Roe's 34th year sees a new Washington

From The Washington Times:

The pro-life community -- participating in the annual March for Life today
-- is readying itself for Democrats seeking more funding for groups that support
abortion and perhaps lifting restrictions on federal funding for abortion.
But pro-life leaders note the House will still take a pro-life stance on many issues and that President Bush will likely veto objectionable legislation.

"We just need to do all we can to make the case that abortion exploits
women and destroys children," said Rep. Christopher H. Smith, New Jersey
Republican and chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus.


Mr. Smith also expects some Democrats -- especially those with their eyes
on the White House -- to strike a moderate, seemingly pro-life tone on abortion.


"There may be a bogus attempt to claim common ground while money is being
given to Planned Parenthood," he said, warning pro-lifers to be skeptical.

Meanwhile, activists on both sides are awaiting a decision by the Supreme Court, expected before June, on whether to uphold a federal law banning an abortion procedure sometimes called partial-birth abortion.

Christian Unity

Subject of today's Angelus from Asia News Italy:

Christians are “heirs to past divisions,” but “Christ can do anything, he ‘makes the deaf hear and (the) mute speak’ (Mk 7, 37),” he can instil in Christian the ardent desire to listen to and communicate with one another and speak together with Him the language of mutual love.” It is with this heartfelt emphasis that Benedict XVI referred to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an annual event that will be celebrated by many Christian denominations from January 18 to the 25.

“It is my intention to comment at length on this biblical subject,” said the Pope, “next January 25, liturgical feast of the Conversion of St Paul, when, on the occasion of the end of the ‘Week of Prayer,’ I shall preside over Vespers celebrations in the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, starting at 5.30 pm. I expect you to come in great numbers to that liturgical meeting since unity can be especially achieved through prayer, and the more prayer is unanimous, the more it is appreciated by God.”

John Paul to be Beatified this Fall?

According The Times the late Pope John Paul could be a Saint within 18 months...

From The Sunday Times:

This weekend the cardinal in charge of the process said he expected the
checks performed by the local dioceses on all three miracles to be complete by
April. A formal announcement is expected on April 2, the second anniversary of
John Paul's death, and senior Vatican sources expect him to be declared a saint
within 18 months.

Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Decatur, AL

The Families of Nazareth Movement

An interesting group that I met with at the Catholic Marketing Network trade show in Birmingham. I'll post a review of a book that they publish, but for now here is there web site. Well worth taking a look at, as well as checking out some of the titles which are excellent translations of spiritual writings that originally were published in Poland.

The Families of Nazareth Movement

Many readers of this blog would be helped by reading this book:

Nun's Super picks are in: Bears, Colts

From the USA Today, today:

Sister Jean Kenny, Catholic nun and football prognosticator, has made her pick for Sunday's NFC Championship Game: Chicago Bears 27, New Orleans Saints 24.
"Isn't that something? Most of the time, 99.9% of the time, I'm for the Saints, but not this Sunday," Kenny says.

Kenny, 57, based in her hometown of Chicago, is a Bears fan. She says she puts that aside when she makes her picks. She correctly has picked the winners of 17 of the past 21 Super Bowls.

Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Revisited)

Mother Angelica's Monastery.

If you have been to Medjugordje, you know the story about the church and the painting. The church it seems was built to accomodate a huge crowd that didn't exist in the tiny village. The painting of Our Lady appearing over the village was painted years before anyone ever claimed to have seen the virgin.

A visit to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament reminds me of both. The complex nestled well off the beaten path (or in this case cow patch), likely one day will reflect Mother Angelica's visionary foresight. This is a place that was built to hold a liturgy of papal proportions--will that happen one day here.

On this cold January day there were six cars in the parking lot that could easily accommodate 1,000's. The piazza that could rival St. Peter's was empty. The large Church included three novices, a professed, three young men, a Franciscan and me.

I was here to attend Vespers, but had left my copy of the Office in the car thinking that there would be books available in the Church similar to what you would find if you visited a Benedictine monastery. There were none though, and despite the reminders of Our Lord's Passion visible--I poor sinner that I am, did not feel like walking that 3/4 of a mile back to my car in the cold to get it.

Enter Deacon Bill Steltemeier who graciously got out of his wheel chair (a sight right out of the Gospels or at least a Holy Ghost revival) and walked over and offered me his extra. Then stood beside me to help me negotiate the specific feast for the Franciscan martyrs (something I would not have known otherwise since it was a feast pecular to Franciscans). Deacon Bill also helped me to see where the nuns were since, I confess for the first ten minutes I could not understand what they were saying--their chant was indecipherable to me, until I finally tuned my ears to the high pitched tone--then I could follow, although still with great difficulty.

At the conclusion of Vespers, we immediately did Compline. I was a little surprised at this--I wonder if it is a Franciscan practice? That was followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

The magnificence of the Shrine itself is something to behold. The central focus is the Eucharistic Lord and it is a real blessing to all who visit. And if you are there for Vespers--you might even have a Deacon to help you!