Things I've always wondered...

What was the real story on Cardinal Bernadin?

Was Fr. Malachai Martin good or bad?

Was Fr. Feeney an unjustly persecuted good priest or a proud priest who couldn't accept correction?

What did Mary and Jesus talk about over dinner?

What was the real reason for so many bishops remaining silent about sexually predatory priests? And why did they keep reassigning these men to posts where they'd be around kids? One pedophile priest was even given an assignment that put him in regular contact with Boy Scouts. This was AFTER he'd gotten out of a treatment center.

Did Adam bring up the snake incident every time he and Eve had an argument?

What did Moses say to his brother Aaron in private after the whole thing with the Golden Calf. Aaron gave Moses the all time wimpiest excuse ever recorded by man.

What was the great suffering that afflicted Archbishop Sheen while he was writing "The Life of Christ"?

What was St. Paul's thorn in the flesh? Did he have the stigmata?

Was Pope Paul VI ever happy? I keep reading story after story that ends with him weeping.

Did any of the priests and pharisees who met the Child Jesus in the temple live to see him as a man?

Did Pilate ever go a day without thinking back to the day he met Jesus?

Did Caiphus understand the meaning of the torn temple curtain?

Happy Birthday Marines.

And thank you!

Thank you St. Anthony

When my mother was ill back in August I promised St. Anthony that if he helped her with his prayers I'd make a pilgrimage to his Pennsylvania shrine. Ma's okay and this weekend Rocky and I went to Pittsburgh to visit the St. Anthony Chapel. It is a very remarkable and holy place. If you are ever in Pennsylvania and can do it, do yourself a favor and stop by.

This chapel was founded by a saintly priest, Fr. Mollinger and contains over 5000 relics of the saints and has more relics than any other place outside of the Vatican. Sr. Margaret, a lovely habited nun from Ireland gave the tour. Besides the relics, the chapel also has life sized stations of the cross. Oh, and Sr. Margaret was kind enough to bring out the chapel's relic of the True Cross.

After the visit we walked over the chapel's museum and then stopped by Most Holy Name of Jesus parish. They had the altar decorated with pumpkins and wheat and we decided not to go to Mass there. Instead we went to Ephinany which is in downtown Pittsburgh. They had a brisk Mass and had a male cantor. He had a strong tenor voice and was very nice to us. In fact, everyone we met was delightful.

Pittsburgh Steeler fans have got to be the most devoted I've ever seen. They put Redskins fans to shame. Even little old ladies were wearing their Steelers jerseys on Sunday. I don't think we'll be back, except to visit the chapel but it's an interesting town.

The Grand Inquisitor-- go read it.

I admit to being one of the apparently five American Catholics who don't find John Zmirak funny. The others are probably a Carthusian monk who last chuckled at something frivolous in 1952, a Traditionalist so tough that he makes most SSPX priests look like slackers, a cat lady in Wyoming and two Trekies who are convinced they really are Vulcans. Zmirak is, I am assured by most Catholic pals, a glass of fine aged brandy and my taste runs more into Cheerwine.

So, it was with some reluctance that I picked up his graphic novel, The Grand Inquisitor. It's good. It's really, really good. A fine and holy cardinal from Africa is elected pope. He's kidnapped and stuck in an insane asylum by the villain, a cardinal who's gone totally rogue. There is intense discussion about the state of mankind, the wounded Church, the clergy, nuns gone astray and at the climax startling vision by villain who sees an Infant of Prague statue suddenly look angry. Later he sees the Infant in dressed in armour and accompanied by butt kicking angels.

Like most graphic novels this is not for kids. It does not have pretty artwork. It disturbs, it thrills. I liked it. I should also point out that I can and do read Zmirak when he's serious. The man can write. I just never got his jokes.

The Catholic Vote

It looks like 53% of Catholics voted for Obama.

There's nothing else to say.

November 5, 2007

Nobody knew you

“Sorry about your loss dear, but you couldn’t have been very far along.”

…existed.

Nobody knew you

“It’s not as though you lost an actual person.”…

were real

Nobody knew you

“Well it probably wasn’t a viable fetus. It’s all for the best.”

…were perfect.

Nobody knew you

“You can always have another!”

…were unique, our Dieudonné, and no, I probably can't.

Nobody knew you…but God

For those in purgatory

Oh my Jesus have mercy on:

My dear father and grandparents,*
My other near relatives,*
My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation,*
My spiritual and temporal benefactors,*
My friends and neighbors,*
All for whom love or duty bids me pray,*
Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,*
Those who are especially beloved by Thee,*
Those whose release is near at hand,*
Those who desire most to be united with Thee,*
Those who endure the greatest sufferings’*
Those whose release is most remote,*
Those who are least remembered,*
Those whose are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,*
The rich, who are now the most destitute,*
The mighty, who are now powerless,*
The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly,*
The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,*
The poor, who did not seek the treasures of heaven,*
The tepid, who devoted little time to prayer,*
The insolent, who neglected to perform good works,*
Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,*
The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,*
Parents who failed to watch over their children,*
Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,*
Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,*
The worldly-minded, who failed to use their wealth and talents in the service of God,*
Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own*
Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,*
Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,*
The popes, kings and rulers,*
The bishops and their counselors,*
My teachers and spiritual advisers,*
The deceased priests of this diocese,*
The priests and religious of the Catholic Church,*
The defenders of the holy faith,*
Those who died on the battlefield,*
Those who fought for their country,*
Those who were buried in the sea,*
Those who died of apoplexy,*
Those who died of heart attacks,*
Those who suffered and died of cancer,*
Those who died suddenly in accidents,*
Those who died without the last rites of the Church,*
Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,*
My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgement seat.*

Amen

all souls day vigil

Mass at St. Rita's was awesome tonight. Fr. Gollum's homily was so good I wish that I had a photgraphic memory and could type it word for word. He is a brilliant young man. We are so lucky to have such a fine mind at our parish. The music was the best I've ever heard it. I must send the church musician a thank you note. And the singers did Dies Irae. You can read about Dies Irae here.

This had to be one of the most sublime and precious masses I've ever attended.

Eternal rest grant unto:

Cleveland, Mamie and Mac, Farr and Minerva, Glenn and Elvira, Caroline, Farr, Taylor, John, Net, Sophie, Marie, Bett, Joe, Mary, Daisy, Junior, Bertha and Yancey, Will and Viola and all Rocky and my beloved dead.

John Mary Thomas, pray for us.

all saints day

We have We powerful friends in heaven. Don't hesitate to ask them for their help. And in honor of the day take a peek at this terribly cute little video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnt-P38ykc4

Oh and listen to this gorgeous litany of the saints from John Paul II's funeral.

And now for something completely different

Rocky and I went to Richmond and visited Sacred Heart Cathedral.

It was completed in 1906, and puts our little "cathedral" in the Arlington diocese part of Virginia to shame. For one thing, it's actually open during the day for people to come and pray and you can even see a priest walking by. And unlike St. Thomas Moore we didn't run into any tyranical staffers. It's beautiful inside and in December they should be done with the restoration. Virginia Commonwealth University has grown up around the cathedral and during the school season you'll see hundreds of kids walking by. Sacred Heart has a lively campus ministry and a large youth group. Monroe park is right in front of the cathedral and we were thrilled to see what I think was a one of the red hawk breeds or a harrier fly over us and perch in a tree there.

Later we went to Comfort on Broad Street to eat. The cheese grits were very good. We also stopped at Sallie Bell's Kitchen for deviled eggs. They are almost as good as my mother's.

