What have you done for Jesus lately?

American Catholics bitch a lot. We try to manipulate the church to please ourselves and we stamp our feet and complain when we don't get our precious way but what have we done FOR Holy Mother Church lately? What have we done FOR Christ lately?

Do you fulfil the Sunday obligation?
Do you pray the rosary?
Do you thank God when you wake up in the morning?
Do you thank God for getting you through another day at night?
Have you ever said a novena?
If your only son wanted to be a priest would you try to stop him?
If your daughter wanted to be a Carmelite would you cry and carry on like a hysteric?
Do you ever say the Stations of the Cross in private or at church?
Have you ever prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet?
Are you making sure that your kids know their faith?
Have you ever spoken to the CCD teachers or looked at the material they are teaching?
Have you volunteered to help the RCIA director?
Would you be willing to drive 50 miles to go to go to a church where the Mass is celebrated in a devout and reverant manner or are you too busy?
Do you go to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? Outside of Mass this is the greatest thing in the world, do you know that?
Have you joined the Legion of Mary, the Blue Army, the local Sodality or the Ladies of Charity chapter in your parish?

Have you visited the sick? Have you spent one hour helping the homeless ministry at your church? Have you ever voluntered to help clean the church? Have you offered to wash the altar linnens? Have you offered to do the flower arrangement? Have you volunteered to be an usher or be a hospitality minister?

When new people come to your church do you smile at them or do you stare at them becuase they are another race or obviously poorer than you? Do you distribute Catholic literature for the literature rack at church?

If a heathen were to study you would he or she be impressed by the Catholic faith by looking at you or would that person decide that if you are Catholic it would be better to be a pagan?

Seriously, what have you done for Jesus lately? You don't need to be a msytic to see that chastisement is coming. The United States produces and consumes more pornography than any other country. We allow TV and movies, and music to seduce kids and laugh at people who try to prevent it. We give Planned Parenthood our tax dollars. We abort millions of children for no good reason except that it's convenient. We have more stuff than any other people in the world and yet millions of us are miserable. American Catholics have not done a good job evangelizing. We've not only failed in that, many of us have in various ways, joined the orgy.

Pope John Paul II and Sister Lucia have passed on. Like Saint Faustina, I think they were spared the sadness of seeing many of the things and people they loved suffer and fall into ruin. I personally think the American church is in for a sifting. It will be interesting to see who's left after it's done.

My second favorite Pieta

This is the Pieta by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. I didn't like it at first but I've come to love it. It's my second favorite Pieta after Michaelangelo's.
It's not accurate of course. Jesus must have been in rigor mortis when He was taken down from the cross and his body was covered in blood and open wounds from the scourging. His face must've been disfigured from the beating by the temple servants and later from the Roman soldiers. The face of the Shroud of Turin shows a terribly bruised face, and damaged nose and right cheekbone. His hair would've been soaked with blood and His head should be leaning forward, not back.

The strength of the painting is the emotion it conveys. Look at the expression on Mary's face. The darkness, the grief of the angels and the spent posture of Jesus' body all remind me of the solemness of what that moment must have been like. Jesus' Passion is over. He has been taken from the cross and given to His mother. For the first time in three years He is briefly, her boy again. Her soul has been piereced with a sword of grief. Only the saints can imagine.....

Bishop Wuel?

Now, that is definite that Cardinal McCarrick is leaving the rumor mill has been swirling. Apparently, according to " the people in the know" we're going to get Bishop Wuel. I'm not thrilled but hey-- as long as he's not Cardinal Mahoney or another mean Bishop Brown it will be okay. I just pray for a new leader who will love the people of this diocese.

St. Joseph's

My husband had a lousy day at work so we decided to go to confession and Mass at Saint Joseph's in Old Town Alexandria. St. Joseph's is special to us because it is a historically black parish and because the Josephite order runs it. The Josephites have dedicated themselves to the pastoral care of black people. Mass was in the very pretty little pink and white chapel. There were 9 other people there. We said the rosary, a novena to St. Joseph and had Mass. The elderly Father gave a lovely homily and we felt blessed to be there. It was like having our own private Mass. If you're in town on Monday at 7 PM stop by the chapel.

