A Nice Amazon Review of My Mass Book:



I can easily see how this book would be indispensable for those new to the Catholic faith. In fact, I was tempted to buy this book for the entire RCIA class this year (pecuniary interests prevented this, of course).



What may not be so obvious is the value to cradle Catholics. So many details of the Mass are lost in the fog of CCD & "Religion Class" (in my day, calling it "Catechism Class" would have offended the hippies and ex-nuns). Details on the meaning and purpose of bowing vs. genuflecting, signs of the Cross, etc., were invaluable, as was the emphasis on the liturgical calendar and historical origins of different components of the Mass.



The author does a great job of focusing on the Real Meaning, as opposed to simply detailing the mechanics. The Scriptural storyline provided is relevant and helpful, as are the personal anecdotes. Also helpful was the admonition to the overscrupulous. It was particularly appropriate for me to be armed with humility when I began to notice fellow parishioners genuflecting to the empty tabernacle on Good Friday.



The only thing missing from this book is an appendix of prayers during Mass (before & after are provided). While referencing the text of the Gloria, the Confiteor, etc., the full text was not provided. Obviously these can be obtained elsewhere, but it would have been nice to have them for reference in this book.



In summary, Dubruiel's work ought to provide an entertaining and instructive read for any Catholic - cradle, convert, or returning, as well as providing a full explanation for non-Catholics wondering what the "smells & bells" are all about.









Actually, if you go to the Amazon link, you can click on new and used copies and I'll sell you a new copy cheaper than they are selling it for ($9.00) and if you'd like to give the book as a gift to someone I'll even autograph it specifically to that person. You can order it through Amazon but you'll be getting it from me.

Here is a New Twist



The story is rather unclear as to why the parishioners are no longer welcome in their parish. Did they rat on the priest? If so the priest should be suspended for sending the letters.



From ClickOnDetroit.com - News - Parishioners Expelled As Priest Is Investigated:



"The 15 families of Our Lady of Grace Vietnamese Catholic Church in Eastpointe received letters by certified mail stating they were no longer welcome in their parish, Local 4 reported Thursday. The letters went out after allegations from church members that their priest allowed his brother -- a defrocked priest -- to perform sacred services.



Church members said they would ignore their priest's request and attend their parish on Sunday.

'Whatever happened I'm not going to leave until the pope come and say to me, Adam, you cannot participate in the church,' kicked-out parishioner Adam Nguyn said. "

Have You Read Either of These Books?











I'm interested in hearing what you thought.

Only Six Clicks Away From Reaching Whoever You Want





Most of you are familiar with the six degrees of separation theory where everyone on the planet is reacheable through six people. You call your friend in Boston, who is a friend of someone in Paris, who is related to someone in Lyon, who knows the mayor, who once studied with the Pope.



Now the theory has been applied to the internet. I would have thought if anything that the ability to connect would have been greatly reduced to three or four degrees of separation.



From theage.com.au - The Age:



"Email users are only six mouse-clicks away from anyone else in cyberspace, a team including two Australian researchers at New York's Columbia University has found.

Drawing on the six degrees of separation theory, the experiment involved more than 60,000 participants in 166 countries who registered online.



Volunteers were asked to begin an email chain to reach 18 'target' people in 13 countries, including Australia.



Each person in the chain was to forward the email to someone they thought would get it closer to the target. Although some message chains died out, researchers found that emails could reach their targets in an average of five to seven steps.



'This study was based on a much older study conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1950s and out of which the phrase 'six degrees of separation' is likely to have arisen,' said researcher Duncan Watts, who studied physics at the Australian Defence Force Academy before further study in the US.



Associate Professor Watts said the internet allowed researchers to gather detailed information from a large number of participants. "

Who Need Pre-marriage Counseling? Algebra is What is Needed!



From Yahoo! News - Algebra points way to a happy marriage:



"A mathematician says he can predict with almost total accuracy which newly wed couples will enjoy a happy marriage -- using two lines of algebra.



Professor James Murray says the two formulae he devised have a 94 percent success rate when it comes to forecasting whether a couple will stay together, the Daily Telegraph reported on Friday.



The formulae were calculated during a 10-year study of 700 couples in the United States conducted by Murray, a mathematics professor at the University of Washington, Seattle.

The experiment, conducted with the help of a psychologist, involved observing the couples during a 15 minute conversation when they were newly married, Murray said.

He presented his findings to a conference in Dundee, Scotland, for the first time on Thursday, the Telegraph said.



A couple's ability to communicate on subjects such as sex, child-rearing or money was measured using a scale that gave positive points for good signals, such as smiles and affectionate gestures, and negative points for bad signals, such as rolling of the eyes, mocking and coldness."

No, You Think?



CBS distorted the document?



From Catholic World News (CWN):



"A CBS network news report, claiming that the Holy See orchestrated a cover-up of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, is based on a gross misinterpretation of a 1962 Vatican document.



In a sensationalist report aired on August 6, CBS Evening News claimed to have discovered a secret document proving that the Vatican had approved-- and even demanded-- a longstanding policy of covering up clerics' sexual misdeeds.



The document cited by CBS does nothing of the sort.



In fact the network's story misrepresented the Vatican document so thoroughly that it is difficult to attribute the inaccuracy to honest error.



The CBS story is based on a secret Instruction issued to bishops in March 1962 by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, then the prefect of the Holy Office (now known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). That document sets forth the canonical procedures to be followed when a priest is charged with the ecclesiastical crime of 'solicitation'-- that is, using the confessional to tempt penitents to engage in sexual activity. "

Google Demos



Try out Google viewer, real neet!



labs.google.com - Google Demos

Looking for a Catalog?



