The Lord Messiah
Enters the Holy City
Sunset and Bright Morn
Post-Modern Alienation and Flights from Reality
Brethren, Peace and Good to all of you, the Peace that surpasses every understanding.
I’ve been re-reading my favorite novel for Lent and Holy Week, Father Elijah: An Apocalypse (which I once reviewed here) and a stream of consciousness from the main character (Fr. Elijah) caught my attention:
Was there a missing component in all human beings? The rural masses seeking the metropolis; the urban young fleeing to the woods. Women pretending to be men; men becoming more like women; everyone aping the divinity in his desperation to escape creaturehood? Western youths seeking the Orient; orientals seeking capitalism? Monks abandoning their monasteries; married men pining for solitude. Liberals seeking to demythologize the Scriptures in an attempt to flee the exigencies of biblical faith; fundamentalism seeking to fill the empty places of their religion by a return to the Old Testament, fleeing the tasks of the baptized intellect. Was the promise always to be found elsewhere, always just beyond the horizon? Why this persistent need for signs, wonders, new pillars of fire, arks of covenant, tables of stone – anything other that the demands of raw, laborious, darkest faith?
Fr. Elijah then goes on to question himself if his own conversion from Judaism to Christianity was his own personal version of this “dynamic of escape, a flight from the pain of the Holocaust and the death of his wife and unborn child during a terror attack in Israel.
It might be argued that the rest of the book is dedicated to answer these questions. But I must come back to the paragraph’s basic idea, which is one of alienation. Modern man (which embraces “woman” unless otherwise indicated by the text) remains in a state of alienation, and all the philosophies and “spiritualities” that promise liberation from our acedia contribute instead to further alienation: from reality, from other people, and from oneself.
The root of man’s alienation is his original alienation from God, from the One Personal Source of Love.
Of course, the devil, the world, and the flesh will tell us we are wrong and in a renewed attempt to entice into their net. The first step of spiritual warfare is to recognize their stratagem for what it is, and resist it while praying that others may resist it too.
When Will Christ Come? Some Basics of Catholic Eschatology
Brethren: Peace and Good to all in Jesus Christ.
Msgr. Charles Pope from the Archdiocese of Washington DC wrote about the fascinating teaching of the Church about the End Times on the Archdiocese's blog. This is an excerpt:
Msgr. Charles Pope from the Archdiocese of Washington DC wrote about the fascinating teaching of the Church about the End Times on the Archdiocese's blog. This is an excerpt:
In certain Protestant circles (not all), especially among the Evangelicals there is a strong and often vivid preoccupation with signs of the Second Coming of Christ. Many of the notions that get expressed are either erroneous, or extreme. Some of these erroneous notions are rooted in a misunderstanding of the various Scriptural genres. Some are rooted in reading certain Scriptures in isolation from the wider context of the whole of Scripture. And some are rooted in reading one text, and disregarding other texts that balance it.Please, continue reading here.
The Catholic approach to the end times (aka Eschatology) is perhaps less thrilling and provocative. It does not generate “Left Behind” movie series or cause people to sell their houses and gather on hillsides waiting for the announced end. It is more methodical and seeks to balance a lot of notions that often hold certain truths in tension.
I thought it perhaps a worthy goal to set forth certain principles of Eschatology from a Catholic point of view, since this topic often comes up in discussions with Evangelicals and others. Most of these insights are drawn straight from the Catechism and the Scriptures. What I offer here I do not propose to call a complete eschatology, only a sketch of basic principles rooted right in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
While we cannot know the exact time of his Coming, nevertheless there are things that both remind us and signal us as to his approach, if we have eyes to see them. These signs give indications only. The presence of such texts cannot be seen to over-rule that He will come “on a sudden” and that many will be caught unawares.
Here are some notes from Catechism (The Blue and Red texts are my own). I have made the Scripture quotes live by way of hyper text so you can click right over and read them...
Fr. Longnecker turns the tables on atheists
Brethren, Peace and Good to all of you in Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Fr. Dwight Longnecker, over at his blog, decided to turn the tables on atheists by appropriating their own rhetoric and aiming it against them instead. The results are impressive. This is how he starts:
Fr. Dwight Longnecker, over at his blog, decided to turn the tables on atheists by appropriating their own rhetoric and aiming it against them instead. The results are impressive. This is how he starts:Nearly a thousand atheists gathered in the Mall in Washington yesterday for a rally. The dismal weather reflected their sad message. An aging college professor from England spoke about atheism and tried to enthuse the crowd. Several comedians and television presenters also spoke.Read it all here. It's worth it, I couldn't have done it any better myself.
The speakers tried to be enthusiastic about a message which is alternately sad and angry mish mash of political correctness, tired left wing activism and an out of date sexual libertarianism. The aging activists tried to make their message sound radical and controversial, and if they actually had any power it would be, for beneath the benign activism and pleas for ‘tolerance’ atheism is actually the most murderous and vile belief system the world has ever seen.
The fact of the matter is: atheists are killers. It began with the French Revolution where rationalists and atheists killed millions with their efficient killing machine the guillotine. Not content to simply wipe out their enemies, the rationalist mobs went on the rampage looting and thieving and destroying ancient works of art, architecture and culture...
- A full Spanish translation of Fr. Longnecker's essay can be found here.
- Read also: Atheist Rally Draws Haters by the Catholic League.
