For those that want immigration reform we have objectives far more than just what to do about illegal aliens. We hope the process can be streamlined and that those that are in line legally can have their cases reviewed quicker.
Also we hope to keep Priests and Nuns in the Country!!! Yes it has again. Another messup by the immigration folks has a beloved priest told he has to leave. Whispers in the Loggia has the story at Migration Madness, Part 64,368 . Needless to say Priests are in the " much in need Cannot be Filled at at home "category of US workers!!
By the way my Dioceses of Shreveport had this problem just a couple of months ago. See Government threatens to deport nun. Thankfully is was stopped.
This just seems one of those things that could be handled with a quick phone call to a Congressman
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
More Reasons For Immigration Reform- So Priests and Nuns Are Not Deported!!!
Pope Benedict Talks Pope St. Gregory the Great At Wednesday Audience (Full Text)
It is Wednesday so it time for me to put up the Holy Father's Weekly Wednesday Audience!!! He is talking Church Fathers again!!!!! It is a biggie to day. It is the grand ole Pope St. Gregory. Thanks again to the Ratzinger Forum for the pics and the quick English translation!!!
AUDIENCE OF 5/28/08
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience in St. Peter's Square today.
Dear brothers and sisters, Last Wednesday I spoke of a Father of The Church who is little known int eh West, Romanus the Melodist.
Today, I wish to present the figure of one of the greatest Fathers in the history of the Church, one of the four Doctors of the West, Pope St. Gregory, who was Bishop of Rome from 590-604, and who has earned the traditional title of Magnus or Great. Gregory was truly a great Pope and a great Doctor of the Church. Born in Rome around 540 to a rich patrician family of the Anicia clan, which had distinguished itself not only by noble blood, but also for its dedication to the Christian faith and for services rendered to the Apostolic See. The family also gave the Church two other Popes, Felix III (483-492), great great grand-uncle of Gregory, and Agapitus (535-536. The house where Gregory grew was on the Clivus Scauri, surrounded by solemn edifices that testified to the grandeur of ancient Rome and the spiritual force of Christianity.
Inspiring him to elevated Christian sentiments were the examples of his parents Gordianus and Silvia, both of them also venerated as saints, and those of his two paternal aunts, Emiliana and Tarsilia, who lived at home as consecrated virgins in a life of prayer and asceticism. Gregory entered early into an administrative career, following his father, and culminating in becoming Prefect of Rome in 572.
This office, complicated by the sadness of the times, allowed him to apply himself to a vast range of administrative problems, bringing light to them for his future tasks. In particular, a profound sense of order and discipline remained with him. As Pope, he suggested to the bishops to model themselves in the management of church affairs after the diligence and respect for law shown by civilian functionaries. But this life must not have satisfied him, because much later, he decided to leave every civilian responsibility to retire and start a monastic life, transforming the family home into the monastery of St. Andrew in Celio. This period of monastic life, a life of permanent dialog with the Lord and listening to his Word, left him with a perennial nostalgia which always and ever more became apparent in his homilies.
In the middle of nagging pastoral worries and concerns, he would recall it many times in his writings as a happy time spent in contemplation of God, dedicated to prayer and serene immersion in study. That is how he was able to acquire a profound knowledge of Sacred Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church which served him later in his own works. But Gregory's cloistered retreat did not last long. The invaluable experience that matured in civilian administration during a time of serious problems, the relationships he had developed with the Byzantine world while in office, the universal esteem that he had earned, led Pope Pelagius to name him a deacon and send him to Constantinople as his 'apocrisarius' [ambassador to the imperial court], which we would call Apostolic Nuncio today, in order to help over come the last after-effects of the monophysite controversy
His stay in Constantinople, where he resumed the monastic life with a group of monks, was most important for Gregory, because it gave him direct experience in the Byzantine world, as well as with facing the Longobard problem, which would later severely test his ability and energies during his Pontificate.
After several years, he was recalled to Rome by the Pope, who named him his secretary. Those were difficult years: continuous rains, flooding and famine afflicted many areas of Italy and Rome itself. Towards the end, there was an eruption of plague which took numerous victims, among them Pope Pelagius II himself.
The clergy, the people and the Senate were unanimous in choosing Gregory himself to be his successor on Peter's Chair. He tried to resist this, even attempting to flee, but he had no choice: In the end, he had to yield. It was the year 590.
Recognizing that this was the will of God, the new Pope immediately set to work apace. From the beginning, he showed a singularly lucid vision of the reality against which he had to measure himself, an extraordinary capacity for work in both ecclesiastical and civilian affairs, a constant equilibrium in the decisions, often courageous, that the office imposed on him.
There exists ample documentation of his governance, thanks to a registry of his letters (almost 800), in which he reflected on his daily confrontation with the complex questions that came to his desk - questions that came from bishops, abbots, priests, and even civilian authorities of every order and rank.
Among the problems that afflicted Italy and Rome in those days was one which was particularly outstanding in both the civilian and ecclesiastical fields: the Lombard question, to which the Pope dedicated every possible energy towards a truly peacemaking solution. In contrast to the Byzantine Emperor who started from the premise that the Longobards were simply crude predators to be defeated or exterminated, St. Gregory saw them with the eyes of a good pastor, concerned with announcing to them the word of salvation and establishing fraternal relationships with them for a future peace founded on reciprocal respect and peaceful coexistence among Italians, the subjects of empire and the Lombards themselves.
He concerned himself with the conversion of the new peoples in Italy and the new civilian order in Europe. The Visigoths in Spain, the Franks, the Saxons, the immigrants to Britain and the Lombards were the priority objects of his evangelizing mission. Yesterday, we observed the liturgical commemoration of St. Augustine of Canterbury, the head of a group of monks tasked by Gregory to go to Britain to evangelize that land. To obtain peace from the barbarian incursions in Rome and Italy, the Pope committed himself thoroughly - he was a true peacemaker - undertaking detailed negotiations with the Lombard king Agilulfo.
These negotiations led to a truce that lasted three years (598-601), after which it became possible to stipulate a more stable armistice in 603. This positive outcome was also helped by parallel contacts which, in the meantime, the Pope had with Queen Theodolinda, a Bavarian princess, who unlike the heads of other Germanic peoples [who invaded Italy] , was Catholic, profoundly Catholic.
A series of letters of Pope Gregory to that queen has been conserved, which reveals his esteem and friendship for her. Theodolinda managed gradually to lead the king himself to Catholicism, thus paving the way for peace. The Pope also took upon himself to send the queen relics for the Basilica of St. John the Baptist which she had ordered built in Monza [northern Italy, near Milan, capital of what became the Lombardy region], and he did not fail to send his best wishes and precious gifts for this Basilica on the occasion of the birth and baptism of Theodolinda's son Adaloaldo. The episode of Queen Theodolinda constitutes a beautiful testimony of the importance of women in the history of the Church.
Basically, the three objectives that Pope Gregory aimed for constantly were: to contain the expansion of the Lombards in Italy; to take away Theodolinda from the influence of schismatics and to reinforce her Catholic faith; and to mediate between the Lombards and the Byzantines towards an agreement that would guarantee peace in the Italian peninsula and at the same time allow evangelical activity to be undertaken among the Lombards.