Beta Version:



Google Catalog Search

In Africa if You Don't Believe--Get Out!



In this country that would mean the exit of 60% of the teachers.



From allAfrica.com: Uganda: Leave Catholic Schools, Non-Believers Told:



"THE Bishop of Lugazi Diocese, Dr. Matthias Sekamaanya, has said parents and teachers who do not want to obey Catholic rules should not seek vacancies in Catholic-founded schools.

'It is not my problem that I am a Catholic, but my mission is to see Catholic ideologies imparted in the followers of the Church. Parents and teachers who cannot obey these rules should look for other places to work,' he said.



Sekamaanya was on Saturday speaking at St Peter Clavier Church, Namagunga during the Teacher's Day celebrations.



'We have initiated a new education policy for Lugazi Diocese that will guide Catholic schools. It is coming out soon.



'We want to see that Catholic students are given higher priority in admissions,' he said."

New Catholic Blog



Well worth checking out!



Times Against Humanity

Indiana



From

WISH TV:



"Workers at a car wash saw a bizarre scene at a bank machine, and it led police to what they think is a complex plot involving identity theft in Greenwood.



Officers arrested a man claiming to be from Texas, but he carried three different drivers' licenses. It left police officers trying to figure out who the suspect really was.



A car wash employee saw a bizarre scene at an automated teller, and told his co-workers. Someone was wearing motorcycle headgear while withdrawing money from the machine without a motorcycle anywhere in sight."

It Begins...



One day after the Episcopal Church made a move that has rocked the Anglican Church, leading to a massive protest within the convention of Episcopalians meeting in Minneapolis as reported by Rachel Zoll here. What does CBS Evening News lead off with tonight?



Kolbe Bryant you guess, nope that didn't make it.



Arnold's run for the CA governor, wrong again (Matt Drudge breaks this after breaking earlier that Arnie wouldn't run).



The crisis facing the Episcopal church, well of course? Again, not even close.



So what was the top story of the day? This:



Sex Crimes Cover-Up By Vatican?



From CBS news:



For decades, priests in this country abused children in parish after parish while their superiors covered it all up. Now it turns out the orders for this cover up were written in Rome at the highest levels of the Vatican.



CBS News Correspondent Vince Gonzales has uncovered a church document kept secret for 40 years.



The confidential Vatican document, obtained by CBS News, lays out a church policy that calls for absolute secrecy when it comes to sexual abuse by priests - anyone who speaks out could be thrown out of the church.



The policy was written in 1962 by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani.



The document, once "stored in the secret archives" of the Vatican, focuses on crimes initiated as part of the confessional relationship and what it calls the "worst crime": sexual assault committed by a priest" or "attempted by him with youths of either sex or with brute animals."



Bishops are instructed to pursue these cases "in the most secretive way...restrained by a perpetual silence...and everyone {including the alleged victim) ...is to observe the strictest secret, which is commonly regarded as a secret of the Holy Office...under the penalty of excommunication."



Larry Drivon, a lawyer who represents alleged victims, said, “This document is significant because it's a blueprint for deception.”



Drivon said the document proves what he has alleged on behalf of victims in priest-abuse lawsuits: that the church engaged in Mafia-style behavior -- racketeering.



“It's an instruction manual on how to deceive and how to protect pedophiles,” Drivon said. "And exactly how to avoid the truth coming out."



First of all this is hardly news at all. Knowledge of this document has been around for weeks. It is old and it may indeed be responsible for much of the cover-up that went on in a different day and time, but it is hardly the big story of the day. Why would CBS lead off with this when there is so much other big news today?



Read the first paragraph again of the news story. This is exactly the way it was read at the top of the newscast. Is that objective reporting? Is that what has been going on in the Catholic Church?

Prediction: (in McLaughlin Group fashion)



The Media is About to Launch a Renewed Attack on the Catholic Church



The recent Episcopalian decision to openly consecrate an openly homosexual bishop will unleash a renewed attack on the Roman Catholic Church.



Why?



Because it will afford many newspapers an opportunity to "out" certian high ranking Catholic bishops who have long been rumoured to be active homosexuals. Several papers were close to doing this last year but didn't want to appear to be anti-homosexual by exposing these prelates at the same time as the sexual abuse of the minors was the main issue. It would have made the papers seem to be unsympathetic to homsexuality linking it with the deviant behavior of pedophilia.



Now they have their opportunity and I fully expect them to act on it.



This (if in fact it happens and I fully expect that it will), lends great credibility to the critiques of Father Benedict Groeschel's claim that the media circus that surrounded the sad revelations of clergy abuse last year were more idealogically driven and not as they were portrayed at the time a true search for the truth. Father Groeschel's critique can be read in his bestselling book From Scandal to Hope that I have linked to at the end of this post.



When these stories hit, make no mistake, they are being released with an agenda that is essentially anti-Catholic.



Of course it goes without saying that if the Church did a better job of policing itself there would be little to for the media to report. That is another issue and one that we should pray that the Holy Spirit will use whatever crisis arises to remedy and rectify.



But the truth is not the issue where the media is concerned, especially in this case for if it were these stories would have been released some time ago and not as I predict in the next few weeks.

Want to Own a Home? Move to Fort Wayne, IN



From of all places The New York Times:



Not a single house in Fort Wayne — a small, manufacturing-heavy city halfway between Chicago and Detroit, with a jobless rate below the nation's — has sold this year for more than $800,000, according to real estate industry data. That is roughly the average price of a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan.



"The real housing boom is fairly concentrated," said Mark M. Zandi, the chief economist of Economy .com, a research firm. "And at the moment, it is clearly keeping the economy afloat in those areas."