Bishop, St. Gertrude, St. Teresa and St. Gianna would like to have a word with you

Every time Bishop Williamson belches up refried crap like this he makes the whole Society look silly.

Jesus I trust in you!

Today was the feast of Divine Mercy. The church was incredibly beautiful. There were banks and banks of Easter lillies and the whole place smelled like heaven. Go here to read more about the feast and St. Faustina.

Random thoughts on a Thursday night

1. Excessive Catholicism is a fantastic newly redesigned blog. I visit it every day now and the guy who runs it is looking for a co-blogger.
   
   
2. Cardinal McCarrick may be retiring this summer. This is a good thing. I've always had a fondness for the cardinal. He is a charming man. He looks just like a leprechaun and is so gentle and kind but gee whiz--- I just wish we could have cardinal who is passionate about the DC diocese and it's people.
   
   
3. I tried to like the We're-reading-the-catechism blog but I just can't seem to get into it.
   
   
4. Happy anniversary dear, dear Holy Father!
   
   
5. I don't think there's going to be a universal indult. I think some Vatican official decided to play a practical joke and whispered the idea into a reporter's ear. The guy who runs the Bettnet blog seems to think that a reform of the current NO Mass is on the way instead of an indult. Heck, he may be right.
   
   
6. Cardinal Mahoney's going down but I'm not celebrating because he's going to take the faith of a lot of Catholics with him and that is always a tragedy.
   
   
7. After reading this dude's nasty essay I have no desire to touch his book.
   
   
8. As long as you have breath in your body it's not too late to get your butt into a confessional and to give yourself up to God's Divine Mercy. The Knights of Columbus have a nice little PDF guide to get you started.
   
   
9. Catholic Anaylsis asks a very good question. Speaking as a black Catholic who was raised in the inner city I wish more people thought like this.
   
   
10. Happy birthday to Mother Angelica. Mother, John Paul II, Tan Books and the goodness of a number of Opus Dei priests are the reason I'm Catholic today.

Adoration

St. Matthew's Cathedral in DC has Eucharistic Adoration on the third Monday of the month. If you're in DC at that time please stop by. Young Fr. Caulfield is a wonderful confessor and spending the time adoring Jesus on the altar is a precious experience.

With apologies to everybody with good taste

Yeah I know a LOT of people hate this song but I never fail to get a goofy thrill from it.


I danced in the morning
When the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
And the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
And I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He

I danced for the scribe
And the Pharisee,
But they would not dance
And they wouldn't follow me.

I danced for the fishermen,
For James and John -They came with me
And the Dance went on.

I danced on the Sabbath
And I cured the lame;
The holy peopleSaid it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped
And they hung me on high,
And they left me there
On a Cross to die.

I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black
It's hard to dance
With the devil on your back.
They buried my body
And they thought I'd gone,
But I am the Dance,
And I still go on.

They cut me down
And I leapt up high;
I am the life
That'll never, never die;
I'll live in youIf you'll live in me -I am the LordOf the Dance, said He.

Easter

Jesus the Christ has risen today. Alelieuia!


We went to Easter Vigil at our backup church. The Easter fire was lit in a hibachi and a nervous looking man stood by with a fire exstinguisher just in case in got out of hand. Everybody looked happy and nicely dressed. Interestingly enough the only sour notes were from a group of people who looked to be in their 60s. I don't know what their problem was. They seemed uncomfortable and left early. Odd.

But anyway, both Fr. Theoden (no that's not his name, that's what I call him) and young Fr. Aragorn looked smashing, spoke and sang well. Mass was beautiful, uplifting and people wept when the 13 candidates and catechumens were brought into the church. The youngest was 10ish and the oldest was pushing 70. One of the catechumen's was named Michael and when the priest said, "Michael, do you reject Satan and all his works?" I immediately thought of the baptism scene from The Godfather. It took some self control not to start gigling.

