feverish thoughts

 I came down with an upper respiratory infection and have been sick for days.  I won't be going to the nursing home to visit my uncle this Sunday which worries me but I can't risk bringing my germy self in contact with people who are already fragile.

 I felt like reading a bit today and I saw this on the Anchoress blog. I really would not describe the fuss over the recent correction of the Leadership Conference of Religious Women (LCRW) as operatic. The LCRW has been pretty much a low farce for some time. When I was in high school I walked into a music class one Monday morning and discovered that the middle aged lady at the desk was a nun. She didn't wear a habit and shopped at the same clothing stores as my mother and she wore pearls. She also had the bad perm/man hair cut that has become ubiquitous of the habitless nuns. Sr. J. was wonderfully insane and got some pretty good music out of us but nothing, NOTHING in her made me respect her as a Bride of Christ. She was ill tempered and the best way to describe her is to tell you to read the Harry Potter books that had Dolores Umbridge in them. That was Sr. J. I was still having thoughts about going to the convent one day but I knew I'd never, ever look at Sister J's order.  Interestingly enough, when I graduated the one girl who did try her vocation  didn't bother with her order but went to the fairly conservative Daughters of Charity.

random thoughs

• Peggy Noonan has a new column about American character. Poor woman. She needs to leave Manhattan and go back to New Jersey for a bit.
  
• Larry D. explains his feelings about Patheos  and I agree.

• Father Groeschel is coming to St Anthony of Padua in Falls Church, Virginia to give a talk this Sunday. It is an Institute of Catholic Culture event.
  
  
• I'm not sure how I feel about the new Blogger dashboard.
  
  
• Thank you Pope Benedict. In your old age and sufferings with your health you are stunning your enemies and leaving the rest of us amazed. You've called out those who needed correction (The Neocats and the LCWR) and you boldly opened your arms to the Anglicans and to the SSPX.
  
• Speaking of the SSPX, this post was very interesting.
  
  
• If you had a beautiful Triduum, thank your priest. Father Eagle at my parish is a young, energetic man but even he looked a bit peckish by the time Easter Monday rolled around so imagine what it's like for an older priest. So many Catholics do nothing but bitch and moan. We act as if our priest has nothing to do but make us happy and so, so many of us never think to even  say so much as a "God bless you." on their behalf.
  
  
   
• I don't understand the US Bishops who are throwing a fit over a proposed budget. After decades of cheering as the government takes over more and more of American  private life they were shocked when the government told them that they'd have to pay for birth control and abortions. With all due respect to these men who are far more intellectual than me but sirs, where are your heads?

I'm a middle aged woman and this is what I know

Young ladies if you would be happy

Don't read trashy magazines
Don't imitate celebrities

Don't try to drink like a man

Don't party every weekend

Be sexually chaste

Don't start drama to get attention

If married, don't take your husband for granted

Don't be a shrew- it's not strong womanhood, it's just ugly

If you mess up go to confession

and

 Love God with all your heart

Stand up for your priests

Don't let the media fool you. A kid is at  far greater risk of sexual molestation  from

his public school teacher than he is from a Catholic priest.

If you go to see the Three Stooges movie...

...then you are part of the problem.  No excuses. No "C'mon all my friends have seen it."

 What, are you twelve? Would you follow your friends over a cliff?

No,"It's a joke, don't you have a sense of humour?"

 No, "I'm a devout Catholic and it made me laugh."

None of those crappy excuses will do.  You are part of the problem. That is all.

Christ, Risen

Jesus I trust in You

In your charity

Please pray for my Uncle Bubba. His furnace broke down and so he got out his ancient space heater and you guessed it, the heater shorted out and ignited his bedding. Flames went down the hall and into the attic. Through the grace of God, Bubba was not in the house at the time but was taking his afternoon walk. It's  a total loss. Bubba is 69 years old and has nothing but the clothes on his back.  Red Cross gave him $138, and three nights in a hotel. He's a proud man who has always taken care of others and is not used to be cared for. I'm hoping that my cousins can convince him to stay with them.

a puzzlement

Some of the same people who moaned and groaned about the deaths of bin Laden were pretty nasty, almost gleeful about the death of artist, Thomas Kinkade. I found that puzzling and I think I won't be visiting their sites anymore. 

A few Triduumm thoughts

After the Maundy Thursday Mass we visited seven altars of repose at different parishes around us. Queen of Peace in Arlington was the saddest. There was nobody there but us and a parish staff member. St. Anthony's in Falls Church, Virginia was the most impressive. There must have been 70 people sitting in silence adoring Our Lord. I've never seen that many people at adoration before. St. Mary's in Old Town, Alexandria was the most beautiful. It really looked like we were in a garden. We ended the night at the Cathedral.

On Good Friday night we went to the Burial of Christ ceremony at the Franciscan monastery. A young family sat behind  us and my mother began to cough. The youngest child was chewing gum or candy or had attacked a perfume bottle and the smell kicked Mama's asthma into gear. I asked my husband if we had time to move but every seat was taken by then. Rocky nodded and said, "Look there's Raymond Arroyo." I looked and yep it was him.

"Does he have his family with him?" "I can't tell. It looks like it's just him."
 And then Mr. Arroyo walked to the pew behind us, was greeted with delight by his kids and and led his family away to another part of the church. Rocky and I were amused because once you saw them altogether the kids are the spitting image of their dad and my mother was really thankful because she'd left her inhaler at home.

For the sermon that follows the burial ceremony the priest reminded us all that the Christians in Israel have a very hard row to hoe. They are caught between the Israelis and the Palestinians and that's not a comfortable spot on a good day and these aren't good days. He also spent a good bit of time wishing the Jews a happy Passover which my mother found weird but it made sense actually. The Franciscans are guardians of the Holy Land shrines. They have to be diplomatic.


One thing I want to say to all young parents is this: leave the tots at home when you go to the Vigil Mass or give them and yourself a break. You can't get upset at and threaten to punish a two year old who should've been in bed hours ago if he has a screaming meltdown at 11PM. You should've stayed home and gone to a day Mass. If you have older children (ten and up) who can't behave then you need to discipline them or figure out what mental or emotional issues they have but a two year old is really just a baby and can't be expected to be still for a whole Vigil. Jesus said "Allow the little children to come to Me." Our Lord did not say, "Let the kids throw tantrums in the synagogue aisles or play Angry Birds before the Holy of Holies in the Temple". He really didn't.

Fr. Sticha is right. I hope he hangs tough.

Easter

And He shall reign forever and ever. King of Kings and Lord of Lords..................

For God so loved the world....

Good Friday

Studies of the Shroud show that threre is more dirt on the Holy Face than anywhere else.

The Hours of the Passion

Holy Thursday

Last Supper

Communion of the Apostles

Wenesday of Holy Week

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Matthew 23:37-39

Holy Tuesday

Monday of Holy Week



He would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. Mark 11:16





 

Palm Sunday