WOW I BET A LOT PEOPLE DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. I got so tired of hearing about GT and the fracking OPTION blah blah
Great way to end the Year. I am a happy soul.
Tough season but a very very very nice way to end it!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Is it the Catholic Church that is Obsessed About Sex or Is it the Media
Now sex is very very important and the Church talks about it a good bit. However when the Church talks abouts it even briefly it is viewed as unhealthy for some reason.
Get Religion has a excellent post on how the media reacted to the Pope's recent State of the Church Address. See GetReligion gets a pope gift. I love this part from some they quoted:
The Pope’s speech that ran for several pages, and the reference to sexuality occupied a couple of sentences. That didn’t matter. It is axiomatic, among critics of Catholicism, that the Church is obsessed with sex. So when a Catholic leader says something about sexuality, the media fixate on it. Never mind the other 3,500 words of the papal address; these 50 words are the important ones — the only important ones — because they’re about sex.
The Pope spoke to the Curia about the Synod of Bishops and the preaching of the Word of God.
Oh, yeah, sure. I know. But what did he say about sex?
The Pope spoke about World Youth Day and the missionary impulse of the Pauline year.
Sure, sure. All that stuff. What’d he say about sex?
The Pope spoke about protecting the environment, and saving humans from inhuman ideologies.
See? See?! He’s obsessed! He can’t let it go!
Get Religion has a excellent post on how the media reacted to the Pope's recent State of the Church Address. See GetReligion gets a pope gift. I love this part from some they quoted:
The Pope’s speech that ran for several pages, and the reference to sexuality occupied a couple of sentences. That didn’t matter. It is axiomatic, among critics of Catholicism, that the Church is obsessed with sex. So when a Catholic leader says something about sexuality, the media fixate on it. Never mind the other 3,500 words of the papal address; these 50 words are the important ones — the only important ones — because they’re about sex.
The Pope spoke to the Curia about the Synod of Bishops and the preaching of the Word of God.
Oh, yeah, sure. I know. But what did he say about sex?
The Pope spoke about World Youth Day and the missionary impulse of the Pauline year.
Sure, sure. All that stuff. What’d he say about sex?
The Pope spoke about protecting the environment, and saving humans from inhuman ideologies.
See? See?! He’s obsessed! He can’t let it go!
Why Can't Obama Be President Now- Stamps Foot!!
If we could just some how get around the law and get Bushie out and Obama in things would be perfect. LSU would sure beat Georgia Tech tonight, the Saints would have won on Sunday ,the Saints QB would have beat Marino's record, Israel and Hamas would be at peace, and no doubt cold fusion would have been discovered in his first few days.
I still don't realize why my Priest did not make the object and fouus of the Advent Season on the one that is too come to the big White House in D.C.
Neo Neocon highlights just one writer that has been a tad impatient at Anticipation: waiting for Obama
She says in part :
It’s probably not necessary to point out that this sort of thinking—the idea that Obama will magically soothe us, heal us, kiss our foreheads and make it all better—is part of a dangerous trend originally noted when Obama first became a candidate. I wrote “thinking” in the previous sentence, but it’s really more of a feeling that Obama will fix it. Or, if he can’t fix it, at least he’ll talk about it in a way that doesn’t involve abominations such as “nucular. And even if he doesn’t talk about it right, we’ll all experience such a sense of relief about his mere presence that maybe that will be enough. Because feeling good is a major part of what this is all about.
The idea of a magical transformation to be wrought by Obama as President is not just a strange characteristic invested in him by his followers and supporters. It is an idea he consciously and systematically fostered during his campaign—in fact, you might say it pretty much was the core of his campaign. So it’s not surprising that the raised expectations of supporters such as Smith have now reached a fever pitch after all the interminable waiting. And delayed gratification doesn’t appear to be the strong suit of Obamaphiles.
There are two possibilities for their reaction when Obama actually takes office and harsh, fickle, complex reality intrudes on the dream. Either he will disappoint his followers when they understand that he cannot work the unrealistic transformations they expect and yearn for, or they are so in thrall that they will forgive him everything and just be happy this cool, liberal, smooth dude is in there at last. That just might be enough
I still don't realize why my Priest did not make the object and fouus of the Advent Season on the one that is too come to the big White House in D.C.
Neo Neocon highlights just one writer that has been a tad impatient at Anticipation: waiting for Obama
She says in part :
It’s probably not necessary to point out that this sort of thinking—the idea that Obama will magically soothe us, heal us, kiss our foreheads and make it all better—is part of a dangerous trend originally noted when Obama first became a candidate. I wrote “thinking” in the previous sentence, but it’s really more of a feeling that Obama will fix it. Or, if he can’t fix it, at least he’ll talk about it in a way that doesn’t involve abominations such as “nucular. And even if he doesn’t talk about it right, we’ll all experience such a sense of relief about his mere presence that maybe that will be enough. Because feeling good is a major part of what this is all about.
The idea of a magical transformation to be wrought by Obama as President is not just a strange characteristic invested in him by his followers and supporters. It is an idea he consciously and systematically fostered during his campaign—in fact, you might say it pretty much was the core of his campaign. So it’s not surprising that the raised expectations of supporters such as Smith have now reached a fever pitch after all the interminable waiting. And delayed gratification doesn’t appear to be the strong suit of Obamaphiles.
There are two possibilities for their reaction when Obama actually takes office and harsh, fickle, complex reality intrudes on the dream. Either he will disappoint his followers when they understand that he cannot work the unrealistic transformations they expect and yearn for, or they are so in thrall that they will forgive him everything and just be happy this cool, liberal, smooth dude is in there at last. That just might be enough
Huge Planet Show Tonight For New Years Eve
Tip of the Hat to Spirit Daily
From Yahoo
Celestial Show Set for New Year's Eve
Robert Roy BrittEditorial DirectorSPACE.com robert Roy Britteditorial Directorspace.com Tue Dec 30, 11:47 am ET
A delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset.
Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free.
Soon thereafter, Mercury and Jupiter will show up hugging the south-southwestern horizon (just above where the sun went down) and extremely close to each other. Jupiter is very bright and easy to spot; Mercury is faint and harder to see, but it'll be apparent by its location just to the left of Jupiter.
Jupiter and Mercury will set less than an hour after the sun, so timing your viewing just after sunset is crucial. You'll also need a location with a clear view of the western horizon, unobstructed by buildings, trees or mountains.
All the planets, along with the moon and sun, traverse an arc across our sky called the ecliptic, which corresponds to the plane in space that they all roughly share. For this reason, you could draw an imaginary line from the general location of Venus and the moon, down through the other two planets, and the line would point to where the sun went down. This line could also initially help you find Jupiter and Mercury.
Weather permitting, you can get a preview of the sky show on Tuesday, Dec. 30. On this evening, the planets will be in nearly the same place they'll be on Dec. 31, but the moon will be midway between Venus and the Mercury-Jupiter pairing.
One last trick:
Venus is so bright you can see it during daylight if you know where to look. Given Venus' proximity to the moon on New Year's Eve, this would be an excellent moment -- just before sunset -- to use the moon to help you find Venus and gain bragging rights for being one of the few people to be able to claim seeing more than one planet during the daytime (Earth being the other one).
Gallery: Moon Images
Skywatcher's Guide to the Moon
From Yahoo
Celestial Show Set for New Year's Eve
Robert Roy BrittEditorial DirectorSPACE.com robert Roy Britteditorial Directorspace.com Tue Dec 30, 11:47 am ET
A delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset.
Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free.
Soon thereafter, Mercury and Jupiter will show up hugging the south-southwestern horizon (just above where the sun went down) and extremely close to each other. Jupiter is very bright and easy to spot; Mercury is faint and harder to see, but it'll be apparent by its location just to the left of Jupiter.
Jupiter and Mercury will set less than an hour after the sun, so timing your viewing just after sunset is crucial. You'll also need a location with a clear view of the western horizon, unobstructed by buildings, trees or mountains.
All the planets, along with the moon and sun, traverse an arc across our sky called the ecliptic, which corresponds to the plane in space that they all roughly share. For this reason, you could draw an imaginary line from the general location of Venus and the moon, down through the other two planets, and the line would point to where the sun went down. This line could also initially help you find Jupiter and Mercury.
Weather permitting, you can get a preview of the sky show on Tuesday, Dec. 30. On this evening, the planets will be in nearly the same place they'll be on Dec. 31, but the moon will be midway between Venus and the Mercury-Jupiter pairing.
One last trick:
Venus is so bright you can see it during daylight if you know where to look. Given Venus' proximity to the moon on New Year's Eve, this would be an excellent moment -- just before sunset -- to use the moon to help you find Venus and gain bragging rights for being one of the few people to be able to claim seeing more than one planet during the daytime (Earth being the other one).
Gallery: Moon Images
Skywatcher's Guide to the Moon
Yaw Yaw Yaw Yaw Coach O To be hired at LSU!!! (Update Not So Fast)
Major update see below
Wow how fortunes change. Yes Coach Ed Orgeron is coming to LSU . See LSU set to hire Orgeron
It is a good move also please note in a move that shocked me , besides his potential salary, he will be associate head coach along with recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
I think this is a very good hire. Also his talent at recruiting is well pretty awesome. It has become much much more harder for out of State Schools to come in and get blue chip players from Louisiana. THe Fence around the State has just become higher.
Needless to say he can fire up players at time. It will not be BORING!! Good move my my man Les Miles
MAJOR UPDATE
Looks like he is going to to Tenn!!! Something odd going on. Good luck to Coach O but LSU would have been better fit
Wow how fortunes change. Yes Coach Ed Orgeron is coming to LSU . See LSU set to hire Orgeron
It is a good move also please note in a move that shocked me , besides his potential salary, he will be associate head coach along with recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
I think this is a very good hire. Also his talent at recruiting is well pretty awesome. It has become much much more harder for out of State Schools to come in and get blue chip players from Louisiana. THe Fence around the State has just become higher.
Needless to say he can fire up players at time. It will not be BORING!! Good move my my man Les Miles
MAJOR UPDATE
Looks like he is going to to Tenn!!! Something odd going on. Good luck to Coach O but LSU would have been better fit
My Thoughts On the Israel Bombing of Gaza and Hamas
Issues like this are alwasy complex and too often people want to force you view one side as all right and the other all evil. Life is again a lot more complex than that.
I think American Catholic 's post here Thoughts on Israel’s war with Hamas sums up my thoughts the situation. As he points out in his post parts of the Arab world and often some other critics of Israel's actions are not exactly getting on that bandwagon right now.
I think American Catholic 's post here Thoughts on Israel’s war with Hamas sums up my thoughts the situation. As he points out in his post parts of the Arab world and often some other critics of Israel's actions are not exactly getting on that bandwagon right now.