Today I met two wonderful people praying in front of Alexandria's abortion clinic. One goes to my parish and the other goes to the parish my husband usually visits on his day off for adoration. It was cold and windy but they were there. God bless them.

So what happens now?

I've been reading a number of posts on Catholic blogs which argue that the abortion fight as it has been fought is over. The cocktail circuit republicans have no use for us. Obama will probably win and he will probably get the Freedom of Choice Act passed. We Christians, these bloggers say, need to take a different approach.

Maybe. I know that if just 50 maybe even only 40% of Catholics were serious about the Faith we could change the world.

There was a time in this country when Catholicism was respected. I'm sure that there were many anti Christians in Hollywood in the 50s and early 60s but they knew that if they made a movie that was offensive decent people wouldn't watch it and their gravy trian would come to an end. Now we, Christians act and react like everybody else. We are too afraid and ashamed of the gospel to stand in the arena so we sit, perhaps in the back, but still there with the people who are cheering on the lions. We want so badly to not look provincial, backwards, uncool that we melt right in to the muck.

If every Christian man who indulges in skin magazines decided to stop reading FM, King, Maxim, and all those others they could drive those publications out of business. If every Catholic woman who buys condoms before a hot date would decide to live chastely it would cause a positive ripple effect. If every Christian woman who wastes her money on "spicy romance" novels gave it up, the publishing world would have to sit up and take notice. If every Christian man who is guffawing at South Park, Family Guy, etc. decided to pass that stuff by we could make network television less dangerous.

Do you remember when NYPD Blue showed a completely naked actress in prime time? How many Christians tuned in that night? I remember flipping chanels and seeing an extreme sex scene one night on HBO. It was only half a step from straight up porn. I turned the channel but I'll bet millions of Christians didn't. Remember the original 90210 or Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Sex in the City? All were beloved by women and all featured a cast where every character was having sex outside of marriage with no consequences. It wasn't just pagans who made those shows into hits.

We, who profess the gospel of Jesus Christ have to change our ways. I'm not saying we need to act like the Amish but we ought not be Young Goodman Brown either. We do need to stand out and live a noiceably different way. We have to actually practice what our better priests and bishops preach. This will not be fun. It will be painful and it might cost friendships, invitations to the better parities and for some of us, even our jobs. But, we are in a spiritual war and every war has it's casualities.

Oh gee. Not this crap again.

According the Catholic News Service there was a proposal at the Bishop's synod to officially install women in the ministry of lectors. This is crap. First off I'm sick of all these ministries at church. You have the flower ministry, the grief ministry, the welcoming ministry, the hospitality ministry. Please!

And what does the proposal mean by "officially install"? Are we talking about a faux ordination ceremony? That's getting into pretty dangerous waters.

There is only one minister-- the priest. Everybody else is just a volunteer or a paid lay worker. Permanent deacons, as we know them today are a fairly recent church experiment and they may have their place, but they are no replacement for the priest.

This proposal (Does anything good ever come out of a bishop synod?), is just another chipping away at the dignity and the uniqueness of the priesthood. If you want a priestess go find another religion.

everyday evil

A few years ago a friend of mine had an abortion. Nobody spoke up for the baby except the father, who had no standing at all, and me. I still suspect that I failed that child because I told my friend that no matter what she did I would not abandon her. Looking back on it now I wish that I'd told her that if she had an abortion I'd never speak to her again. It probably wouldn't have done any good, in fact, it probably would've been the worst thing to do, but maybe, just maybe, it would've given that child a chance. Every single day a mother waits and thinks about whether or not to go through with an abortion is a chance. Everyone, including two priests have assured me that no, my original gentle approach was best but I still wonder...



My friend's father, after she'd gone to the abortion clinic tried to comfort her by saying that it was for the best because he would've had to buy a more expensive larger house (if she'd kept the baby) instead of the smaller one he did buy. By having an abortion she saved him thousands of dollars. Gee thanks, Pop. I was stunned by that. A baby's life compared to the extra cost of a five bedroom house.



The devil doesn't appear in black satin and polished horns. If only he did! It would be easy to resist then. Mostly he appears in common, everyday disguises. Usually he looks so banal that we don't even grasp that it's him until the deed is done.



The abortion did not improve my friend's life. She still suffers.

St. Dymphna, pray for us.

St. Gerard, pray for us.

St. Mary of Egypt, pray for us.

St. Pelagia, pray for us.

Bartolo Longo, pray for us.

Got a good priest? Thank God!

Priesthood Sunday is October 26. Rocky and I are giving Fr. Theoden and Fr. Gollum a cake. It's going to be blue and gold. If I get a decent photo of it I'll post it. If you have good or even just okay priests at your parish do something special for them tomorrow. Say a prayer for their santification or offer or cut the grass. Fr. could probably use someone to help count the collection. Offer to donate the flowers for next weeks mass (instead of complaining about how tacky the floral arrangement usually is) or send him a basket of chicken or cookies your kids made. There are a million kind things you could do.

It's too late --- your brother bishops blew it.

God bless Archbishop Chaput , Bishop Hermann, and Bishop Martino, for speaking out on abortion but it's too late. The bishops as a whole, blew it long ago. As this smoking post from Lair of the Catholic Cavemen points out, Catholics good and bad were filled with grief and utterly crushed in spirit when the homosexual/pedophilia scandal came to light. Not so much because there were perverts in the priesthood. An adult realizes that perverts hide where they will not be suspected and where they will have access to kids.

The problem was that so many bishops chose to look the other way. They ignored, or excused the vile filth that was going on. They very nearly killed the trust and respect that we are supposed to have for our bishops. Many people left the Church and never came back. Others stayed but are half hearted and don't pay the Church any attention when her son's in Holy Orders speak. The shepherds were asleep or were in the company of the wolves. The surviving sheep have strayed.

Okay, this will probably irk someone

I frequently read blog posts where parents complain that they aren't "welcomed" in church because someone frowned at them when their kids acted up or becasue Fr. asked their kids to stop running, eating or playing in church. It will probably make some people mad and I'm sorry about that--but I'm really irritated by parents like this .

Folks, your child is your responsibility. This is your precious bane and no-one elses. If he becomes a misery to all the other people trying to pray then you need to do something.

Don't tell me to offer it up. YOU offer it up and take Jr. outside. I'm not talking about babies. Babies are exempt. A parish without babies is a dead parish. I'm talking about normal ten year olds who can't get through Mass without playing video games. I'm talking about teenagers who joke and giggle all through Mass. I'm talking about seven year olds who are allowed to throw tantrums while their parents shamefacedly pretend not to notice. I'm talking about not so little children who can't make it through Mass without snacks. I don't like sitting in gum that was left in the pew, nor do I like slipping in formula that was poured on the floor and those crushed Goldfish crackers? Not charming at all. Somebody has to clean that mess up.

On behalf of that grumpy old man who probably raised several children himself, worked tirelessly for the parish and donates to the school fund every year and now would like to actually hear what Fr. is saying, on behalf of that grouchy woman who didn't think it was funny when your kid threw the gummy worms, on behalf of the widow who was just trying to pray for her dead husband when your kid ran by screaming I'd like to say: think about the rest of people in church. It's not that they're all meanies or anti-child or bad Catholics. Be kind.

WTH?--- Obama is not Jesus. He's not St. Martin either.