Therefore, he had a constant two-sided orientation in these complex events: to promote his objectives on the he political and diplomatic levels; and to to spread the proclamation of the true faith among the people. Besides his spiritual and pastoral activities, Pope Gregory was also an active protagonist in many forms of social work. With the income from the conspicuous patrimony that the Roman See possessed in Italy, especially in Sicily, he bought and distributed grains, assisted those who were in need, helped priests, monks and nuns who lived in indigence, ransomed citizens who were captured by the Lombards, negotiated armistices and truces.
Besides this, he carried out in Rome and other parts of Italy a careful administrative reorganization, with precise instructions that the goods of the Church necessary for its subsistence and evangelizing work should be managed with absolute rectitude and according to the rules of justice and mercy. He demanded that the people be protected from the deceptions of the concessionaires of Church properties, and that in case of fraud, they should be promptly restituted so that the face of Christ's Bride would not be smirched by dishonest profits.
Gregory carried out these intense activities despite ill health which often forced him to stay in bed for many days. The fasts he observed during his monastic years had resulted in serious disturbances to his digestive system. His voice was so weakened that he often had to entrust his deacon with reading his homilies so that the faithful in the Roman basilicas could hear them.
But he did everything possible to celebrate the Missarum sollemnia, the Solemn Mass, himself on religious feast days, during which he personally encountered the People of God, for whom he felt great affection, because he saw them as the authoritative reference point from which to draw certitude. There is reason he was soon being called consul Dei. Notwithstanding the most difficult circumstances in which he had to operate, he succeeded - thanks to the sanctity of his life and his rich humanity - in winning the confidence of the faithful, achieving for his time and for the future results that were truly grandiose. He was a man immersed in god. The desire for God was always very vivid in him, and because of this, he was very close to his fellowmen, to the needs of the people of his time. In a disastrous and desperate time, he knew how to create peace and hope.
This man of God shows us where the true springs of peace are, from where true hope comes, and is thus a leader and guide even for us today.
Just Got back From Texarkana
It is still standing. Left an hour dawn to make good time but there was horrible fog all the way up with me stuck behind every log truck and 18 wheeler on the highway!!!
Mood tired. Texarkana(Both Arkansas and Texas) is one of those few places for some reason I always get the worst directions in. I think they hate my LSU sticker :(
Imagine living in a city that was combination of Arkansas Fans, Texas fans, Texas A @ M fans and gosh knows what else. UGGGGGH
Though I do enjoy parts of it a great bit and people are friendly even thought they misdirect me
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Just Watched the CBS Special On Polygamy
CBS had a very good special just on called Polygamy: A World Apart. It was a fascinating yet sad. It mainly focused on the FLDS Cult that has been in the news lately.
First I got to commend CBS. They really went out of their way not to call these people Mormons. This was not happening for quite a while as this saga was covered by the media
It is not only offensive to Mormons but is incorrect. Imagine if the looney Pope Michael had some loony Cult /Compound at his Vatican in Exile with 40,000 followers and the Press was calling them Catholics. I would be livid.
Needless to say the Mormon Church has excommunicated these people for various reasons including the fact they practice Polygamy. How serious Mormons take this was sort of seen in an interesting segment on the sort of Cool hip Polygamy wives in the Salt lake City Burbs they profiled. They talked about how their children were really picked on by other kids in Public Schools in Utah because of their family lifestyle.
Anyway what struck me was a element of the story we don't here much about. That is the teenage boys. Often we just hear about the girls. The segment on the teenage boys at the compound that had been driven out, cut off from families, etc was powerful. and sad. The numbers are huge out of this group. The main reasons are obvious why many are driven out. Also it appears being boys they were a tad more rebels and started questioning things.
They leave and have no family and hit a society that they have never encountered. Predictable result- Crime Drugs etc follow. One Lady, who now for all practical purposes is their mom, took in ten boys at a group home. There are not enough places for them. Also some never knew their fathers because they had been" reassigned" out elsewhere when they were young.
Anyway as a guy , I was hit by their stories alot. Lots of victims here and needless to say this is not harmless.
There were aspects of the show I wished they had gone into. For instance what does the Mormon Church do, maybe nothing or perhaps alot, to help these kids and Spouses that flee sort of reincorporate into normal society. NO doubt many of its members do a ton of stuff. However It did strike me that many of these kids and others were going to areas of heavy Mormon Concentration after leaving the Compound or the FDLS towns. That would have been interesting to see. For instance is there some sort of deprogramming etc etc.
Mark Krikorian is Concerned about Last names that end with a Vowel
Well not today but I can imagine in a past life he would be going "Who let all these damn Italians in!!!!"
Mr Krikorian has a post over at the National Review Corner blog that is alarmist in nature that Jose is again the top boy's name for babies born in Texas in 2007. Mr Krikorian does the illegal immigration issue as a side job. His other jobs include slowing down legal migration to a standstill, the stopping of high valued high tech workers from immigrating to the USA, ranting on about how immigrants can ruin the military, how new Hispanics will not Israel, etc etc. IN other words he has a agenda that really muddies the water on this difficult issue.
I think it would be nice if the National Review wanted to oppose immigration reform they could have someone on staff that does not use the issue as a means to advance a extreme population control agenda. Perhaps the National Review can get some quality Hispanic staff that are mainstream conservatives that can talk about assimilation and advancing the conservative agenda among Hispanics and Latinos. I don't know that seems like a good idea.
I have studied the issue of immigration for some time. Have no doubt that in 50 years there will be a Mr Jose or Mr Juan at the National Review talking about all these damn new Chinese or Indian names no doubt and how it is changing the "Character of America"
The Coolest, Baddest Catholic Mom and Dad In Louisiana
Award goes to Vox Feminae . I mean goodness just look what do on the weekends in SHREVEPORT!!! at Memorial Day with M20 Armored Car . What fun. I am way past the age of majority but perhaps they will adopt me. No telling what other gadgets they have in the backyard. Maybe a MIG.
Louisiana Catholic Blog Update for May 27th 2008
St Louis Cathedral in New OrleansI took the Memorial Weekend off from the Louisiana Catholic Blog update. I was out of town. We shall try to get updates our this week for the next two days. I shall being leaving early early Friday Morning to watch LSU play Ball and then I am going to Jackson Miss for a Family Reunion for the rest of the weekend till Sunday Afternoon. So here we go!!!
For The Greater Glory has Graduation to Memorial Day
Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group has an exciting post up. He is going on a Pilgrimage. Like a real one to Europe and stuff. GO see Accepting Prayer Petitions for Pilgrimage to Banneux . It has lots of links and he will carry your petition over. He also has information on a event that is coming in Louisiana that will have the best of Catholic Rock and Praise movement. GO see Rock the Block Steubenville Warm-up. It is in Alexandria , which is of in the middle of the state and pretty close to everybody here in the Bayou State.He has lot so links to the people appearing. He has a nice post here at 2008 Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Included in that link is t one that shows how his Parish celebrated it in pictures!! I can tell right away by looking at those pictures and how the Liturgy is celebrated why they have such a good youth group
I am about to faint!!! The Last Bastion of Tradition has updated!! Two great posts here at Way to go Jim!!! and Paul VI saw liturgical abuse as "smoke of Satan" . Keep posting Bastion :) He was on my links of possible removal but now since I realized he has not died he had got a reprieve till Labor Day. I am lenient blogmeister here and so easy to please!!!
