The Pope's Prayer Intention For July

The Holy Father would like for the month for July to have us join him in two Prayer Intentions


JULY
Volunteers. That there may be an increase in the number of volunteers who offer their services to the Christian Community.

World Youth Day. That World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia may awaken the fire of divine love in young people and make them sowers of hope for a new humanity.

Positive Things About a Energy Crisis -Cool New Traffic Laws

When I am paying over 4 dollars a gallon it is a crisis baby. However there are benefits. Fro instance common sense Driving regulations

I found this cool blog called The Visiting Brit- Stuff a Brit likes about America. I will have to link it. I have learned through this blog for instance that the having the mail come to your door or drive way is not a God Given right. I was a tad shocked.

Anyway I suppose for some people people have been turning Right on Red since the Model T. I was pretty shocked to learn that it is of fairly recent traffic vintage!!! All brought on by the energy crisis of the 70's. That was actually a true energy crisis where I think gas stations ran out of the magic stuff and their were lines

GO see #10. Turning Right on Red to find out how this great advance occurred.

I suggest Bush announce that he will make the "Rolling stop" as to stop signs legal to help us in our time of need.

100 Years Ago Today Some Big Huge Something Hit Russia

Tip of the hat to Instapundit for this New Yorks Times reminder that ran today about the big something hit Tunguska Siberia. Go see Apocalypse Then. Next One, When?

Perhaps I am in the minority But I think both Obama and McCain need to be talking about SPACE more and especially preventing things like this. However I expect that if either gave a major speech on it they would be mocked!! We are going to look silly to our grand children if we something like this hits L.A. California and we could have done something about it.

As the article quotes:
Mr. Schweickart, representing his B612 Foundation, included this closing line to lawmakers:
NEOs are part of nature. A NEO impact is a natural hazard in much the same way as are hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, etc. NEO impacts are deceptively infrequent, yet devastating at potentially unimaginable levels. NEOs are however not our enemies. We do not need to “defend” against NEOs, we need to protect ourselves from their occasional impact, as we do with other natural hazards. Unlike other natural hazards, however, NEO impacts can be predicted well ahead of time and actually prevented from occurring. If we live up to our responsibility, if we wisely use our amazing technology, and if we are mature enough, as a nation and as a community of nations, there may never again be a substantially damaging asteroid impact on the Earth. We have the ability to make ourselves safe from cosmic extinction. If we cannot manage to meet this challenge, we will, in my opinion, have failed to meet our evolutionary responsibility.

As a Catholic I believe the end game will be up there is a possibility of Cosmic extiction of course. However the good lord gave us brains to advoid things like what happen in Siberia. Sort of like how we fight and prepare for other things.

I thought this was clever and proves a good point from the above article:

Dear Sasha & Tatiana:

Well, 100 years have now passed and I finally feel comfortable in letting you know that I really appreciate the sacrifice you made (or your family that might have been made) when I slowed the Earth’s rotation momentarily back in late June 1908. That’s not something I normally do(!) but in that case I really felt I had to intervene.
You see, what’s now referred to as the Tunguska impactor, a smallish asteroid about 40 meters in diameter, was headed for an impact with Earth, directly over Moscow. It would have been a disaster of truly huge proportions, and I just couldn’t stomach that given what Russia was going through at the time. So I slowed the Earth down for a bit… just a few minutes per day for a few weeks. As a result the asteroid hit way out in the middle of Siberia instead of directly over Moscow.

Now there are surely millions of present day Muscovites who owe their lives to the sacrifice that your great-grandfather made in taking the hit for them. In all likelihood he and your great-grandmother would have had many more children than just your grandmother, but there he was in the most desolate section of Siberia, tending his reindeer herd, far, far from everyone else. I’m truly sorry that you don’t have many more cousins to celebrate the holidays with, but in the larger scheme of things it seemed to be the right thing to do at the time.

But I’m really tired of this kind of intervention; it just takes too much out of old fate to pull of this kind of thing in the future. Since so much has happened in the past 100 years in terms of technology development, you and your fellows around the planet are really able to handle this kind of thing yourselves. I mean, after all, your telescopes are now finding the larger asteroids that make close passes by Earth, and soon they’ll be finding the smaller ones like the Tunguska impactor. At least they could be doing that.

And as you know shoving an asteroid slightly off its course is far simpler (and cheaper) than going out to take pictures of yet another of Saturn’s moons!

So I’m pretty content to let the celestial clockwork and human ingenuity run their course undisturbed by pro-active fate. From my perspective it seems that with all the tools required, both an early warning capability and the ability to intervene to slightly alter an asteroid’s orbit, humanity ought to be able to get the job done without me mucking about with space-time.

So good luck. All it really takes is for you to convince your fellow human beings that they really are all related and really can, by coming to a simple agreement to act in concert, protect both themselves and future human (and fellow creatures’) generations by sharing the risk of slightly shrinking or enlarging any threatening asteroid’s orbit so that it misses the Earth. Really, you can do this, provided you can all get together. Yes, I know, that’s a big challenge. But let me tell you, it’s a far smaller feat for you to slightly alter the shape of the local universe than it is for me to slow down the rotation of the Earth!

Good luck.
Fate

Recovering the Catholic / Orthodox Understanding Of Paul

I thought this was a nice post at Catholidoxy called Musings on Paul on the Occasion of the Anno Paolino
Nice post to read as we start off the Pauline year!!

Catholics That Had Sex In Confessional Say They Have Repented

Goodness How did I miss this!! You will be happy to know that they admit they "gone to far" :)


The Ironic Catholic has more at Truth Is Stranger #80: Italians who had sex in confessional repent

Louisiana Catholic Blog Update for June 30th 2009

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Churchpoint Louisiana

Well time to see what Louisiana Catholic Bloggers have been saying since we last updated on Saturday!!

ALIVE AND YOUNG has another edition of Not Said By Jesus Sunday . Also see Notent Notables: I Entered a Poetry Contest and All I Go Was This Lousy Button for My Blog

For The Greater Glory has a Quick Update

Full Circle has alot of entries. For some reason I was having trouble loading his blog on Saturday so we have more catching up with him but he has been busy. Yet another adventure in storms around here . Also see America is the greatest best country God has ever given man on the face of the earth (There is Colbert!!! Pretty Funny). Go see O Canada - the modern notion of tolerance also.

The Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) is , as I repeat myself every day, the first place to go see Catholic, pro-life, and Catholic related issues as to politics on the web. He has a massive update as usual

The Lake Charles Latin Mass Society tells us the huge success the first Solemn High Mass in 40 years in Lake Charles was!!! Go see Solemn High Mass Recap

Unskilled Labor has Cate's Funeral which is about the infant so many people were praying for and who touched so many lives . I very much am also struck by the Old Testament reading he mentions also.

From The Recamier has her daily update here at Daily Update: June 28, 2008. She has SAINTS. She starts out her always informative post with Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (died 202) who we honored on the 28th of June

Footprints on the Fridge has A Scripture Study for the Pauline Year It is the Pauline year and she has some great ideas about he she will teaching her boys through it!! She is asking what others are doing.