I'm ashamed to admit this but in my youth I liked Madonna. I was a fan right up until the night the Like A Prayer video premiered. I was a sloppy, lazy Catholic then and barely went to Mass but when I saw Madonna gyrating and groping the St. Martin de Pores statue in the video I was disgusted. That was it for me forever. I've not had a Madonna CD in my house since. It offended me that she used an image of the saint in such a vulgar way. It horrifies (but doesn't shock) me to see that some jackass dared to put Obama's head on a photo of St. Martin now.

The Obama people really worry me. They have a weird fixation on him that aint healthy or natural. Even the Kennedy brothers didn't incite this much worship.

This years Al Smith dinner

In the 1920s New York state Governor Al Smith ran for president. He was Catholic so he lost to Herbert Hoover. Every year the archdiocese of New York holds the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. Prominent people are always invited, it is a premier event in the NYC social calendar. This year Senator John McCain sat on one side of Cardinal Egan and Senator Obama sat on the other. Judging by the photos a lovely time was had by all. This whole thing bothers Deal Hudson of Inside Catholic and it really bothers me. Jesus sat with prostitutes and tax collectors--- the scum of Israel but he didn't politley ignore what they were doing. Our Lord called them to repentence. When Mary Magdalene met Jesus she never went back to her old life again. Matthew stopped cheating and abusing his people (tax collectors were paid a share of the taxes they collected and had a staff called exactors to smack the snot out of anyone who didn't want to pay up) and followed Jesus. He became a saint and a martyr.

I know the dinner is for Catholic Charities (which ought to be run like a Catholic organization or be shut down as far as I'm concerned) and I know the two guys running for president are usually invited but the sight of Cardinal Egan sitting there grinning like a mule eating peaches with Obama by his side is distasteful and somehow embarrassing. Maybe it's time to rethink the Al Smith dinner.

The kids are not alright

According to an article in the Catholic News Agency a national poll was taken by an outfit called Public Religion Research and 60 percent of young 18-30 Catholics responded that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, adn 44 percent same-sex marriage. The next time you drop your kid off at CCD you really should cancel your morning plans and sit in on the class. I'll bet you that what the DRE is cooking up in your kid's mind is not what's in the catechism.

Now, granted this poll could be skewed. We don't know what Public Religion Research's agenda is. The pollsters could've really spoken to young Catholics in California or New York. You can lie with statistics but I suspect the poll results are close to accurate.

Don't be complacent about your child's religious education and don't be a hypocrite. You can not tell your son about the wrongness of contraception when his mother's pills are in the medicine cabinet. You can't tell your daughter about abortion when she's heard you tacitly approve of the abortion of a neighbor's wild messed kid.

travels through Catholic blog land

• I used to read Amy Wellborn's blog every day but it's changed so much that I only read it a couple of times a month now.

• The guy who writes Whispers in the Loggia is maturing. He's not an enfant terrible anymore. He is still obsessed with the silly idea that the future of the church in America is Vietnamese or Mexican (hah!). If Rocky showed up at my local Vietnamese parish somebody would probably be upset. Two weeks ago Rocky and I walked into our parish church when the Charismatic Hispanic group was there. The looks we got were not the look of love. How are such segregated communites supposed to be the future?

• The Cafeteria closed for business and it's replacement GeraldNaus.com has apparently withered away.
  
  
• The Anchoress blog has turned out to be awesome. I read it everyday without fail. Elizabeth Scalia is so smart and so gracious.
  
  
• Steve Skojec is starting to worry me.
  
  
• Rod Dreher makes my nose twitch. He's almost as bad as Mark Shea. I can't read him anymore.
  
  
• New Liturgical Movement and Rorate Caeli are magnificent and deserve far more attention and praise than they get.
  
  
• Thank goodness for Lair of the Catholic Cavemen.

Please pray for my in-laws

This is difficult. When I got married 20 years ago my in-laws were not nice about it. They had an entirely different vision of the girl their son was supposed to marry. Big Daddy and Big Mama were thinking middle class and Baptist. Instead they got working class, Catholic me.

Big Daddy thought/hoped that when his kids did get married it would be Dallas. You know how J.R. and Bobby didn't go too far from Jock and Miss Ellie? They stayed in the same compound. You know how the Kennedy's don't seem to go too far from each other--(except for Jackie who wisely didn't let Caroline and John John hang with Teddy's kids)-- well that's what the Old Man was expecting. Instead Rocky and I got as far away as we could without leaving the state. Rocky's little brother, Clipper did much the same.

About five years ago Big Daddy apologized to me. He meant it. He's gotten used to me, and although it may still gall him that Rocky is Catholic he doesn't tell any priest jokes anymore. I think they're fond of me and I'm feel affection mixed with irritation for them.

They aren't doing so hot. The Old Man has high blood pressure, morbid fat, and diabetes and doesn't deal with any of it well. Big Mama is a teacher and this year has been constantly ill from various things she' s picked up from her kids and her kidneys function has slowed. It's a coporal work of mercy to visit the sick. It's a grace to be nice those who weren't always nice to you. I know this but oh, the ghost of the girl who had to put up with insults from her in-laws still lives in me and she'd be happy to forget and ignore. Please say a prayer for Rocky's folks.

Fr. Aragorn once said to me that Rocky's parents are part of the deal so get on with it. Buck up and do the right thing. He was right then and he's right now. So I'll get on with it and slouch towards Bethehem.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, say a little prayer for me.

hope and gloom sat down to chat and it turned into fight club

Since the first rule of Fight Club is - you do not talk about Fight Club I won't go into detail ---hope won but barely.

I'm certain now that Obama is going to win. None of the eunuchs ---oops, I mean republicans will dare give him any trouble becaue the race card will be thrown down. Many whites are terrified of being called a racist so that's that. The country is going to be s-----d and for anyone with a brain a that vampire glamour spell that Obama seems to do won't make it any better. But, if you remember after 4 years of Jimmy Carter came Reagan.

After reading some of the rather pathetic details about Fr. Francis Mary's defection from his duty I was forcefully reminded that the priesthood is constantly under attack by the wickedness and snares of the devil. We need to pray, make sacrifices and do pennace. Check out the Opus Angelorum Crusade for Priests and adopt a priest to pray for or visit the Priests in crisis blog and pray for the priests it champions.

In the end, I decided to do what St. Joan of Arc would do: arise, endure, kick some evil butt.

Fr. Francis Mary Stone

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for all our priests.

I've been thinking about Fr. Francis Mary Stone for days now. Oddly enough, a few minutes ago I saw posts on Fr. Joe's blog and Curt Jester that indicate that Fr. Francis Mary has made up his mind and has walked away from the priesthood for good.

But, but, thou art a priest forever...........

St. Michael, the archangel

Yep, it's a tattoo. I found it on the Fast Squiel blog. No, I wouldn't want Rocky to get one this big but it's my favorite image of St. Michael so far. And speaking of the arch angel, did he ever undergo an long drawn out official cannonization process? Can you imagine Pope Clement, Sixtus, Linus or Cletus going, "Wait, we need a devil's advocate and time to examine his cause." Me neither.

hysteria and noise

A woman came into the library where I work and was so freaked out about the economic situation that she's talking about retreating to the country and raising her own food. Do Americans have a genetic twitch that makes us more prone to hysteria? I'll bet this same woman was panicky about Swine Flu (remember that?), global cooling, and overpopulation back in the 80s. I wanted to smack her.