Footprints on the Fridge has Like Coming Home
A Number of Things has Thank you, Flowers and Frogs
Full Circle has My general opinion on the birthing climate in Louisiana and The end times: Theys a comin' Oh how I loved this show when I was kid. Go see his entry Hey youuuu guuuuuuuyyyyys!!! Great news he will be speaking at an engagement this summer. Go see Mark your calendars: I'll be speaking tentatively on Aug 21 . He has this post also The love of moms for their boys .
Alive and Young has Not Said By Jesus Sunday and Who I Am Makes a Difference
Vox Feminae has like the coolest husband and coolest dad in Louisiana. I mean good grief what dad has this in the garage at Memorial Day with M20 Armored Car Also go see Kyrie Eleison . She has a nice report on Bishop Duca's first Mass in his Cathedral at Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
Thoughts & Ruminations from Fr. Ryan has Great Story about what furnature ought to be... I know it's wierd, go with me. Also see Q & A about 'Church & State' and Q & A about 'Keeping up with the times'. He has A Very Interesting (and potetenially controversial) quotation here. He has a review of Atonement....
Father also put his Homily up(which I like when he does that) at My Homily for Corpus Christi - a bit of a Jerimiad. He also talks about a issue we are dealing with here in Louisiana at No real need to legislate science ed thetowntalk.com
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has Trust. A fun picture here at She's a Little Bit Country . Also she has pics here at What Do You Do at a Family Reunion?
The always fun Maudie in Mandeville has Liars, panderers, and the annoyingly ignorant , Global warming weenies , and Teachers and parents, beware of Head Start children .
Our Catholic Deacon from New Orleans Life on the (L)edge has MY HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI Also see MORE FOR THE MONTH OF MARY (MAY)
and BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
I really missed this Saint Day today!!! I have not done my Liturgy of the Hours since Friday (bad me). GO see Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message post Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury (27 May 2008)
Thy Nose to the Marble. of Father Decker has a picture up that appears to intrigue him (I don't get it) here
I really think that Catholic Tube has updated of course with a ton of vids. I am having a problem with his page loading on my computer but be sure to check him out. I will list all the vids he has done since Friday in the next post anyway.
Lastly do not forget to go to theThe Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) for his ton of links he has up everyday updating us on all the Catholic related news we need to know
Actor Will Smith on the Ellen Show!
Interesting overview of Smith's Memorial Day appearance on the Ellen Tv show at Will Smith missed his Roman exit. Another lost to the Scientology folks.
The Neo-Catechumenal Way Controversy Continues
First let me say I am very sympathetic to this LAY Catholic movement and also recognize the concerns of some of it most vocal detractors.
Second I know no one in this movement so I am at a tad of an disadvantage.
Third, both the people that are in "The Way" as well its detractors should heed Pope Benedict's comments he made recently on Ecclesial movements. That is just don't read parts you like and ignore the parts that you don't.
The Way has been of some controversy lately. There was high level talks by the Bishops of Japan with the Vatican that were not well pleased. The Ratzinger Forum had two articles up. First is a Catholic News Report appears to have jumped the gun as to this article Final canonical approval for Neocatechumenal Way It appears the next day an Italian Catholic site Petrus had a entire different take(Translation at above Ratzinger Link and below).
Another seven years of 'purgatory' for the Neo-Catechumenals
Their Statutes have not convinced the Pope. The Vatican reiterates they must adjust their liturgy to norms and that their catechism should be the Church's official catechism. By Gianluca Barile .
VATICAN CITY, May 25 - Another seven provisional years for the Neo- Catechumenals. The Holy Father has decided to approve the movement's Statutes 'ad experimentum' till 2015. Only then will a decision be made whether the Church will definitively recognize one of the most controversial organizations in the history of Catholic lay movements.
Is the glass half-empty or half-full for the movement's founders, Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez? Rather half-empty because the Pope, after having attentively read an 80-page report and listened to the opinions of the Congregation for the Laity and the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, reportedly decided that the movement still has not changed its liturgy to comply with norms, and that their catecheses continue to require corrections in order to be fully in accordance with the Magisterium.
Corrections which have reportedly been pointed out by the Pope himself, in the hope that the Way would not continue to operate like a 'foreign body' in the dioceses and parishes around the world where they have sent their 'missionaries'. To think that in the past few days, multiple Internet sites with obvious Neo-Catechumenal sympathies had been reporting that the Vatican would certainly give final approval to their Statutes, considering that the 5-year provisional approval given to it by John Paul II had expired in June 2007 without any word from the Vatican.
The Pope's decision is expected to be communicated soon, but one cannot rule out that Arguelles and Hernandez will decide to present the decision themselves at a press conference. Judging from the founders' SOP, they will likely present it as a victory for them. But a minimum of common sense will show that's not so. The fact is that in December 2005, at the Holy Father's instructions, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, wrote a stern note to the founders giving them two years to adjust their liturgy to the norms of the Church.
But nothing has changed in their liturgy, although Cardinal Arinze's letter said: "In celebrating the Holy Mass, the Neo-Catechumenal Way shall accept and follow the liturgical books approved by the Church without omitting or adding anything." For instance, Sunday is the Lord's Day. The instruction was that members of the movement should participate in a parish Mass at least one Sunday a month, and that for the other Sunday Masses, the movement should come to an agreement with the diocese and its bishop. [It appears the movement customarily holds Sunday Mass on Saturday evenings, instead.]
Then, about lay preachers. The movement was enjoined that homilies can only be given by a priest or a deacon, and that lay members may make an occasional intervention, but something brief and which does not have the nature of a homily. The movement was allowed to continue with their practice of exchanging the sign of peace before the Offertory until a conclusive approval of their Statutes.
On the manner of receiving Communion, the movement was given two years to effect a transition - from their practice of receiving Communion seated, from a table laid out with with bread and wine, instead of from the altar - to the normal manner of receiving Communion followed by the universal Church.
Finally, the movement was instructed to use all the Eucharistic prayers prescribed in the Roman Missal, and not simply the second Prayer. In 2006, Benedict XVI, a few months after Cardinal Arinze's letter went out, 'fraternally advised' the Movement to follow the liturgy of the Holy Roman Church, when he met with 200 families that the movement was sending out as missionaries to various parts of the world.
He said: "The importance of liturgy, and in particular, the Holy Mass, in evangelization, has been reiterated in many ways and on many occasions by my predecessors, and your experience should confirm how the centrality of the mystery of Christ, celebrated in liturgical rites, constitutes a privileged and indispensable way of building Christian communities that can endure... "Precisely in order to help the Neo-Czatechumenal Way to make its evangelizing actions more effective, in communion with all the people of God, the Congregation for Divine Worship, in my name, recently conveyed to you certain norms about the Eucharistic celebration.