There is no such cushion throughout much of the nation's interior. Some economists argue that the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate cuts might have been more effective at ending the economic slowdown if the gains in house prices — and the potential they create for consumer spending — had been more broadly shared.



Last year, Tom and Judy Auer sold the four-bedroom Fort Wayne house where they raised their three children for $107,900, or slightly less than the $34,000 they bought it for in 1974, after adjusting for inflation. Without a bonanza from the sale, the couple now live in a smaller house in Fort Wayne, relying on the pension from Mr. Auer's job as a hardware salesman at Sears, Roebuck and Social Security, which they began drawing early.



Marva and Bill Herx, on the other hand, left Fort Wayne in 1998 to move to the Philadelphia suburbs for his job. When they returned last year, they had made enough profit selling their Pennsylvania house — for about 40 percent more than the purchase price — that they were able to move into a house in Fort Wayne noticeably bigger than the one they had left.



"The home costs in Fort Wayne have stayed pretty much the same," said Ms. Herx, who is in her 50's. "In Philadelphia, we made a good profit in just four years."

It is good that we are here!



When Pope John Paul prophetically added the Mysteries of Light to the meditations of the rosary last October, he remarked that the Transfiguration was the preminent "mystery of light" in that it exemplified the others in a remarkable way. I have meditated on the mysteries of light myself, now for about eight months. Over the course of these meditations it has become more apparent that one of the essential elements of the spirituality of these mysteries is the statement of St. Peter on the mount at the transfiguration, "It is good that we are here, Rabbi!"



The title Peter uses "Rabbi" or teacher is also illustrative of what the Christian life is all about as it is lived. Jesus teaches us by his passion, death and resurection to view the daily events of life in a way that is only possible if we have faith in Him. Suddenly every element of our lives becomes a potential ephiphany, likely encounter. Truly, "light has shone in the darkness."



The Liturgy of the Hours for today presents a reading from St. Paul in the Office of Readings. I found it an intersting choice until I arrived at this part of the passage:



We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practise cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.



For those who live in the world and have not come to truly believe (place all of their trust in) in Jesus Christ (this would include many of us) there is a blindness that keeps us from seeing the light. The mysteries of light point out our need to truly be baptized ("I must decrease, he must increase"); to give the water of our humanity to the Lord that he might turn it into the wine of His Divinity; to seek first the Kingdom of God in all of our actions; to come to know the ways of the Lord in the Scriptures (exemplified by Moses, Elijah and Jesus transfigured in the world) and to be fed by His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.



Experiencing the Kingdom of God here on earth is something that the Eucharist makes possible. Our participation in the Eucharist takes us from our sinfulness, to God's revelation, to our acceptance of God's Kingship, to a seat at the Banquet and a meal fit for a King and then a mission to "go" back into the world and to experience it transfigured in the light of God's kingdom. Mother Teresa stands as the greatest example we have of what it would be like to be such a believer. Literally to see Christ everywhere!



Today's feast is an invitation to change, to repent, to have our eyes opened by the Master. At every moment of today say with St. Peter, "It is good that we are here, Rabbi" in your light we see everything anew, where before all we did was curse the darkness.

Fr. John Harvey Explains Church's Position on Homosexuality



The context of his talk and interview was the firing of the music director of this parish who was openly gay and refused to take a public vow of chastity.



I wonder how many parishes this has been done in?





From the Rockford Register Star:



REGISTER STAR: What do you think of Bill Stein, Holy Family’s former music director who is gay and was fired in June for his refusal to take a vow of chastity?



ANSWER: In my opinion, he is a Catholic and he knew the rules. We are supposed to live our lives in accordance with the Catholic faith and he has violated that rule in a serious way by being involved in a same-sex union and by wanting to adopt a child as well. We, the Catholic Church, do not support that idea of same-sex couples raising children for good reason, and that is the right of the child. We contend that a child should have a mother and a father. Being raised by two people of the same sex can lead to a child suffering deprivation with regard to relationships to persons of the opposite sex.



Q: What do you think of the decision facing the Episcopalian Church regarding what could be that denomination’s first homosexual bishop?



A: The Catholic Church will oppose ordaining an openly gay man to the episcopacy because a bishop should pattern his life upon the example of the 12 Apostles and Christ in which a homosexual act is seen as seriously immoral under all circumstances. He could be a very nice person, but his style of life is contrary to the Gospel. I’ve spent 50 years of my life working with homosexual people, and they all suffer a deprivation in not being attracted to the opposite sex. I have nothing against homosexuals, but I oppose homosexual activity.



Q: Summarize why the Catholic Church believes homosexuality is wrong.



A: The church holds that a homosexual act by its very nature is wrong because it doesn’t fulfill the purpose of a human sexual act. Normally, the union of marriage is a permanent commitment of a man to a woman with the hope of producing children. In some marriages, a child doesn’t come. If nature itself doesn’t produce children, that’s different. There are two purposes for a human sexual act: the union of a man and a woman and the procreation of children.



Q: What is the philosophy and purpose of COURAGE, your support ministry for homosexual-oriented Catholics?



A: Our philosophy is that men and women with same-sex attraction can desire to have a chaste life in accordance with the Roman Catholic teaching. Our purpose is then to teach these people how to practice chastity. That’s not easy, so we formed a support group for them back in 1980. We have five purposes: to live in accordance with Roman Catholic teachings; to develop interior prayer and learn to pray with the heart; to come together regularly to discuss our life and experiences so that none of us will have to practice the pain of homosexuality alone because you need to talk about it; fourth, it is necessary to form good friendships in order to be chaste; and to give a good example to others.



