Amazon.com: Books: The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You:
"An Enlightened Cradle Catholic, November 14, 2003
Reviewer: Kimberly from Omaha, NE United States
As a 'cradle Catholic', I'm pleasantly surprised to find how much I learned from this book! At age 25, I obviously know the 'how' of mass, but this book also gives the 'why' - something I was (unfortunately) never taught in CCD growing up. It explains the rituals of the mass by telling of their uses in the early church and/or relevant passages in the bible. I know I will get at least twice as much out of attending mass from now on!
My mother always used to complain that my generation was not taught the 'parts of the mass' in CCD as hers was. I don't know if this is a result of changes made by Vatican II, or simply the archdiocese I grew up in. I hope CCD children today are again taught the parts of the mass; I personally purchased this book to learn more myself so I can teach my own children better. After reading it, I wish I could afford to pass out copies at my church to the other parishioners of my generation who are obviously also not getting as much from the mass as they could be!
I agree with another reviewer that it would have been nice if the text of the prayers explained were included in the book, even if just in the back. But don't let this keep you from purchasing it; if you are a cradle Catholic, you already KNOW the prayers. If you are new, they can be easily found in a missal at any Catholic church. "
And a note of explanation with regard to the last point. I would have liked to have included the actual prayers in the book too, for the most part I found ways to allude to them to the degree that I could without quoting them--although I did quote them if they were drawn from Scripture or other the early church. But as to the Mass parts they are copyrighted and you have to pay ICEL money to quote them in their entirity and because I know the translation of the prayers is changing (although it could be a few years before it happens) I didn't want to include them in this edition.
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Bishop's November Meeting
A few bishops (one liberal, one orthodox) and the usual lay groups. I'm left with wondering if the bishops in this country will ever recapture in the hearts of the faithful that they speak for Christ?
From Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly . NEWS FEATURE: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops . November 14, 2003 | PBS
From Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly . NEWS FEATURE: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops . November 14, 2003 | PBS
Friday, November 14, 2003
Saint's Name for Every Child???
About a year ago we released a very popular book entitled Dictionary of Patron Saints' Names. One of the remarkable aspects of this book was that it can link almost any name a child is given, say for instance "Spring" or "Brook" with a patron. I'm not sure that Father ingenuity can match the latest trend though:
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US babies get global brand names:
"Americans are increasingly turning to the world of popular culture to name their children, a study has found.
Children have been named after big brands as diverse as beauty company L'Oreal, car firm Chevrolet and designer clothes company Armani.
There are even two little boys, one in Michigan and one in Texas, called ESPN after the sports channel.
Psychology professor Cleveland Evans discovered the trend after surveying US social security records for 2000. "
I wonder if anyone has named their child EWTN, Envoy or Our Sunday Visitor?
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US babies get global brand names:
"Americans are increasingly turning to the world of popular culture to name their children, a study has found.
Children have been named after big brands as diverse as beauty company L'Oreal, car firm Chevrolet and designer clothes company Armani.
There are even two little boys, one in Michigan and one in Texas, called ESPN after the sports channel.
Psychology professor Cleveland Evans discovered the trend after surveying US social security records for 2000. "
I wonder if anyone has named their child EWTN, Envoy or Our Sunday Visitor?
Japan Cardinal Hopes Next Pope Calls Vatican III
From Total Catholic:
Newly-created Japanese Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao has said he believes it would be acceptable for John Paul II to retire, and has also called for his successor to call a third Vatican Council.
“I admire very much his courageous activity and work in spite of his not-so-good condition of health,” said Cardinal Hamao, 73.
“But he may retire, and I hope he does so, because it is pitiful to see him like he is now.” However, the cardinal pointedly added: “I don’t think he wants to retire.”
Cardinal Hamao, who is President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerants and the only Asian currently heading a Vatican office, said he considered the red hat to be a “strong endorsement” by John Paul II of the work of his office.
The cardinal then looked forward to the conclave to choose a successor, who he said firstly should be a man like the present Pope, and secondly a man able to “understand the position of the different cultures, religions and customs of the different countries”.
Third, he would like the next pope to be “open, intelligent and welcoming,” who will ensure that the Curia serves and encourages the Church throughout the world. Fourthly, he considers it important that the next pope should have pastoral experience in a diocese, and fifthly, and most strikingly, he wants the next pope to call a third Vatican Council.
“The bishops make proposals at the synods, and the Holy Father gives an apostolic exhortation, but nothing is decided,” he said.
“No decisions are taken by the synods of bishops. I don’t think this is due to the Holy Father. But the fact is there is no change in the structures of the Church. This does not strengthen the faith.”
Cardinal Hamao said a Vatican Council could address such issues as the relationship with other religions, bioethics, cloning, the environment and ecology.
Newly-created Japanese Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao has said he believes it would be acceptable for John Paul II to retire, and has also called for his successor to call a third Vatican Council.
“I admire very much his courageous activity and work in spite of his not-so-good condition of health,” said Cardinal Hamao, 73.