"After the provisional period granted to you by the servant of God, John Paul II, I am sure that these norms, which affirm what is provided for in the approved liturgical books of the Church, will be followed by you attentively." So, essentially, much of the problem has to do with liturgy, particularly with the manner of administering and receiving Communion.
An indication of what Benedict XVI thinks about this was evident at the Corpus Domini Mass in St. John Lateran last Thursday - when those who received Communion from the Pope all knelt to receive it on the tongue. Will he continue to tolerate the current Neo-Catechumenal Communion practices? Not forgetting that when Kiko Arguello received Communion from the Pope earlier this month, he did so with his arms crossed, which was certainly quite unorthodox and could even be seen as a sign of disrespect for the Eucharist.
Now some of these concerns seem valid. From the lindeed little I know of the "The Way" it seems that doing such recommendations would not be hard at all. In fact it is for the good of the Church. That being said I do not do not know if Petrus has an agenda but their reporting has been fair in the past. From what I read of this group and their actions in American they are really dynamic. For instance the New York Times reported on a Family that is part of "The Way" from Texas that was going to see Benedict in New York:
The Pequeños and their fellow pilgrims are a particularly ardent band. They are followers of the Neocatechumenal Way, a communitarian church movement, founded in Spain in the 1960s and accepted by the Vatican, that emphasizes a return to early Christian roots, evangelism, intense religious practice and sacrifice.
The Pequeños’ house is filled with Bibles and Christian images. Over the fireplace hangs a copy of an icon by the Spanish painter Francisco (Kiko) Argüello, who co-founded the movement.Before they joined, Mr. Pequeño said, “we would just go to church for Sundays and holidays.” Now they go several times a week, he said, and often evangelize door to door, sometimes playing music.“We use a lot of instruments,” added Ricky, who plays the drum. “The devil uses a lot of noise, and we fight against the devil, also with a lot of noise.”
I mean this sounds good doesn't it? I guess we will no what is the official word from the Vatican soon enough
Do White People Need Training to Adopt Black Children?
For those Much Younger than me and do not get this picture go hereCNN has this article up Do whites need training before parenting black children? I still find it amazing that we still held hostage to old viewpoints that sees everything in black and white. Notice the article did not say "Do Asians, Latinos, and Hispanics need training to adopt black children". However there is no doubt that is ingrained in our culture. We see that with Obama despite being half "white" is seen as entirely African American. )I find this ironic and sad
It would indeed be interesting I guess to see how African Children adopted at age 10 lets say by a "White" family did as compared to a similarly situated American black child from lets say New Orleans.
I know people that have adopted Hispanic, Asians, kids. Hell for a time everyone seemed to be going to China or Columbia to pick one up. There is no apparent need for classes for them.
Are there challenges in this sort of adoption here in the United States? Well I suppose there might be. Adopting especially a Foster Child poses all sort of challenges period. However let us face it. Any couple about to do this is going to be seeking out advice. We do not need some Govt agency giving classes. In the article this Lady nails it on the head:
Professor Elizabeth Bartholet, who directs the Child Advocacy Program at Harvard Law School, believes the concept of striving for color blindness is sound. She foresees problems if race once again becomes a key determinant.
"Giving social workers the chance to do that produced very rigid race matching," she said, referring to pre-1994 policies. "That's one of the reasons to say race can't be used at all -- there's no other way to be sure it doesn't become the overwhelming factor."
Current policy allows standardized pre-adoption training, but wisely prohibits specific screening for parents seeking to adopt transracially, Bartholet said.
"What cannot be done is have a pass/fail test that turns on whether you give the politically correct answers," she said. "If social workers are allowed to use training to determine who can adopt, there's lots of experience showing they abuse that power."
She also questioned whether attempts to boost minority recruitment would succeed.
"Black people are significantly poorer than white people and less likely to be in a position to come forward," Bartholet said. "Recruitment efforts bump up against that fact."
The Priest That Was in Dachau
Against the Grain has review with excerpts and reviews of a book called Father Jean Bernard's "Priestblock 25487: A Memoir of Dachau" . It looks like something I really want to pick up. Here is a part:
The second from midway through, Christmas 1941:
"I'm on gate duty today," Cappy whispers to me. We are returning from the assembly square on Christmas morning, and our column is marching alongside the German clergy's column for a brief moment.
When it is time to delivery the pails for midday meal I exchange with a colleague assigned to go to Barrack 26 that day. I suspect that Cappy wants to give me something and am eager to find out what it is.
He is standing at the entrance of the barbed-wire barrier around teh barrack, as announced. We are not allowed to enter, but have to leave the pails in front of the "gate." I set mine down next to Cappy, and as he bends down to pick it up he quickly presses a carefully folded piece of paper into my hand. Very softly he mouths the word, "icthys."
I have difficulty concealing my excitement. Swiftly I hide the precious gift in my glove. And as I hurry back home images from the time of the catacombs come to mind. Back then, as now, the Most Holy had to be preserved from desecration, and so the Greek term for "fish", ichthys, became a code word for the Eucharist, since it is composed of the initial letters of the phrase, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior."
After the midday meal, we Luxembourgers met a few friends inconspicuously in the darkness outside the barrack and divided the precious pieces into as many particles as humanly possible. And then the Christ Child entered our hearts ...
The Louisiana Wine Industry- Why not?
This is a good article out of the AP. Louisiana vineyard struggles for recognition
This is sad, predictable, and infuriating
As it turned out, the growing conditions were good, but a bacteria in the soil of the eastern United States is fatal to European grape vines.
Seago said the Louisiana State University agricultural department and extension service seemed uninterested in the problem and that he got help working with researchers at the University of California.
"On no level of the state is there interest," he said. "It's very discouraging. I'm growing a few vines here, and in Texas they are growing an industry."
Uggh. Having been supported and in fact lived on LSU Ag stations, I can see that the irksome bureaucracy in Baton Rouge would not see an opportunity here. Of Course LSU is now finishing up a decade of neglect to a state wide Agricultural research system that used to be noticed worldwide.
Pope To Catholics- Use The Gospel In The Political Life of Your Country
"The Holy Father particularly asks the lay faithful to ensure "that the future not be moulded exclusively by others; intervene with imagination and persuasive ability in the debates of the present time. ... Using the Gospel as your parameter, participate actively in the political and social life of your country. As lay Catholics, dare to participate in creating the future, in unison with priests and bishops!"
Vox Nova has the link and more here.
This sounds very much like what Pope Benedict said on the White House Lawn. I think he is serious about this revolutionary line of thought.
If the Ratzinger Forum has made a full translation of this talk I will post a link.
Baptizing Baby Boys In Pope Benedict Garb Can Lead to Excommunication
I highlighted this fun piece of Baptism Garb about a month ago. However a Priest in his Parish Bulletin has some fun with it.
Creative Minority Report has more at Don't You Dare!