Q: Is it more difficult for a homosexual to live a chaste life than a heterosexual?



A: It’s much more difficult for a homosexual. A heterosexual can live a life of prayer and meet someone and enter into a life of conjugal chastity, but a homosexual can only live a life of chastity through prayer and the help of Christ.

Sneak Preview of Mel Gibson's The Passion



Harvest Online | Special

Amy's New Blog



New look, new name:



open book

New Book by Martin Farkus!



Congratulations!

Interesting Update on All Things Vatican



From www.chiesa | The Keys of the Vatican. Nominations Foreseen, Promotions Discussed:



"John Paul II has been at his summer residence at Castelgandolfo since July 10, and has temporarily lightened up on his anti-Parkinson’s medication, as decided by his neurologists. The effects are noticeable: he has more difficulty in breathing and in speaking. But there’s less worry about his health inside the Vatican than outside.



Or rather, there’s really no worry at all. The current idea at the top levels of the Church is that Pope John Paul will last a good while longer. They believe that in March of 2004, he will gain the distinction of the second longest pontificate in history, apart from that of St. Peter, surpassing Leo XIII. They think that even the golden record of Pius IX, whose pontificate lasted 31 years and 7 months, is not beyond his reach.



Moreover, like Leo XIII during his last years, John Paul II doesn’t walk anymore. He gets around only in a wheelchair. For this reason, this year he has foregone his vacation in the mountains. There is a swimming pool at Castelgandolfo that the pope had built during his earlier years of rugged sportsmanship. He spends a few hours a week in it, in a special flotation device, to exercise his arms and legs. He is making only a few day trips to the mountains, the most recent being one to Gran Sasso on Thursday, July 24.



But both he and his supporting clerics continue to do everything according to routine. John Paul II has cancelled his planned visit to Mongolia, but has confirmed the one to Slovakia from September 11-14, his 102nd trip outside of Italy, and in recent days has put France on the list for next year.



Next October will be extremely intense for him. From the 16-18, the twenty-fifth anniversary of his election, the pope will have gathered around him, in Rome, allof the cardinals from around the world. He wants to hear their opinions about what has been accomplished during the past twenty-five years, and on the things still to be done. Immediately after, on the 19th, there will be the blockbuster beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.



Apart from all this, John Paul II is preparing a series of nominations of the highest importance, in the Vatican and beyond, to all appearances as if he intended to govern for a long time. A consistory for the nomination of new cardinals has been planned for next February. And half a dozen of the highest-placed leaders will vanish from the scene, having reached the age limits of their offices.



One of these is the cardinal Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano. He would gladly give up his position to the ambitious and hyperactive prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Crescenzio Sepe. But his real successor will probably be the current prefect for the Congregation for Bishops, Giovanni Battista Re, whom the pope favors and who has the full support of the pope’s powerful secretary, Stanislaw Dziwisz.



Another major figure about to leave is Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the head of the Holy Office, who should be replaced by his right-hand man, archbishop Angelo Amato, a specialist in Asian religions and one of the principal drafters of the declaration “Dominus Iesus.”



The Vatican foreign minister, Jean-Louis Tauran, is also on his way out, for health reasons. His successor will likely be Claudio Maria Celli, a leading expert on China and the East and the present secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See."

Spread the Wealth!



From my email:



When there is nothing left but God, that is when

you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds

and give this a shot! All you do is simply say the

following small prayer for the person who sent you

this.



Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is

that You know they may be needing this day! And may

their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power

as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with

you. Amen.



Then send it on to five other people, including the

one who sent it to you. Within hours five people have

prayed for you, and you caused a multitude of people

to pray for other people. Then sit back and watch the

power of God work in your life.



P. S. Five is good, but more is better.

Vote On Gay Bishop Delayed; Allegations Surface



I guess its good to know there are some things that are still considered immoral.



From nbc4.com - News - :



"The spokesman said the postponement came after allegations emerged involving 'touching' and 'pornography.' He declined to elaborate, saying only that Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold is expected to make a statement later in the day Monday.



The church's House of Deputies has voted overwhelmingly to approve Robinson, who faces a final vote in the House of Bishops. "

NASCAR and Race



Article in the Indianapolis Star takes a look at the "whiteness" of the sport. There is only one black owner of a Winston Cup team. There is currently only one black driver and that is in the Craftsman Truck series.



I excerpt the part with a quote from Mike Bianchi the greatest sports writer living today!



From the Indy Star:



"NASCAR points to an ESPN Sports Poll that says its fan base is 8.9 percent black and has made significant gains in recent years.



That would surprise Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi, who, tongue in cheek, calculated the crowd at Daytona International Speedway for last month's Pepsi 400 this way: 174,997 white people and three black people."

Even Spiritual Leaders Don't Get It



There is a huge crisis in the Catholic priesthood that has to be addressed. It relates to what I've written below on sex and the Christian.



For most people there are two ways to view sex. 1). It's great and should be indulged in often whenever the opportunity arises, 2) It's evil and should be avoided at all costs. Both are ways a "fallen" world views.



The Christian view is that sex has a purpose both unitive and procreative. It is a sign of the creative love that God has for us.



Think of the sad state of the church when after a year of non-stop coverage of priestly sex crimes in the press, that priests are still out there doing such things as this priest did last week. It is sad, and I believe further evidence that even our spiritual leaders have forgotten the difference that Christ can make in our lives.



We should pray and expect that things will change as we ourselves allow Our Lord to change us.



From WCPO:



"A Tri-state priest is on leave after pleading no contest to engaging in sexual misconduct in a Dayton, Ohio park.



The incident happened more than a week ago, but the priest continued serving in his Green Township parish until Friday morning.



