Happy Catholic: Cure for the Liturgical Blues

Thanks to Julie for a review of my latest book...

Want to Defeat Evil...Humility is the Answer

An exorcism course is being taught in Rome, yesterday the doors were opened to journalists...an excerpt from the class from Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:

According to the archbishop, 'we make use of this power to expel the demons. This power is real and must be taken seriously, but it must be exercised with great humility, avoiding hasty analyses or degenerating into magical arts of liberation, remembering always that it is Jesus who liberates, through the power of prayer that arises from faith, and through the power of the sacraments of faith.'

The prelate referred to a dialogue that St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars, said he had with the devil.

The latter said: 'I can do everything you do, I can also do your penances, I can imitate you in everything. There is one thing, however, that I cannot do, I cannot imitate you in humility.'

The saint answered: 'That's why I defeat you.'

'Humility,' continued the archbishop, 'is the best bulwark against the devil and humility always ends in prayer and adoration...

'[It is] a power that is obtained continuously from the cross, because the whole of
salvation stems from that event of infinite love with which Jesus entered history as Savior.'

Feast of the North American Martyrs

Prayer of Petition

O God, who inflamed the hearts of your blessed Martyrs with an admirable zeal for the salvation of souls, grant me, I beseech you, my petions and all the requests recommended here today, (here name your request) so that the favours obtained through their intercession may make manifest before all the power and the glory of your name. Amen.


St. Jean de Brébeuf, pray for us.

St. Isaac Jogues, pray for us.

St. Gabriel Lalemant, pray for us.

St. Antoine Daniel, pray for us.

St. Charles Garnier, pray for us.

St. Noël Chabanel, pray for us.

St. René Goupil, pray for us.

St. Jean de Lalande, pray for us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.

In the U.S.... National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

In Canada...Martyrs' Shrine

Strongest Hurricane Ever

Takes forecasters by surprise...most thought it wouldn't go above a Cat. 3...

From the Sun Sentinel:

Hurricane Wilma's sustained winds reached 175 mph and its pressure dropped as
low as 882 mb this morning, making it the strongest Category 5 hurricane on
record with a projected path that crosses southern Florida from west to east.

"This is the lowest pressure on record for a hurricane in the Atlantic
Basin," the National Hurricane Center said in a statement..

Synod on the Eucharist

John Allen discusses the propositions coming out of the Synod, and they are rather unremarkable. While the discussions have been forthright, it seems when all is said and done the Synod as a whole can think of nothing pastorally that might solve the problems that exist. I give you the two quotes that Allen gives to sum up all of this...From John Allen at NCR:

One synod participant told NCR on Tuesday morning that in his view, the propositions "faithfully reflect the discussion on the synod floor."

Another participant, however, expressed dissatisfaction. "I wonder why in the hell they brought us here and put us through all this," he said Oct. 18, "to say absolutely nothing more than what has been painfully said for decades."

This participant expressed hope that since Benedict XVI listened to most of the discussions, he might come up with more innovative responses to some of the pastoral problems identified in the synod.

Feast of St. Luke

From Luke, from The holy Bible, Revised Standard version:

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which
have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who
from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good
to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an
orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph'ilus, that you may know the
truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.

Luke 1:1-4

Objective Reporting???

Notice how the statue is referred to as an "idol". If you have a second you might want to drop the suburban Chicago news an email that'll point out that Catholics do not worship statues or idols but God alone!

See A visit from Our Lady:

A visit from Our Lady
Statue of Virgin Mary: Local parish is host to 33-foot idol for 2 weeks

Update (10-19-05): Has been corrected, thanks to all those who wrote and complained!