Obama and Supreme Court Judges
In the spirit of the new exciting Mars Probe -Houston We Have a Problem!!!
Great post and link at Civic Geeks and his post Obama's Supreme Court Nominees . Be sure to read the whole article
Tip of the hat to Pro Ecclesia that had this on his list of always intrguing and must read posts of the day
Deal Hudson Discovers Potential Potholes With GOP and Religious Conservatives Alliance
Deal Hudson has a great piece up Are Religious Conservatives and the GOP Heading for Divorce?
I share those concerns!!!
Deal says in part:
There will surely be those who applaud McCain for distancing himself from the "fanatics" on the Religious Right. They will argue that McCain will gain moderate support as a result. Maybe so, but much more important is the message this sends to the religiously conservative voters who have given the GOP its winning edge for nearly 30 years.
Ronald Reagan won Evangelical support with a now-famous line at a 1980 National Affairs Briefing held in Dallas: "I understand that you can't endorse me, but I'm here to endorse you." Some historians point to this moment as the official beginning of the Religious Right movement.
The unanswered question raised by McCain's words on May 22 is whether he will be viewed by Evangelicals as explicitly reversing Reagan's endorsement. How many Evangelical voters will feel rejected along with Reverend Hagee?
Now as I mentioned last week Deal did a lot of good work with having Hagee meet with Catholics and others to have true dialogue and mend some fences.
The problem is that part of the problem is that Mr Hudson , , Bill Donohue of the Catholic watch dog group and many others did not show this caution and outlook early on. This was when they were going after Huckabee. I understand the tension and heat of a primary campaign but I am afraid things I was yelling back in January are now cause of concerns. I find this all very predictable.
For instance compare the tone of Deal's latest column with his post Mike Huckabee's Anti-Catholic Problem way back in 1/02/08. These often reckless charges and rushing like a bull in a china shop shouting Anti Catholic charges set a tone and a dynamic that was fraught with danger if not handled properly. In fact it sparked a tad of debate with Mr Hudson(whom I respect a great deal) and Deacon Keith Fournier who was covering the race for Catholic Online and was a Huckabee supporter.
This nonsense started way back when Brownback's and Huckabee's campaign staff got into a fracas all over a email some yahoo pastor sent that said he supported Huckabee. I noted then way back in August Governor Huckabee Does Not Need To Apologize to Senator Brownback or to Catholics . The real problem was not the Brownback or Huckabee official campaign people but the assorted people that piled on that knew better.
This tone that developed early in the Republican primary season that engaged Catholic, Mormons, Evangelicals ,opposing theological beliefs and viewpoints, and usual allies in the public square was a dangerous game. The ground rules here have always been fuzzy and not well developed. Partly by design so to avoid the topic.
Hagee is just a small part of the problem. If people had just used google and discovered how many Republicans and Democrats (including Catholics) deal with Hagee then perhaps more people would have used caution early on.
I am not as pessimistic as Deal on the consequences yet. But it is a concern.
Still it would have been nice if Catholic political commentators had done excellent work like this and this had been done in January before the Genie got of the bottle.
At the end of the day we have Governor Huckabee that has is smeared with Anti Catholic allegations, McCain wrongly being percieved as not giving a damn, and now a possible fracture in an alliance. It did not have to happen.
Update- Pro Ecclesia has his take here at Deal Hudson: "Are Religious Conservatives and the GOP Heading for Divorce?"
Was National Geographic’s “Gospel of Judas a Fraud?
I love National Geographic. However there has been hints especially as to its cable Programing of a trend toward sensationalism at times IMHO. Oak Leaves has on facet of this at “The Betrayal of Judas”
Christian Priests and Levites
The God Fearin' Forum has an excellent bit of Church Fathers and Catholics Apologetics at Hegesippus on the Levitical Vocation of Christian Priests . That is is pretty interesting. He has a link in his post to another post from a great blog that is related Why All Disciples Are Like Levites
God Fearin has two other apologetic themed post worth checking out too. See Calvinism Refuted by Origen .(He comment section is worth checking out too). Also see Were the Letters of Ignatius Forged?
President Theodore Roosevelt on Contraception and Divorce Laws
It is really amazing what you pick up in American history when you least expect it. The Black Cordelias has verying interesting excerpt from one of TR's State of the Unions. See Theodore Roosevelt The Finest President This Republic Has Dad On Contraception. ALso see his other links in that post on the subject that leads to another good article. I recall watching the Archie Bunkie tv show and the character meat head had a population zero t-shirt. He also got "snipped" so not to lead to more population growth. Nixon and Rockerfeller at the time in real life were buying into all this. It is amazing how now we seen a huge demographic crisis.
I should add that these same people that got this so wrong are using the illegal immigration issue to get their radical population control views in the backdoor. A problem that everyone seems to have an amazing lack of curiosty about
However there is more to the State of Union(that he has linked) than this. It is indeed a fascinating speech to get a glimpse of the times and see the issues the nation was following. Including THIS that just preceded his paragraph on Contraception:
I am well aware of how difficult it is to pass a constitutional amendment. Nevertheless in my judgment the whole question of marriage and divorce should be relegated to the authority of the National Congress. At present the wide differences in the laws of the different States on this subject result in scandals and abuses; and surely there is nothing so vitally essential to the welfare of the nation, nothing around which the nation should so bend itself to throw every safeguard, as the home life of the average citizen. The change would be good from every standpoint. In particular it would be good because it would confer on the Congress the power at once to deal radically and efficiently with polygamy; and this should be done whether or not marriage and divorce are dealt with. It is neither safe nor proper to leave the question of polygamy to be dealt with by the several States. Power to deal with it should be conferred on the National Government.
The same ole questions rise again. I do find it fascinating that "Polygamy" was still sort of a issue this late.
The Pope Meets Cardinal Dulles
Whispers in the Loggia has a nice post and links on the incredible Cardinal Avery Dulles and also his meeting with Pope Benedict in New York
Monday, May 26, 2008
A Look at One of the Toughest Jobs - Military Casualty notification
Blog by the Sea has nice and moving Memorial Day post and link up here at Final Salute.
I recall reading this story when it came out. It appears there has been a book released just a few weeks ago that follows in more details the work of these Marine. Anyway the article and photos are compelling and gives a light of light to this mysterious yet profound job
Holy Father's Angelus for Corpus Christi Sunday
I cam catching up on my regular posting that I do. One of those is to get the Holy Father's Sunday Angelus up. Here is a full English translation from Zenit news as to Pope Benedict Sunday Corpus Christi Angelus.
The Priesthood and Baseball!!!
Dugout Catholicism has an "timely" post since baseball is in the air. He talks about being a Priest and being a baseball Coach and the real results that come from it. Go see Crown of Victory .
I think that makes boys and young men in the making very much appreciative of the Priesthood in all it facets. I also saw on TV, Priests that were like the "boxing Coach". I suppose that many of Catholic Priestsor Brothers also functioned as a Coach in many other sports in the high days of Catholic education and schooling. Ditto for the Sisters
What Is A Catholic To Pray, Think and Do As To Ted Kennedy
I have never been a Ted Kennedy hater. I very much wanted him by some stroke of Divine Intervention defeated but alas that never happened.