This is a new kind of scandal to confront the Archdiocese of Cincinnati: it doesn't involve a priest sexually abusing a child, but a priest soliciting sex in a park. "

Sex (All of It Hetero, Homo, and All Variations) and the Christian



Not surprisingly, the recent Vatican statement addressing the growing phenomena of governments giving legal recognition to homosexual relationships has caused quite a stir. Add to it the President speaking out against it and hinting at some law needed to prevent it. Then top it off with the extensive coverage given to the New Hampshire Episcopal candidate for their Episcopacy who is divorced and openly living in a homosexual relationship.



Here is a shocker for some of you more traditionally minded Christians. The world is a fallen place and as such everything that had meaning originally is a little off center. As Jesus said in reference to marriage and divorce “it wasn’t supposed to be that way in the beginning.” We live in a fallen world and as such all activity is rather confused and suffers from a “meaning” gap that was part of the original plan but because something other than God has become the central focus of life is lost on us as much as we make whatever isn’t God, god in our lives.



Of course for Christians, Jesus has made possible the restoration of the Kingdom of God. Christians shouldn’t be like the rest of people living in the “fallen” world, but they should be a “light”, a “leaven”, “salt” that those living in the meaningless, fallen world can look to and say “see how they love one another” (the early amazement recorded in Acts of the Apostles).



For a variety of reasons though modern Christians have become rather indistinguishable from the rest of the world. In some ways like members of an Elks club they still go through the rituals at their weekly meetings but when it comes right down to it there is little that would separate them from the “world” that they live in.



So when it comes to understanding the teaching of the Catholic Church on any of these issues of sexuality, not surprisingly those of us who are very attached to our corner of the fallen world just don’t get it. We want the followers of Christ to burn incense to the emperor just like we are. It bothers us that someone can still think that sex of whatever ilk is disordered in anyway (although even the fallen world still has its standards). But of course for the Christian there is the knowledge that even our “minds” share in this fallen condition so that we do not see clearly what is good and what is bad for us.



The modern world is littered with the psychological baggage of those who have acted on their desires and impulses. Most end up in Twelve Step programs that aim at helping them recover by acknowledging their powerlessness and their need to embrace a “higher power” so that by taking one day at a time they might live a new life.



Many of us act like spectators at a demolition derby wondering who of our acquaintances will survive all of the self-destructive behavior that we witness on the side lines of their lives. We would never think of offering them something better, frankly because we haven’t found it ourselves.



What the world needs now is the witness of a new people restored by the grace of Christ. People who have repented from their way of thinking with a fallen world and have been raised to see the “way” things were meant to be. When all of us witness the life these people live we too will want what they have, but unfortunately they are few in the days in which we live. Mainly because the followers of Christ have forgotten who Christ is and the power that he offers to those who believe “trust” in Him.

Because Football Season is just 4 weeks away...



And the University of Florida is ranked the lowest in preseason since the pre-Spurrier days, FireRonZook.com Home Page

Strange Illness in Iraq



From Newsday.com: Army Sends Teams to Probe Iraq Illness:



"The Army is trying to figure out what is causing a rash of serious pneumonia cases, including two fatalities, among soldiers serving in Iraq.



A six-person team of specialists was en route to Iraq Friday to investigate 14 cases of pneumonia serious enough that the soldiers had to be put on ventilators to breathe and evacuated from the region, the Army Surgeon General's office said Friday.



Two soldiers died, nine recovered and three were still hospitalized as of Thursday, spokeswoman Lyn Kukral said.



The team on its way to Iraq includes infectious disease experts, laboratory officers and people who will take samples of soil, water and air.



So far, officials have identified no infectious agent common to all the cases. There is no evidence any of the cases were caused by exposure to chemical or biological weapons, environmental toxins or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), officials said. "

Recommended Book



Ever since I picked up this book back toward the beginning of the year it has been one of my favorites. Kugel points out how the God of the Old Testament is not an aloof God but rather one who shows up time and time again when people least expect it. A great read!

Steve Young, Michael Jackson and Bill Murray Put There Names on the Ballot for California Recall



But of course it isn't the famous people you know, just people who share their names.



From Newsday.com - It Could Be a Long, Quirky Ballot:



"By Thursday afternoon, with nine days to go before the deadline for declaring a candidacy in the Oct. 7 recall election, more than 200 people statewide had taken the first step of filing papers with their county registrars.



Hollywood billboard fixture Angelyne has pulled papers with the Los Angeles County registrar. So has sometime pornographer Larry Flynt.



Michael Jackson, Bill Murray and Steve Young are angling to run — though not the Michael Jackson, Bill Murray, or Steve Young."

Nun Accused of Sexual Misconduct



Bridgeport diocese, her female secretary makes the charge.



From The News-Times:



"Sister M. Bernice Stobierski came to St. Joseph’s School in Brookfield as a principal in November and resigned in June.

Starting in December, the school’s secretary, through her lawyer, claims that the nun made unwanted sexual advances, patted the secretary on the buttocks, brushed against her breasts and masturbated in front of her.



After years of receiving complaints about sexual misconduct involving priests, officials at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport say this is the first such accusation involving a nun. A diocese spokesman called the claims 'outrageous.” "

This Reminds Me of Quiz Show



From Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:



"John Paul II encouraged the Belgian people to follow the example of Belgian King Baudouin whose 10th anniversary was celebrated today.



Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Malines-Brussels, read the Pope's message during the commemorative Mass held in the Cathedral in Belgium's capital. The Pope assured his prayers for the sovereign and his closeness to all the royal family, to the authorities, and to all the people of Belgium.