Instead I went to Mass and afterwords sat with Jesus for while. It was hard praying. All mortal flesh did not keep silent before the Blessed Sacramenmt. It seemed like every jolly soul who'd been dying to talk during Mass did so now. Men shot the breeze--- I have no problem with that, but the time and place was wrong, old women chortled and the ushers had a pow wow. A couple of chatting ladies headed my way so I started to get up from my knees and move. They assured me that I wasn't in their way and to carry on praying. Fr. Theoden had an idea that I was craving peace and quiet and gave a sympathetic smile as he glided by. Some days, some weekends are just grrr ...aaargh!

My friend, Therese

October 1, was the feast day of one of the Church's most beloved saints, the Little Flower, St. Therese. She's never let me down. A few years back her relics were brought to DC and Rocky and I both left work early to visit her. It was one of the most precious experiences of my life.

Most biographies of her usually mention that she died of TB but never get into what that means. TB is a horrid way to die. She was in unspeakable agony. Gangrene attacked her intestines. She was suffocating in her own blood as her lungs fell apart. And yet look at the expression on her face on her deathbed. Even if I didn't know who she was I'd know this is the face of a saint.

Got a good priest? Thank God!

Our new parochial vicar, Fr. G. is going to run in the Baltimore Marathon He's raising money for the Gabriel Project pregnancy assistance and Project Rachel post-abortion healing ministries. Since I wouldn't even run on an indoor track I'm very impressed.

He's been giving a lecture series on the letters of St. Paul every Sunday and it's brilliant. It feels like a college course. The Church no longer has simplex priests, the men in your parish are pretty darn smart as a matter of course. And some like Fr. G., Fr. Aragorn and Fr. Theoden are simply amazing. Your pastor or parochial vicar could've done a lot of things with his life. I've often thought that Fr. Theoden would've made a good teacher or diplomat, Fr. G. used to be a lawyer. Thank God they and all good priests have chosen to follow God's call.

The fabulous Kit Brookside loves my blog! The rules of this meme are that I have to complete the questions name the person who gave the award and pass it on.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Where is your significant other? work
3. Your hair color? dark
4. Your mother? SC
5. Your father? SC
6. Your favorite thing? cheese
7. Your dream last night? weird, 8. Your dream/goal? beauty 9. The room you're in? bedroom
10. Your hobby? blog
11. Your fear? failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
13. Where were you last night? church
14. What you're not? bored
15. One of your wish-list items? dress

16. Where you grew up? DC
17. The last thing you did? read
18. What are you wearing? Orvis
19. Your TV? old
20 Your pet? dead
21. Your computer? pc
22. Your mood? grumpy
23. Missing someone? Nope
24. Your car? Ford
25. Something you're not wearing? coat
26. Favorite store? Borders
27. Your summer? fast
28. Love someone? sure
29. Your favorite color? black
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Sunday

I nominate everyone in my links list because I really do love their blogs.

nastiness abounds...

I've been reading lots of bloggers who seem giddy about the current national financial crisis. What these people intend to do if the system crashes I don't know but I don't think they'll be too smug when their jobs are gone. It never seems to dawn on these people that "the rich" that they hate so much employ the rest of us............

Rock on Pope Benedict!

You know, for an old man, Papa Benedict is working at a breathtaking pace. He's replaced all the members of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations. He's moving and giving his all to restore the Church. What are you doing? How about praying and fasting. When you say your rosary this weekend don't forget to pray for the pope. He has the hardest job in the world and some times he must feel like he's standing in the midst of a snake pit.

I will go to the altar of God --- pray for vocations!

I found this holy card on a really lovely blog named He Gently Calls us and I spent I don't know how long just feasting my eyes at all the beauty. It reminded me once again how far Catholic art has fallen. Mostly our "artists" produce manure piles and call us philistines or stuffy trads for not being fooled.

Why they hate Sarah Palin

I was watching Governor Sarah Palin and felt a bit wistful. She's close to my age. If it weren't for my infertility problems I might have a big boy of Track's age now or a girl the age of Bristol or Willow. If my pregnancy last year hadn't been ectopic I would have a boy close to Trig's age.

When the feminists look at Sarah they are stung becuase she is living proof of the lies they've been espousing. You can have a real man for a husband, you can have children and still make --- if you are fit for it, and a lot of us aren't--- a serious career. Their own mutinous hearts whisper, "Where is my man, where is my child?, "

As Bette Davis said in All About Eve, they are "Just something with a book of clippings, an office full of French provincial furniture, but not a woman," and they know it. How it must gall them and terrify them. That's why they hate Sarah.

The Faithful Departed

I'm reading Philip Lawler's book , The Faithful Departed and so far, I see why it was banned from the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception bookstore in DC (they have Medjugorje books though) and why my beloved Catholic Information Center in DC isn't carrying it, (Opus Dei avoids any book that seems gets too political). Lawler argues that the rot in Boston started a long time ago and made the homosexual child molestation scandal possible. He's gone all the way back to 1919, when the cardinal at the time had to be told by Benedict XV, to get rid of his nephew and a priest who had a wife and home in another state. This same cardinal prized professional priests over holy priests. Sound familiar? Later, they got Cardinal Cushing who seemed to be a jolly fellow but who was way too interested in trying to integrate Boston Catholics into the mainstream life of Protestant America.

It's a fascinating read so far. Painful, becuase this isn't just Boston's problem. To a certain extent the rot is everywhere.

oh well

Remember that scene in Ten Commandments where Moses is told that his name will sticken from the court history and by law nobody is speak his name out loud? Well, I accidentally offended the head of a rather important group at church. I spoke the truth but I don't think ole girl wanted to hear it. So, I don't think my name will be unspeakable but it might be mud with the important group for awhile.

And now for something calming and beautiful.....

The view of St. Rita's from the choir loft and the statue of Jesus and his Sacred Heart.

I will go to the altar of God

To God, who giveth joy to my youth........

Pray for priests!

Hat tip to the Meeting Christ in the Liturgy blog.

Voodoo practitioners for Obama

There's a shop in my town that looks like a Catholic statue store when you first walk in but has things like penis shaped candles for fertility and sex spells and a voodoo shrine in the back. When Rocky and I accidentally visited it one time, we both wandered down different aisles of the store and just as it was dawning on me that something wasn't right , Rocky rushed up to me an whispered, "There's some kind of a shrine in the back. I don't know what they're praying to but we need to get the hell out of here." Usain Bolt couldn't have left the store any faster than we did.

Today we usually don't even glance at it when we drive by but last weekend we were walking past it on the way to one of our favorite restarants and I noticed a large Obama sign in the window. We both had to laugh. Considering how weird Obama supporters tend to be, it made sense.

Pray for our priests!

Except for Jesus, the eternal High Priest, nobody was born a priest. Many a vocation is lost because family and friends discourage a young man.

The Vatican doesn't have a priest nursery somewhere in St. Peters so, let's pray for vocations and support our seminarians and young priests with prayer and helpfulness whenever we can.



Oddly enough, our pastor, Fr. Theoden looks a lot like the baby in the vestments.

9/11

O Lord, the God of mercies, grant unto the souls of Thy servants the anniversary day of whose murder we are keeping, a place of solace, of peaceful rest, of glorious light.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Hallowed Mother, do this favour: Those Wounds that gored my Saviour, deeply on my heart engraved.

Mine it be, Christ's throes in sharing.

Mine it be, his anguish bearing.

These, his wounds, to keep in mind.

From the flame of hell unending, be thou, Virgin, me defending, in that dreadful reckoning day! When in death my eyes are closing, open them, Lord, to see reposing, Victory's crown in Mary's hand.

When my frame by death is broken, and my doom by thee is spoken, be it, Lord, the better land. Amen.