“But he may retire, and I hope he does so, because it is pitiful to see him like he is now.” However, the cardinal pointedly added: “I don’t think he wants to retire.”
Cardinal Hamao, who is President of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerants and the only Asian currently heading a Vatican office, said he considered the red hat to be a “strong endorsement” by John Paul II of the work of his office.
The cardinal then looked forward to the conclave to choose a successor, who he said firstly should be a man like the present Pope, and secondly a man able to “understand the position of the different cultures, religions and customs of the different countries”.
Third, he would like the next pope to be “open, intelligent and welcoming,” who will ensure that the Curia serves and encourages the Church throughout the world. Fourthly, he considers it important that the next pope should have pastoral experience in a diocese, and fifthly, and most strikingly, he wants the next pope to call a third Vatican Council.
“The bishops make proposals at the synods, and the Holy Father gives an apostolic exhortation, but nothing is decided,” he said.
“No decisions are taken by the synods of bishops. I don’t think this is due to the Holy Father. But the fact is there is no change in the structures of the Church. This does not strengthen the faith.”
Cardinal Hamao said a Vatican Council could address such issues as the relationship with other religions, bioethics, cloning, the environment and ecology.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Popular Devotional Practices: Questions and Answers
New document by the American Bishops.
I found the following, from the Appendix interesting:
i. What are indulgences?
An indulgence does not confer grace. An indulgence is not a remission of the guilt due to sin. The guilt due to sin is ordinarily taken away by the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance (confession), in which we receive forgiveness for sins through Jesus Christ. Although guilt is taken away, and with it the eternal penalty that is due to sin—namely, damnation, the eternal loss of the presence of God—there remain consequences for sins that those who have committed them must bear. There is what is traditionally called the temporal punishment for sin.
By its very nature, every sin inevitably causes suffering for the one who has committed it. Every sinful act creates a disorder within the soul of the human person; it distorts our desires and affections, leaving us with "an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory."57 Furthermore, sin disrupts one's relationships with God, with the Church, with other people, and with the world as a whole. The communion intended by God is damaged or lost. Those who have received forgiveness for their sins still have an obligation to undergo a difficult and painful process (the temporal penalty for sin) to be purified of the consequences of their sins and to restore the disrupted relationships. "While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace."58 The necessary and painful process that brings restoration and purification can take place either in this life or in Purgatory, as whatever part of the process remains unfinished at death must be completed in Purgatory.59
Through an indulgence, God grants the prayer of the Church that the temporal penalty for sin due to someone be reduced (or possibly eliminated). By God's grace, participation in a prayer or action that has an indulgence attached to it brings about the necessary restoration and reparation without the suffering that would normally accompany it. The granting of an indulgence by the Church is "the expression of the Church''s full confidence of being heard by the Father when—in view of Christ's merits and, by his gift, those of Our Lady and the saints—she asks him to mitigate or cancel the painful aspect of punishment by fostering its medicinal aspect through other channels of grace."60
I found the following, from the Appendix interesting:
i. What are indulgences?
An indulgence does not confer grace. An indulgence is not a remission of the guilt due to sin. The guilt due to sin is ordinarily taken away by the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance (confession), in which we receive forgiveness for sins through Jesus Christ. Although guilt is taken away, and with it the eternal penalty that is due to sin—namely, damnation, the eternal loss of the presence of God—there remain consequences for sins that those who have committed them must bear. There is what is traditionally called the temporal punishment for sin.
By its very nature, every sin inevitably causes suffering for the one who has committed it. Every sinful act creates a disorder within the soul of the human person; it distorts our desires and affections, leaving us with "an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory."57 Furthermore, sin disrupts one's relationships with God, with the Church, with other people, and with the world as a whole. The communion intended by God is damaged or lost. Those who have received forgiveness for their sins still have an obligation to undergo a difficult and painful process (the temporal penalty for sin) to be purified of the consequences of their sins and to restore the disrupted relationships. "While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace."58 The necessary and painful process that brings restoration and purification can take place either in this life or in Purgatory, as whatever part of the process remains unfinished at death must be completed in Purgatory.59
Through an indulgence, God grants the prayer of the Church that the temporal penalty for sin due to someone be reduced (or possibly eliminated). By God's grace, participation in a prayer or action that has an indulgence attached to it brings about the necessary restoration and reparation without the suffering that would normally accompany it. The granting of an indulgence by the Church is "the expression of the Church''s full confidence of being heard by the Father when—in view of Christ's merits and, by his gift, those of Our Lady and the saints—she asks him to mitigate or cancel the painful aspect of punishment by fostering its medicinal aspect through other channels of grace."60
A Pint of Guinness is Good for You
Actually 8 ounces more than a pint...I'll drink to that!
From BBC NEWS | Health | Guinness good for you - official:
"The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness - just over a pint - taken at mealtimes.
They believe that "antioxidant compounds" in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.
From BBC NEWS | Health | Guinness good for you - official:
"The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness - just over a pint - taken at mealtimes.
They believe that "antioxidant compounds" in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.
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