May 'his life of service, rooted in a profound relation with God and founded on essential values' encourage the Belgian people 'to follow in his footsteps to build an ever more just and fraternal society, in respect of the dignity of persons,' the papal letter states.



Born in 1930, he was just 21 when he was constitutionally sworn in as King Baudouin I, fifth king of the Belgians. "

New Bishops for Brooklyn (Daily is gone), Charlotte and Houma-Thibodaux



In Brooklyn, Bishop Daily's successor is Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of Camden, N.J.



The pope transferred Bishop Sam G. Jacobs of Alexandria, La., to Houma-Thibodaux, and he named Father Peter J. Jugis, a Charlotte diocesan priest, as the new bishop of Charlotte.

Are Some Recent American Soldier Fatalities in Iraq the Results of Suicide?



From Sunday Times:



"US forces in Iraq have suffered cases of probable suicide, a senior military official said today, amid slumping morale among troops faced with daily and deadly attacks.



The senior officer, who asked not to be named, said that among 53 US military non-combat deaths since May 1, when the war was declared effectively over, were 'probable' suicides as well as a large number of road accidents.



He did not say how many soldiers were suspected of committing suicide."

Vandals Destroy Statues Outside Catholic Church



Mike O'Mara is a college classmate of mine. This is an inner city parish in downtown Indianapolis. It is a poor Hispanic parish. I hope that the local parishes down there would consider pitching in the money to repair the church (in many ways symbolic of the sort of welcome US Catholics are giving to Hispanic immigrants).



From The Indianapolis Star:



"Two life-size statues were toppled at St. Mary Catholic Church, 317 N. New Jersey St., between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, causing about $5,000 in damage, according to police and the Rev. Michael O'Mara, church pastor.



The head of the St. Joseph statue, which stood at the top of the concrete steps leading to the church, was found in the street early Wednesday by a passer-by, who notified police.



A statue of Mary in front of the rectory also was knocked over.

'As much as I felt hurt for myself, I felt hurt for the people who did the damage,' O'Mara said. 'Perhaps they had anger over something or were drinking, but they acted in an inappropriate manner.'

The church was built in 1912, though the parish community dates to 1858.



O'Mara said the deductible on the church's insurance is $5,000, and he doesn't know where he will find the money to repair or replace the marble statues."

Recommended Book



I know Merton has been dead since December of 1968 but if it is possible to have a new book out in spite of death this is it. Due to an expressed desire that this book not be published that Merton left in his will (written about a year before he died unexpectedly) this manuscript that he subsequently did finish and express oral desire to see published has remained unpublished until now.



The book is an excellent presentation of the contemplative life and points out all that is wrong with many cute attempts to make liturgy or prayer something other than what it really is ---conversation with God at our most inner depths.

Hoax Perp May be Arrested Soon



From the Indianapolis Star:



"The woman who fooled an Indiana family with her claim to be their abducted daughter may be arrested in a few days, an Indiana State Police detective said this morning.



Donna L. Walker of Topeka, Kan., faces charges of identity deception, a felony, and a misdemeanor count of false reporting.

'We're hopeful to have her in custody in a few days,' Lt. Jeff Heck said today on NBC's 'Today' show.



Appearing with Heck was Mike Sherrill, still reeling from having his hopes dashed that his daughter would be returned after 17 years.

Sherrill, his former wife, Dorothy Sherrill, and other family members learned that they were victims of a hoax shortly before a press conference Wednesday when police revealed the scheme."



I have a problem with the way the Indiana State Police kept the family in suspense. This seems almost as criminal as what the woman did to them by raising their hopes.



I also think there is more to this story that will come out when the woman is arrrested. She would have been 19 at the time that the Sherrill's daughter disappeared. Might she have been involved in some way with the disappearance? Could there be an element of truth in all of this deception? A guilty conscience returning to the scene of the crime? I'm betting that there is a connection. We'll see.

Vatican Condemns Gay Marriage



Oops, here it is in English.







First the document lays out what exactly "marriage" is:



The Church's teaching on marriage and on the complementarity of the sexes reiterates a truth that is evident to right reason and recognized as such by all the major cultures of the world. Marriage is not just any relationship between human beings. It was established by the Creator with its own nature, essential properties and purpose.(3) No ideology can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman, who by mutual personal gift, proper and exclusive to themselves, tend toward the communion of their persons. In this way, they mutually perfect each other, in order to cooperate with God in the procreation and upbringing of new human lives.



3. The natural truth about marriage was confirmed by the Revelation contained in the biblical accounts of creation, an expression also of the original human wisdom, in which the voice of nature itself is heard. There are three fundamental elements of the Creator's plan for marriage, as narrated in the Book of Genesis.



In the first place, man, the image of God, was created “male and female” (Gen 1:27). Men and women are equal as persons and complementary as male and female. Sexuality is something that pertains to the physical-biological realm and has also been raised to a new level – the personal level – where nature and spirit are united.



Marriage is instituted by the Creator as a form of life in which a communion of persons is realized involving the use of the sexual faculty. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and they become one flesh” (Gen 2:24).



Third, God has willed to give the union of man and woman a special participation in his work of creation. Thus, he blessed the man and the woman with the words “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Therefore, in the Creator's plan, sexual complementarity and fruitfulness belong to the very nature of marriage.



Furthermore, the marital union of man and woman has been elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. The Church teaches that Christian marriage is an efficacious sign of the covenant between Christ and the Church (cf. Eph 5:32). This Christian meaning of marriage, far from diminishing the profoundly human value of the marital union between man and woman, confirms and strengthens it (cf. Mt 19:3-12; Mk 10:6-9).



