Random thoughts on 2015

• For me and my family, 2015, was a  challenging year, not completely horrible by any means but there were huge testing moments that I've written about all year. May God have mercy on my beloved dead and may Saints Martha, Dymphna, Appollonia, Alphonsus, Martin, Jerome and Therese continue to watch out for us and pray for us.
  
  
  In Catholic blog land things were interesting as always.  
  

• Traditional Latin Mass blog remains my favorite blog that I visit every day.

• A member of the feminist group, Femen, has written a book rejecting the group and apologizing to  Christians for her previous behavior. IF she's sincere this is huge.  It might be one of the biggest stories of the year.

• Michael Voris took a big hit in 2015. I gave up reading him early this year and I don't even watch his videos because I got sick of Church Militant's sometimes imprecise reporting and his Captain Ahab obsession with the SSPX but it was this video attacking Pope Benedict that turned off a lot of people who formerly sang his praises. Yes, it's undeniable that for whatever reason, Pope Benedict walked out and gave us Pope Francis but since Mr. Voris is don't-criticize-the-pope-man, people were shocked.

• I enjoyed the Mahound's Paradise blog  , St. Corbian's Bear  ,  The Catholic Table , What's Up With the Synod , One Mad Mom and DC Latin Mass this year.

• I very much admire the writing and spunk of Maureen Mullarkey.

• One Peter Five is one of the best Catholic sources on the Web and they did a post on Islam 101 that is worth studying.

• The saddest thing I read all year was in a comment on another blog. An elderly person said that she stopped going to church after her cat died because a  Baptist (correctly) told her that animals do not go to Heaven. She said that if her cat wasn't there she doesn't want to go.

• The most popular post I ever published was Should Priest's Blog?  I find that very interesting. It shows me that more than a few people are uncomfortable with celebrity priests.

• Who the heck is Matthew Kelly and why is he so popular? Restore DC Catholicism and Traditional Catholic Thoughts are on it.

• I discovered how much fun Twitter is and then I broke down and got a Pinterest account.

This Little Babe by St. Robert Southwell

This little Babe so few days old,

Is come to rifle Satan’s fold;

All hell doth at his presence quake,

Though he himself for cold do shake;

For in this weak unarmèd wise

The gates of hell he will surprise.

With tears he fights and wins the field,

His naked breast stands for a shield;

His battering shot are babish cries,

His arrows, looks of weeping eyes,

His martial ensigns, Cold and Need, 

And feeble Flesh, his warrior’s steed.

His camp is pitchèd in a stall,

His bulwark but a broken wall;

The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes;

Of shepherds he his muster makes;

And thus, as sure his foe to wound,

The angels’ trumps alarum sound.

My soul, with Christ join thou in fight;

Stick to the tents that he hath pight,

Within his crib is surest ward;

This little babe will be thy guard.

If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,

Then flit not from this heavenly boy.

St Robert Southwell

Well that was interesting.

Christmas Mass was ....interesting. The cantor's vocals were lovely. We have a fine organist. The church was packed. Even though the windows were open it was hot and well, funky. A surprisising number of guys in their haste to get to Mass forgot their deordorant or maybe it was soap. One dude's natural scent just about made me swoon during the great Communion shuffle.  Concentrating was hard. I've never really paid the Christmas and Easter people much attention before but I now understand why friction rises. Folks, when you come late don't get huffy if the 90 year old couple arent' thrilled by you climbing over them to get to a spot and don't ask they lady in the wheelchair to move so you and your loved ones can sit together. Oh and if you must feed  your child would you please not give him buttery stuff that crumbles all over the pew. The poor man next to you didn't deserve the grease stains you left behind.

Father reminded us earlier in the week to be nice to our guests because our bad example could send a sensitive soul from the Church forever but honestly some of those people didn't make it easy.