I once researched why Ted Kennedy was so popular. In a sense he is very much like the famous (now passed) Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Every Saturday , after his staff went through the papers, the good Senator would call every girl that was going to get married that next week and say CONGRATS. He knew all politics was local. Kennedy has largely been the same way.
Mrs Scalia, who is also a well known Catholic Blogger I link, have written a piece over at Inside Catholic called The Crucible of Ted Kennedy It is a well done piece and I agree totally that should Catholics attitudes. The comments though as to her piece though still show almost a sense of betrayal as to Kennedy and raise of course important points.
Ted Kennedy it should be remembered was Pro-Life as to the abortion issue once. He and his family like other Catholic political icons such as the Cuomos etc got quite a bit of political mileage from the Catholic connection. However in the end at a crucial point they deserted some BASIC tenets of their faith. To see how truly devastating this was see at Catholics in the Public Square good piece Catholics, Republicans and Abortion: How We Got Where We Are Today which links this article Criss-Cross: Democrats, Republicans, and Abortion
Also despite his good personal relations with Senate Republicans, Kennedy could serve the political bile up to groups that thought opposite of him. That is all at play.
In the end he was and is a scandal to many Catholics. We are left with a great "what if". What if Bobby had survived ? Would he have been a mitigating force against the movement for Life? OR would he have embraced the same things as his brother. In Kennedy we see both unanswered questions and to many a waste. Many people are asking and wondering why would this politician that received the fruits of the public trust now be protected from the truthful analysis of his career. Well he should not. It is evident that some personal failings of him had true real public consequences
However the Mrs Scalia is right and as Catholics we should know she is right. Any person that takes the Sacrament of Confession in a serious nature should be the first to show mercy. As Christians we should know all about Mercy. I GUESS people are still saying the standard prayer of Contrition in Confession. I know I am. We say:
Amen.
There are far more vivid Catholic prayers that hopefully are coming back in "vogue" that truly remind us of the Mercy that Christ gives us underserving sinners
She says in part:
The Kennedys are neither holier nor more wicked than other families, but where most of us commit and repent of our mortifying sins in relative obscurity, the veil of privacy granted to them is excruciatingly diaphanous; it tempts others to presume knowledge of the state of souls, and since the days of public penances are long past, there is further temptation to assume an arrogance that may or may not exist. Is it arrogance and entitlement that keeps a public man of public failings turning, and turning again, to the Mass, the sacraments, and the tribe, or is it a kind of humility, a declaration of need that supersedes riches and power and all the consolations of the world?
I think she is very right on that. She ends her very good piece(Read it all) with:
The crucible is a melting pot in which materials of varying grades and purities are rendered into something fiery and fluid that can be poured, molded, cured, and formed. As the Kennedy family is consumed by its heat, some of us may want to pick carefully through our own embers with a good old-fashioned examination of conscience, to recognize "what we have done, and what we have failed to do." Because sooner or later, it will be our turn in the crucible, and our own beams and splinters will feed it.
That is true too. It is a difficult balance. Catholics and other should give an honest appraisal of Senator Kennedy's career. However at the end we must do what we are called upon. To pray for him and his family as much as we can. For some reason this is when we Catholics and Christians fail to be a new creature in Christ. We often do not show the same forgiveness or mercy to others that the Lord gives us. He gives it just for the asking even with "imperfect contrition"
So it is not a time for a whitewash but as Mrs Scalia notes :
Ted Kennedy belongs to his family, to the Catholic Church, and -- as representative of the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- to the United States of America. But before he belonged to any of those, he belonged to God, and it is to God he eventually stands. If we knew nothing of him beyond that one unalterable fact, it would be enough to warrant our heartfelt prayers on his behalf. With all we do (and do not) know of God's Ted Kennedy -- and all we know of ourselves, of our own sins, our humiliations and triumphs, our public moments of indiscretion and our private agonies -- our instincts to prayer should not stumble before the shame of another, or we shame ourselves
I actually think that most Catholics and Christians are doing this. At least I hope so.
Archbishop Talks More on Denial of Communion to Kansas Governor
It really does not matter what I think but it is my position that Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is right on this issue.Creative Minority Report has the full recent Q@ A session on as to this at Q and A With Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
Update
Novak has more on here Abortion connections. You can read the entire column here.
Immigrants Still Paying Ultimate Sacrifice for the Country
The LA TIMES has a interesting piece looking at the California Citizens that paid the ultimate Sacrifice for their Country in Iraq and Afghanistan . Go see L.A. Times unveils database of California’s war deaths
This of course is nothing new. During the Civil War immigrants showed their loyalty on both sides and thus many prejudices were overcome. A great example of this were the German immigrants in the Union Army.
LSU GETS NUMBER 7 NATIONAL SEED
Which means we just keep winning we get to stay at home till Omaha.
Full Bracket here
Top 8 national seeds: 1. Miami 2. North Carolina 3. Arizona St. 4. Fla St. 5.Cal St. Fullerton 6.Rice 7.LSU 8. Georgia
LSU Regional is
Baton Rouge Regional 1. LSU 2. Southern Miss 3. UNO 4. Texas-southern.
We play Texas Southern Friday Afternoon. I know nothing about Texas Southern and will attempt to research them. IF we get past them I suspect we would play UNO which will be a very very tough game.
Needless to say the Regional will be packed with Southern Miss and UNO in it.
Three Louisiana teams made it. Those being LSU, UNO and TULANE. ULM won their conference and di not get in. That really sort of sucks
Miami Regional is brutal .Miami got screwed!!!!
9 SEC teams in the tourney!!!
This where the SEC teams are (The team labeled with the * is the host)
(1) *Miami (47-8)(4) Bethune-Cookman (36-20)
(3) Mississippi (37-24) (2) Missouri (38-19)
1) Arizona (38-17)(4) Eastern Mich. (25-32)
(3) Kentucky (42-17) (2) *Michigan (45-12)
(1) *North Carolina St. (38-20)(4) James Madison (38-17)
(3) Charlotte (43-14) (2) South Carolina (38-21)
(1) *Georgia (35-21-1) (4) Lipscomb (32-28)
(3) Louisville (41-19) (2) Georgia Tech (39-19)
(1) *Stanford (33-21-2)(4) UC Davis (34-22)
(3) Arkansas (34-22) (2) Pepperdine (36-19)
(1) *Florida St. (48-10)(4) Bucknell (29-22-2)
(3) Tulane (37-20-1) (2) Florida (34-22)
(1) *Coastal Caro. (47-12)(4) Columbia (22-28)
(3) Alabama (34-26) (2) East Carolina (40-19)
(1) *LSU (43-16-1) (4) Texas Southern (16-32)
(3) New Orleans (42-19) (2) Southern Miss. (40-20)
(1) *Arizona St. (45-11) (4) Stony Brook (34-24)
(3) Oklahoma (34-24-1) (2) Vanderbilt (40-20)
Copts and its Links to Christianity In Scotland
This is very interesting. See Way of the Fathers post Pict a Little, Copt a Little
TIGERS BEAT OLE- MISS - SEC Champions!!!!! (Links Galore)
Update- Also seeLSU GETS NUMBER 7 NATIONAL SEED
Just got back from Bama land which explains the lact of posts. A couple of my friends decided we just had to drive over for the weekend and support this fantastic LSU baseball team.