Catholic Tube Has VIDS for us watch!! GO see Monsignor Kozar Speaks to Students , and The Year of St. Paul

Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message , (our New Orleans expat) has his daily message here at Feast of the early Roman Martyrs (30 June 2008)

The always fun and provocativeMaudie in Mandeville has Obama- Child molester or lying politician?

That is it for the Louisiana Catholic Blog Update.If I missed anyone I will catch you on Tuesday!!!

If you are a Louisiana Catholic Blogger that talks about on the faith on Occasion levae a comment and I will have you among the others here!!

SSPX Decides Not To Respond to Vatican

Well it is D-Day for the SSPX response to the Vatican!! It appears that perhaps it will no tbe coming. Father Z looks at the latest wire report at Reuters: SSPX “answer without response” to Vatican ultimatum

Are Some Obama Supporters Shutting Down Anti Obama Blogs?

Well , if it turns out if I am silent for a few days don't worry. Perhaps I am have been only shut down for by the forces of HOPE and CHANGE and the NEW KIND of Politics.

More here with what is happening especially with those with a Blogger account like moi!!!

The Anchoress has more on this as well as links and thoughts at Blogger Free Speech, Humanae Vitae

By the way I am not blaming the offical Obama Campaign for this. However this needs to be stopped pretty quick.

It is the Feast of the Roman Protomartyrs - Who are they?

The Way of the Fathers has a great post as well as various links. Including a MP3 relating to the "The Roman Martyrs and Their Mass". Go see Roman Protomartyrs

New Yorker Looks at Obama's Iraq Problem-

Yes the far right, neo con, Bush cheerleading (SARC) New Yorker magazine looks at Obama problems on Iraq. When the New Yorker cannot the gigantic sea change in Iraq one knows the gig is up.

The writer says in part:
The same pragmatism that prompted him last month to forgo public financing of his campaign will surely lead him, if he becomes President, to recalibrate his stance on Iraq. He doubtless realizes that his original plan, if implemented now, could revive the badly wounded Al Qaeda in Iraq, reënergize the Sunni insurgency, embolden Moqtada al-Sadr to recoup his militia’s recent losses to the Iraqi Army, and return the central government to a state of collapse.

AJ has much more at OMG, Liberal Media Realizes Obama Is Wrong On Iraq!

If I was looking at this from a purely selfish political lens I would hope that Obama would not heed some of the advice that is being here in the New Yorker article However for the security of the United States as well as our allies I pray not only he heeds it but BELIEVES IT

Did the Early Protestant Reformers Believe in the Assumption of Mary?

Well yes many did!! David Armstrong has a good post on this here.

What Did Catholic London Look Like 200 Years Ago?

The New Liturgical Review has an interesting post on this at Catholic London in the early 1800's . I am curious if early Catholic America Mass was similar in some regions of the country.

Pope Benedict: Paul is the " liturgist " to the Gentiles

I thought the end of Pope Benedict's homily yesterday for the Feast of Peter and Paul was quite striking. The homily can be located here on this page. This was picked up by The New Liturgical Review also at their post Papal Mass for Saints Peter and Paul - the Homily .
The Holy Father said:
This brings me back, finally, to St. Paul and his mission. He expressed the essence of his mission, as well as the most profound reason for his desire to go to Rome, in Chapter 15 of the Letter to the Romans, in an extraordinarily beautiful statement.

He knows he has been called "to be a minister [leitourgos] of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in performing the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the holy Spirit" (15,16).

In this passage, Paul uses the word 'leiturgos' - liturgist and 'hierarchist' administering as priest. He means the cosmic liturgy, in which the world of men itself becomes an adoration of God, an oblation to the Holy Spirit. When all the world will have become a liturgy of God, when its reality will have become adoration, then it will have reached its goal, then it will be whole and saved. This is the ultimate objective of St. Paul's apostolic mission and of ours. Let us pray at this time that he may help us carry it out correctly in order that we may be true liturgists of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I think that is profound.

New York Times Takes Note of West's Demographic Crisis

They are just touching on Europe here really but indeed we see it elsewhere.

Creative Minority Report has more at NYT: Where All The Babies At?

First Latin Solemn High Mass in 40 years Huge Success in Lake Charles Louisiana

The Lake Charles Latin Mass Society states that around 400 people attended on Sunday at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Lake Charles. Go see Solemn High Mass Recap. I look forward to pictures!! If there was any media coverage I will try to update this post.

I do think it would be nice if we had a overall picture of how the implementation of the Papal “Motu proprio” is doing statewide as well as information about workshops etc.

The Bishop of the Lake Charles , His Excellency Bishop Glen John Provost , was one of the first Bishops out of that gate with a very positive response. In fact it was published in the local and regional Newspaper for the area.

Father Z has that piece the good Bishop wrote last August at Diocese of Lake Charles (LA) on the Motu Proprio - excellent!

I am not in the Diocese of Lake Charles and sadly they are of only two Diocese that do not have their Catholic papers online so I am not update with all the Latin Mass Community is doing down there. However if you are in that Diocese I am sure if you contact the above blogger he can provide more details

57 Years Ago on This Date Pope Benedict and His Brother Were Ordained - Pics

June 29th is also a special day for Joseph and Georg Ratzinger, who were ordained to the priesthood in Freising Cathedral on June 29, 1951, by Cardinal Michael Faulhaber of Munich.

Tip of the Hat to the Ratzinger Forum for the pics and reminders

Will Half of Anglican Louisiana Leave Episcopal Church USA?

UPDATE- I will hit this later in another post. But does not the GAFCON Declaration seem to leave Anglo Catholics in the Cold a tad? IS that because of clumsy writing or can they can reconcile it? Does this mean that Anglo Catholic leaning folks might feel themselves left out of even a new conference? What does that mean for Diocese such as Western Louisiana (I am not sure how many Anglo Catholic Leaning Parishes there are) What about those rumors we hear from Rome?

Update II- This blogger from the Western Diocese of Louisiana gives his insights at GAFCON: What's in it for me?

They very well might because of events that has been set in motion at the very least by events far far away.!!. I have often complained that with the Anglican Communion on the verge of Schism Louisiana newspapers seem not to notice one of the leading players is Bishop Bruce MacPherson of the Episcopal Diocese of the Western Diocese of Louisiana.

As you can tell from this map the Diocese of Western Louisiana takes up the majority of the State. Including most of its major cities (Outside New Orleans Metro and Baton Rouge) which are Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lake Charles, and Lafayette.

Bishop MacPherson as well as other Diocesan Clergy are in Jerusalem . They are at a conference that for all purposes is a rival to the main worldwide Anglican Conference that being Lambath. Note Bishop MacPherson will be attending Lambath also. However I get the sense that he is ready to take the next step or preapare his Diocese to make the jump alternative conference.

Galcom has just issued this statement The GAFCON Communique . I will be doing a post on the world wide implications of this (despite what the National Review is Reporting I don't think the Worldwide Communion is in Schism yet !!! but time is running out for the Archbishop of Canterbury ). More on all this later as well as the Catholic implications in parts of the statement!!