Here was a man

Thomas Vander Woude was the sacristan at Holy Trinity Church in Bristow, Virginia and the father of a local priest in my diocese. He died a horrible death so that his youngest son might live. God bless this brave man and his sorrowing family.

Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord, may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Dorothy Day nuttiness strikes again

The Dorothy Day Worker's House in DC is going to host an abomination. They are going to allow women who are pretending to be priests hold a fake mass. I tend to avoid anything with Dorothy Day's name on it because although she may have been a very holy person the organization with her name on it tends to be whackadoodle. As for these fake priests....well, there's few things more pitiful on earth than a woman who wants to be a man.

How to save the old city church--put up or shut up

A lot of Catholic blogs post pictures of magnificent old churches and then mention that the church in danger of being closed. They usually blame the bishop. I sigh and comment on occasion, but usually I just move on.

The reason why those big city churches are in danger is pretty obvious but nobody wants to talk about it. It's the Catholic elephant in the living room. In 1964 , the Civil Rights Act was passed and a few years later came the Fair Housing Act. Black people were then legally free to live where they pleased and many began moving into neighborhoods that had been closed to them before. Many white people left the city. Some left because they were racists. Others left becuase they had to. To their innocent surprise their new neighbors frequently were hostile and had some cultural habits that were undesirable to live next to.

Okay, I'm not blaming anyone for leaving who belonged to the latter group. I don't blame anyone who just doesn't want to live in a city. My mom still lives in DC and I'd like to get her out of there. For whatever reason the old German, Polish, Italian, Lithuanian, or Irish Catholics left and only come back to the old parish on Sundays for the Tridentine Mass or they don't come back at all becuase they have their own parishes in the burbs.

Many city churches are open for commuters to attend a morning, noon or after work Mass and then promptly close becuase of the city crime. No pastor wants a situation where a visitor was raped or killed in the church while praying after rush hour. I once had to flee St. Joseph's on Capitol Hill in DC becuase of agressive vagrants. It was a weekday afternoon. The Shrine of the Sacred Heart in DC is not only locked in off hours but has a tall iron fence around the entire church because that neighborhood is rough. I wouldn't even walk there alone.

So, a bishop looks at his old church that may be in such a horrid neighborhood that it doesn't even draw commuters and he realizes that he's spending an awful amount of money on a mostly dead parish. And he decides to close it. Suddenly people who never gave a damn or a dime before come out to protest and Holy Mother Church is made to look bad in the news.

Do you want to save the old church in the old neighborhood? Get in the car and go there to Mass every Sunday and get yourself registered as a parishioner. Better yet, get in the moving van and move to the city and get deeply involved in renewing the parish. Can't do that? You'd never do that? Okay, you have your reasons as do I, but unless you are willing to put your life and your family's lives where your complaints are; you ought to give the bishop a respite in the criticism. Put up or shut shut, dudes.

Oh and to the parishioners of those endangered parishes: God bless you for toughing it out in the city but please, please remember, Jesus is the reason you go to Mass, not becuase your grandfather worshiped in the same pew you are sitting in.

Where were you when....

I stole this meme from Lair of the Catholic Cavemen.

1. President Kennedy's Assassination - 22 November 1963

I hadn't been born yet.

2. England's World Cup Semi Final v Germany - 4 July

This is soccer isn't it?

3. Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990

I can't recall and I'm sorry about that.

Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997

I was taking a nap when my mother called. I couldn't believe it and felt unreal all day.

5. Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001

I was at work, a few blocks from the White House. I wasn't shocked. If you live or work in DC you eventually realize that one day the Big Bad Thing is going to happen and you pray that it will be quick. I figured that a major terrorist act would happen in America one day but the way they did was breathtaking. I remember standing on my balcony and watching bits of burnt paper from the Pentagon float by and realizing that America's long nap from reality was over.

6. The election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy - 19 April 2005

I was at work again. I stood up cheered. Then I sat down very quickly before anybody saw me.

Good news from the Vatican

Thank the Lord! It looks like the Vatican is taking strong disciplinary meausures with the priest who guides the "seers" of Medjugorje.

leave Bristol Palin alone

When I was in high school I knew two classmates who got pregnant. Both girls came from middle to upper class families. Their "nice", sophisticated suburban parents made them get abortions and although I managed to keep a blase expression on my face, inside I was shocked by that. One girl had two abortions, the other had one. One was incredibly bitter at her boyfriend for dumping her and leaving her to kill their child by herself. The other was just sad that the whole ugly business had to be done because her parents didn't want to be shamed in front of their friends. She was also upset because her boyfriend now seemed to have lost all respect for her. Both these girls knew what they'd done. Planned Parenthood couldn't convince them that they'd just shed some random cells.

Teenaged pregnancy happens. We are hard wired to breed when we are fertile. I am not saying that fornication is not a mortal sin. I am not dismissing fornication or making light of it in any way. I would never say or do that but out of wedlock pregnancy does happen. Our society just sweeps it and the poor innocent babies under the rug by forcing girls to add murder to the original fornication.

My grandmother gave birth to my dad when she was a teenager. She was unwed and could not marry my grandfather becuase he was already married to a relative of hers. It was the scandal of the county and no, my grandmother was not a good mom to her eldest son at all but I thank God she chose to give him life instead of sneaking off to the local abortionist. And she could've done that. Contray to the urban legends, the abortionists in my parent's little backwoods town were well known and were successful at what they did. My grandmother could've made her problem go away and no-one other than my great grandmother would've been the wiser. Give Bristol Palin a break. She has chosen to let her innocent child live. And that's all I have to say.

your choice comes with a price

"A woman who deliberately destroys a fetus is answerable for murder. And any fine distinction between its being completely formed or unformed is not admissible among us.""Those who give potions for the destruction of a child conceived in the womb are murderers, as are those who take potions which kill the child. "

-Saint Basil the Great (A.D. 329-379)

God says, "Take what you want. And pay for it."--- sarcastic Spanish proverb

Governor Palin

I was happy that John McCain picked Governor Palin for his running mate. I was pulling for her all along. She's pro-life, shoots, didn't use childbearing as an excuse to turn into a slob, eats carribou instead of worshipping them and is my kind of woman. I'm totally down with Sarah. Plus, when faced with baby with Down's Syndrome she and her husband chose to let him live. Most Americans don't. I hardly ever see a person with Down's under the age of 20 anymore. God bless her for that.

However, if the McCain/Palin team shoudl win, I worry for her family. Her husband's a fisherman. He's either going to have to give up his livelihood to come to DC with her or the family will be apart even longer than the regular fishing season. She has young kids who will have to leave beautiful Alaska and go to school in DC or VA. That might be a culture shock. And then what about her marriage. Her husband will really be forced to play second fiddle and that is rarely a good thing. I'm happy for the country but I hope it's not too big of a sacrifice for the Palins.

Having said all that, I still suspect that Obama is going to win. I've never seen people act so weird about a candidate before in my life. His supporters seem to think he's Jesus, their absent dad and dream lover all wrapped into one. God judges the nations with the leaders He allows them to have. We'll see come November. Oh and, no matter who wins, the professional race hustlers and the folks who blame whites for their miserable failed lives will hate white folks just like they did before.

holy card meme

The jolly Vir Speluncae Catholicus of the Lair of the Catholic Cavemen tagged me with this meme:

What picture I would use for my holy card, should I make it to Saint, and of what cause(s) I wanted to be patron."

Well, that would be some kind of miracle but here goes.

For my holy card I'd want a pic of me with one of my veils. And I'd be the patroness of book lovers, generation X Catholics, and moody teenage girls who write bad poetry and love

wearing lots of black.