Anyway what a Weekend. It seems like the good old days and the LSU team had such a swagger about them. Good times. Selection show to see who we play in about a hour on ESPN. I shall update this post with that info. But we know the regional is in Baton Rouge!!!! Links courtesy of Tigerdroppings that has complied all this stuff.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Baton Rouge among 16 NCAA regional sites.
Wear gold to the LSU game Friday.
ESPN to televise selection show at 11:30 a.m. Monday, May 26.
SEED PROJECTIONS
BA projects LSU at no. 4.
NEW: SEBaseball.com has LSU as the no. 2 seed.
OLD: Rivals has LSU as the no. 7 seed as of Friday
RPIs
NEW: Warren Nolan has LSU up to no. 8 in his RPI.
News Coverage
Hawthorne's call on the Dean granny.
AL.com SEC tourney notebook
Guilbeau: LSU has that 90s feeling
Clarion-Ledger: LSU too hot to handle
Advocate coverage
Boyd Nation has LSU at no. 9.
Great Shreveport time Photo Gallery where
Youtube moments of SEC TOURNEY in order
Schimpf's "foul ball" vs. SC (with Hawthorne's call; not previously posted)
Blake Dean's walkoff vs. SC (with Hawthorne's call; not previously posted)
ESPN's Top 10 from the night of May 21; has Dean's walkoff plus Ryan Theriot's catch for the Cubs
Dean's Grand Slam (with Hawthorne's call)
Dean's granny (w/FSN PBP)
Mainieri Getting Drenched
Friday, May 23, 2008
Louisiana Catholic Blogger Update for May 23rd
Note this is a Incomplete Louisiana Catholic Update for the day. For some reason South Central Bell went out and did not save half of the update. I will catch the rest tomorrow
Catholic Tube has vids!! See the Cost of Abortion I post this entry he had in yesterday's update. However because of the weekend let me post it again. Go see Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration
Alive and Young will no longer be a Louisiana Expat. He is Returning to New Orleans!!! Hurrah. Postive Migration to the State of Louisiana!!! Go see Packing Break . Also see his entry Stuff Catholics Like: Baptism
For the Greater Glory has entries up!!! He has Movie Reviews: Iron Man and Prince Caspian He has an update on that tragic double murder that happened at LSU at GOT EM! LSU News . Also see Supreme Court is finding more consensus.
Vox Feminae has an update on what her Choir is doing at Corpus Christi
Full Circle has a cool post up at The amazing world of storm chasing and the Internet
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has a nice post related to a family event. It also has a POEM that we were all required to memorize like in 7th Grade English. Go see If You Can Dream...
Thoughts & Ruminations of Father Ryan has My tax dollars are funding abortions - and I can't do anything to stop it... The Democrats are the new Nazis (we need more priests like this!!!) Check out his link here at Harvard Students Status Quo is forced contribution to abortions. Funny Pic here he has up
Life on the (L)edge has another one of those fun Interent Quizes we can take at WHO'DA GUESSED IT?
Pope Benedict Has A Request of All Catholics For May the 24th
McCain and the Courts- What is At Stake!!!
It seems like clockwork every couple of weeks we have numerous Republicans getting the vapors over McCain. I was going to make a huge post on this but I expect I will wait.
However three posts show what is at stake. First the Anchoress has Sobering Gut Check II. Southern Appeal has a must read at “Why Do Conservatives Care So Much About the Courts?”. Lastly see Rod Dreher from Dallas Morning News fame piece Gay marriage and the Obama court
In the Anchress post I said in part in the comment section:
"Anchoress you are right on!!!"
I have watched as various conservative pundit have turned on Bush the last few months. How he was the death to conservativsm etc etc. What they do not realize that by his Court appointments not only on the Supreme Court but on the district and Appeals level he very well might have saved it. Many times Conservatives fail to even to remember to give lip service to this because
(1)Pundits are not lawyers;
(2)Their Understanding of the Judical Issues are Sophmoric at best
(3) Because Judges do not appear on Hannity and Hardball
They often forget how important this Third Branch of Govt is. It is amazing but if Bush had lost Ohio, Kerry would have appointed replacements for O’Conner, the Chief Justice and I am willing to bet Stevens if not Ginsburg.
Conservatism would have been sent back decades!!!
Conservatives still have not realized the profound effect of the Altio and Roberts appointments. Needless to say we are to use a baseball term in desperate need of some insurance runs aka another seat on the court at the very least.
If people want to see what is at stake they need to look at Obama Judicial viewpoint and McCains. It is night and day!!! We are truly at the point of significant victory here or at the point of snatching major defeat from the jaws of victory.
Just McCain’s Appeal and District Court appointments would really do major long lasting things for conservativism.
Oh and let me add one other thing for all people that want to lose to win. We are about to have this Census thing. We do not want to be out of power when that goes down for obvious reasons......
I then quote the excellent observation that should obvious to anyone that I have linked in the above Southern Appeals post.
The problem is not only must we elect McCain but we must protect the Senate. McCain will have a huge hard time getting the people he wants if the Dems have a close to 60 votes.
If you need any other persuasion go see The Southern Appeals post McCain on Judges. That is not the Obama viewpoint.
One last thought. It is very likely the next Supreme Court Justices picked will be deciding the whole "Right to Die" issues. If you not want the United States to look like the Holland then I would suggest a vote for Obama is not a wise bet!!!!
Full Text of Pope Benedict's Corpus Christi Homily
After the high point of the liturgical year that extends over three months and centers on Easter - first the 40 days of Lent, then the 50 days of Eastertide - the liturgy then marks three feasts that have a 'synthetic' character [in the sense of summarizing significance]: Trinity Sunday, then Corpus Domini, and finally the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
What is the significance of the feast we mark today to pay homage to the Body and Blood of Christ? The celebration itself tells us, as we manifest its fundamental acts.
First of all, we are gathered around the altar of the Lord, to be together in his presence. In the second place, we will have the procession, which means, walking with the Lord. and finally, kneeling before the Lord - adoration - which starts in the Mass and accompanies the whole procession, then culminates in the final Eucharistic Benediction, when we all prostrate ourselves before Him who stooped down to us and gave his life for us.
Let us pause a bit over these three attitudes, because they are truly an expression of our faith and our life.
The first act is to gather in the presence of the Lord. This was called in ancient times 'statio'. Let us imagine for a moment that in all of Rome there exists no other altar but this one, and that all Christians of the city are invited to assemble here to celebrate the Savior who died and was resurrected.
This gives us an idea of what it was like in the beginning, in Rome and so many other cities where the message of the Gospel and the Eucharistic celebration reached. In every local Church, there was only one bishop, and the community formed around him, around the Eucharistic sacrament that he celebrated - a single one, because there was one blessed Chalice and one bread that was broken, as we heard in the words of the Apostle Paul in the second Reading (cfr 1 Cor 10,16-17)
Another famous Pauline expression comes to mind: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3,28).