Mobile Home Vietnamese Trappist monks
Pretty cool story about this new community of cloistered Catholic monastery folks via the Deacon Bench. See "There is God in this deserted place"
The List of Catholics That Died In Line of Duty in 2008
Hopefully none will be added today. The List has been complied of THE NAMES OF PASTORAL WORKERS, PRIESTS, MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND LAY CATHOLICS KILLED DURING 2008
It is a document worth downloading and reading over. There are some substantial bios of each person.
It is a document worth downloading and reading over. There are some substantial bios of each person.
Hamas Legalized Crucifixion?
I really would like to get some confirmation of this besides the JP article.
Both Iran and its Hamas proxy in Gaza have been busy this Christmas week showing Christendom just what they think of it. But no one seems to have noticed.
On Tuesday, Hamas legislators marked the Christmas season by passing a Shari'a criminal code for the Palestinian Authority. Among other things, it legalizes crucifixion.
Hamas's endorsement of nailing enemies of Islam to crosses came at the same time it renewed its jihad. Here, too, Hamas wanted to make sure that Christians didn't feel neglected as its fighters launched missiles at Jewish day care centers and schools. So on Wednesday, Hamas lobbed a mortar shell at the Erez crossing point into Israel just as a group of Gazan Christians were standing on line waiting to travel to Bethlehem for Christmas.
Yikes
Both Iran and its Hamas proxy in Gaza have been busy this Christmas week showing Christendom just what they think of it. But no one seems to have noticed.
On Tuesday, Hamas legislators marked the Christmas season by passing a Shari'a criminal code for the Palestinian Authority. Among other things, it legalizes crucifixion.
Hamas's endorsement of nailing enemies of Islam to crosses came at the same time it renewed its jihad. Here, too, Hamas wanted to make sure that Christians didn't feel neglected as its fighters launched missiles at Jewish day care centers and schools. So on Wednesday, Hamas lobbed a mortar shell at the Erez crossing point into Israel just as a group of Gazan Christians were standing on line waiting to travel to Bethlehem for Christmas.
Yikes
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Louisiana Priest Has Abuse Case Dismissed (Thank God)
This sounds like a good thing!!
A Baton Rouge appeals court has unanimously upheld the dismissal of a sexual abuse case against a former Crowley priest.
In March of 2003, a man identified only as "john doe" filed a suit against Rev. Joseph Pellettieri more than 30 years after the alleged incident.
According to published reports, the unidentified plaintiff claimed he may have been hypnotized and that he did not recall any incident until february 2002.
Good Grief. I can't imagine being a retired teacher minding my own business and some former student 30 years later brings up allegations like this against me. How do you defend yourself against THAT!!
Much more here at the Baton Rouge Advocate.
A Baton Rouge appeals court has unanimously upheld the dismissal of a sexual abuse case against a former Crowley priest.
In March of 2003, a man identified only as "john doe" filed a suit against Rev. Joseph Pellettieri more than 30 years after the alleged incident.
According to published reports, the unidentified plaintiff claimed he may have been hypnotized and that he did not recall any incident until february 2002.
Good Grief. I can't imagine being a retired teacher minding my own business and some former student 30 years later brings up allegations like this against me. How do you defend yourself against THAT!!
Much more here at the Baton Rouge Advocate.
New Republic Writer Does Not Get Episcopal Church Crisis
Crunchy Con Links and discusses a post that the New Republic had about the crisis in the Episcopal Church. See Is heresy better than schism?
What the writer at TNR is failing to realize is that issue for many is that Episcopal Church USA if it continues on it's path is going to be in Schism with the worldwide Anglican Communion!!! In fact to many it already is. That is the REAL schism concern that the so called "conservatives" are worried about.
Pope Benedict again summed the situation perfectly in what I believe were comments aimed directly at the Episcopal Church USA when he visited New York. See Ecumenical Prayer Service at St Joseph's Parish in New York (April 18, 2008)[English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]
He said in part:
Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called “prophetic actions” that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of “local options”. Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia – communion with the Church in every age – is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23).
Faced with these difficulties, we must first recall that the unity of the Church flows from the perfect oneness of the triune God. In John’s Gospel, we are told that Jesus prayed to his Father that his disciples might be one, “just as you are in me and I am in you” (Jn 17:21). This passage reflects the unwavering conviction of the early Christian community that its unity was both caused by, and is reflective of, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, in turn, suggests that the internal cohesion of believers was based on the sound integrity of their doctrinal confession (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-11). Throughout the New Testament, we find that the Apostles were repeatedly called to give an account for their faith to both Gentiles (cf. Acts 17:16-34) and Jews (cf. Acts 4:5-22; 5:27-42). The core of their argument was always the historical fact of Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the tomb (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30). The ultimate effectiveness of their preaching did not depend on “lofty words” or “human wisdom” (1 Cor 2:13), but rather on the work of the Spirit (Eph 3:5) who confirmed the authoritative witness of the Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-11).
The nucleus of Paul’s preaching and that of the early Church was none other than Jesus Christ, and “him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). But this proclamation had to be guaranteed by the purity of normative doctrine expressed in creedal formulae – symbola – which articulated the essence of the Christian faith and constituted the foundation for the unity of the baptized (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5; Gal 1:6-9; Unitatis Redintegratio, 2).
This is what is partly at stake.
What the writer at TNR is failing to realize is that issue for many is that Episcopal Church USA if it continues on it's path is going to be in Schism with the worldwide Anglican Communion!!! In fact to many it already is. That is the REAL schism concern that the so called "conservatives" are worried about.
Pope Benedict again summed the situation perfectly in what I believe were comments aimed directly at the Episcopal Church USA when he visited New York. See Ecumenical Prayer Service at St Joseph's Parish in New York (April 18, 2008)[English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]
He said in part:
Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called “prophetic actions” that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of “local options”. Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia – communion with the Church in every age – is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23).
Faced with these difficulties, we must first recall that the unity of the Church flows from the perfect oneness of the triune God. In John’s Gospel, we are told that Jesus prayed to his Father that his disciples might be one, “just as you are in me and I am in you” (Jn 17:21). This passage reflects the unwavering conviction of the early Christian community that its unity was both caused by, and is reflective of, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This, in turn, suggests that the internal cohesion of believers was based on the sound integrity of their doctrinal confession (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-11). Throughout the New Testament, we find that the Apostles were repeatedly called to give an account for their faith to both Gentiles (cf. Acts 17:16-34) and Jews (cf. Acts 4:5-22; 5:27-42). The core of their argument was always the historical fact of Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the tomb (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30). The ultimate effectiveness of their preaching did not depend on “lofty words” or “human wisdom” (1 Cor 2:13), but rather on the work of the Spirit (Eph 3:5) who confirmed the authoritative witness of the Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-11).
The nucleus of Paul’s preaching and that of the early Church was none other than Jesus Christ, and “him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). But this proclamation had to be guaranteed by the purity of normative doctrine expressed in creedal formulae – symbola – which articulated the essence of the Christian faith and constituted the foundation for the unity of the baptized (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-5; Gal 1:6-9; Unitatis Redintegratio, 2).
This is what is partly at stake.
What Happens When You Discover Your True Racial Background
The Mommy Memoir has a book she is posting about that has got my interest. See What I'm Reading . I can't wait for her review.
My Biology Teacher in Hight school recounted an experience she had at an almost totally white Christian school. This teenage boyfriend and girlfriend found out that they were expecting. They were white looking as anything. The baby comes and it is black as coal. Needless to say that was a tad of a shock. Turns out way back that there had been a black great great grandmother no one knew about. That gene I guess was just waiting to turn on.
I am curious if this happens much more in Louisiana than people think since there was a much more relaxed attitude toward sexual relations between races way back and often off springs of such Unions could and did pass themselves off as "white".
My Biology Teacher in Hight school recounted an experience she had at an almost totally white Christian school. This teenage boyfriend and girlfriend found out that they were expecting. They were white looking as anything. The baby comes and it is black as coal. Needless to say that was a tad of a shock. Turns out way back that there had been a black great great grandmother no one knew about. That gene I guess was just waiting to turn on.
I am curious if this happens much more in Louisiana than people think since there was a much more relaxed attitude toward sexual relations between races way back and often off springs of such Unions could and did pass themselves off as "white".
St Thomas Aquinas Teaches You How To Memorize Stuff
I have a small gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles for Christmas. I was online looking at their selections and saw this very interesting book Memorize the Faith! (and Most Anything Else): Using the Methods of the Great Catholic Medieval Memory Masters
This looks so neat!! DO they teach this in Catholic schools or CCD or anywhere else. The reviews look good.
This looks so neat!! DO they teach this in Catholic schools or CCD or anywhere else. The reviews look good.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Louisiana Catholic Blogs Update For Monday, December 29, 2008
Time to do the Louisiana Cathoolic Blog post update. It was on vacation for most of last week since I figured based on past experience most Catholic bloggers were on the road or visiting with family. So lets get updated. I think I will go back to the Dec 26th as a starting point
Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group kindly links to a post I did and has other links as to the subject at Don’t “Do the Hokey-Pokey”?
Just Another Seminarian Blog has Hello Again World
From The Recamier has her latest update here at Daily Update: December 28, 2008
Catholic Underground in their Chrsitmas special has some wonderful Carols you can download. IT IS STILL CHRISTMAS so go for it. See CU Special: Lessons and Carols 2008
Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group kindly links to a post I did and has other links as to the subject at Don’t “Do the Hokey-Pokey”?
Just Another Seminarian Blog has Hello Again World
From The Recamier has her latest update here at Daily Update: December 28, 2008
Catholic Underground in their Chrsitmas special has some wonderful Carols you can download. IT IS STILL CHRISTMAS so go for it. See CU Special: Lessons and Carols 2008
The Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) is back after their Christmas vacation see their major update
Stranger in a Strange Land has The Nut vs. the Priest ,Things that Go Bump in the Night ,What Do You Want of Me Lord? ,Full of Grace & Truth , and St. Stephen
For The Greater Glory has We Attack the CEOs for their wasteful lifestyles (amen to this) , Dancing Through Life , and a great post here at The Seamless Garment
Father Chris Decker has Treebeard in Rome
Full Circle has The Titanic Truther movement
ALIVE AND YOUNG has Not Said By Jesus Sunday: Marian/Christmas Edition
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES has Happy St. Stephen Day!
Thoughts & Ruminations has Merry Johnsmas
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has End-of-December Daybook
Life on the (L)edge (Catholic Deacon) has CHRISTMAS WRAPPINGS
Our expat Priest in Houston Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message has Feast of Saint Thomas of Canterbury (29 Dec 2008)
Finally our Expat Priest that is now in New Jersey Da Mihi Animas has The Real Rudy , a song here at l like being a Catholic! ,Never give up: Rudy movie speech! , and Preparations for the Holy Father's visit to the Holy Land
When American Catholic Comic Books Spoke Out Against Communism
(Click on pics to see see full page or go to below link to see this and more)I find this such a interesting part of American and American Catholic History.