Louisiana Western of Diocese Anglican Drell’s Descants is asking the question today What The Gafcon Statement Means For Western Louisiana. He seems to take the attitude perhaps not much. I am not so sure

What are Bishop MacPherson ideas and what did he do in Jerusalem. What do local clergy think? For a faith community that has a ancient(at least in Louisiana terms since 1804) when will the Louisiana newspapers start taking notice something significant is up?

This statement does not indicate a Worldwide Schism yet in the Anglican Communion . However will be a split in the United States Anglican Church?

I noticed that in comments here at Drell's post Bruce MacPherson Has Been Invited and Will Be Attending GAFCON in Israel from earlier this that is was mentioned:
"He has been invited as a Bishop of the Anglican Communion. He is going as an individual." However attending sends a message. I am anxious to learn what and hopefully the Louisiana secular press can assit in that.

-Midwest Conservative Journal comments on the situation the Western Diocees of Louisiana is in, as well as others, at IN OR OUT?

Check out the other entries that MCJ has that give background

He notes what one person is saying at UNRAVELING the least of which what is the QUEEN thinking:
Certainly this changes the equation for Rowan Williams, as he is now facing a stark choice between throwing over the North Americans or losing more than half his flock. Mind you, he won’t lose them immediately in an official sense, but he’ll lose them as the Church of England lost the Methodists--although in this case the numbers far exceeds the Methodists, in souls and percentage. Inaction hardly seems an option any longer (although for Rowan Williams it is always an option, for that is what he does best). Certainly, though, when Her Majesty the Queen and the C of E’s Supreme Governor reads her Sunday papers, she will not be pleased that her Archbishop of Canterbury has appeared overnight to have lost more than half the Anglican Communion. And the Anglican Communion is an unstated but critical component of her Commonwealth, the achievement of her reign she has always viewed as the most important. What she will say about this, if anything, no one will know. But she will not be pleased, to put it mildly. .........

It looks increasingly like the best option for Rowan Williams now is simply to resign. He has been tried and found wanting, and if the Communion is to be saved, there will have to be discipline and accountability for the North Americans--and those in his own Church of England who seem emboldened to follow the American example. The longer he waits to return to teaching and writing, the more difficult it will be for his successor to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Events now are moving at such a pace that he is simply not able to keep up. He has in effect been declared irrelevant by more than half of his flock, and so is now unable to slow down anything by his inaction--the only way he knows how to deal with anything.

Hee gives a good overview what this declaration means for us folks that do not know Anglican Speak at DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Pope Benedict and His Holiness Bartholomew I at Vatican Mass Liturgy (Links, Pics , and More)

To be updated at Bottom through out the day. The pictures above are but a few. Needless to say there are ton of dramatic photos in the links below

Needless to say a exciting day for our faiths.

For my New Orleans area Catholic readers you will be interested that New Orleans own beloved son, the former Bishop Thomas John Rodi of Biloxi, received the Pallium today as he has now become Archbishop of the Historic See of Mobile Alabama .

Both Pope Benedict and His Holiness Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I opened up the Pauline Year with Vespers last night at At Paul outside the Wall in Rome. I will not post all the links on here as to Vespers but I have complied links and pics as to that event here
LINK

The big event was today where both Pope Benedict and Patriarch Bartholomew I along with assorted Clergy both Catholic and Orthodox participated in the liturgy of the Mass on this important Feast of Peter and Paul. I find it signifcant that also this was the day than many received the The imposition of the pallium

A Greek Orthodox Deacon sung the Gospel in Greek . Both Pope Benedict and Bartholomew I both gave a Homily .

Afterwards the Creed was said jointly in Greek- It was the Nicene Constantinople Creed in the original Greek, according to Byzantine practice.

After the Mass, they descended to the Confessio to pray before the tomb of St. Peter (See last pictue in montage below) I believe that both gave a joint blessing to the tens of thousands at the Angelus in St Peters Square

The pictures are breathtaking and some of the most important I have seen from the St Peters since the beginning of Benedicts Pontificate

The Ratzinger Forum has a lot of good photos that will interest you on this page that also includes the news stories tha give highlights of the liturgy and the highpoints of both homlies
LINK

There are many more great photos here that show the joint liturgy courtesy TLM .
LINK

Also check out Father Z's post here that has more pics and some more explanation of what we are seeing. LINK

I will try to put the links to the English Translations of both homlies if when they come out in the next hour or so I think St Paul and St Peter who we honor today are smiling at both our Churches today.

Update 1

Blog by the Sea is a place to watch and she has links up. I would be watching her site because she might have the full English Translation before I do at her post Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Amy Wellborn has links and thought of her own worthy of review by us I was very much struck by her thoughts here when she said in part:

I actually think this morning’s liturgy gives us a good opportunity to consider what liturgy is for Catholics and the Orthodox - the Apostolic Churches. I am not going to distract us from the question at hand - what did you see and hear - for this, because I hope to do something longer later. But simply consider this.
As I have written many times before, it is perhaps time to seriously and honestly consider the messages many of us have absorbed about liturgy over the years. I think many of us think of the Mass essentially as a prayer meeting in which the content of what happens there is provided by us, what we bring - our sensibilities and our needs

This is, naturally enough, a reaction against the popular perception of years past in which the nature of the congregation’s participation in the Mass had perhaps been obscured. Please - this is not the place to rehash those discussions - later! - but as obviously rich as the celebration of the Mass before the Council could be, the Liturgical Movement happened because many concluded that the laity could perhaps be encouraged to connect more consciously with the the presence of Christ in the liturgy, both by increased catechesis and reforming the liturgy itself.
In the past decades, however, what has happened is that for many, that ancient understanding of liturgy has been lost. And that ancient understanding is that the Mass is, among many other things, an entity that (for lack of a better phrase) “holds” the Faith. It is the place and time in which we encounter Christ in his fullness, which includes how He lives and reigns through His Church.
Which is why, I would add, that one of the primary means of evangelization for Catholicism has always been through the liturgy. Concern with the celebration of the liturgy and its symbolism is not “aesthetics” - although, like anything else, it can be misdirected in that fashion, and the point can be lost in obsessions about details - but such is the case with any of us and our interests. But the fundamental spirit is a concern that the fullness of this faith - the faith that we know through Christ and His Church - is expressed clearly, richly and evocatively. In a way that expresses what this Real Presence is and means, part of which involves mystery.

Update II-

Father Z has a good piece about the Creed that was recited today(note Father Z has one blank white space in his entry just keep scrolling down). GO see Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I: together the Creed in Greek

UPDATE III

Both Homilies toward the bottom of this page of the Ratzinger Forum

So Long Skip Bertman (Interview with outgoing LSU Athletic Director)

Great piece and interview on Skip Bertman of LSU in the Shreveport Times ( also appearing in other Gannett papers in Louisiana). GO see End of an era: Skip Bertman and also this small piece Scott Ferrell: Bertman was a home run for LSU.

I think Skip was one of the best AD's in the the schools history.

The interview is very good . It remind us what a special run we have had lately:

Q: Officially, Monday is your last day as athletic director. LSU is doing as well as ever from top to bottom in all sports. You just got back from Omaha. Could you cap off your last year as athletic director better?