Then concludes:



There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family. Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law. Homosexual acts “close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved”.(4)



Sacred Scripture condemns homosexual acts “as a serious depravity... (cf. Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10). This judgment of Scripture does not of course permit us to conclude that all those who suffer from this anomaly are personally responsible for it, but it does attest to the fact that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered”.(5) This same moral judgment is found in many Christian writers of the first centuries(6) and is unanimously accepted by Catholic Tradition.



And then adds for good measure:



Nonetheless, according to the teaching of the Church, men and women with homosexual tendencies “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided”.(7) They are called, like other Christians, to live the virtue of chastity.(8) The homosexual inclination is however “objectively disordered”(9) and homosexual practices are “sins gravely contrary to chastity”



The rest of the document lays out the case for why should we care and what we should do about the move in many countries (and states) to legalize the marriage of homesexual couples:



It might be asked how a law can be contrary to the common good if it does not impose any particular kind of behaviour, but simply gives legal recognition to a de facto reality which does not seem to cause injustice to anyone. In this area, one needs first to reflect on the difference between homosexual behaviour as a private phenomenon and the same behaviour as a relationship in society, foreseen and approved by the law, to the point where it becomes one of the institutions in the legal structure. This second phenomenon is not only more serious, but also assumes a more wide-reaching and profound influence, and would result in changes to the entire organization of society, contrary to the common good. Civil laws are structuring principles of man's life in society, for good or for ill. They “play a very important and sometimes decisive role in influencing patterns of thought and behaviour”.(14) Lifestyles and the underlying presuppositions these express not only externally shape the life of society, but also tend to modify the younger generation's perception and evaluation of forms of behaviour. Legal recognition of homosexual unions would obscure certain basic moral values and cause a devaluation of the institution of marriage.



To the politicians (Ted Kennedy and others):



If it is true that all Catholics are obliged to oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions, Catholic politicians are obliged to do so in a particular way, in keeping with their responsibility as politicians. Faced with legislative proposals in favour of homosexual unions, Catholic politicians are to take account of the following ethical indications.



When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favour of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral.



When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is already in force, the Catholic politician must oppose it in the ways that are possible for him and make his opposition known; it is his duty to witness to the truth. If it is not possible to repeal such a law completely, the Catholic politician, recalling the indications contained in the Encyclical Letter Evangelium vitae, “could licitly support proposals aimed at limiting the harm done by such a law and at lessening its negative consequences at the level of general opinion and public morality”, on condition that his “absolute personal opposition” to such laws was clear and well known and that the danger of scandal was avoided.(18) This does not mean that a more restrictive law in this area could be considered just or even acceptable; rather, it is a question of the legitimate and dutiful attempt to obtain at least the partial repeal of an unjust law when its total abrogation is not possible at the moment.





It will be interesting if not predictable to see how Catholic politicians will respond to this teaching. Since most with some exceptions (Santorum, Dornan) don't listen to the church when it comes to what it teaches about life issues, it seems unlikely that they will listen to the church on this issue. So the ball is in our court--loyal Catholic voters--Who will you vote for to represent you?

The Man Who Brought the World Elvis, Cash, Conway and Jerry Lee is Dead



From the Austinstatesman.com | Sam Phillips 1923-2003:



"Sam Phillips, who discovered Elvis Presley and helped usher in the rock 'n' roll revolution, died Wednesday. He was 80.

Phillips died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital, his son Knox Phillips said. He said his father had been in declining health for a year.



Sam Phillips founded Sun Records in Memphis in 1952 and helped launch the career of Presley, then a young singer who had moved from Tupelo, Miss. He also worked with B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Conway Twitty and Charlie Rich"

Sad News--Call to Parents of Missing Child was a Hoax



Indianapolis Star--Woman charged with Shannon hoax: "It was a cruel hoax, police said today, that renewed a Boone County family's hope that a daughter missing for 17 years was about to come home.

A Kansas woman is charged with identity deception and false reporting, police said at a press conference this afternoon. Donna Walker, 35, Topeka, is not in custody and police asked for help in locating her.

Walker used the telephone and e-mails to make the family of Shannon Sherrill think that she may have been the missing girl, police said

Shannon was 6 when she disappeared Oct. 5, 1986 outside her mother's trailer home in Thorntown.

Without warning, Dorothy Sherrill received a call Saturday from a woman saying she may be her daughter, said Indiana State Police spokesman First Sgt. David Bursten. The girl would be 22 years old.

Bursten said the investigation determined it was Walker actually making the contacts, but they don't know why she did it."

Archbishop Ends Homily with the "Real Prayer" of Saint Francis



From Boston.com / A New Archbishop for Boston:



"On Calvary there were but few people, because it takes courage to stand by the Cross. Today we of the Church of Boston stand before the Cross. We are not alone. From the Cross Jesus gave us his mother: “Behold your Mother”. We Catholics all have a tender love for Our Lady. With her help we will be faithful disciples and will shall be sure: That those who sow in tears, shall reap rejoicing.



(In the words of Saint Francis we pray) We adore Thee Oh Christ and we bless Thee Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou Hast redeemed the World.



(In the words of Saint Francis we pray) We adore Thee Oh Christ and we bless Thee Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou Hast redeemed the World. "

Segregation Makes a Return



ABCNEWS.com : New York to Open Gay High School



One has to wonder why this is being allowed in the post civil rights era. Although on the surface this is being argued as a "good" thing for the protection of these students in reality it will open them up to possible worst persecution than they would have ever received in an integrated environment. Unlike the issue of race where color makes it evident to the racist of what race you are, in the world of sexuality things are not so black and white until you start sending your homosexual child to a homosexual school.