Eric Pavlat over at Inside Catholic every Sunday does the start of a new serial that was in the famed American Catholic Comic Book Treasure Chest back in the 50' s and 60's. We should bring Catholic Comics back!!! Anyway he hits on a issue dealing with communism. For more comics pages from this installment and links to others to see his post Sunday Comics
All Hail Benedict XIII - The Pope That Smoked!!
Why isnt there a line of cigarettes of Cigars named after this Pope!! The above picture has been a tad photshopped (though it would have been cool of it was real).
Canterbury Tales has a interesting post on the smoking Pope, HIS CIGAR FACTORY, and the up and down saga of the Papal views on smoking at The Pope who smoked - Benedict XIII.
Sadly it appears that smoking took a downturn at the Vatican when the Health Nut John Paul the II took office and it was banned on Vatican property. Though I do recall when the Cardinal went to Rome to elect a new Pope there were pictures of Cardinal's lighting up and taking some seep drags!! Well I guess certain rules goes away when a Holy Father dies even in just days :)
I did laugh when I saw that because as Canterbury tales states like the above Pope and the Cardinals smoking I too had his thought:
smoking pope Benedict XIII of blessed memory. Reminds me of the fidgety cardinal in Godfather III, the one always trying to make bank deals regarding "Immobilare".
A Little Known African American Church Tradition Celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation
I must say I was never aware of this rather cool largely African American "Liturgical Event" that occurs in Church on New Years Eve and New Years Day and has been for 150 years. I guess I thought juneteenth was the the biggie. I don't hink I am alone in this regard
Get Religion has a pretty good article on this that needless to say takes on added significance this year I suppose for African Americans. See The theology of liberation
Do African Americans do This Church Event Much In the South? Is this mostly a AME thing or more widespread down here. I would like to attend one this services one day
What Napoleon Thought About Christ
A little Louisiana History here.
The above picture is the famed Napoleon House in the French Quarter In New Orleans. You might have seen it in that horrible of an abortion of a film JFK. The scene in JFK where they sit in Napoleon House in the rain and watch TV, that IS Napoleon House. It is named that because the Mayor of New Orelans offered it to Napoleon at the time of his exile. I guess as most people know he did not make it. Who knows what would have happened if he did. We might have been the captial of the USA after it was all over :). Anyway they are known for their Muffulettas and I suggest visiting there if you are in NOLA. Cool place.
Anyway Napoleon was also one of those contenders for the anti Christ back then. It appears that he had some views on Christ I was not aware of. American Catholic has a very interesting post on this at Napoleon on Christ?
Anyway Napoleon was also one of those contenders for the anti Christ back then. It appears that he had some views on Christ I was not aware of. American Catholic has a very interesting post on this at Napoleon on Christ?
Coptic Church Cracking Down On Telephone and Internet Confessions
I had not idea this silliness was going on over there. Perhaps it is good thing it was happening under the radar. No doubt the National Catholic Reporter (barf) would have been promoting it for us.
The Catholic Church of course does allow the Sacrament to administered via the phone either but for slightly different reasons as the Curt Jester shows at Coptic Confession
The Catholic Church of course does allow the Sacrament to administered via the phone either but for slightly different reasons as the Curt Jester shows at Coptic Confession
Did Welsh People "Discover America" in 1170?
I am pretty big on American History and American Southern History but I have never heard this very interesting possibility before. See Mystery surrounds north Ga. ruins
Tip of the Hat to CVSTOS FIDEI
Tip of the Hat to CVSTOS FIDEI
Father and Son Become Catholic Priests
This is a interesting story from the London Times. We have have not had this happen since well the days when illigetimate sons of priests , Bishops, and some Popes followed in their fathers footsteps :)
Tip of the Hat to Amy Wellborn
Tip of the Hat to Amy Wellborn
John Chavis to be new LSU Defensive Coordinator
Wonderful!!!!
It has been confirmed by a source that has rarely been known to be wrong and is connected.
Update- Confirmed by ESPN
It has been confirmed by a source that has rarely been known to be wrong and is connected.
Update- Confirmed by ESPN
Louisiana Tech Beats the Huskies In Independence Bowl ( Links)
Well Louisiana is a happy place today!! A nice win by a Louisiana team on National TV that is up and coming. That is my other love the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. I should say most people are happy. I suspect that a certain segment of fans (a minority) of a certain school down South that is wrongly calling itself University of Louisiana every five minutes are not too happy.
Anyway on to the positive.
Here is what the Papers are saying
SHREVEPORT TIMES
The Shreveport Times has good Photos on their main page sports page right now See I-Bowl LA Tech Jubo
I-Bowl First Half Action shots
I-Bowl Second Half Action Shots
I-Bowl First Half Action shots
I-Bowl Second Half Action Shots
See as to articles
and
Ruston Daily Leader-
Monroe News Star World-
The Louisiana Tech Sports Site has
Wednesday Photo Gallery
Thursday Photo Gallery
Friday Photo Gallery
Saturday Photo Gallery
Independence Bowl First Half
I am sure that the Tech Fan Board will have a lot of stuff the next few days
Former Episcopalian Priest (with Cool Name) Ordained Catholic Priest Yesterday
Married clergy coming into the Catholic Priesthood through the pastoral provision is not new but still nice to highlight. Even more when they have cool names. Meet our new Catholic Priest in Texas Waldo Emerson "Knick" Knickerbocker.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Smart Liberals Know History- Send Caroline Kennedy to the Court of St James
I thought this was a joke at first.
Yes another Kennedy post but this is more related to what appears to be a huge degree of ignorance of U.S. History. Perhaps these folks did not watch all the mini series on CBS relating to the Kennedys and Kennedy kids as I did and they didn't catch the factoid.
What is funny as you read the comments no one is aware of it either or potential symbolic problems till way into the thread.
IN case you dont know what the problem is Jonah Goldberg clues the clueless in.
Now of course Caroline should not be judged because of grandfather or more to the point perhaps it is not fair that there will be a million stories about this but symbolism is symbolism. SEND HER TO FRANCE
Yes another Kennedy post but this is more related to what appears to be a huge degree of ignorance of U.S. History. Perhaps these folks did not watch all the mini series on CBS relating to the Kennedys and Kennedy kids as I did and they didn't catch the factoid.
What is funny as you read the comments no one is aware of it either or potential symbolic problems till way into the thread.
IN case you dont know what the problem is Jonah Goldberg clues the clueless in.
Now of course Caroline should not be judged because of grandfather or more to the point perhaps it is not fair that there will be a million stories about this but symbolism is symbolism. SEND HER TO FRANCE
Signs of Christian Religious Revival In London?
Well this is good news. Get Religion has Pullin’ in the rich—A tail of London’s soul revival
Questions Caroline Kennedy Should be Asked By Catholics and Others Related to Bobby and JFK
As you might notice from the post below I am following the saga if Caroline Kennedy shall be appointed United States Senator to replace Hillary.
Over at the Weekly Standard I they have some questions that I think would be great to be asked of her:
Caroline meanwhile is trying to run on the legacy of her father and Bobby, while embracing a post-60s Teddy-type platform strikingly out of step with that of her father and late uncle.
Would Jack, who threatened pre-emptive war over missiles in Cuba, have really opposed a war with Iraq after Saddam defied U.N. resolutions? Would Bobby, who made his chops busting corrupt labor unions, have supported the end of the secret ballot in union elections? What would Jack and Bobby have said to the feminist social agenda, up to and including late-term abortion? And what would Bobby have said of gay marriage?
If Caroline wants to run as a legatee, she should explain which Kennedy legacy she supports, and why she supports it (including the tax cuts put in by her father.) She could start by reading her father's inaugural and seeing if there are any parts she believes in. Would she "bear any burden and pay any price" to ensure the survival of liberty? If she wouldn't, she should tell us why.
Read the whole thing.
The fact that this Robert Kennedy's old seat in a very Catholic state brings forth some additional questions Catholics should be asking of her.
Bobby is the great what if in Catholic circles. If he had not been killed in some alternative universe the democrat party would have easily meshed with Catholic moral and political thought. See for instance The Death of the Bobby Kennedy Coalition
Questions related to this should be asked I think.
Over at the Weekly Standard I they have some questions that I think would be great to be asked of her:
Caroline meanwhile is trying to run on the legacy of her father and Bobby, while embracing a post-60s Teddy-type platform strikingly out of step with that of her father and late uncle.
Would Jack, who threatened pre-emptive war over missiles in Cuba, have really opposed a war with Iraq after Saddam defied U.N. resolutions? Would Bobby, who made his chops busting corrupt labor unions, have supported the end of the secret ballot in union elections? What would Jack and Bobby have said to the feminist social agenda, up to and including late-term abortion? And what would Bobby have said of gay marriage?
If Caroline wants to run as a legatee, she should explain which Kennedy legacy she supports, and why she supports it (including the tax cuts put in by her father.) She could start by reading her father's inaugural and seeing if there are any parts she believes in. Would she "bear any burden and pay any price" to ensure the survival of liberty? If she wouldn't, she should tell us why.
Read the whole thing.
The fact that this Robert Kennedy's old seat in a very Catholic state brings forth some additional questions Catholics should be asking of her.
Bobby is the great what if in Catholic circles. If he had not been killed in some alternative universe the democrat party would have easily meshed with Catholic moral and political thought. See for instance The Death of the Bobby Kennedy Coalition
Questions related to this should be asked I think.
Please Do Not Ask About the Caroline Kennedy Affair WITH NYT Publisher
They don't do that sort of reporting.
Except on the Governors of New York, Rudy, McCain , and others.
This is not becoming the National Inquirer blog and I am not normally concerned about Politicians sins of the flesh but this sort of raises some issues does it not? As well as to what appears to be the Times very selective and odd policy on reporting such things.
Also it appears that Caroline has not had a good week on other things LINK
Except on the Governors of New York, Rudy, McCain , and others.
This is not becoming the National Inquirer blog and I am not normally concerned about Politicians sins of the flesh but this sort of raises some issues does it not? As well as to what appears to be the Times very selective and odd policy on reporting such things.
Also it appears that Caroline has not had a good week on other things LINK
It's the Designated International Year of Astronomy!!! Lets Bash The Church!!!
Oh we know it is coming. .Galileo!!!! Creative Minority Report has more at Patron Saint of Jerks (also see comments). I am sure the Churches promotion of Astronomy or the fact than many of the Craters on the moon are named for Priest Scientist from the "bad ole days" will be rarely mentioned.
For those that want to know the full story of this
See The Galileo Legend
The pure unhonest way this event is twisted and used in today's world can be seen in the Student Protest early this year of Pope Benedict to the University of Rome.
There are a lot of good resources on the Web as to this. Also it should be recalled tht John Paul the II had a special commision do a ten year study on the matter. I will try to find if that has been translated into English because I expect I will be revisting this issue again
David Armstrong has some good links and thoughts. See
SHORTER PAPERS
Galileo: The Myths and the Facts
Dialogue on the Galileo Fiasco and Plea for Better Understanding of the Church's Error, Given the State of Scientific and Astronomical Knowledge in 1633 (Dave Armstrong vs. Eric G.)