A: No, I don't think so. Nineteen of the 20 teams made it to the NCAA postseason, which is of course the first time ever. Football, soccer and volleyball won the West. That's the first time in the history of the SEC. Basketball men and women were in the Final Four in 2006. That has not been done often. The two BCS championships in football is more than anybody else. It's really been a wonderful, wonderful thing, and of course we've been able to get more facilities, so that we can keep that going. That's important as well.

Also I thought this was interesting as to the Revenue stream that the Baseball stadium will bring:

Q: How is the new baseball stadium coming along and are you sad to see the old Alex Box come to an end?

A: I am. Yankee Stadium will be going down this year, too. There's no more tradition and history in baseball than Yankee Stadium. But there comes a time when the fans should be able to watch the game without a pole in front of them, where the restrooms should be clean and neat, where you can stand in line and buy some groceries and still see the game, where you can conduct a little business at the ballgame. This ballpark is fan friendly. It starts with 8,800 seats. Phase two, which I still have to raise money for, will increase it to over 10,000. It's got the amenities that the players need. They can finally go from their dugout to the locker room, which of course they haven't been able to do for 70 years. There are many other kid-oriented stuff. But I think another thing that is really important is financially it's a major boost for LSU. It's worth about $5 or $6 million a year, whereas the old Box as it is now is worth about $1.5. The reason for that is there are parking spaces at the old Box that will be sold for football, and skyboxes in the new stadium were sold for $35,000. And they're all sold already. There are many other tickets that will cost $2,000 to purchase. On the other hand, for those fans who were there for the past 25 years or longer, they'll get a ticket for the usual $8 or $9 and have a beautiful seat to sit in as well.

The Feast of Sts Peter and Paul

Vox Nova has an excellent piece fo rthe what we celebrate today at Feast of Sts Peter and Paul

From pro-choice atheist to pro-life Catholic

Failry Recent Convert Jennifer Fulwiler who has the wonderful blog Et tu?" ( see her latest entry A prayer with my mother-in-law ) has a great article over at America Magazine called A Sexual Revolution- One woman's journey from pro-choice atheist to pro-life Catholic.

Wonderful article.

Pope Benedict and His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I Open Pauline Year- Full Text of Homily, Pics, and Links

The Pauline Year has begun!!! A historic Vespers was held at Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls where St Paul reposes. This year will have a very much Ecumenical aspect to it. At Saturday Evening Vespers Pope Benedict was joined by His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I, who is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and leader of the Greek Orthodox Church. Also members of the Anglican communion were present including a Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury. There is a lot here. Blog by the Sea is a great place to start with tons of links and the initial news reports at Vespers for the Start of the Pauline Year.

The Ratzinger Forum has great pics starting on this page in their Italian section of Benedict photos as well as more photos and stories in the News about Benedict section in their English section. The New Liturgical Movement has more great photos and vidcaps at Solemn Vespers for the Inauguration of the Pauline Year .

Amy Wellborn has great thoughts and again a huge amount of links at Anno Paolino

I do not have the "Homily "of the Ecumenical Patriarch yet but I will update when I get that English translation. Thanks so much to the Mount Carmel Catholic Bloggers! for their English Translation of Pope's Benedict Homily at Vesper Homily for the feast of Blessed Apostles Peter & Paul

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are gathered at the tomb of St. Paul, who was born two thousand years ago, in Tarsus of Cilicia, in today Turkey. Who was this Paul? In the temple of Jerusalem, in front of the agitated crowd who wanted to kill him, he presents himself with these words: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but grew up in this city [Jerusalem], trained in the school Gamaliele in stricter rules of law father, full of zeal for God… "(Acts 22.3). At the end of his journey will say of himself: "I was done… teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth" (1 Tim 2.7; cf. 2 Tim 1:11). Master of nations, auctioneer and apostle of Jesus Christ, as he characterizes himself in a look back to the path of his life. But with what our gaze not only to the past. 'Master of nations "- this word opens to the future, to all peoples and all generations. Paul is not for us a figure of the past, that we remember with reverence. He is also our teacher, auctioneer and apostle of Jesus Christ for us

So we are not gathered to reflect on a past history, irrevocably overcome overcome. Paul wants to talk to us - today. That is why I wanted to hold this special "Year Paolino" means to listen and to learn from him hours, as our teacher, "the faith and truth," which are rooted in the reasons for unity among the disciples of Christ. With this in mind I wanted to turn, so two thousandth anniversary of the birth of the Apostle, a special "Flame Pauline", which will remain lit throughout the year in a special place in the brazier quadriportico of the Basilica. For solennizzare this occasion I also inaugurated the so-called "Gateway Pauline" through which they entered the Basilica accompanied by the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Cardinal Archpriest and other religious authorities. It gives me cause for deep joy that the opening of ' "Year Paolino" takes a special ecumenical character for the presence of many delegates and representatives of other Churches and Ecclesial Communities, that I welcome with open hearts.
I greet in the first place His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew I and the members of the delegation that accompanies him, as well as the large group of lay people who from various parts of the world have come to Rome to live with him and with us all these moments of prayer and reflection .

I greet the Fraternal Delegates of Churches that have a special bond with the Apostle Paul - Jerusalem, Antioch, Cyprus, Greece - and which are the geographical environment of life's before his arrival in Rome. I cordially greet the Brothers of different Churches and Ecclesial Communities of East and West, along with all of you who have wished to take part in this solemn beginning of ' "Year" all'Apostolo dedicated to the Gentiles.

We are therefore gathered here to ask the great Apostle to the Gentiles. We wonder not only: Who was Paul? We wonder above all: Who is Paul? What tells me? In this hour, at the beginning of ' "Year Paolino" we are inaugurating, I would choose the rich testimony of three New Testament texts, where it appears his inner character, the specific of his character. In the Letter to the Galatians he has given us a profession of faith very personal, which opens his heart in front of readers of all time and reveals what the spring most intimate of his life. "I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Everything Paul ago, beginning at this centre. His faith is the experience of being loved by Jesus Christ to all personnel, is the conscience of the fact that Christ has faced death not for something anonymous, but for love of him - Paul - and that, as Risen, still loves him, that Christ gave himself for him. His faith is being struck by love of Jesus Christ, a love that upsets early in underwear and turns. His faith is not a theory, an opinion about God and the world. His faith is the impact of God's love on her heart

And so this same faith is love for Jesus Christ. For many Paul is presented as combative man who knows how to handle the sword of the word. In fact, on its journey of Apostle there has been no lack disputes. It has tried superficial harmony. In the first of his letters, one addressed to the Thessalonians, he said: "We have had the courage… annunziarvi of the gospel of God in the midst of many struggles… in fact we never gives words of adulazione, as you know" (1 Thes 2,2.5) .

The truth was too large for him to be willing to sacrifice in view of a success outside. The truth she had experienced in the encounter with the Risen well deserved for him the fight, persecution, suffering. But what is motivating him in deeper, was being loved by Jesus Christ and the desire to transmit to others that love. Paul was one capable of love, and all his work, and suffering can only be explained starting from this centre. The concepts of its founding ad consists solely on the basis of it. Take only one of its key words: freedom. The experience of being loved up at the back by Christ had opened our eyes to the truth and the path of human existence - that experience embraced everything. Paul was free as a man loved by God who, by virtue of God, was able to love with him.