All of you are not just one thing, but one! In these words are felt the truth and the power of the Christian revolution, the most profound in human history, which is experienced precisely around the Eucharist: when persons of all ages, gender, social condition and political leaning gather in the presence of the Lord.
The Eucharist can never be a private matter, reserved for persons who are chosen out of affinity or friendship. The Eucharist is public worship, which has nothing esoteric nor exclusive about it.
Even here, tonight, we did not choose whom we would meet, we have come here and find ourselves next to each other, bound by a common faith and called to become one body, sharing the only Bread who is Christ.
We are united beyond our differences in nationality, profession, social class, political ideas. But we are open to one another in order to become one in his name. From the very beginning, this has been a characteristic of Christianity which is visibly realized around the Eucharist. We must protect it, so that recurrent temptations of particularism, although in good faith, do not result in the opposite.
Corpus Domini reminds as above all that to be Christian means to come together everywhere in the presence of the one Lord and become one with him and in him.
Te second constitutive aspect of this feast is walking with the Lord. That is the reality manifested in the procession that we will experience together after the Mass, almost like its natural extension, as we move behind him who is the Life and the Way.
By giving himself in the Eucharist, the Lord Jesus releases us from 'paralysis', he makes us get up and go on, to take one step forward, and then another, and thus proceed on our journey with the strength that comes from the Bread of life.
That is what happened to the prophet Elijah, who fled to the desert for fear of his enemies, and had decided to let himself die doing so (cfr 1 Kings 19,1-4). But God roused him from sleep and made him find a hearth cake next to him: " "Get up and eat," he told him, "else the journey will be too long for you!" (1 Kings 19,5.7).
The procession of Corpus Domini teaches us that the Eucharist means to rid us of every despondency and dejection, to make us rise up again so we can continue our journey with the strength that God gives us through Jesus Christ.
The first Reading spoke to us about the experience of the people of Israel during the exodus from Egypt, their long wanderings across the desert - an experience that was constitutive for Israel but also exemplary for all mankind.
In fact, the expression "not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD" (Dt 8,3) is a universal statement that applies to every man insofar as he is human.
Everyone can find his own way, if he encounters him who is the Word and the Bread of Life, and lets himself be led by his friendly presence. If we do not have God-with-us, God next to us, how could we sustain the pilgrimage of existence, whether as individuals, or as a society or family of peoples?
The Eucharist is the sacrament of God who will not leave us alone along the way, but is right beside us to show the way. Indeed, it is not enough to move ahead, but one must know where one is going. "Progress' does not suffice, if one has no reference points - because if one goes off course, then one could end up in a precipice, or at the very least, find oneself farther away from the destination.
God has created us free, but has not left us alone. He made himself the 'way' and has come to walk with us, because our freedom also includes the discernment to choose the right way and to take it.
At this point, we cannot help but think of the 'decalogue', the Ten Commandments, in which it is written: "I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me" (Ex 20,2-3).
We find in this the third constitutive element of Corpus Domini: to kneel in adoration in front of the Lord.
To adore the God of Jesus Christ, who, out of love, became bread to be broken, is the most valid and radical remedy against the idolatries of yesterday as well as today. To kneel in front of the Eucharist is a profession of freedom: whoever bows before Jesus cannot and should not prostrate himself before any earthly power, no matter how strong.
We Christians only kneel before God, before the Most Blessed Sacrament, because we believe and know that the one true God is present, who created the world and loved man so much that for his sake, he gave his only begotten Son (cfr Jn 3,16).
We prostrate ourselves before a God who was the first to bend down to man, like the Good Samaritan, to help him and give him back life, who knelt before us to wash our dirty feet.
To adore the Body of Christ means to believe that he is truly present in that piece of bread, Christ who gives sense to life - to the immense universe as to its littlest creature, to the entire human history as to the briefest of existence.
Adoration is a prayer that prolongs Eucharistic celebration and communion, during which the soul continues to nourish itself: it feeds on love, on truth, on peace. It feeds on hope, because he before whom we bow, does not judge us, does not crush us, but frees and transforms us.
And that is why being together, walking together, and adoring together fills us with joy. Taking on ourselves the adoring attitude of Mary, whom we specially remember in this month of May, let us pray for ourselves and for everyone. Let us pray for every person in this city that he may know you, our Father, and him who you sent us, Jesus Christ, and thus, have life in abundance. Amen
Breaking LSU to Open 2009 Football Season Against Washington
McCain Repudiates Hagee- Will Democrats Now Repudiate the Louisiana Democrat Party
This is a follow up post to What will be the Final Fallout From the Hagee Situation? in which I just did.
Last year the State Democrat Party of Louisiana ran an massive anti Catholic Campaign against Bobby Jindal. The Chairman that authorized that Campaign was re- elected. See Louisiana Democrat Chairman that Ran Anti Catholic Ads Re-elected
For a past history of this go see my posts
Breaking- Louisiana Democrats Attack Jindal on Religion and His Catholic Faith8/21/2007 01:02:00 PM
Does Louisiana State Senator Robert Adley and other Elected Democrats Endorse their State Parties Religious Based Attacks Ads Against Bobby Jindal? 8/21/2007 02:33:00 PM
A Open Letter to the Louisiana Catholic Conference and Bishops Regarding Recent Political Events 8/21/2007 04:23:00 PM
The Louisiana Democrat Party is Making North Louisiana Folks Look Like Yahoos 8/21/2007 06:20:00 PM
This Political Ad is A New Low In Louisiana Politics 8/21/2007 09:27:00 PM
More News On the Ads Bashing Catholicism and What Does Foster Campbell Think? 8/22/2007 02:30:00 PM
One Big New Orleans Liberal/Progressive Blogger Nails the Anti- Catholic Ads Against Jindal 8/22/2007 07:11:00 PM
This Man Speaks From the Heart About The State Democrat Anti -Catholic TV Ads That are running in Louisiana 8/22/2007 07:53:00 PM
Louisiana Democrat Party Oblivious- Still Running Anti Catholic Ads In Louisiana- The News Round Up 8/24/2007 12:02:00 PM
What does "Catholic" US Senator Mary Landrieu Think About Catholic Bashing Ads running in North Louisiana? 8/24/2007 05:17:00 PM
Kathryn Jean Lopez On the Anti Catholic Ads Running In Louisiana 8/25/2007 01:09:00 PM
New Orleans Times Picayune- Anti Catholic Ads Are backfiring 8/27/2007 12:36:00 PM
I shall be waiting. I would like to see Howard Dean, Obama, and Hillary demand that the Chairman of the Democrat Party either step down or just make a public apology!!! I am not at for blood. Just apologize for a horrible tactic. This should be cleared up before you employ the Chairman of the party in you Fall efforts to take Louisiana in the election. I think that is fair.
Democrat Lt Gov Mitch Landrieu sees the problem . Do yall?