LONGER PAPERSWhy the Galileo Case Doesn't Disprove Catholic Infallibility, Rightly-Understood / Sola Scriptura Redux (Dave Armstrong vs. Ken Temple and Eric G.)
Richard Dawkins and Double Standards in the "Religion vs. Science" Mentality / Galileo Redux
For those that want to know the full story of this
See The Galileo Legend
The pure unhonest way this event is twisted and used in today's world can be seen in the Student Protest early this year of Pope Benedict to the University of Rome.
There are a lot of good resources on the Web as to this. Also it should be recalled tht John Paul the II had a special commision do a ten year study on the matter. I will try to find if that has been translated into English because I expect I will be revisting this issue again
David Armstrong has some good links and thoughts. See
SHORTER PAPERS
Galileo: The Myths and the Facts
Dialogue on the Galileo Fiasco and Plea for Better Understanding of the Church's Error, Given the State of Scientific and Astronomical Knowledge in 1633 (Dave Armstrong vs. Eric G.)
LONGER PAPERSWhy the Galileo Case Doesn't Disprove Catholic Infallibility, Rightly-Understood / Sola Scriptura Redux (Dave Armstrong vs. Ken Temple and Eric G.)
Richard Dawkins and Double Standards in the "Religion vs. Science" Mentality / Galileo Redux
Will Your Web Site Be Rated R- UK wants to Work With Obama to Rate the Web
I have no clue how this could be done. I am not to thilled that I might have to submit to some International English Rules on blogging lol.
The UK Telegraph has the story at Internet sites could be given 'cinema-style age ratings', Culture Secretary says
The UK Telegraph has the story at Internet sites could be given 'cinema-style age ratings', Culture Secretary says
New York Times Does A Excellent Article on the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
The Deacon Bench has a good article the New York Times did on Christmas Eve on this group of men. See One man's call: "You mean, people are actually doing that?"
This is one of those growing orders. I very much like when orders like this are highlighted.
Though the article does not go into this the order not only is the Order among the poor and doing the work of Catholic Social Justice they are also very Orthodox. It does get tiresome at times to see Catholics profiled that are indeed helping the poor and others but they seem to be often wild dissenters on other issues. In effect talking about the seamless garmet but actually tearing it apart themselves
This is one of those growing orders. I very much like when orders like this are highlighted.
Though the article does not go into this the order not only is the Order among the poor and doing the work of Catholic Social Justice they are also very Orthodox. It does get tiresome at times to see Catholics profiled that are indeed helping the poor and others but they seem to be often wild dissenters on other issues. In effect talking about the seamless garmet but actually tearing it apart themselves
Looking At Obama Future Church Options and the Worship Life of Presidents
Get Religion has a look at two articles that hit on issue at The worship life of presidents
It is pretty interesting and brings up the security issues. I note that in the comments many people believe that President Bush and his family do not attend Church on a regular basis. I commented that was not my perception and often see them leaving the beautiful St John's (the Church of Presidents) on quite a some what regular basis on Sundays. See this story about a encounter that has been verified. See the Church web site of St. John's Episcopal Church
St John's becaause the congregation is used to this and its closeness to the White House might become the preferred option of the Obama's though it is a much more sacramental Church and different than their own tradition.
It is pretty interesting and brings up the security issues. I note that in the comments many people believe that President Bush and his family do not attend Church on a regular basis. I commented that was not my perception and often see them leaving the beautiful St John's (the Church of Presidents) on quite a some what regular basis on Sundays. See this story about a encounter that has been verified. See the Church web site of St. John's Episcopal Church
St John's becaause the congregation is used to this and its closeness to the White House might become the preferred option of the Obama's though it is a much more sacramental Church and different than their own tradition.
Go Louisiana Tech Beat Northern Illinois Tonight!!
The day if finally here for us Tech fans. Tonight Louisiana Tech will be be playing Northern Illinois in the Independence Bowl!!!
The Shreveport Times had a nice section of the paper on the game and the teams.
See
Mystery Date: Tech, NIU take national stage
Roy Lang III: Monster defender, balance equal NIU win -
Jimmy Watson: Tech's speed will be too much for NIU to handle -
Northern Illiois Notes: Last bowl loss stuck in Huskies' craw -
FCA breakfast inspires attendees vs. Huskies -
The Matchup: La. Tech vs. Northern Illinois -
There are also some nice photos of the events surrounding the Bowl so far on the Sports Time Page
The Shreveport Times had a nice section of the paper on the game and the teams.
See
Mystery Date: Tech, NIU take national stage
Roy Lang III: Monster defender, balance equal NIU win -
Jimmy Watson: Tech's speed will be too much for NIU to handle -
Northern Illiois Notes: Last bowl loss stuck in Huskies' craw -
FCA breakfast inspires attendees vs. Huskies -
The Matchup: La. Tech vs. Northern Illinois -
There are also some nice photos of the events surrounding the Bowl so far on the Sports Time Page
Atheist Says Africa Needs God
This is as they a must read in the London Times. Go to As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
After observing the condition of faith in both Catholic and Protestant circles in the USA I truly believe that we will need Africa. From the Southern Anglican Churches that put themselves under the Authority of African Bishops to the Catholic Churches that are so so enriched by African Catholic Priests. They have lessons and have indeed come to RE evangelize us.
After observing the condition of faith in both Catholic and Protestant circles in the USA I truly believe that we will need Africa. From the Southern Anglican Churches that put themselves under the Authority of African Bishops to the Catholic Churches that are so so enriched by African Catholic Priests. They have lessons and have indeed come to RE evangelize us.
Team Obama Clears Obama
I am anxiously awaiting the day when the media and journalist start well acting like journalista. See Red Stick Rant' s The Messiah Is Not A Crook.
Wacko Priest Causes Scandal In Minnesota
All sort of interesting things are happening in Minnesota lately. You know like a election being stolen and such. I can't help but note that this State (that no doubt has a ton of Orthodox Priests, Laity , etc) also seems to produce Laity and Priests that appear on the public scene and give in the most Catholic way many WTF moments.
I really think that priests that do what Father Z is now reporting need to be taken to the woodshed and get a refresher course on the whole BISHOP - Priest relationship. See A Minnesota priest asks people not to fight FOCA and to thwart the US bishops effort .
I really think that priests that do what Father Z is now reporting need to be taken to the woodshed and get a refresher course on the whole BISHOP - Priest relationship. See A Minnesota priest asks people not to fight FOCA and to thwart the US bishops effort .
Friday, December 26, 2008
Pope Benedict and Ann Rice's Comments on Christmas
Well Christmas is still going on for Catholics and others into the new year via the Liturgical year. I might get upset at the Advent purist that demand that nothing Christmas like happen till the 24th of Dec but I am all for extending Christmas as long as we can!!!
Each year and this year is no exception the regular bah humbug Christmas Christians come out. Oh Christmas is so commercial and oh the traffic and lines etc etc.
First they do have a point. I urge all to Christians to keep the efforts to keep "Christ" in Christmas and Catholics to not only keep the "Christ" in Christmas but keep the Mass as well. Still it is not a vast either/or!!!
I think there is something often going unsaid in all this complaining. That is humans love to complain and moan. Like women comparing pains of childbirth and their newborns having colic it seems that people love to compare Christmas horror stories at family gatherings. It is as certain as death and taxes. OH the Lines, Oh the Commercialism, OH the traffic!!! etc etc.
However I often think this is part of the Christmas ritual as anything else and they look forward to this moaning as anything when they gather with the family.
It seems weird to compare statements of Pope Benedict and Author Ann Rice but they both had valuable insights this holiday season.
The Pope at his last general audience of 2008 said:
"Even non-believers", he said, " perceive something extraordinary and transcendental, something intimate that touches our hearts in this yearly Christian event. It is the festivity that sings of the gift of life. The birth of a child should always be a joyful occurrence"."Christmas is the encounter with a new-born baby, wailing in a wretched grotto", the Holy Father added. "Contemplating Him in this crèche how can we not think of all the children who still today, in many regions of the world, are born amidst such poverty? How can we not think of those newborns who have been rejected, not welcomed, those who do not survive because of a lack of care and attention? How can we not think of the families who desire the joy of a child and do not have this hope fulfilled?"
"Unfortunately, under the drive of a hedonist consumerism, Christmas runs the risk of losing its spiritual meaning, reduced to a mere commercial occasion to buy and exchange gifts. Actually, however, the difficulties, uncertainty, and the economic crisis that many families are living in these months, and which affects all humanity, can truly serve as a stimulus for rediscovering the warmth of the simplicity, friendship, and solidarity that are the typical values of Christmas. Stripped of its materialist and consumerist trappings, Christmas can become the opportunity to welcome, as a personal gift, the message of hope that emanates from the mystery of Christ's birth"."Nevertheless, all of this does not suffice to capture the value of this celebration we are preparing for in all its fullness. We know that it celebrates the central event of history: the Incarnation of the Divine Word for the redemption of humanity. ... 'Thus the recurring annual cycle of the mystery of our salvation is renewed that, promised at the beginning and given to the end of time, is destined to last without end'".
I think the Pope is very right here and I think he recognizes the Sacred space for non believers and the danger of it being consumed totally by consumer rampage.
However as I was reading this I was also reading Ann Rice's great new book Called out of Darkness- a spiritual confession.
Ann Rice that had a devout Catholic Faith as a child in very Catholic New Orleans, lost it and then found it again has some wonderful insight. Ann Rice, despite writing tons of verbiage in popular novels, was a poor reader as child. She recalls how the visual and sound of the faith around here was much more formative than anything written. In effect while she had a problems a to the written word in one regard she was very tuned into non verbal cues. More than perhaps most of use were. This includes faith
On page 98 of her book she says as to Christmas in her Faith filled Childhood:
"Even Christmas shopping was of this festive and holy time of year. For me, it was a matter of roaming five and dime stores on Canal Street for the simple little presents I could afford. But I well remember the Christmas carols playing in every store I entered, and the gorgeous Christmas windows of the fine stores, Maison Blanche and D. H. Holmes. It seems to me in retrospect that the department stores and the dime stores did an excellent job of extending the `"sacred space" of Christmas in those days. And I sometimes wonder whether for people of no religion, this might have been the only sacred space thy knew. `When people rail now against the "commercial nature of Christmas" I", always conflicted and unable to respond. Because I think those who banish commercialism from the holiday fail to understand how precious and comforting the shop displays and music can be.
She goes on to say:
In my later years, bleak years, without God, there were two films of remarkable importance to me. One was It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed; and the other was Scrooge.. Dickens Christmas Carol, starring Alastair Sim. Year after year, I waited anxiously for these films, and sometimes they were the only Christmas films offered on television., and I cannot help but wonder how important they must have been to people everywhere who were trying to regain that deep mystery of Christmas, in a world that no longer perhaps believed in it, or was determined to blot it out. Both films are as popular as ever today. It's a Wonderful life seems to be about American ambivalence to Christmas and the desperate need to reaffirm the values of the season, no matter how bleak and impoverished the holiday season has become.