This love is now the "law" of his life, and so is the freedom of his life. He speaks and acts driven by the responsibility of love. Freedom and responsibility are united here so inseparable. As is the responsibility of love, he is free because it is one that loves, he lives entirely the responsibility of this love and not take freedom as a pretext for arbitrary and egoism. In the same spirit Augustine made the phrase has since become famous: Dilige et quod vis fac (Tract. in 1Jo 7 .7 to 8) - loves and does' whatever you choose. Those who love Christ as he has loved Paul, can it really do what he wants, because his love is combined with the will of Christ and so the will of God, because his will is anchored to the truth and because his will is no longer simply His desire, will dell'io autonomous, but is incorporated in the freedom of God and it receives the way forward.

In the quest for inner character of St Paul I, secondly, to recall the word that the risen Christ addressed on the road to Damascus. Before the Lord asks him: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" When asked: "Who are you, Lord?" We given the answer: "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting" (Acts 9.4 s). Perseguitando Church, Paul pursued the same Jesus. "You pursued me." Jesus identifies himself with the Church in a single subject. In this exclamation of Risen, who transformed the lives of Saul, at the bottom is now contained the entire doctrine on the Church as the Body of Christ. Christ has not withdrawn in the sky, leaving the earth a host of followers who send forward "its cause." The Church is not an association that wants to promote a certain cause. It is not a cause. It is the person of Jesus Christ, who also risen remained "flesh". He "flesh and bones" (Lk 24, 39), it says in Luke the Risen before the disciples who had seen a ghost. He has a body.

It is personally present in his Church, "Head and Body" form a single entity, says Augustine. "Do not you know that your bodies are members of Christ?" Writes Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor 6:15). He adds: Why, according to the Book of Genesis, man and woman become one flesh, so Christ with its becomes one spirit, that is a single entity in the new world of the resurrection (cf. 1 Cor 6.16 ff). In all of this transpires the Eucharistic mystery, in which Christ gives his Body continually makes us his body: "The bread which we break, is it not a communion with the Body of Christ? Because there is only bread, we who are many, are one body all partake of bread "(1 Cor 10.16 s). With these words addressed to us, at this, not only Paul, but the Lord himself: How could you tear my body? Before the face of Christ, this word becomes both an urgent request: Riportaci together by all divisions. Fa 'which today again become reality:

There is only one bread, so we though many, are one body. For Paul to speak on the Church as the Body of Christ is not any comparison. It goes well beyond a comparison. "Why do you persecute me?" Continuously Christ draws us inside his body, builds up his body from the center Eucharist, which for Paul is the center of Christian, under which all, as well as each individual can so everything personal experience: He has loved me and gave himself for me. Let me conclude with a word late of St. Paul, an exhortation to Timothy from prison, facing death. 'Suffering you together with me for the Gospel, "says the apostle to his disciple (2 Tim 1:8).

This word, which is the end of routes flown dall'apostolo as a testament, refers back at the beginning of his mission. While, after his meeting with the Risen One, Paul was blinded in his home in Damascus, Ananias received a mandate to go from persecutor feared and impose their hands, because riavesse vision. In response to the Ananias that Saul was a persecutor of Christians dangerous, comes the answer: This man must bring my name before the people and kings. "I will as the show suffer for my name" (Acts 9.15 s). The assignment, and the call to suffering for Christ go together inseparably. The call to become the master of the nations is both intrinsically and a call to suffering in communion with Christ, who redeemed us through his Passion. In a world where deceit is powerful, the truth is paid with suffering. Who wants to evade suffering, keep it away from himself, takes away life itself and its greatness, can not be servant of truth and so servant of faith. There is no love without suffering - without suffering of abandoning oneself, processing and purification dell'io for true freedom.

Wherever there is nothing that is worth it for that suffering, even life itself loses its value. The Eucharist - the center of our being Christians - is based in the sacrifice of Jesus for us, was born out of suffering, which in the Cross has found its culmination. Of this love that gives us live. It gives us the courage and strength to suffer with Christ and for Him in this world, knowing that as our lives become large and mature and true. In light of all the letters of St. Paul as we see in his journey of a teacher of the Gentiles has accomplished the prophecy made to Ananias at the hour of call: "I regard the show will suffer for my name."

His suffering makes him credible as a master of truth, which does not seek one's own advantage, its glory, personal fulfillment, but is committed to the One who loved us and gave himself for us all. In this hour we thank the Lord, because he called Paul, making light of people and master of all of us, and we pray: Give us even today witnesses to the resurrection, affected by your love and capable of bringing the light of the Gospel in our time. St. Paul, pray for us! Amen.

More On the Importance of Fasting Before Communion

This is related to a post I did a couple of days ago Should Catholics Return To The 3 Hour Fast Before Communion?

Blog By the Sea has more great thoughts and links at Thoughts on a More Prayerful Eucharistic Fast

Louisiana "Daily" Catholic Blog Update For June 28th

The Old St Charles College in Beautiful Grand Couteau Louisiana

I have missed the Louisiana Catholic blog update the last couple of days. SO we shall be picking up on what on what Louisiana Catholic Bloggers have been say the past couple of days.

Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group appears to be back from the mega Steubenville South Event. I am looking forward to his report. He has a vid up at Sweetly Broken

Unskilled Labor has a couple of entries on the infant so many around the world were for praying for. Including according to comments I saw at the blogBaby Cate the Pope's own brother. Rest in Peace Cate Cantrell and more info at Funeral Services for Baby Cate are his post.

From The Recamier has her daily update at Daily Update: June 27, 2008. She has Saints and talks a tad about Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor (died 444). Among other things she has a overview of Shelby Foote that died on the 27th

Footprints on the Fridge has Growth in the Spirit as well as Baby Cate Has Gone Home

Catholic Tube has vids!!! Go see The Year of St. Paul , and Medical Missions in Kenya

The Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) of course tons of Catholic , political and pro life news that we need know. He has updated with a ton of links as usual.

I see that The Greater Glory has two updates up!! I saw him alive and well on another Catholic Blog comment section Yesterday. I resisted yelling out a big GEAUX TIGERS to him. Sometimes I think non LSU folks must take us in small doses. Anyway go see So the Supreme Court Ruled in Favor of Eliminating the DC Gun Ban (which is pretty good) and LSU Student Football Ticket Information Released

Father Decker at Thy Nose to the Marble. has Pontiff to Distribute Communion to Kneelers. I would be very interested to see what Priest like Father Decker and what Thoughts & Ruminations from Fr. Ryan will do as to this. We know the Holy Father is sort of setting the example for all of us as he nudges in a more sacred direction. However the way to implement that on a Parish level is a minefield on so many levels.
Anyway he also has this cool link to a site where you can view REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING

ALIVE AND YOUNG has Accuracy and Readability and The ABC's of Who's Going to Hell ( I am on a Computer that is not allowing YOU TUBE :( but I can't Wait to watch this. This appears to be a one of those preachers that talk at Free Speech ALLY at LSU). Also see Back In the Day Paper Never Went Down

Thoughts & Ruminations from Fr. Ryan has Archbishop Burke is now the Church's Supreme Justice , For the Brainier among us: Canonical Proposal: Extend the Communion fast( I AGREE) , and The End of a Theory: The Data Deluge Makes the Scientific Method Obsolete ,

The Lake Charles Latin Mass Society has an entry I have been highlighting all week That is the big Solemn High Mass that will be held tomorrow!!!

Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has Oh, To Be Six Again... and Everyone is Invited!

Life on the (L)edge (Catholic Deacon) from New Orleans welcomes a NEW CITIZEN!!! GO see LOT(L) UPDATE . Also see GOD SPEED, MR. BRAIN and please mention him in your prayers tonight

Lastly Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message has his daily meditation and post at Feast of Saint Cyril of Alexandria (27 June 2008)

Jacob Hester Takes Break From Chargers and Makes Louisiana Visit

Nice article in the Shreveport Times on Former LSU Football Player Now San Diego Charger Jacob Hester this morning. Go see Hester settles into rookie life

Expect my posts on LSU and Louisiana Tech Football to sort of increase. especially aftet the 4th!! I will have a Louisiana Tech post of note later today

DONNA BRAZILE- People Interested in High Gas Prices Not Infanticide

Catholics in the Public Square has more at Infanticide? -- Sure, but how about those gas prices?

Oh My. Yes this Donna Brazile speaking. Louisiana's own contribution (by the way she was raised in Kenner not New Orleans Proper which I thought was interesting) to National Politics. A person that is "Catholic" that admitted back in 2000 that "Even I have trouble explaining to my family that we are not about killing babies."

However I cannot get to much on Brazile and it is not because I like it a lot and admire her. But perhaps she is telling the truth.

Signs a Marian Apparation Is False- Mary Talking in Vague Statistics

Creative Minority Report has more at Doomed! Big Fireball. Doomed.

Major UK Anglican Bishop To Swim the Tiber?

Maybe and perhaps with others to follow. What Does The Prayer Really Say? has the article from the London Telegraph at Anglican Bishop(s) - swimming?

This article is interesting because because the the always increasing rumors of Rome in talks with the Representatives of the Traditional Anglicans again rears it head

...... .Pope Benedict XVI is more open to experiment than Pope John Paul II. He is taking a close interest in the progress of the rebel Traditional Anglican Communion towards reunion - a process which is under the control of the Congregration for the Doctrine of the Faith, not the Vatican's woolly-minded ecumenists.I can't betray confidences, but my advice is: look at the new church structures, such as Old Rite parishes, that the Pope is already encouraging, and ask yourself how those models might be adapted for the use of former Anglicans.
But I've already said too much.... .



Could it happen? Well I think it might. Lambath, which is where all the Anglican Bishops meet, seems to be designed next session to solve no prob ems. That the concerns of more Traditional and Orthodox Anglicans will not be met with any action. Perhaps the Archbishop of Canterbury will realize that to hold such an attitude might be the final straw that broke the camels back. However even he does that does not mean others in the Communion will be so far sighted.

Update-
What is exactly an "Traditional" or ORthodox Anglican when we use that term Well it depends as Father (a former Anglican Priest) Standing on My head points out here at Orthodox Anglicanism . Also check out his post Anglicans in Agony

Cheapo Amercian Catholics Strike Again - Peter's Pence This Sunday

I often hear the charge that the Vatican is rich and all money goes to Rome. Boy if people knew the truth!!!

This weekend is Peter's Pence where Catholics in a second collection make a contribution to the Vatican. Now it has always struck me that this important contribution is marketed in the worse fashion. If there was some slight build up to it the Holy Father could have much more needed funds.

Zenth news service has a story here at Have a "Pence" for Peter?

What does Peter's Pence do?

From the story:
The Peter's Pence Collection enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency financial assistance to the needy throughout the world, especially those who suffer as a result of war, oppression, disease and natural disaster.

A good idea. When the Holy Father does this he is representing the entire Catholic Faithful.

Now let us look at the number:
According to the latest figures released by the Vatican, the offerings of the faithful worldwide for the Pope's charity amounted to over $100 million in 2006.

Ok I guess that is not so bad but it seems that it could be a lot higher.

What about American Catholics. Catholics that are the most wealthy of Catholics in the World?

This part meant to sound good comes off as so horrible it is unintentionally funny

Bishop John Vlazny of Portland, Oregon, chairman of the conferences' Committee on National Collections, noted with gratitude the "Catholic faithful who stand in solidarity with the needs of Catholics around the world.""Their generous contributions to the Peter's Pence Collection connect them to a centuries-old tradition of providing financial support to the works of the Holy Father. We are also grateful for the leadership of bishops, pastors, and Catholic communicators in this effort," he added..........Last year the U.S. dioceses reported sending over $1.6 million to the Holy Father for this collection. This amount is almost a 6% increase from 2006.

Wow so United States Catholics that number at last count are at 67,515,016 registered members send only 1.6 million? That is pathetic!!

If every Mass Going Catholic gave one dollar it would be much more than that. For people that could afford putting a 10 or 20 would be huge.

Partly I think this is the fault of the Bishops and Priests that don't handle this collection well. Needless to say a little work could create great results

This web page is great that the US Bishops have on Peter's Pence but they have to do much more!!! It is hard to imagine n these days of the internet that it is not happening.

I don't think it is American Catholics do not want to give they are not just asked or prepared to give.

Were you aware that the Vatican has this cool Peter's Pence page. You can even do it by Credit Card!!! What if Catholic Bloggers got involved next year in promoting this cause for the Holy Father. I bet with a few cool internet buttons and few posts all working together that we could help raise a considerable more amount by spreading the word!!!

The Pauline Year!! What is Your Diocese and Parish Doing?

Zenit news gives a glimpse of what some places have planned

Looking for the Lousiana Catholic Blog Update?

Yes I know I did not do one yesterday faithful readers. Got caught up in stuff today.

I shall have one out though for Saturday that will cover what Louisiana Catholic bloggers have been saying the past couple of day

Catholic Schools In Washington D.C-Without the Catholic Stuff

I hope this is not as bad as Creative Minority Report is making at to be. Sadly I think it might be. Go see Take the Money, Leave the Faith

If it is a issue of money then perhaps we can look for other solutions!! I do wonder why are the Catholic Schools in D.C having a money crunch and then we see this:

the Wichita, Kansas Catholic School System. With but 120,000 Catholics in the diocese Wichita maintains 39 Catholic schools. 36 of these are parish schools (including 34 elementary schools), one is a free-standing preschool, and four are Catholic high schools. According to the report, "

What makes the Wichita system truly unusual in this day and age is the fact that all Wichita Catholic schools have eliminated tuition for Catholic students."

This has been accomplished by pastors and the bishop calling on all "parishioners to live a 'stewardship way of life' that involved a greater commitment to their parish and Catholic ideals."The response has been nothing short of amazing. Learning from the example of one parish that had been modeling a stewardship program throughout the 1960s an 1970s, the bishop encouraged all his people to do the same starting in 1984. Support has grown so much since then that the last Catholic school to be charging any tuition to Catholic students stopped doing so in 2002.

Hmmmm what is up with that.

