Amy's Lenten Book Blog is Up
Great ideas for spiritual reading for Lent!
Tuesday, March 4, 2003
Monday, March 3, 2003
Vatican Publishes Pope John Paul II's Lenten Message Online
Read the entire text at the Vatican website. Here is a snipet:
«It is more blessed to give than to receive». When believers respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything in return, they experience a profound interior satisfaction.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive," is a passage from the Acts of the Apostles that I believe is actually a quote from Jesus that St. Paul mentions there. The Pope is taking this verse as the suggested theme for our observance of Lent this year.
Read the entire text at the Vatican website. Here is a snipet:
«It is more blessed to give than to receive». When believers respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything in return, they experience a profound interior satisfaction.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive," is a passage from the Acts of the Apostles that I believe is actually a quote from Jesus that St. Paul mentions there. The Pope is taking this verse as the suggested theme for our observance of Lent this year.
Sunday, March 2, 2003
An Arm and a Leg for Gas?
Gas prices out here hover right around 1.97 for unleaded...about the same price as a bottle of water here.
Check out the Nancy Nall's page for a funny take on gas prices.
Gas prices out here hover right around 1.97 for unleaded...about the same price as a bottle of water here.
Check out the Nancy Nall's page for a funny take on gas prices.
Father Groeschel
There is a story about Father Groeschel in a certian metro paper today that I will not link. In many ways the story which ignores much of what Father Groeschel says about the clergy scandal and intimates that his reason for his slant on the crisis is because of his own role in working with such priests.
--One priest featured in the story, I know as an a very holy priest who had been living at the retreat house that Father Groeschel runs for "troubled priests" as well as for priests seeking spiritual renewal. This priest whose story I knew has been living a life of complete penitence since his crime. In many ways he has been imprisoned in the retreat house. How anyone can find anything wrong with that is beyond my grasp.
--A reference is made that Father Groeschel lives in a mansion. In fact Father Groeschel lives in the half of the garage of what once was a large house that is now coverted into a retreat house. I've been there, stayed there and in no way is it palatial or to be confused as a "mansion." It is usually overfilled with retreatants and others who are there for a lengthy period.
--Father does attack the media. And he does. After reading the Dallas piece I would tend to agree with him. What is the purpose of this piece? To question why a priest who has been removed from ministry is living in a retreat house for other priests like himself? Would they rather that he be living in an apartment complex unsupervised? Much is made of Father Groeschel's failures in using pschology to remedy priest who had abused. Guess what he acknowledges this in the book, apologizes for the stupidity of the field of psychology and its past mistakes. He never claims that he was any different than others in the field. So where is the story here?
--Father includes prayers in the book for victims, bishop and perpetrators. He apologizes profusely for those who have been hurt by the church. What he does in Scandal to Hope is calls for reform. How could anyone find fault with that?
There is a story about Father Groeschel in a certian metro paper today that I will not link. In many ways the story which ignores much of what Father Groeschel says about the clergy scandal and intimates that his reason for his slant on the crisis is because of his own role in working with such priests.
--One priest featured in the story, I know as an a very holy priest who had been living at the retreat house that Father Groeschel runs for "troubled priests" as well as for priests seeking spiritual renewal. This priest whose story I knew has been living a life of complete penitence since his crime. In many ways he has been imprisoned in the retreat house. How anyone can find anything wrong with that is beyond my grasp.
--A reference is made that Father Groeschel lives in a mansion. In fact Father Groeschel lives in the half of the garage of what once was a large house that is now coverted into a retreat house. I've been there, stayed there and in no way is it palatial or to be confused as a "mansion." It is usually overfilled with retreatants and others who are there for a lengthy period.
--Father does attack the media. And he does. After reading the Dallas piece I would tend to agree with him. What is the purpose of this piece? To question why a priest who has been removed from ministry is living in a retreat house for other priests like himself? Would they rather that he be living in an apartment complex unsupervised? Much is made of Father Groeschel's failures in using pschology to remedy priest who had abused. Guess what he acknowledges this in the book, apologizes for the stupidity of the field of psychology and its past mistakes. He never claims that he was any different than others in the field. So where is the story here?
--Father includes prayers in the book for victims, bishop and perpetrators. He apologizes profusely for those who have been hurt by the church. What he does in Scandal to Hope is calls for reform. How could anyone find fault with that?
MTV Story on Cash Video
From MTV.Com:
The rest of the video is a haunting portrait of a clearly fragile Cash juxtaposed with archival glimpses of a hale and hearty hell-raiser hopping trains, visiting his abandoned childhood home and taking walks with his family. The intercut footage came from several boxes pulled from Cash's private collection and lent to Romanek, who spent weeks combing through hundreds of hours of tape. "I've gotten letter after letter from people saying that the video made them weep and they can't stop watching it," Romanek said. As further proof of its success, the perennially cool but commercially hard-to-pigeonhole Cash is suddenly in rotation on MTV2 and VH1 and the song has crept onto the playlist of Los Angeles alternative rock tastemaker station KROQ-FM.