I think both the Pope and Ann Rice are hitting on something here that should be recalled. I like Rice's comments a lot because I thin she is hitting a real truth that applies to many people. I so agree with Rice that I don't know at times how to respond to people that complain about the commercialism of Christmas.I see their valid point but she puts into words what I have felt at a deep level for some time.
Each year and this year is no exception the regular bah humbug Christmas Christians come out. Oh Christmas is so commercial and oh the traffic and lines etc etc.
First they do have a point. I urge all to Christians to keep the efforts to keep "Christ" in Christmas and Catholics to not only keep the "Christ" in Christmas but keep the Mass as well. Still it is not a vast either/or!!!
I think there is something often going unsaid in all this complaining. That is humans love to complain and moan. Like women comparing pains of childbirth and their newborns having colic it seems that people love to compare Christmas horror stories at family gatherings. It is as certain as death and taxes. OH the Lines, Oh the Commercialism, OH the traffic!!! etc etc.
However I often think this is part of the Christmas ritual as anything else and they look forward to this moaning as anything when they gather with the family.
It seems weird to compare statements of Pope Benedict and Author Ann Rice but they both had valuable insights this holiday season.
The Pope at his last general audience of 2008 said:
"Even non-believers", he said, " perceive something extraordinary and transcendental, something intimate that touches our hearts in this yearly Christian event. It is the festivity that sings of the gift of life. The birth of a child should always be a joyful occurrence"."Christmas is the encounter with a new-born baby, wailing in a wretched grotto", the Holy Father added. "Contemplating Him in this crèche how can we not think of all the children who still today, in many regions of the world, are born amidst such poverty? How can we not think of those newborns who have been rejected, not welcomed, those who do not survive because of a lack of care and attention? How can we not think of the families who desire the joy of a child and do not have this hope fulfilled?"
"Unfortunately, under the drive of a hedonist consumerism, Christmas runs the risk of losing its spiritual meaning, reduced to a mere commercial occasion to buy and exchange gifts. Actually, however, the difficulties, uncertainty, and the economic crisis that many families are living in these months, and which affects all humanity, can truly serve as a stimulus for rediscovering the warmth of the simplicity, friendship, and solidarity that are the typical values of Christmas. Stripped of its materialist and consumerist trappings, Christmas can become the opportunity to welcome, as a personal gift, the message of hope that emanates from the mystery of Christ's birth"."Nevertheless, all of this does not suffice to capture the value of this celebration we are preparing for in all its fullness. We know that it celebrates the central event of history: the Incarnation of the Divine Word for the redemption of humanity. ... 'Thus the recurring annual cycle of the mystery of our salvation is renewed that, promised at the beginning and given to the end of time, is destined to last without end'".
I think the Pope is very right here and I think he recognizes the Sacred space for non believers and the danger of it being consumed totally by consumer rampage.
However as I was reading this I was also reading Ann Rice's great new book Called out of Darkness- a spiritual confession.
Ann Rice that had a devout Catholic Faith as a child in very Catholic New Orleans, lost it and then found it again has some wonderful insight. Ann Rice, despite writing tons of verbiage in popular novels, was a poor reader as child. She recalls how the visual and sound of the faith around here was much more formative than anything written. In effect while she had a problems a to the written word in one regard she was very tuned into non verbal cues. More than perhaps most of use were. This includes faith
On page 98 of her book she says as to Christmas in her Faith filled Childhood:
"Even Christmas shopping was of this festive and holy time of year. For me, it was a matter of roaming five and dime stores on Canal Street for the simple little presents I could afford. But I well remember the Christmas carols playing in every store I entered, and the gorgeous Christmas windows of the fine stores, Maison Blanche and D. H. Holmes. It seems to me in retrospect that the department stores and the dime stores did an excellent job of extending the `"sacred space" of Christmas in those days. And I sometimes wonder whether for people of no religion, this might have been the only sacred space thy knew. `When people rail now against the "commercial nature of Christmas" I", always conflicted and unable to respond. Because I think those who banish commercialism from the holiday fail to understand how precious and comforting the shop displays and music can be.
She goes on to say:
In my later years, bleak years, without God, there were two films of remarkable importance to me. One was It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed; and the other was Scrooge.. Dickens Christmas Carol, starring Alastair Sim. Year after year, I waited anxiously for these films, and sometimes they were the only Christmas films offered on television., and I cannot help but wonder how important they must have been to people everywhere who were trying to regain that deep mystery of Christmas, in a world that no longer perhaps believed in it, or was determined to blot it out. Both films are as popular as ever today. It's a Wonderful life seems to be about American ambivalence to Christmas and the desperate need to reaffirm the values of the season, no matter how bleak and impoverished the holiday season has become.
I think both the Pope and Ann Rice are hitting on something here that should be recalled. I like Rice's comments a lot because I thin she is hitting a real truth that applies to many people. I so agree with Rice that I don't know at times how to respond to people that complain about the commercialism of Christmas.I see their valid point but she puts into words what I have felt at a deep level for some time.
What Do Catholics Do at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University
I know Jerry is dead but I still think of it as his University. Yes Catholics exist there. I don't kno wmuch about Liberty except they are fundamentalist baptist and have good basketball teams. The women's teams recruits the basketball rich fields of Eastern Europe at times.
But Catholics exist there and there is a Catholic Group. Might consider considering them a few bucks. Here is a low down at Jerry Falwell Catholics at Standing on My Head.
But Catholics exist there and there is a Catholic Group. Might consider considering them a few bucks. Here is a low down at Jerry Falwell Catholics at Standing on My Head.
Did Mary Experience Pains of Child Birth?
In this Christmas season it is interesting to ponder this question. The pains of Child Birth are normally associated with EVE and her fall.
I am not sure at all contrary to Catholic to popular Catholic belief that this issue has been defined in all respects. For instance death is consequences of the fall. However if you are look at the Catholic Theology of the Assumption the fact that if Mary actually died or "fell asleep" has been a tad left open.
One gets a sense when looks at the childbirth of Jesus that the Church says at times such thoughts are uncouth to have and lets not go there. One can question if such an attitude was a product tof the age or/and a product of the age and out for not having to go into these questions.
Canterbury Tales has a interesting post Mary's Painless Delivery of Christ
There are three comments there in that post I think are interesting and should be highlighted
I just looked it up in my Bible. Genesis 3:16 says the following..."To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing..."Note the word "multiply" or "increase" in some translations. It seems that there was always some sort of pain associated with child birth, but God increased that pain as punishment. Perhaps Our Lady also experienced pain but not as much as today's women.Food for thought...Revelation 12:2 refers to the "woman clothed in the sun". This woman is often seen as an allusion to Our Lady. In Rev., it says that "...she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery." I have read that this child is Christ or children of the Church. Yet she cries out in pain whilst giving birth. Could there be some answer here?Andrew 12.24.08 - 8:04 pm #
and
In my college upper-level embryology class, the professor said that it was not understood why human females bled so much more than other mammals during childbirth; it really should not happen, if all went as designed. It is still miraculous how often the very complicated process (human development and childbirth) goes well for the majority of cases.KC Reader 12.24.08 - 5:07 pm #
and
Death was also the consequence of Original Sin and yet Our Lord experienced death (and so did Our Lady according to Orthodox tradition, the Catholic Church leaves the question of her death open). I think Our Blessed Mother DID experience pain in keeping with her co-redemptive mission. She re-sanctified child birth and turned the pain associated with it from punishment to a redemptive act of love. (at least that's what I think).Andrew 12.24.08 - 7:49 pm #
While I think the Catholic Tradition is much more weighted toward Mary falling asleep still as pointed out the question is still open. Be sure to read the whole post and all the comments
I am not sure at all contrary to Catholic to popular Catholic belief that this issue has been defined in all respects. For instance death is consequences of the fall. However if you are look at the Catholic Theology of the Assumption the fact that if Mary actually died or "fell asleep" has been a tad left open.
One gets a sense when looks at the childbirth of Jesus that the Church says at times such thoughts are uncouth to have and lets not go there. One can question if such an attitude was a product tof the age or/and a product of the age and out for not having to go into these questions.
Canterbury Tales has a interesting post Mary's Painless Delivery of Christ
There are three comments there in that post I think are interesting and should be highlighted
I just looked it up in my Bible. Genesis 3:16 says the following..."To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing..."Note the word "multiply" or "increase" in some translations. It seems that there was always some sort of pain associated with child birth, but God increased that pain as punishment. Perhaps Our Lady also experienced pain but not as much as today's women.Food for thought...Revelation 12:2 refers to the "woman clothed in the sun". This woman is often seen as an allusion to Our Lady. In Rev., it says that "...she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery." I have read that this child is Christ or children of the Church. Yet she cries out in pain whilst giving birth. Could there be some answer here?Andrew 12.24.08 - 8:04 pm #
and
In my college upper-level embryology class, the professor said that it was not understood why human females bled so much more than other mammals during childbirth; it really should not happen, if all went as designed. It is still miraculous how often the very complicated process (human development and childbirth) goes well for the majority of cases.KC Reader 12.24.08 - 5:07 pm #
and
Death was also the consequence of Original Sin and yet Our Lord experienced death (and so did Our Lady according to Orthodox tradition, the Catholic Church leaves the question of her death open). I think Our Blessed Mother DID experience pain in keeping with her co-redemptive mission. She re-sanctified child birth and turned the pain associated with it from punishment to a redemptive act of love. (at least that's what I think).Andrew 12.24.08 - 7:49 pm #
While I think the Catholic Tradition is much more weighted toward Mary falling asleep still as pointed out the question is still open. Be sure to read the whole post and all the comments
Time Magazine Notes Protestants Don't Go to Church On Christmas- Announces Real Religion Dead
Creative Minority Report among others have noticed a peculiar article in Time. See his entry Time: Triumph of Culture Over Religion
Here is the quote by Amy Sullivan:
Millions of Americans go to church on Christmas Eve. They crowd shoulder-to-shoulder in pews to sing "Silent Night" and light candles and listen to soloists belt out "O Holy Night." More than a few watch nativity plays that recreate the birth of Jesus with a cast of 10-year-olds in bathrobes. When the service is over, they exchange hearty "Merry Christmas!" wishes before getting in their cars and heading home. And they stay home the next day. Or they drive to Grandma's, or go to the movies.
But however they spend Christmas Day — "the feast of Christmas" on the Christian liturgical calendar — one way most Americans don't celebrate it is by going to church. While demand for Christmas Eve celebrations is so high that some churches hold as many as five or six different services on the 24th of December, most Protestant churches are closed on the actual religious holiday. For most Christians, Christmas is a day for family, not faith.If that sounds like the triumph of culture over religion, it is.
