I never hear Catholic school educated people talking about this.
One my of my Favorite sites Hallowed Ground has more interesting photos of the good Father that brought us the Big Bang here.
Louisiana Catholic Blogger Update For Septemeber 26th.
Time For the Louisiana Catholic Blogger Roundup. I found the above picture at the Louisiana Catholic College Student Site. Pretty cool. I used to be President of that Organization back in my College days. Lots of blogs have not updated yet but here we go:
Catholic Tube has two good pro-life vids up. Check out 40 Days For Life Starts Tommorrow and 40 Days For Life - Day 1
From The Recamier has her post up. Lot of good interesting facts today we should know at her here.
Thoughts & Ruminations from Fr. Ryan from the Diocese of Alexandria has a post up on Confession and good ole traditional Catholic teaching under todays entry.
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has an update on her oldest one here.
Footprints on the Fridge has a post called Happy Birthday to my most faithful reader!
The Brown Pelican Society has of course the most links and post today as usual.
Bishop Resigns From the Episcopal Church and Will Enter the Roman Catholic Church
Homily of the Day: We Are Only Temporary Residents
Supreme Court Will Hear Lethal Injection Case
The Church is Like a Tower of Refuge to All Who Fight Against the Devil
Bush Urges U.N. to Spread Freedom
'Gov't Spending Unsustainable,' Says Watchdog Group
Bush Administration to Ask for 50 Billion Dollars for Iraq
Respect Life Sunday Statement: “We Need Truth” Says Cardinal Rigali
Slovak Health Ministry Revokes Hospital Abortion Law in Face of Effective "Right-to-Life" Campaign
Casey at The Bat - Pro-Lifers Assess Senator’s Voting Record
Dr. Dobson to Catholic Leaders: Don’t Give Up on Fight For Family
TODAY'S GOSPEL & MEDITATION - Take It or Leave It
SAINT OF THE DAY: Sts. Cosmas and Damian (d. 303?)