"I'm most proud of the fact that it's causing this visceral, emotional reaction," Romanek said. "That's the whole reason to make any sort of film. You don't often have the opportunity to do that with a music video because that's not usually what you're being asked to accomplish."
From MTV.Com:
The rest of the video is a haunting portrait of a clearly fragile Cash juxtaposed with archival glimpses of a hale and hearty hell-raiser hopping trains, visiting his abandoned childhood home and taking walks with his family. The intercut footage came from several boxes pulled from Cash's private collection and lent to Romanek, who spent weeks combing through hundreds of hours of tape. "I've gotten letter after letter from people saying that the video made them weep and they can't stop watching it," Romanek said. As further proof of its success, the perennially cool but commercially hard-to-pigeonhole Cash is suddenly in rotation on MTV2 and VH1 and the song has crept onto the playlist of Los Angeles alternative rock tastemaker station KROQ-FM.
"I'm most proud of the fact that it's causing this visceral, emotional reaction," Romanek said. "That's the whole reason to make any sort of film. You don't often have the opportunity to do that with a music video because that's not usually what you're being asked to accomplish."
Saturday, March 1, 2003
Pope Sending Envoy to United States
American Catholics have a problem thinking of themselves as the recipient of a papal envoy to urge us to avoid war. The Catholic bloggers on the internet show the angst that Americans feel in the struggle of loyalty to our Country and loyalty to Christ.
As someone who served three years in the United States Army I have often been amazed at how people who have never served in the military nor have children in the military are cavalier in their support of us going to war in any circumstance. Some of those who are pro-war might consider their own willingness to join the battle or have their loved ones risk their life to defend the cause.
We have a congressman who was raised a Menonite, was totally anti-war during the Vietnam era, was a conscientious objector when he was drafted and now regularly speaks out in favor of war. What gives?
I can totally understand those who live in New York and Washington wanting to lash out in anger against someone for the pain that they have personally experienced. But the doesn't the Gospel of Jesus Christ call us to something more than our natural urges? And for those who cannot stand the hypocrisy of politicians who claim to be Catholic but support abortion--are they any different if they call themselves followers of Christ and support the killing of innocents for any reason? I know there are those who equate Saddam Hussein with Hitler and say the Iraqi people are his puppets. Then by all means take him out in the same way that moralists argue that Hitler should have been taken out before his violence and insanity spread--but don't attack the puppets.
From the left coast.
American Catholics have a problem thinking of themselves as the recipient of a papal envoy to urge us to avoid war. The Catholic bloggers on the internet show the angst that Americans feel in the struggle of loyalty to our Country and loyalty to Christ.
As someone who served three years in the United States Army I have often been amazed at how people who have never served in the military nor have children in the military are cavalier in their support of us going to war in any circumstance. Some of those who are pro-war might consider their own willingness to join the battle or have their loved ones risk their life to defend the cause.
We have a congressman who was raised a Menonite, was totally anti-war during the Vietnam era, was a conscientious objector when he was drafted and now regularly speaks out in favor of war. What gives?
I can totally understand those who live in New York and Washington wanting to lash out in anger against someone for the pain that they have personally experienced. But the doesn't the Gospel of Jesus Christ call us to something more than our natural urges? And for those who cannot stand the hypocrisy of politicians who claim to be Catholic but support abortion--are they any different if they call themselves followers of Christ and support the killing of innocents for any reason? I know there are those who equate Saddam Hussein with Hitler and say the Iraqi people are his puppets. Then by all means take him out in the same way that moralists argue that Hitler should have been taken out before his violence and insanity spread--but don't attack the puppets.
From the left coast.
Iraq Says it Destroyed Four Missiles
U.N. says it destroyed one...out of hundreds that exist.
Why doesn't the U.N. insist that U.N. troops come in and destroy the missiles? In my estimation this is what the United States and Britian should be proposing to the U.N.
First, it would accomplish what we say we want if the U.N. passed the resolution and Iraq allowed the troops in.
Secondly, if Iraq refused it would show that they really are not cooperating and perhaps the world community would come together to oppose Saddam and put more pressure on him to abdicate his position.
Update
Now the U.N. confirms that they have been destroyed.
U.N. says it destroyed one...out of hundreds that exist.
Why doesn't the U.N. insist that U.N. troops come in and destroy the missiles? In my estimation this is what the United States and Britian should be proposing to the U.N.
First, it would accomplish what we say we want if the U.N. passed the resolution and Iraq allowed the troops in.
Secondly, if Iraq refused it would show that they really are not cooperating and perhaps the world community would come together to oppose Saddam and put more pressure on him to abdicate his position.
Update
Now the U.N. confirms that they have been destroyed.
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