By the middle of the 20th century, Americans had embraced a civil religion that among other things elevated the ideal of family to a sacrosanct level. The Norman Rockwell image of family gathered around the tree became a Christmas icon that rivaled the baby Jesus. And Christmas Eve services — with their pageantry and familiar traditions — became just one part of the celebration, after the family dinner and before the opening of presents.
Ok there is a lot of things strange about this article. For instance how did Christmas Eve Evening Services all of a sudden not count!!!
She notes elsewhere:
Some traditions, including Catholics and Anglicans, hold midnight masses on the Saturday before Easter to usher in that holiday. But everyone still shows up the next morning for the traditional Easter celebration, just as Christmas Day remains a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics, who are likely to be found in church the day after attending a Midnight Mass. By contrast, the Christmas service everyone thinks of as “traditional” is the Service of Lessons and Carols that many Protestant congregations use on Christmas Eve.
First as a Catholic I am not sure of that at all. If I attend the usual two or two and half hour Easter Vigil I generally not going on Easter morning. I have in the past but if one attends the Vigil it satisfies one's "Sunday" and Holy Day Obligation. To many Catholics, including mysel,f the Vigil is EASTER. It has arrived. Also I don't think most Catholics are at Mass on Christmas Day if they are attend Midnight Mass. I know I am not and there is nothing bad or un Catholic about that. Though it would be a great thing to do if one wishes to put the extra effort forth.
We see part of the problem in the article wording itself when she says "But however they spend Christmas Day — "the feast of Christmas" on the Christian liturgical calendar — one way most Americans don't celebrate it is by going to church"
First a whole ton of Protestants are not Liturgical nor have a liturgical calender. The closest Holy Day outside Sunday and Easter Sunday many protestants have is sort of an unofficial one. That is good Friday. Now I come from the Christ soaked South that is very protestant and very evangelical. As a convert most of my family comes from this tradition.
Among the Protestants that went to Church on Christmas (by the way I am counting Christmas Eve here) were of course Episcopalian and the Methodist usually had candlelight Communion service. Perhaps the Presbyterians that also practice a form of Advent might have something but that was still rare as I can recall.in the bigger southern cities the Lutherans would have something.
Now this not some recent development either. I can never recall the older parts of my family talking about going to Church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Norman Rockwell had little to do with it.
What is missing is a important piece of history. The celebration of Christmas was often forbidden by the more puritan parts of the Christian community because well it reeked of Catholic stuff and people were not doing it in the Bible. Even today you have a fringe of Fundamentalist and Evangelicals that are "anti Christmas". Still most Protestants are well aware of the reason fore the season. They don't exactly have a Liturgical outlet in most cases to celebrate it. While Amy Sullivan dismisses kids in Bathrobes that is still a serious attempt in some ways to mark the occasion.
I do note that at times Evangelicals and Protestants here and there try to change this. However it is hard to suddenly do things that are not part of your Christian tradition. Plus I expect that a whole ton of Pastor's and Preachers wives's sort of put their foot down behind the scenes on this new innovation. They would like one day that is special for them and their family ..
Update I- Get Religon looks at this article at Putting the Mass in Christmas
UPDATE II- Also let me note this part -" By the middle of the 20th century, Americans had embraced a civil religion that among other things elevated the ideal of family to a sacrosanct level. "
I really have no idea what she is trying to get across here. As the Catholic Catechism notes
VI. THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
1655 Christ chose to be born and grow up in the bosom of the holy family of Joseph and Mary. The Church is nothing other than "the family of God." From the beginning, the core of the Church was often constituted by those who had become believers "together with all [their] household."[164] When they were converted, they desired that "their whole household" should also be saved.[165] These families who became believers were islands of Christian life in an unbelieving world.
1656 In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith. For this reason the Second Vatican Council, using an ancient expression, calls the family the Ecclesia domestica.[166] It is in the bosom of the family that parents are "by word and example . . . the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children. They should encourage them in the vocation which is proper to each child, fostering with special care any religious vocation."[167]
1657 It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way "by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity."[168] Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and "a school for human enrichment."[169] Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one's life.
Here is the quote by Amy Sullivan:
Millions of Americans go to church on Christmas Eve. They crowd shoulder-to-shoulder in pews to sing "Silent Night" and light candles and listen to soloists belt out "O Holy Night." More than a few watch nativity plays that recreate the birth of Jesus with a cast of 10-year-olds in bathrobes. When the service is over, they exchange hearty "Merry Christmas!" wishes before getting in their cars and heading home. And they stay home the next day. Or they drive to Grandma's, or go to the movies.
But however they spend Christmas Day — "the feast of Christmas" on the Christian liturgical calendar — one way most Americans don't celebrate it is by going to church. While demand for Christmas Eve celebrations is so high that some churches hold as many as five or six different services on the 24th of December, most Protestant churches are closed on the actual religious holiday. For most Christians, Christmas is a day for family, not faith.If that sounds like the triumph of culture over religion, it is.
By the middle of the 20th century, Americans had embraced a civil religion that among other things elevated the ideal of family to a sacrosanct level. The Norman Rockwell image of family gathered around the tree became a Christmas icon that rivaled the baby Jesus. And Christmas Eve services — with their pageantry and familiar traditions — became just one part of the celebration, after the family dinner and before the opening of presents.
Ok there is a lot of things strange about this article. For instance how did Christmas Eve Evening Services all of a sudden not count!!!
She notes elsewhere:
Some traditions, including Catholics and Anglicans, hold midnight masses on the Saturday before Easter to usher in that holiday. But everyone still shows up the next morning for the traditional Easter celebration, just as Christmas Day remains a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics, who are likely to be found in church the day after attending a Midnight Mass. By contrast, the Christmas service everyone thinks of as “traditional” is the Service of Lessons and Carols that many Protestant congregations use on Christmas Eve.
First as a Catholic I am not sure of that at all. If I attend the usual two or two and half hour Easter Vigil I generally not going on Easter morning. I have in the past but if one attends the Vigil it satisfies one's "Sunday" and Holy Day Obligation. To many Catholics, including mysel,f the Vigil is EASTER. It has arrived. Also I don't think most Catholics are at Mass on Christmas Day if they are attend Midnight Mass. I know I am not and there is nothing bad or un Catholic about that. Though it would be a great thing to do if one wishes to put the extra effort forth.
We see part of the problem in the article wording itself when she says "But however they spend Christmas Day — "the feast of Christmas" on the Christian liturgical calendar — one way most Americans don't celebrate it is by going to church"
First a whole ton of Protestants are not Liturgical nor have a liturgical calender. The closest Holy Day outside Sunday and Easter Sunday many protestants have is sort of an unofficial one. That is good Friday. Now I come from the Christ soaked South that is very protestant and very evangelical. As a convert most of my family comes from this tradition.
Among the Protestants that went to Church on Christmas (by the way I am counting Christmas Eve here) were of course Episcopalian and the Methodist usually had candlelight Communion service. Perhaps the Presbyterians that also practice a form of Advent might have something but that was still rare as I can recall.in the bigger southern cities the Lutherans would have something.
Now this not some recent development either. I can never recall the older parts of my family talking about going to Church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Norman Rockwell had little to do with it.
What is missing is a important piece of history. The celebration of Christmas was often forbidden by the more puritan parts of the Christian community because well it reeked of Catholic stuff and people were not doing it in the Bible. Even today you have a fringe of Fundamentalist and Evangelicals that are "anti Christmas". Still most Protestants are well aware of the reason fore the season. They don't exactly have a Liturgical outlet in most cases to celebrate it. While Amy Sullivan dismisses kids in Bathrobes that is still a serious attempt in some ways to mark the occasion.
I do note that at times Evangelicals and Protestants here and there try to change this. However it is hard to suddenly do things that are not part of your Christian tradition. Plus I expect that a whole ton of Pastor's and Preachers wives's sort of put their foot down behind the scenes on this new innovation. They would like one day that is special for them and their family ..
Update I- Get Religon looks at this article at Putting the Mass in Christmas
UPDATE II- Also let me note this part -" By the middle of the 20th century, Americans had embraced a civil religion that among other things elevated the ideal of family to a sacrosanct level. "
I really have no idea what she is trying to get across here. As the Catholic Catechism notes
VI. THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
1655 Christ chose to be born and grow up in the bosom of the holy family of Joseph and Mary. The Church is nothing other than "the family of God." From the beginning, the core of the Church was often constituted by those who had become believers "together with all [their] household."[164] When they were converted, they desired that "their whole household" should also be saved.[165] These families who became believers were islands of Christian life in an unbelieving world.
1656 In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith. For this reason the Second Vatican Council, using an ancient expression, calls the family the Ecclesia domestica.[166] It is in the bosom of the family that parents are "by word and example . . . the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children. They should encourage them in the vocation which is proper to each child, fostering with special care any religious vocation."[167]
1657 It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way "by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity."[168] Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and "a school for human enrichment."[169] Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one's life.
Full Text of Pope Benedict's Midnight Mass Homily and Christmas Day Message to the World
I am just catching up after a pretty full day of celebrations. Whispers has the Midnight Mass Homily text here at "You Can No Longer Fear Me, You Can Only Love Me" and the Christmas Day Urbi et Orbi Christmas Message here at The Grace of Christmas: "To All" and "For All"
Thursday, December 25, 2008
LSU Fans Keep Bo Pelini In Your Prayers
and pray for his dad's soul. Bo' dad passed away Tuesday. Bo was a wonderful coach for LSU and truly loved his players. Also Bo is a pretty darn good Catholic that no doubt is a result of his dad. See my past link Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini Talks About Catholic Radio and his Faith (Vid)
Merry Christmas Opinionated Catholic Readers
If you are lucky to have Family close by treasure the time you have with them
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Hokey Pokey is anti-Catholic ?
Lol it is funny the orgin of things and how they are quickly forgotten. I hope "Red Rover" is not anti Papist.
Canterbury Tales has the story on this orgins of the belloved Children (and adults at times) game at The Hokey Pokey is Anti-Catholic!
Canterbury Tales has the story on this orgins of the belloved Children (and adults at times) game at The Hokey Pokey is Anti-Catholic!
Slate Writer Wants A New Reconstruction for the South!!
What a idiot. First using a term like Reconstruction, in which is a period that often misunderstood and stupidity on all sides) is not a way to win friends and influence people.
Southern Appeal has more at ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR
I have heard this North versus South thing by several liberals. It is getting old quick. It is the flip side of 94 and a tad of 2004 where Republicans thought the Democrats might go the way of the dodo bird. I suspect Republican misfortunes in the North and elsewhere will not be so long term. But heck they can live in their fantasy land.
Southern Appeal has more at ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR
I have heard this North versus South thing by several liberals. It is getting old quick. It is the flip side of 94 and a tad of 2004 where Republicans thought the Democrats might go the way of the dodo bird. I suspect Republican misfortunes in the North and elsewhere will not be so long term. But heck they can live in their fantasy land.