Both my husband and I were wiped out and went home to bed instead of going to the reception afterward. Today I'm just going to stay in bed, listen to my Marha Long CD and read.

The Passion of Jesus

I looked for one that would comfort Me, and I found none.

My people, my people what have I ever done to you?

Answer Me.

Good Friday

Last night we went to the Franciscan Monastery in DC for the Burial of Jesus service. We've been going for years and I am always struck by how amazing the Church is. I knelt on the floor with Indians, Africans, Arabs, American blacks people and white people. We were all Catholic and had all come to worship.

When we got home we had a treat. On EWTN they showed Archbishop Fulton Sheen's last Good Friday sermon. It was incredible. Later we saw Fr. Corapi giving a Lenten retreat.

Buy this

Go to the bookstore or click on Amazon and buy this book. I promise you it will make you feel overwhelmed with love and gratitude to our Lord. Check out Dr. Zugibe's site here.

Tenebrae & Holy Thursday

My husband and I went to Tenebrae at St. Matthews Cathedral last night. It was beautiful as usual. Cardinal McCarrick was there. Afterwards I remarked to my husband that the cardinal seems to be leaning in the same direction as the late Cardinal Hickey. Hickey was passionately interested in what was happening in El Salvador and Latin America. I just wish he'd been more interested in what was happening in the DC diocese. Somebody should have corrected the late Eugene Marino before his scandal hit the papers. Somebody should've taken a long look at Fr. George Stallings before he went of the deep end but no……..


Tonight we went back to Saint Matthews for the 5:30 Mass of the Lord's Supper. It was beautiful. There were so many people that it was hot inside and I was glad to kneel on the cool gray marble floor. And when the people gave their responses it was like the ocean coming in at high tide. The cardinal spoke with his usual charm and eloquence. People seemed to be concentrating and there was no chattering-- just that wonderful kind of silence you can only have when a crowd is still. Afterwards the Blessed Sacrament was exposed until 10 PM.

sick

Well, I've managed to get bronchitis again and it's really knocked me for a loop. I sound like an old seal when I cough. When I left work early on Friday to go to the doctor people practically cheered. I went out today but felt bad and my legs seemed to have turned to rubber and my fever seems to have gotten worse. I didn't go to Palm Sunday Mass and my husband really missed me. He tried to get a eucharistic minister to come bring me Communion (he's so great)but the ladies in the office were quite rude to him and I told him to forget it. One of these days I'm going to tell Fr. how the lay staff acts when he's not around but I'm not up to the fight right now.

Seven Sorrows

The Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Hat tip to Recto Ratio

Oh gee, not this crap again.

Oh gee, not this crap again. If this woman dislikes traditionalists so much why doesn't she just ignore them? And I think she's wrong on point in particular. If things are not right at your parish you have a perfect right to leave, especially if you have kids at home.


I wish this endless bashing could stop or at least calm down a little. The church is in a heap of hurt right now and needs all of us to get our acts together.

Lenten Reading

I'm reading Saints and Sinners at Calvary this week. It's perfect for Lent and check out the chapter on Judas. It reminds readers that scandals will come. Don't let Judas lead you away from Peter.

13 Days

Terri Schiavo was legally murdered last year. It took 13 days for her to die. If you've ever felt the mild discomfort of being thirsty for a few minutes or if you've ever been hungry then you know doggone well that she died horribly. May God forgive those who did this evil thing, those who approved of it and those who looked the other way. And say a prayer tonight because it was Terri this time but tommorow it could be you. .

How can you refuse Him now?

How Can You Refuse Him Now

How can you refuse him now how can you refuse him now

How can you turn away from his side

With tears in his eyes on the cross there he died

How can you refuse Jesus now

There's a story old that has often been told of how our Saviour died

As they nailed his hands he cried they don't understand

As the blood flowed from his side

How can you refuse him now

How can you refuse Jesus now

As he hung there on the tree he prayed for you and me

There was no one his pain to ease

Before he died he faintly cried oh father forgive them please

How can you refuse him now...

How can you refuse Jesus now

------Hank Williams

The B team

Isn't that a nice logo?