Notice this comment ont he link I just posted:

Update-
I'm the Chair of the Board of Ed at St. Therese parish in Southgate, KY. We've been a stewardship parish for more years than I know! Children of "active parishioners" don't pay tuition. All parishioners are asked to contribute a certain amount each week in the collection.

It works because the entire parish supports it, particularly grandparents who sent their own children there and want to make sure the next generation gets the same Catholic education.I will say that there is the potential for abuse. We aren't allowed (nor are we necessarily interested in) to contact those who are not contributing. Most give either the recommended amount, or what they are able to. There are a small few who take advantage, but it's an exception.One of the Cincinnati schools just met with our principal because they're considering doing the same. I can say that if we charged what some of the other schools in the area do, my kids would either be home- or public-schooled. It's out of reach, especially for a large family.

Now how many of these Kids are Catholic in D.C of course is a good question. However I suspect thinking outside the box and also perhaps looking to places like Arlington right next door (for a little help) a solution could be found!!

I never forget a Priest telling me in Chicago telling me that African Americans largely became Catholic because of the Catholic Schools. Many did not have to pay a lot of money and the only requirement in some schools was that the parents attend classesto hear what Religious education their children got Again thinking outside the box

The Confederate Poet Priest

This is interesting. Southern Appeal has a nifty post at THE POET-PRIEST OF THE SOUTH

Patriarch Bartholomew I Will Address Catholic Synod of Bishops at the Vatican

This is very significant and indeed has been overlooked. He of course will be participating in the opening Liturgical events with Pope Benedict to open the Pauline Year. The fact that he coming back to Rome in the Fall to address the Synod which will have Bishops from around the world is important.

Great news for Catholic /Orthodox Relations. What is a Synod of Bishops? GO here to find out.

The Ratzinger Forum has this information in a interesting interview of Patriarch Bartolomew that is at Patriarch says Benedict has asked him to address Bishops Synod in October by GIANCARLO MAZZUCCA Translated from June 26, 2008 located on this page of the forum

A Calm Response to The Sally Quinn Communion Controversy

Well Known Journalist and NON Catholic has written about receiving Communion at Tim Russert's funeral. The Catholic League issued a statement on this which tone I think was not helpful.

William Donahue does a lot good work but I think at times he needs to walk around the block a few times before he defends the faith. It could have been handled better by him.

I think The Anchoress has a calm , rational and indeed very Christ like reponse to this at Sally Quinn: A tribute too far? I will note that Sally Quinn is not a idiot or ignorant!! Especially in the world she operates in. I can not imagine she did not know that this was forbidden.

However, people make mistakes and this was done perhaps clouded with grief. One can stand up for the Faith and indeed the Blessed Sacrament in a way that is not overboard. For instance there are times when you have to come down hard like the hounds of hell on your child when he is wrong , but other times the gentle hand of loving correction is appropriate.

I thing that was what is called for before we see a million blog posting in the Catholic blogsphere and Catholic media.

Update-
The Anchoress also posted this at Inside Catholic where there is huge discussion going on

U.S.Catholics Loss -The Universal Church’s Gain - Archbishop Burke "Promoted" to Vatican (links)

Sad day in many was. Archbishop Burke has been a wonder Archbishop of St Louis and a inspiration for many American Catholics. The first non-European named to head the historic tribunal, which dates from the 15th century and no doubt this means he will soon become a Cardinal

Father Z has small note on this at Congratulations Archbp. Burke!
Whispers in the Loggia has a post up of course at The "Chief Justice": A St Louis Cardinal
Watch his site for more details

AP has St. Louis archbishop to head Vatican tribunal

The St Louis Catholic Paper has Pope appoints Archbishop Burke to Vatican post (look at this site for updates a they are promised)

The Catholic News Service has Pope appoints US Archbishop Burke to head Vatican's highest court

I suspect many enemies of the faith( and I am not being dramatic) are thrilled he is leaving

Update-Much more here at Inside Catholic including to link to John Allens article , the Interdict that Archbishop Burke has just done on a dissenter , and more statements and links at Big news out of St. Louis

The St Louis Catholic Blog has a lot and know doubt will be a place to keep updated

Do Churches Contribute to Urban Sprawl?

Mirrors of Justice which is a Catholic Legal Site has has a serious of interesting post lately.

This post , Churches and Sprawl , which engages a article in the Toronto Star .

The article says in part:
Fast-growing churches, frustrated with the slow pace of municipal planning, often find themselves pushed into setting up shop in rural areas on the edge of town, where they end up contributing to suburban sprawl, a Ryerson University study has found. .....Once the new church is built, the parishioners soon follow, and housing springs up around the building – determining the character of the new subdivision.

When I read this at first at Mirrors I was highly skeptical of this study. In some way I would love it if this was true. Especially in a Catholic context because it would show an unexpected trend back to the health of the Catholic Parish. However, I have never seen this occur in the United States as to the usual example of Evangelical Churches or other Protestant ones. I can think of some big mega Churches and average size churches and I do not detect mass movement of people building around them just because of the Church is located there.

However when I clicked on the article it became a lot clearer:
Agrawal's study, New Ethnic Places of Worship and Planning Challenges, handed out at the conference, looked at four temples and churches of different faiths in the Greater Toronto Area – Hindu, Muslim, Catholic and Sikh.

At one, construction of a temple soon led to a subdivision of between 4,000 and 5,000 people. The sprawling neighbourhood, however, has no school, no community centre, no bus service and after more than six years is only now developing a commercial presence.

"All those things would have been there with traditional planning," said Agrawal, who specializes in planning and immigration.

The small neighbourhood church of the past is fast being replaced by larger "destination" churches, Agrawal said, but congregations have trouble finding a large enough location for both the worship space and parking for all the parishioners.

It's a trend he found most often among fast-growing ethnic communities.

At first, they meet in members' homes, moving to rented space as the congregations grow.
Eventually, as the community as a whole increases in size, the group looks to build its own place of worship.

I do not have the actual study. However I am willing to bet that Catholics in Canada( I find it odd that this was the only Christian group it appears they studied) are following the Church. However I the find the immigrant dynamic as to the other faiths interesting?

Is this just a Canada thing? Are we seeing this duplicated in the United States? If it is being duplicated in the United States I am not hearing about it. True there are ethnic neighborhoods but lets say when the Hindu temple in Dallas moves to the outskirts are whole new neighbor hoods becoming new Hindu Enclaves?

Canada is of course different being that so much of it populations is within a hundred miles of the U.S. Border. Thus land use is a much more critical issue. I also suppose there could be issues of how the two different countries assimilate immigrant folks.

Anyway interesting article.

Religion and Culture-- The South

I am sitting at the my local Public library right now. I need the use of their printer for a work related project.

During the summer time they have events for the kids and today is the Talent Show :: well perhaps :( after hearing all the adorable young folks for about a hour.

Anyway along the talent was dancing Thank you For being A Friend , to singing God is an Awesome God ,and a Recitation of I pledge allegiance to the Bible.