Pastor Rick Warren Speaks to the Roman Catholic Curia on the State of the Church
No not really it was Pope Benedict in a pretty amazing 11 page State of the Church address. (I guess the Vatican version of the State of the Union). A full English Translation has been done on this page.(Scroll down). The Vatican should have the English version at their site up soon too. On the before mentioned link you can see a ton of newspaper reaction has been put up too.
It is wide reaching on many topics he talks about the environment a good deal (like you know who does) and gasp he talks about Traditional Christian Marriage and morality!!
John Allen has a good summation here and available link to the Allen Column in full at
Pope Benedict: 'Save the humans'
No doubt what will be talked about a lot is how the Pope links the environment to lets say a controversial issue here in the USA among other places
Since faith in the Creator is an essential part of the Christian Creed, the Church cannot and should not limit itself to transmitting to its faithful only the message of salvation. She has a responsibility for Creation, and it should validate this responsibility in public.
In so doing, it should defend not just the earth, water and air as gifts of Creation that belong to everyone. She should also protect man from destroying himself. It is necessary to have something like an ecology of man, understood in the right sense.
It is not outdated metaphysics when the Church speaks of the nature of the human being as man and woman, and asks that this natural order be respected. This has to do with faith in the Creator and listening to the language of creation, which, if disregarded, would be man's self-destruction and therefore a destruction of God's work itself.
That which has come to be expressed and understood with the term 'gender' effectively results in man's self-emancipation from Creation (nature) and from the Creator. Man wants to do everything by himself and to decide always and exclusively about anything that concerns him personally. But this is to live against truth, to live against the Spirit Creator.
The tropical rain forests deserve our protection, yes, but man does not deserve it less as a Creature of the Spirit himself, in whom is inscribed a message that does not mean a contradiction of human freedom but its condition. The great theologians of Scholasticism described matrimony - which is the lifelong bond between a man and a woman - as a sacrament of Creation, that the Creator himself instituted, and that Christ, without changing the message of Creation, welcomed in the story of his alliance with men. Part of the announcement that the Church should bring to men is a testimonial for the Spirit Creator present in all of nature, but specially in the nature of man, who was created in the image of God. One must reread the encyclical Humanae vitae with this perspective: the intention of Pope Paul VI was to defend love against consumer sex, the future against the exclusive claim of the moment, and human nature against manipulation.
Well well well. It should be recalled that the Pope had a wonderful trip to the USA where he was given the highest honors and respect at the White House and other places.
Now we know the controversy on the supposed controversial "hate filled" Rick Warren. UH what is he is saying that is different from the Pope. If Rick Warren had uttered ths words yesterday the usual suspects would be screaming from the roof. IN FACT RICK WARREN IS A TAD MORE LIBERAL THAN POPE BENDICT AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THIS ISSUE. See Is Rick Warren for civil unions?
The things is people can attack Rick Warren but don't think they can be as vicious to the Pope. YET!!! That day is coming unless we all stand together.
It was comment on what a historic occasion the Pope Visit to the WHite House was with full State Honors. It was mentioned that one of the foundation stones for the Washington Monument was donated by the Vatican. Sadly rabid anti Catholics destroyed it. HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED. It will be curious to see if we shall come full circle in the years aheads to the more bad ole days.
Related at Crunchy Con- Why are gays picking this Rick Warren fight?
It is wide reaching on many topics he talks about the environment a good deal (like you know who does) and gasp he talks about Traditional Christian Marriage and morality!!
John Allen has a good summation here and available link to the Allen Column in full at
Pope Benedict: 'Save the humans'
No doubt what will be talked about a lot is how the Pope links the environment to lets say a controversial issue here in the USA among other places
Since faith in the Creator is an essential part of the Christian Creed, the Church cannot and should not limit itself to transmitting to its faithful only the message of salvation. She has a responsibility for Creation, and it should validate this responsibility in public.
In so doing, it should defend not just the earth, water and air as gifts of Creation that belong to everyone. She should also protect man from destroying himself. It is necessary to have something like an ecology of man, understood in the right sense.
It is not outdated metaphysics when the Church speaks of the nature of the human being as man and woman, and asks that this natural order be respected. This has to do with faith in the Creator and listening to the language of creation, which, if disregarded, would be man's self-destruction and therefore a destruction of God's work itself.
That which has come to be expressed and understood with the term 'gender' effectively results in man's self-emancipation from Creation (nature) and from the Creator. Man wants to do everything by himself and to decide always and exclusively about anything that concerns him personally. But this is to live against truth, to live against the Spirit Creator.
The tropical rain forests deserve our protection, yes, but man does not deserve it less as a Creature of the Spirit himself, in whom is inscribed a message that does not mean a contradiction of human freedom but its condition. The great theologians of Scholasticism described matrimony - which is the lifelong bond between a man and a woman - as a sacrament of Creation, that the Creator himself instituted, and that Christ, without changing the message of Creation, welcomed in the story of his alliance with men. Part of the announcement that the Church should bring to men is a testimonial for the Spirit Creator present in all of nature, but specially in the nature of man, who was created in the image of God. One must reread the encyclical Humanae vitae with this perspective: the intention of Pope Paul VI was to defend love against consumer sex, the future against the exclusive claim of the moment, and human nature against manipulation.
Well well well. It should be recalled that the Pope had a wonderful trip to the USA where he was given the highest honors and respect at the White House and other places.
Now we know the controversy on the supposed controversial "hate filled" Rick Warren. UH what is he is saying that is different from the Pope. If Rick Warren had uttered ths words yesterday the usual suspects would be screaming from the roof. IN FACT RICK WARREN IS A TAD MORE LIBERAL THAN POPE BENDICT AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THIS ISSUE. See Is Rick Warren for civil unions?
The things is people can attack Rick Warren but don't think they can be as vicious to the Pope. YET!!! That day is coming unless we all stand together.
It was comment on what a historic occasion the Pope Visit to the WHite House was with full State Honors. It was mentioned that one of the foundation stones for the Washington Monument was donated by the Vatican. Sadly rabid anti Catholics destroyed it. HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED. It will be curious to see if we shall come full circle in the years aheads to the more bad ole days.
Related at Crunchy Con- Why are gays picking this Rick Warren fight?
Israel's Not Such Great Christmas Gift
I am pretty pro-Israel but I don't give them a blank check on everything. This is pretty infuriating. See No Bethlehem wine for Christmas: Salesian Winery faces difficult days
Its A Wonderful Life- An Alternative View
I just love this movie. Great article here on what you might be missing. See Sorry, George, It’s a Pitiful, Dreadful Life ( Tip of the hat to For The Greater Glory)
He touches on something that has always bothered mne:
And what about that banking issue? When he returns to the “real” Bedford Falls, George is saved by his friends, who open their wallets to cover an $8,000 shortfall at his savings and loan brought about when the evil Mr. Potter snatched a deposit mislaid by George’s idiot uncle, Billy (Thomas Mitchell).
But isn’t George still liable for the missing funds, even if he has made restitution? I mean, if someone robs a bank, and then gives the money back, that person still robbed the bank, right?
I checked my theory with Frank J. Clark, the district attorney for Erie County upstate, where, as far as I can tell, the fictional Bedford Falls is set. He thought it over, and then agreed: George would still face prosecution and possible prison time.
“In terms of the theft, sure, you take the money and put it back, you still committed the larceny,” he said. “By giving the money back, you have mitigated in large measure what the sentence might be, but you are still technically guilty of the offense.”
He took this a bit further: “If you steal over $3,000, it’s a D felony; 2 ½ to 7 years is the maximum term for that. The least you can get is probation. You know Jimmy Stewart, though, he had that hangdog face. He’d be a tough guy to send to jail.”
He paused, and then added: “You really have a cynical sense of humor.”
He should have met me when I was 15.
Oh and did he really save the town!!!!
Not only is Pottersville cooler and more fun than Bedford Falls, it also would have had a much, much stronger future. Think about it: In one scene George helps bring manufacturing to Bedford Falls. But since the era of “It’s a Wonderful Life” manufacturing in upstate New York has suffered terribly.
On the other hand, Pottersville, with its nightclubs and gambling halls, would almost certainly be in much better financial shape today. It might well be thriving.
I checked my theory with the oft-quoted Mitchell L. Moss, a professor of urban policy at New York University, and he agreed, pointing out that, of all the upstate counties, the only one that has seen growth in recent years has been Saratoga.
“The reason is that it is a resort, and it has built an economy around that,” he said. “Meanwhile the great industrial cities have declined terrifically. Look at Connecticut: where is the growth? It’s in casinos; they are constantly expanding.”
In New York, Mr. Moss added, Gov. David A. Paterson “is under enormous pressure to allow gambling upstate because of the economic problems.”
“We ease up on our lot of cultural behaviors in a depression,” he said.
What a grim thought: Had George Bailey never been born, the people in his town might very well be better off today.
lol
He touches on something that has always bothered mne:
And what about that banking issue? When he returns to the “real” Bedford Falls, George is saved by his friends, who open their wallets to cover an $8,000 shortfall at his savings and loan brought about when the evil Mr. Potter snatched a deposit mislaid by George’s idiot uncle, Billy (Thomas Mitchell).
But isn’t George still liable for the missing funds, even if he has made restitution? I mean, if someone robs a bank, and then gives the money back, that person still robbed the bank, right?
I checked my theory with Frank J. Clark, the district attorney for Erie County upstate, where, as far as I can tell, the fictional Bedford Falls is set. He thought it over, and then agreed: George would still face prosecution and possible prison time.
“In terms of the theft, sure, you take the money and put it back, you still committed the larceny,” he said. “By giving the money back, you have mitigated in large measure what the sentence might be, but you are still technically guilty of the offense.”
He took this a bit further: “If you steal over $3,000, it’s a D felony; 2 ½ to 7 years is the maximum term for that. The least you can get is probation. You know Jimmy Stewart, though, he had that hangdog face. He’d be a tough guy to send to jail.”
He paused, and then added: “You really have a cynical sense of humor.”
He should have met me when I was 15.
Oh and did he really save the town!!!!
Not only is Pottersville cooler and more fun than Bedford Falls, it also would have had a much, much stronger future. Think about it: In one scene George helps bring manufacturing to Bedford Falls. But since the era of “It’s a Wonderful Life” manufacturing in upstate New York has suffered terribly.
On the other hand, Pottersville, with its nightclubs and gambling halls, would almost certainly be in much better financial shape today. It might well be thriving.
I checked my theory with the oft-quoted Mitchell L. Moss, a professor of urban policy at New York University, and he agreed, pointing out that, of all the upstate counties, the only one that has seen growth in recent years has been Saratoga.
“The reason is that it is a resort, and it has built an economy around that,” he said. “Meanwhile the great industrial cities have declined terrifically. Look at Connecticut: where is the growth? It’s in casinos; they are constantly expanding.”
In New York, Mr. Moss added, Gov. David A. Paterson “is under enormous pressure to allow gambling upstate because of the economic problems.”