I tag anybody wants to play.

Score one for the archbishop

Archbishop Wuel has not impressed me but then I didn't expect much. However, I have to give credit where it's due and when Nancy Pelosi spewed vile crap the archbishop called her on it.

a visit to the St. Anthony shrine

When my mother was in the hospital I promised St. Anthony that if he'd help her I'd visit his shrines in Ellicot City, MD and in Pittsburgh. Today Rocky and I went to the Maryland shrine. It's beautiful. The friars are very kind and the grounds are perfect for meditation. They have a small Grotto of Lourdes and while we sat there a dove and hordes of butterflies flew around us. All we could hear was the sweet sound of the bubbling spring and our own voices. The shrine is about 30 miles from Baltimore. If you are ever near that way do stop in.

Next we went to the adoration chapel of St. Louis. It was lovely as well and we were delighted to see several people besides us, adoring.

Finally, we found a place to eat and I pulled a couple of muscles getting out of the booth. I'm not sure how I managed that.

I love... Ioathe ....in no particular order

I love....

• John Wayne movies
• Bear Grylls and Les Stroud
• cream cheese
• clouds of incense
• Wagner
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Puccini
• Stonefly brand shoes
• Vera Bradley bags
• pigs
• cows
• big dogs
• small dogs
• cats-- the fluffier the better
• the sound of cicadas in the Summer
• the sound of crickets
• silence in church
• the smell of incense
• Irish butter
• Maria Callas
• Phil Specter's music ( I know he's nuts but the wall of sound gets me every time)
• Madam Bovary
• Gone With the Wind
• The Little Lame Prince
• A Little Princess
• Gymnastics
• goats
• ponies
• Llamas
• The big red oxen that they raise in Colonial Williamsburg. They slobber when they're happy!
• Photos of Jackie Kennedy
• lace veils
• October mornings
• Jamestown, Virginia
• turkey vultures flying overhead
• Youth Dew perfume
• priests or cantors with strong tenor voices

I loathe...........

• cantors who think the mass is a concert, starring them
• network television
• sit coms
• people who whine about the commute to DC. (Look, we all do it. Either quit your job and move or shut up)
• the sound of Bob Costa's voice
• sports writers who've never played a sport
• the sight of nun in a pants suit and a man's hair cut
• the stench of buffalo wings
• raisins, dates and prunes
• being cold at night
• a dirty bathroom
• being kissed or hugged during the sign of peace (Dude!)
• being forced to be social ("Would all the newcomers to the parish stand up please?"
  Uh, no Fr., I'd rather not.)

Sometimes I wonder

Fr. Frank Pavone's order, the Missionaries of Life, has aparently disbanded. The reaction in Catholic blog land seems to be smug glee. You may not like Fr. Pavone, but heck, he's out there doing something to fight abortion. I wonder if the people who seem so happy about the demise of the Missionaries have even said a prayer asking that just one woman today changes her mind about killing her child.

Fornication can lead to some dark places

An exorcist points out that sexual sin can lead to demonic possession. I first read about this on another blog that was dismissive of the priest (it was one of those too cool for words Catholic blogs) but I think he's right. When we turn away from Jesus and embrace mortal sin we are dancing with the darkside. And who lives in the darkness of hell? Who's always waiting for an unwitthing dance partner to destroy? Demons, baby.

Hypocrital me?

After Mass one day, the gentleman who runs the group that prays the rosary in front of our local abortion clinic asked me if I'd like to come along. I declined. They pray early in the morning on Saturdays. I'm not even awake yet at that time and since Rocky has the car (he works on the weekends) that would require either a cab ride or two buses. Those are valid reasons but the poor man looked so disappointed. I could see in his eyes and whole expression what he was thinking, 'Hypocrite!' He immediately dismissed me and turned his attention to someone else. Was he right, I wonder? It's only once a month. I could rearrange my schedule for once a month. Perhaps someone in the group could give me a ride to the Metro (our subway system) afterwards. I don't know. I'll be thinking about this some more.

New veil

I got a new veil for my collection. It's a pretty little thing from the fantastic ladies at HaloWorks.com Rocky really likes it but surprised me by saying that he likes my long ones best.

Sugar and spice? Yeah right.

I love this picture. It's two little girls having a....uh... disagreement at a church festival in Spain.

well that was stupid of me

I take two medications every day. I've been dragged out tired and forgetful all this week and yesterday I forgot all about them until late in the evening. Today I took the morning medicine late. Soooooooo, of course by the time we got to Mass this evening I felt lousy. As soon as Fr. Gollum said, "the Mass has ended." I was ready to bolt and right after he passed by I did and made a bee line to the car. Thank God nobody was in my way or there would've been a collision.

call me a philistine if you like,

but I really don't like this painting of St. Gianna at the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Wisconsin.. You know gnats and flies always buzz around your head? That's what the blonde cherubs look like their doing. I almost expect the saint to swat them.

out of the inferno

Well, my mother spent 5 days in the hospital. She was released on day 4 but fainted on the way to the car. She was taken back to the emergency room, we stayed there for 10 hours and then she was returned to a room. She's at home now and I just want to sleep... really sleep, not just fall unconsious from exhuastion. I can't describe how hideous it was in the waiting room. Rocky thought it looked like a scene from purgatory. I, the dramatic one of the family, thought it looked like Dante's inferno. Last night I saw people come in with stab wounds, gun shots, and the sniffles. Patients were sitting in recliners, and lying on stretchers in the halls. I have to say that the staff was kind and professional. I especially want to to thank and pray for the young doctor who helped Mama when she fainted in the elevator on the way to the car.

Her heart is fine, thank God. The night before her heart catheter test I asked St. Anthony, St. Rita, St. Jude and my three favorite girls, Therese, Bernadette and Joan for help. I told St. Anthony that if ma came through this with no heart problems I'd visit his shrine in Ellicot City, Maryland and the one it Pittsburgh. So next week I'll be hiting the road to Ellicot City. We'll have to delay the Pittsburgh pilgimage to next month.

There have been times when I wondered why I survived my ectopic rupture back in November. It dawned on me that if I'd died back then, Mama would've had to go through this alone. Thank you, God for loving us so. Thank you for your mercy.

Prayers needed

Yesterday my mother went to see her cardiologist who sent her to the hospital to have a heart catheter test. They only do those on weekdays so she's stuck in the hospital until Monday. I am worried but I won't freak out---- completely until Monday. If the results are what I think they will be I am going allow myself 20 minutes to carry on and then we'll all just get on with it.

Please, if you have a second, say a prayer for my mama.

The next time a feminist starts carrying on about how bad America is

remember this. The little Saudi Arabian girl in this photo is not playing dress up. She's not a flower girl. She's a bride. It's her wedding day. I can't find anything good to say about a culture that does this. And please don't tell me what used to happen in Europe back in 1457. That's irrelevant to this poor babe's tragedy.

ironic

When Rocky and I visited the Amish Mennonite visitor center and took a tour of Amish farmland I was reminded of the old saying, "like priest, like people".

The Mennonites and Amish heresy began because a priest went bad and took a bunch of souls with him. I wonder if any Catholic priest has ever tried to seriously evangelize in Dutch country?

Not this crap again

While we were on vacation, Rocky and I went to Mass at a church in Pennslyvania's Dutch country. I won't say the name because the priest and people were very nice. The problem was that the priest must have been ordained back in the 70's or early 80's becuase he spoke in that horrible sing song voice that the seminarians were taught to use back then.