The joys of being Rural. We can get away with this stuff LOL. I have a feeling anxious Libraians would that have curtains on some of this elsewhere

National Public Radio Takes Obama to Woodshed

I a very glad that National Public Radio in an Op-ed took Obama for to the Woodshed for Violating his pledge on fundraising and especially for his recent comments playing the Racism Card. GO here to listen Reflections on Race and the Presidential Election

Tip of the hat to the Anchoress that has a whole much of great links today at Free Speech, Liberals, Eugenics, Move America!

Catholic Bishop Get Jury Duty!!

Well I must say this is better than where I have see some Bishops as to courtrooms lately :)

The Deacon's Bench has Twelve angry men -- and one has a mitre

Archbishop O'Brien Meets Face to Face with Legion's lay arm Regnum Christi

Tip of the hat Whispers in the loggia for this account of a Priest that was there. Go to Jesus Goes to Disney World (By the way if you are Disney Fan and Catholic you love this blog) and his entry A Frank Dialogue .

I think the Legion and the Lay movement has some problems that need to be reformed. However they do much good work through God's Grace.

I also think the ex Regnum Christi members have valid points. However, as I see this play out over the blogs I wish the ex members can find a tad more Charity toward the legion and Regnum Christi.

I sometimes get a sense that some want it smashed in a thousand bits rather than be reformed. That is not saying that is the view of all ex members but that is how it comes across to me and it just turns me off to some of their valid concerns.

Newspaper Reports On Uproar on No More Female Altar Servers

While I am glad that the Catholic Church gets media attention , I do wonder why this merits coverage in a secualr paper :).

Father Z has the story at Kerfuffle! Wisconsin parish nixes altar girls - predictable outrage ensues before sanity prevails The article and Father Z comments are amusing and also true!!

God Works Through Louisiana Infant even in Death and Suffering - A Dad's Story

Wow this just brings tears to one eyes. A family from Rayne Louisiana have been in a battle to save their Child's life. Their infant however went home to God .

This father has takens some time out of his grief to give a testimony and is indeed powerful. Go see Baby Cate and the entryPlus many, Minus one

I will be adding this blog to my Louisiana Catholic update as he notes at the end of his entry

If you would have told me two weeks ago that there would be over 50,000 hits on Baby Cate's Blog in less than 4 days I would have laughed so hard, but God did a mighty work, Wow, praise to you Lord Jesus Christ! This Blog isn't ending, the Cantrell's plan on continuing to share their Journey, through the grief and the laughter, through our trials and victories, as we continue to press into the heart of God with all of you… if you want to stay tuned it will be quite a ride. We will continue celebrating Catherine "Baby Cate" Francis Cantrell's life in the next couple of days, Friday, June 27th, will be the Wake from 10:00am to 10:00pm at Martin & Castille Funeral Home on St. Landry St. in Lafayette, LA and the Funeral Mass will be on Saturday June 28th at 11:00am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne, La, we would love for you to come celebrate Baby Cate with us. We love you all so much and thank you for journeying with us, and running this marathon. The race is over, and Cate was victorious. We all win that way. We do ask that you remain, Hope Filled, with us as we stand together, plus many, minus one.

Should Catholics Return To The 3 Hour Fast Before Communion?

I would say yes. In one of two entries I am about to post that Father Z has up he engages the In the Light of the Law, canonist Edward Peters arguments that this is a need(Be sure to look at Mr Peters entire Article/Proposal on this that is available for download in pdf format where he address concers and more benefits) . I so agree. Go see An argument for lengthening Communion fast to 3 hours again .

In fact I hate to say but now many times I approach this fast time in a Pharisees type way!!

Again Father Z gives some great commentary to Mr Peters proposal.

I was struck besides the obvious benefits in a spiritual sense of these points he made:
5. The brevity of the current fast means that Catholics with guilty or doubtful consciences have no discrete way to refrain from going up to Communion without attracting attention, resulting in pressure on them to approach the Eucharist under conditions that risk profanation.

I think there is a lot to that!!!!

6. Imposing as a requirement of law what is scarcely impossible to avoid doing anyway (how many people really eat and drink on their way to Mass?) makes legal norms seem like empty exercises, in turn fostering a diminished respect for the role of law in ecclesiastical society.

Now I can hear the outrage already. Stories of people who could not eat or drink after midnight before they receive communion the next morning etc etc. Of course I always note that even the people who rant about this seem to miss those days and recognize it served a purpose.

Of course we are not talking about 8 or 9 hours but three.

Update-
Looking at Father Z's comment section is interesting. Now looking at this I have no clue why I did not know this before:
Mark:”A lot of people skip breakfast anyway. That’s all that you need to do if you go to Mass in the morning. I don’t eat after midnight and have a nice Break-Fast around 11:45 am when I get home. That’s where the word breakfast was dirived. You were breaking your fast – after Mass.” Thanks for posting this.

Tim Russert Adoration Getting Out of Hand? Bishop Russert?

Father Andrew Greeley is at it again. The last time we checked in the Catholic Icoon of the Felt Banner age he was informing us that if you didn't vote for Obama you were likely Racist.

Now tired of that line he latches on to Russert to fill his Column. Inside Catholic has Bishop Russert?

The Corruptness of Iran Is What Makes It Dangerous

Great article here inthe Asian Times Worst of times for Iran.

Great as to analysis not great as to the situation. I think at times Americans fail to understand the corrupt nature of regimes and the dangers that causes us all

Potpourri of Popery for the Last Week of June

Wheat & Weeds has it at Potpourri of Popery, St. Escriva Edition

Individual Right To Bear Arms Affirmed By Supreme Court

Opinion just released is here. I will post links to analysis as updates and perhaps give some of my views much later when after I read it.

Update- Our Catholic Legal Mind Southern Appeal will be place to check out. On a Catholic note he points out how Justice Scalia England used Gun control against the Papist :)

Scotus Blog will have a lot today. Here is a quick overview at Court: A constitutional right to a gun

The Volokh Conspiracy will have a lot today too

On of the More Progressive Catholics at Vox Nova has issued a post A SHAMEFUL SUPREME COURT DECISION Needless to say I disagree

Pope Benedict To Gives Communion only on the Tongue to People kneeling

Very great news. We of course have seen signs of this at Papal Masses. I so wish that Benedict had started this "nudge" back to the tradition of the Church when he was in the United States

Father Z has the article and more at Msgr. Guido Marini: Communion kneeling and on the tongue will be the standard for papal Masses

The irony is even though we shall hear howls of complaints from the usual crowd, I bet most Catholics would love to return to this in their local parish . I used to attend a Church on occasion where one had to kneel for Communion. Most visitors just raved about how great it was to kneel at a Altar Rail. I never heard much grumbling about not being able to sand.

The Pope is not wearing Prada. He is wearing Christ

The Vatican Newspaper in today's edition has some important articles as to the Liturgical Garb that Pope Benedict wears. They will be a change coming up.

These articles not only explain a facet of our faith but also show what Pope Benedict is trying to do. I am sure Father Z will have commentary on this articles also so keep a eye on his site

The Ratzinger Forum in the News about Benedict section have translated the articles. They are located on this page.

They are Liturgical vestments according to Ratzinger , That piece of white wool , and The Papal pallium between continuity and development .

Update Father Z has one post up already on one of this articles at HURRAY! A return to an older style papal pallium!