“We ease up on our lot of cultural behaviors in a depression,” he said.
What a grim thought: Had George Bailey never been born, the people in his town might very well be better off today.
lol
Louisiana Catholic Blogs Update For Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Time for the Louisiana Catholic blog update. Because of funeal related stuff I missed doing it yesterday. So this is what Catholic Bloggers in Louisiana are writing about and linking too.
Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group has Advent Candles at OLQAS (Wonderful Tabernacle too) More on “O Come Emmanuel” and O Come, Emmanuel
From The Recamier has her update here at Daily Update: December 22, 2008
Catholic Tube has The Creed Part 5 , and the The Creed Part 4
Works and Prayers of a Fils Prodigue has De Sanctis — Dorothy Day , and Fuddy Duddy (booo bah humbug), Thesaurus Precum Latinarum , and A Minute Confession
The Wolf Den has In the home stretch. Emmanuel is going to be here soon!
The Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) has their traditional major update of a lot stuff you need to see and read. This will be their last posting till Monday, December 29th.
Stranger in a Strange Land has John is his name and a A Collection of Christmas Videos . See also The King of Glory , The Sun of Justice , The Revelation of the Mystery , and Faith, Jesus & Christmas
For The Greater Glory has Sports giving hope , It's a Miserable Life , and Bowl Picks
Full Circle has a great post here Appropriate music for the mass
Astonished, Yet at Home! has Airplane - Part One
Thoughts & Ruminations of Father Ryan has Awesome Ski\Snowboard Tricks, The Truth about the Spanish Inquisition, and The Real History of the Crusades
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has Gingerbread (and Cornbread?)Day and Happy Birthday, Queen of Our Heart and Home
Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message has his daily meditation here at Feast of Saint John of Kanty (23 Dec 2008)
Finally our expat priest in New Jersey Da Mihi Animas has No Bethlehem wine for Christmas: Salesian Winery faces difficult days ( I am highlighting this later), Celtic Thunder: Christmas Day 1915 , Food for thought: A reflection from an atheist of an encounter with a good man , Classic Christmas with Bing and Bowie: Little Drummer Boy , Saint of the day: Frances Xavier Cabrini , Ben Stein: My Confession , "O Sanctissima" by Bing Crosby , Christmas Shoes, Hallelujah , and A Decalogue for Priests
Ville Platte Catholic Youth Group has Advent Candles at OLQAS (Wonderful Tabernacle too) More on “O Come Emmanuel” and O Come, Emmanuel
From The Recamier has her update here at Daily Update: December 22, 2008
Catholic Tube has The Creed Part 5 , and the The Creed Part 4
Works and Prayers of a Fils Prodigue has De Sanctis — Dorothy Day , and Fuddy Duddy (booo bah humbug), Thesaurus Precum Latinarum , and A Minute Confession
The Wolf Den has In the home stretch. Emmanuel is going to be here soon!
The Louisiana Brown Pelican Society( lay Louisiana Catholic organization) has their traditional major update of a lot stuff you need to see and read. This will be their last posting till Monday, December 29th.
Stranger in a Strange Land has John is his name and a A Collection of Christmas Videos . See also The King of Glory , The Sun of Justice , The Revelation of the Mystery , and Faith, Jesus & Christmas
For The Greater Glory has Sports giving hope , It's a Miserable Life , and Bowl Picks
Full Circle has a great post here Appropriate music for the mass
Astonished, Yet at Home! has Airplane - Part One
Thoughts & Ruminations of Father Ryan has Awesome Ski\Snowboard Tricks, The Truth about the Spanish Inquisition, and The Real History of the Crusades
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks has Gingerbread (and Cornbread?)Day and Happy Birthday, Queen of Our Heart and Home
Fr. Victor Brown’s Catholic Daily Message has his daily meditation here at Feast of Saint John of Kanty (23 Dec 2008)
Finally our expat priest in New Jersey Da Mihi Animas has No Bethlehem wine for Christmas: Salesian Winery faces difficult days ( I am highlighting this later), Celtic Thunder: Christmas Day 1915 , Food for thought: A reflection from an atheist of an encounter with a good man , Classic Christmas with Bing and Bowie: Little Drummer Boy , Saint of the day: Frances Xavier Cabrini , Ben Stein: My Confession , "O Sanctissima" by Bing Crosby , Christmas Shoes, Hallelujah , and A Decalogue for Priests
Monday, December 22, 2008
Death and the Louisiana Catholic Blog Update
The Louisiana Catholic Blog update shall be delayed . However I will be posting on what Louisiana Catholic Bloggers have been saying over the weekend and today in the morning.
I have to go to a service for a dear Catholic lady in our town that passed away. She was from one from one of the lay family founders of our little ole Catholic Church here. I heard that her sister that has also passed (and was wonderful ) went down to Alexandria Louisiana , camped out in Bishop's Grecos Office way back and announced she was not leaving till the Bishop got us a Parish in our town!!!! Well it happened
So please say a prayer for this woman's soul tonight. (Pic and obit at the times here)
Miss Marguerite Michael
HOMER, LA- Funeral Mass will be held for Miss Marguerite Michael, 87, at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Homer on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrating the Mass will be Father Michael Craig Scott, Pastor of St. Rita Catholic Church, Alexandria and Father Mark Franklin, Pastor of St. Margaret Catholic Church, Homer. Interment will follow at Arlington Cemetery in Homer. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Monday at St. Margaret Catholic Church with a Vigil service at 7:00 p.m. followed by the Rosary.
Miss Michael was born Aug. 28, 1921 in Homer to Joseph Maroun Michael and Carrie Mahfouz Michael. She entered into rest Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 at Homer Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. Miss Michael graduated from Homer High School in 1938 with honors and was the longtime owner and manager of Margo's Gift Shop in Homer. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Marpheae Mary Antoon, Teify Ann Michael, and Lucille Michael; and brothers Wafich Bertrand Michael and Ellis Paul Michael.
She is survived by brothers Freddie Michael of Lake Village, AR, Joe Michael and wife, Margie of Homer, James Robert Michael of Homer and Ed Michael and wife, Marie of Alexandria, LA; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers will be Paul Michael, Joe Ellis Michael, David Michael, Kevin Michael, Jimmy Hand and Phil Schenck.Honorary pallbearers will be Lawson Guice, Dr. Pat Gladney, Dr. D.K. Haynes, Norton Tompkins, Carrell Dowies, Miguel Beltran, Dr. Mike Pappas, Dr. Jimmy Bates, Darden Gladney and Harry "Mac" Rushing.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Margaret Catholic Church, C/O St. Paul Catholic Church, P.O. Box 799, Minden, LA 71058 or the Homer Arlington Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 161, Homer, LA 71040. Rose-Neath Funeral Home
I have to go to a service for a dear Catholic lady in our town that passed away. She was from one from one of the lay family founders of our little ole Catholic Church here. I heard that her sister that has also passed (and was wonderful ) went down to Alexandria Louisiana , camped out in Bishop's Grecos Office way back and announced she was not leaving till the Bishop got us a Parish in our town!!!! Well it happened
So please say a prayer for this woman's soul tonight. (Pic and obit at the times here)
Miss Marguerite Michael
HOMER, LA- Funeral Mass will be held for Miss Marguerite Michael, 87, at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Homer on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrating the Mass will be Father Michael Craig Scott, Pastor of St. Rita Catholic Church, Alexandria and Father Mark Franklin, Pastor of St. Margaret Catholic Church, Homer. Interment will follow at Arlington Cemetery in Homer. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Monday at St. Margaret Catholic Church with a Vigil service at 7:00 p.m. followed by the Rosary.
Miss Michael was born Aug. 28, 1921 in Homer to Joseph Maroun Michael and Carrie Mahfouz Michael. She entered into rest Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 at Homer Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. Miss Michael graduated from Homer High School in 1938 with honors and was the longtime owner and manager of Margo's Gift Shop in Homer. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Marpheae Mary Antoon, Teify Ann Michael, and Lucille Michael; and brothers Wafich Bertrand Michael and Ellis Paul Michael.
She is survived by brothers Freddie Michael of Lake Village, AR, Joe Michael and wife, Margie of Homer, James Robert Michael of Homer and Ed Michael and wife, Marie of Alexandria, LA; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers will be Paul Michael, Joe Ellis Michael, David Michael, Kevin Michael, Jimmy Hand and Phil Schenck.Honorary pallbearers will be Lawson Guice, Dr. Pat Gladney, Dr. D.K. Haynes, Norton Tompkins, Carrell Dowies, Miguel Beltran, Dr. Mike Pappas, Dr. Jimmy Bates, Darden Gladney and Harry "Mac" Rushing.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Margaret Catholic Church, C/O St. Paul Catholic Church, P.O. Box 799, Minden, LA 71058 or the Homer Arlington Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 161, Homer, LA 71040. Rose-Neath Funeral Home
New York Times Uses Terms Arab and Muslim Interchangeably
I agree with Get Religion that too see this in the New York Times is a tad frustrating. Good and interesting story though.
Hey, New York Times! “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Hey, New York Times! “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Watch a American Civil War Zombie Flick Over The Holidays
How this miss this movie about the Civil War and ZOMBIES!! Our Priest Friend , Orthometer , from Utah gives it a thumbs up at It's A Civil War/Zombie Movie For Pete's Sake!
This osunds great I have got to get a copy. It even has Martin Sheen in for goodness sake.
This is a rare gem, probably covered by dust on many video retailers shelves. It is a civil war tale mixed by supernatural tones (with a sort of demonic unit, made up by deceased Union and confederate soldiers possessed by a demonic entity that had reached America a couple of century before on a slaver ship), with a very good cast (Adrian Pasdar, Corbin Bernsen and even a cameo by Martin Sheen - that in the same year was General Lee in Turner Television masterpiece Gettysburg) and a script that is better than you may think for such a low budget production. Director Hickenlooper was able to get all the horrors of the real war (in particular during the first minutes of the movie, when you see the atrocity of the Union field hospital) and mix them with the demonic ones. All in all, a very good movie that is, as usual, mostly unknown to the masses of horror fans out there. search it and enjoy.
I have got to get a copy of this!!!
BE WARNED! The perfect soldiers are the ones who can not be killed! .
LOL
Cute Picture of Catholic Minor Seminarians
(Click on pic for full pic) Ahh get them young!!! Precious !!!! Minor Seminaries are quite rare at least here in the United States. I guess it is a matter of debate if the absence now on the scene is a good or bad thing. I think the good has been a tad overlooked in the modern age.
However in the not far too distant past there were many I think. For Louisiana readers I think the Maryhill Retreat Center in Alexandria (really Pineville) was one and in fact the famous Bishop Greco went there.
I suspect this picture is from Europe. A question for older readers was this the type of dress for minor seminarians here in the USA?
Tip of the hat to a very good blog Dymphna's Road ( I am adding to the links) and her entry The seminarians for the pic