It is the same tone and inflection a nursery school teacher would use or perhaps a therapist for the severely mentally handicapped. His homily was on "the miracle of sharing". The real miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was not that Jesus did anything supernatural but that He got the crowd to share. I sat in the pew and thought, ' For Pete's sake, not this crap again.'

Happy Birthday Darling

It's Rocky's birthday and we're going on vacation. Tonight we go to dinner at whatever restaurant he wants and tommorow we hit the road.

Humane Vitae

This year is the 40th anniversary of HV. I think the contraception rule must be the most flouted of all the Church's teachings. I only know one Catholic couple who are not and have never used any form of contraception. I know a wonderful Catholic woman who goes to Mass every Sunday and sees nothing wrong in taking the pill. I've heard brave young priests defend HV from the pulpit only to face hard strares and muttering from the pews. A good chunk of the laity has chosen to do as they please.

And let's not forget the priests and nuns who are loud about their rejection of HV. Perhaps it eases their consciences about not following all the requirements of the religious life.

Pope Paul VI , the author of Humanae Vitae was such a tragic figure. Was his heart completely broken by the time he reached his death bed? His predictions about widespread use of contraception have come true : women are less respected, children are less loved and Western society totters along like an old druken, syphillis ridden whore who is heavily painted up to look young and healthy from a distance.

Father forgive them for they know not what they do

The college professor that I mentioned in an earlier post claims to have desecrated a stolen Host. I won't link to the story because this evil person has had too much publicity already. Our Lord suffered many offenses during the Passion. He continues to be much offended today.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

sheltered Catholics

Steve Skojec has written an interesting post for Inside Catholic.com. He has a hair curling snarky quote from blogger and journalist, Hilary White about the traditional Catholics who :

have gone off into the woods to create a happy and comforting little Catholic world, well insulated from Outside. The kids are homeschooled, the women commonly wear the trademark shapeless plaid jumper/white t-shirt and sneakers combo, the men work at home, the books on the shelves are all from Ignatius or Angelus press, the jokes are clean and not very funny, conversation is always holy, the horrors of the squelching, seething pornographic world Outside are clucked at primly and the introduction of ironic humour is a wild and somewhat scandalous sensation.


Hilary, by her own admission doesn't like other women or domesticity much. I'll say it again, Hilary really dislikes other women. She finds us silly and irritating. She'd probably have no use for me at all. However, abrasive as she can be she has a bit of a point. Catholics are not called to hide out from the world. We are supposed to be counter coultural but we are not supposed to resemble the FDLS folks, squating feverishly in a compound.

Parents are supposed to shelter and preserve their children's innocence of course--- to do otherwise is to fail as a parent---but trying to raise them like Catholic Amish it doesn't do the Church a whole lot of good.

cling to the cross

Jesus, Jesus, my God, I love you!

wyd

I've said it before and I'll proabably be tiresome and say it again some time: WYD is mostly silly. However, there are moments when it's almost worth the time and money. Tonight Rocky is watching the Holy Father celebrate Mass in Oz on EWTN. It's beautiful.

If they would just drop the dumb stuff--- the rapping priests, the lousy fake pop music, and the carnival atmosphere. And for pity's sake, no more semi nude locals in loincloths in front of the pope!

I was reading a book last night, it's the memoir of a Bennedictine monk who spent a year with the Copts of Egypt. He went to a dinner at the home of Pope Shenouda (the Copts call their leader, pope) and was astonished. There were about 5000 people there. Most were teens and 20 somethings. They politely asked Shenouda questions and he answered them. That's it. No dancers, no singers, no jugglers. They didn't need to be entertained. That struck me. Later the monk was having dinner at the home of the American ambassador. The ambassador's wife was Catholic and asked him about the Copts. The monk told her that he thought the Copts did a much better job teaching their youth than we Catholics do. The ambassador's wife was offended but when I watch the WYD photos I have to agree with the young monk.

--------------------
A cranky thought about the Anglo-Caths has crossed my mind. Guys, if you are really serious don't wait for negotiations with Rome, don't wait for your "bishop" to make up his mind. Do what my husband and millions of others have done. Get up, get dressed and walk into the nearest Catholic church. Ask to be recieved. Endure the wretched RCIA and be confirmed.

the joys of matrimony

You're at a party in the parish hall. It's rather dull and you find your mind wandering. Then, you see him across the room. He's clearly the hottest man present and you're married to him. Whoo Hoo!

vocations crucifix

Our parish has an official vocations crucifix that is made of wood. It's touched to a first class relic of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and comes in its own litle reliquiary. Each week a different family takes it home and prays especially for priests, seminarians and anyone who is mulling over a vocation to the religious life.

This week it sits in a place of honor in my living room. Our new parochial vicar, Fr. Smeagal handed it to Rocky after Mass and blessed us both. I think it's going to be a special week.

In the end there is only one Church

The Catholic Church really is the one, the only true Faith in the world. The powers of darkness are constantly focused on her. In a way, this is a comfort. Nobody, except the Chinese government, for obviously reason, hates the Dalai Lama. No college going spoiled brat would dream of going into a Hindu temple and committing a desecration. None of the "sophisticated" set would have the guts to openly mock the Koran. No college professor would dare mess with the holy objects stolen from a synogauge and then brag about it in public. Why? Becasue none of these things really matters.

Only the Catholic Church terrifes and infuriates the lovers of the dark side. They write books, they make jokes, they come up with "new" discoveries every Christmas and Easter, they dedicate their whole lives to being her open enemy. Why? Because she is real, true, the Only. So, for the Mormon idiot teenaged missionaries who desecrate church grounds, to the college professors and students who plan blasphemy, to the goons who smash statues of the Blessed Mother, to those who strut into our churches and behave foully I pray:

Arise oh Lord and let thy enemies be scattered.

Let those who hate thee, fly before thy holy face.

A Prayer from St. Therese

"O Jesus, who in Thy bitter Passion didst become "the most abject of men, a man of sorrows", I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well up abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen."

I'm late on this but...

What happened to the guy who wrote The Cafeteria is Closed blog? When I first began reading him he was amusing in a catty mean high school girl sort of way but with frequent outbursts of deep thought. Then he seemed to grow up a bit and his blog became a daily must read. Then, some time after his marriage he really changed. He was still funny but he began making comments about Church teachings that were contrary to what you'll find in the catechism. Then suddenly he closed down the blog and has gone to a new format. It's not a about Catholicism anymore and is more of a general news blog. I used to think that the other bloggers who criticized him were just jealous becuase his blog was so popular but I guess they were right.

the anglicans

The big bloggers are talking excitedly about the possibilty of a bunch of Anglicans coming over to Catholicism. My reaction is a shrug and a raised eyebrow. I hope the Vatican will be very, very cautious about this. How many of these people are converting becuase they realize that Catholicism is the one, true Faith or are they threatening to covert just to spite the liberal Anglicans? What will the Church do with a bunch of married priests, and bishops? Will they go to seminary for remedial training or will they just be set loose on a parish? How this whole thing will play out and whether they will be real Catholics is up in the air. I just can't get excited about it.

The sign of division

I have a tiny brooch that is shaped like a monstrance and decided to wear it to work. Nobody noticed except one person, a fellow Catholic and she was quite disturbed. Odd. She asked me twice in an aggrieved tone about it. I should've asked her why she cared so much. Was she embarrassed? Did she think it made me look like a Trad? Was I suddenly not cool becuase my brooch looked like a monstrace? If she knew that I wear either veils or hats to Mass would she be horrified?