Hard to figure how this can be allowed or worst paid for by the tax payers in New York (in one of the worst school districts in the country).

A New Way to Pray Through the Gospel of Mark



It seems to be a current craze in spiritual circles, using the questions of Jesus in the gospels as way to meditation upon them. For example, Jesus asks his disciples "who do you say that I am?" Instead of just thinking about how they respond to the question, you imagine the question is being asked directly to you. What is your answer?



The only book that I know of so far to popularize this devotion is the one written by Monsignor Richard Antall, a priest from the Diocese of Cleveland who ministers in Latin America. He has written "Jesus Has a Question for You." I've linked to it below.

A Work in Progress



I'm working on an online bookstore in conjunction with Amazon where you can easily buy books either written by Amy or I--or recommended by us. So far we have a selection of our books at:



St. Joseph Catholic Online Books

Miracle for Anne Catherine Emerich Cause Happened in 1880!



Proof that the Church moves slowly on these matters.



From Zenit News Agency:



"The Church's recent recognition of a miracle has opened the doors to beatification for Anna Katharina Emmerick, a stigmatist and mystic whose written experience of Christ's life affects Christians today.



The miracle, attributed to this Augustinian religious, occurred in Germany in 1880; it was officially recognized by the Holy See on July 7, 2003. Although disabled, she developed a fruitful apostolate by writing about her personal experiences of the life of Christ.



On September 8, 1774, Anna Katharina Emmerick was born in a poor farm of the village of Flamske, in Coesfeld, the diocese of Munster, Westphalia, in Northeastern Germany, and was baptized the same day of her birth.



Beginning at 4 years of age, she had frequent visions of the history of salvation. After many difficulties caused by the family's poverty and opposition to her choice of a religious life, she entered the convent at Agnetenberg, in Dulmen, at 28.



After the civil authorities suppressed the convent, she moved to a private home. From 1813 onwards, sickness kept her immobile.



'She bore the stigmata of the Lord's Passion and received extraordinary charisms that she used to console numerous visitors. From her bed, she carried out an important and fruitful apostolate,' Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, said when reading the decree of recognition of a miracle before John Paul II.



Beginning that year, she was nourished strictly by Holy Communion, and endured exhaustive investigations by the diocese, Bonaparte's police, and the authorities.

Looking to make a jump on your Christmas Shopping?



Pre-order Amy's latest book! A great gift idea for children of all ages. Order now and you'll have it in plenty of time for the holidays.

Recommended Book of the Day



First, this is a book I worked on with Pat Madrid but let me give you the review of another publisher who has worked with Pat on books for his publishing house but still thinks this is the best one that Pat has done!



From Sophia Press' Publisher John Barger:



As is a fine Swiss Army knife to an avid outdoorsman, this book is essential to both the career apologist and the weekend evangelist. With a mere flick of the thumb, these pages fall open to a well crafted and highly researched response to any snare that a Bible thumping Protestant might lay in your spiritual path. Madrid's deft, eloquent explanations,-coupled with his meticulous Scriptural citations, -make this book the all-purpose survival tool for those of us who oft times feel that we're hacking our way through a tangle of "Biblical" challenges to our faith.

Problem with the Papacy? Flip open age 30. Need to refute an attack on Mary? Page 65. Got somebody questioning the existence of purgatory? Page 84. Etc., etc., etc.



I've worked with Madrid on a couple of his books, yet this small gem remains my favorite.



On page 14, Madrid recommends that the reader "take the notes and verses listed here and highlight them in your Bible." I did. The Bible I use when debating Protestants bears notes and citations I gleaned from Patrick Madrid's Where is That in the Bible. Your Bible should,too.

Today is the Feast of St. Martha



From the Office of Readings, this quote from St. Augustine:



No one of you should say: “Blessed are they who have deserved to receive Christ into their homes!” Do not grieve or complain that you were born in a time when you can no longer see God in the flesh. He did not in fact take this privilege from you. As he says: Whatever you have done to the least of my brothers, you did to me.

Cardinal Reveals Hope Died a Catholic



From CNS STORY::



"Entertainer Bob Hope died a Catholic, according to Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles.



'One of my greatest joys is knowing that Bob Hope died as a Catholic,' Cardinal Mahony said in a July 28 statement.



'Over the years I would invite him to join the church, but he would respond in his typical humor, 'My wife, Dolores, does enough praying to take care of both of us.' But eventually her prayers prevailed and he was baptized into the Catholic Church and was strengthened these past years through the regular reception of holy Communion.'

Evidently, Bob Hope was Catholic?



From Gallantry: The Electronic Newsletter for Knights:



"On January 4, 1998, Cardinal Roger Mahony presided over an Investiture ceremony in Los Angeles for the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great where over 60 Los Angeles citizens were granted papal Knighthood as Knights and Dames of the Order. Among those honored were actor/comedian Bob Hope and his wife Dolores, Fox Network owner Rupert Murdoch, actor Ricardo Montalban, and Disney executive Roy Disney, brother of Walt Disney.



The honorees were cited for their contributions to the Catholic Church, the Christian faith and their service and charity work. Murdoch and Disney are not Roman Catholics, but their wives are, and they were honored by the Order as well. News reports that Bob Hope is 'not Catholic' ignore the fact that (a) his mother was a Roman Catholic and had her son Baptized in the Roman Catholic Church (as reported in A&E's Biography of Bob Hope) and (b) Bob Hope married his wife Delores in a Roman Catholic Church in the days when Rome required that both parties in a Roman Catholic marriage be Roman Catholic."

Churches of the Stars?





A web site devoted to star gazing at church, this one a Catholic one where the late Bob Hope attended with his wife.



St. Charles Catholic Church