I guess I'll have to wear that brooch more often.

The 9/11 terrorists have won

No, not them personally. They're in hell and that's ultimate failure. But their cause must have won. That's the only thing I can conclude when I read stories like this . Ten years ago a teacher who told her public school class that they were going to pray to Allah would've been fired. Today, the kids who didn't want to pray to a false god were given detention. I guess everyone is so scared of terrorism that they are willing to jump through any hoop.

What the heck happened to England and Europe? What the heck is happening to all of us?

and now a word from the pope

"Only healthy people, ... only people with a profound personal life in Christ and who also have a profound sacramental life can be admitted to the priesthood ... It is more important to have good priests than to have many priests". We hope, he insisted, "to do everything possible in the future to heal this wound".

Pope Benedict, the 16th

Three of the saddest words a Catholic can ever read

The bishop knew.

The Washington Times reports that Bishop DiLorenzo of Richmond, Virginia knew that a young girl in the care of Catholic Charities was going to have an abortion.

There are only two decent things that can be done now. Catholic Charities in Richmond needs to get out of the child care business and the bishop should resign. A human being is dead-- slaughtered most cruelly.

The head of the Richmond diocese can't just say "sorry" and have this all go down the memory hole.

The bishop knew. Oh my God. The bishop knew.

sally quinn

I've never thought much of Washington Post, journalist Sally Quinn, other than that she certainly married well. At Tim Rusert's funeral she took Communion. She's not Catholic. I'm not sure what denomination she is or even if she's Christian at all. It was wrong of her to do this of course, but how many unworthy Catholics got into that Communion line as well?

I'll bet that most of the Catholics Sally Quinn knows are the go along and get along type who find Fr. Corapi embarrasing , mock their own devout grandmother's devotions in public and would no more go to Eucharistic Adoration than they would attend a square dance.

When we Catholics don't act right we make a statement to the world. Many of us behave as if we really don't care that the Host is Jesus Himself so why should non Catholics?

How many contracepting Catholics proudly take Holy Communion?
How many Catholic Obama supporters take Communion?
How many co-habiting Catholics take Communion?
How many Catholics "married" only civily take Communion?
How many Catholics who haven't been to Confession in years take Communion?
How many Catholics who only go to Mass on Easter, Ash Wednesday and Christmas go up for Communion?
How many single and fornicating Catholics take Communion without so much as a second thought?


Again, my opinion of Sally Quinn has never been very high but we Catholics need to get our acts together.

the tragedy of american girlhood

Yesterday as Rocky and I were going to Mass we saw three young prostitutes in front of the church. Our parish isn't in that kind of neighborhood and we were so startled that we had to stare. Then it dawned on me that these girls looked too healthy to be hookers. Their heaving bosoms-- each one wore a low cut strapless or spaghetti strap mini dress--- were dusted with glitter powder. Their makeup was precise, their shoes were shiny and new. There were no scrapes or bruises on their arms or thighs. The clothes they wore, while being little more than a few feet of material were made of quality material. They looked a bit like the Diamond Dogs from Moulin Rouge. It took a lot of money to look as cheap as they did.

I gasped because it occured to me that these were actually the teenaged daughters of parishioners and they were coming to Mass. Then they strutted past the church. They were headed to the nightclub down the street. Rocky and I wondered if their parents let them out like that and we were chagrinned to think that the clothes prostitutes wore in the late 70s and 80s are now ordinary fashion for young girls. What the heck went wrong with the adults in this country?

Teenaged girls are a lot like bison. They are amazing but surprisingly fragile under the right set of circumstances. They are high strung, easily spooked and when under stress they don't act at all with what you would consider good sense. They don't nessacarily know what is good for them. They can be easily destroyed with the right weapon and need careful protection by those who care about them.

Wow. A whole lot of Catholic women need to read this.

I was reading American Rumpo's blog when I came across this question and answer :

If you think your husband is not doing enough spiritually why don't you ask yourself what you are doing to encourage his lack of interest. Because your nagging and shaming is just going to make matters worse!

You can read the rest here.

I know a woman, a very fine person who is the mother of several children. She's dissatisfied with her husband in every way but financially. Boy, I wish I had the nerve to send this to her. It's the answer to her frustrations in a nutshell but I doubt that she'd even realize it. Misery blinds and binds.

a prayer for priests

O Mary, Mother of Jesus
you were with Jesus
at the beginning of His life and mission.
You stood beside Jesus when He was lifted
on the cross and gave His life for all.
We ask you now to be with our priests,
who give themselves in service to God's people.
Intercede for them that they may grow in holiness;
proclaim God's word with courage;
celebrate the sacraments with joy;
and be among God's people as Jesus,
the Good Shepherd, was.
We offer this prayer to God, the Father,
through your intercession,
in the name of your Son, Jesus,
and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

The Holy Father makes a move

The serious, big time Catholic blogs are all attwitter because it seems like sort of agreement may be made between the Vatican and the FSSPX. What will happen? God only knows but this is an exciting time to be Catholic. The Holy Father may be 81, but he's not content to just be a placeholder pope for a few years. He's really taking care of business. I can't wait to see what he'll do next. The balls in Bishop Fellay's court now, I guess.

Please pray for these two priests

Whenever I think of Fr. Haley and Fr. Clark I feel sadness and shame for the diocese. The Arlington diocese is better than most but considering where the most are at, that aint saying much.

Oh gee! This is even yuckier than Theology of the Body class

Father Ksawery Knotz of Poland has a website on good old fashioned earthy but "creative " married sex. Please Father Knotz! Don't tell me any more.

rough week

There were two baby showers at work this week. I didn't go to either one. I've been grouchy all week and actually ran down a hall and on to an elevator to avoid a conversation with a co-worker who's mother-in-law is ill. I just couldn't stand to hear her sad story. It was more than my last good nerve could handle. My fight or flight reflexes were on high alert. Several people were laid off this week as well and that bothered me to no end. I liked three of them and didn't get to say good bye becuase they were hustled out of the office so fast.

Thank God for the weekend and thank God for my parish. Although, my mind wasn't really settled and I failed to pay attention for most of the Vigil Mass (mea culpa!) I was comforted by the Eucharist and it was good to see our Parochial Vicar, Fr. Aragorn before he leaves us for St. John, the Beloved. We are getting another PV, of course. I'm looking forward to meeting him and figuring out what his nick-name should be. And thank God, we still have our Pastor, Fr. Theoden, who is one of the finest priests I've ever been blessed to learn from.

And finally, thank God for my husband, Rocky, who's been very patient this week. Marriage isn't 50/50. Never has been, never will be. Sometimes it's 60/40, sometimes it's 80/10. This week Rocky gave 80+.




Batter my heart, three person'd God; for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow mee, and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt towne, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason, your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue,
Yet dearely I love you, and would be lov'd faine,
But am betroth'd unto your enemie,
Divorce mee, untie, or breake that knot againe,
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.
John Donne (1572-1631) P. 1633

I don't give a dime to Catholic Charities

More than a workers at your local Catholic Charities aren't Catholic at all or don't profess everything the Church teaches. Here in my own Virginia, Catholic Charities workers provided a teenaged girl with a contraceptive device and when it didn't work helped her get an abortion.

Pray for our priests!

On Holy Thursday, Our Lord instituted the priesthood. On this day take a second to pray for our priests. I found a nice little video on priesthood on Gloria TV. Take a look here.


When I saw this at the Holy Cards blog, my eyes filled with tears of love. Let's never take our priests for granted.