Former President Carter calls Blessed John Paul “a fundamentalist”
Brethren: Peace and Good to you in Christ Jesus. This, according to CatholicCulture.org and LifeSiteNews:
Former US President Jimmy Carter has disclosed that he had angry exchanges with Pope John Paul II about liberation theology and about the ordination of women.
The former president said that he complained to the Pontiff about the Church’s “perpetuation of the subservience of women” while Blessed John Paul II was visiting the US in 1978, and “there was more harshness when we turned to the subject of ‘liberation theology.” Carter said that he classified the Pope as a “fundamentalist,” placing him in that category along with Iran’s late Ayatollah Khomeini.
In the same interview Carter said that “it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies,” although he suggested—“maybe arbitrarily”—that churches should not be required by law to solemnize same-sex unions.
Carter made his remarks as he introduced a new edition of the Bible with his own study notes, helping readers to follow his understanding of the Scriptures.
Commentary. Jimmy Carter was America’s worst President after Franklin Pierce, but his politics aside, his attack against the late great Pope is simply abhorrent and reprehensible, for if this happened the way Carter said it did – and I haven’t seen any reference to it in many biographies of the late Pope – such an exchange reveals new cracks in the character of the former U.S. President.
Through his myriad of writings, Blessed John Paul went out of his way to explain his vision of God and of man and woman, the virtues of liberty and the moral obligations and responsibilities underlying it. He went out of his way to explain, exhort, and preach by word and example the Gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of people throughout the globe. Mr. Carter’s admissions reveal that he never bothered to ascertain and appreciate the views of Pope John Paul and of his teaching, much less to state his disagreement with Blessed John Paul in a civilized manner, befitting a man of supposed Christian conscience.
Carter appears to have made a quick judgment of the Pope’s character and views back in 1978, sticking with his distorted views of the Pope all the way down to his sunset years. It is the cusp of pretension that the former President now feels himself sufficiently qualified to comment on Scripture. His commentary without a doubt will help assuage the consciences of all “progressives” and justify their repudiation of objective moral truth and follow every whim, now with the sanction of a man cloaked in a supposedly superior “Christian” morality.
I have good friends and even mentors who admire Mr. Carter. I never understood why. I hope they now see my reluctance to applaud this man who has strayed so far from Christian truth and who will now mislead millions more into many a lie.
- Hat tip to Donald R. McClarey of The American Catholic for his on-point post on this issue.
Brief reflection on Numbers 11:4-6
Brethren, last Wednesday’s biblical reading from the Office of Readings (IV Wednesday of Lent) included these words from Numbers 11:4-6:
The foreign elements among them were so greedy for meat that even the Israelites lamented again, “Would that we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.”
When Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the entrance of their tents, so that the Lord became very angry, he was grieved. “Why do you treat your servant so badly?” Moses asked the Lord. “Why are you so displeased with me that you burden me with all this people? Was it I who conceived all this people? or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant, to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers? Where can I get meat to give to all this people? For they are crying to me, ‘Give us meat for our food.’ I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you will deal with me, then please do me the favor of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face this distress.”
I’ve always find it amazing the tremendous familiarity with which Moses always addressed God. By doing so, he set an example to us. I mean, haven’t you ever felt so tired, so fed up that you said to God “I can’t stand it any more, please kill me”? Then you felt guilty. Don’t! We can address God in this fashion. God understands where you’re coming from. It is in that precise moment that He asks you to trust Him, to understand that He is in control, and that He is carrying you on his shoulder through the bitterness of life.
It is very comforting that we are allowed to address God in complete familiarity. He understands us better than we understand ourselves, for He can see the deepest recesses of our hearts and our innermost desires. Verbalizing our needs to Him turns us into active cooperators of his designs and also unleashes the power of His grace in our lives.
When darkness appears to surround you, turn to God our Father with complete openness. He will not be offended, He will cradle you in His arms instead.
Let us pray for our Holy Father
Brethren, Peace and Good to you in Jesus Christ.
The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI is now in Mexico, the first leg of an apostolic journey that will also take him to Cuba. Let us pray for his bodily and spiritual safety, and also that a new dawn of peace in Mexico and of liberty in Cuba, follows in the aftermath of the Holy Father’s visit.
Hunger Games Midnight Show
I will work for Hunger Games tickets! Will do designing work for Hunger Games tickets!
That only sounds like one of my daughters, the culprit that I too am glued to these books. Being almost at the end of "Catching Fire" the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy I too am excited about watching the movie on the big screen however I don't know that I am built for midnight shows full of screaming teenagers but nevertheless being that my sweetheart will be here with me and will go with us will make me stand anything.
I am putting off watching "Breaking Down" part one only because I didn't want to wait half a year to watch the second part. So, I will patiently wait until part two is released and then watch the first part just before the theater release of part two. With Harry Potter I always waited to read the book just before the movie release but I believe the release of "Catching Fire" the movie won't be until November 2013 and that's too long to wait so... I will just finish the three books and then just wait for the movies to come out.
It is expected to be a huge opening, a "Twilight" kind of opening so I am preparing for anything. As long as I am on a full stomach I will be happy, let the name of the movie be just a name, no need for acting it or living it. First food then movie, and when it comes to me, hopefully no hunger. Did I hear somebody say tacos?
Well fast forward a little bit. Abby got here at around 4:00 pm, we visited my mom and got fed, and later we joined Michelle and Nichole at the theater and got to wait for two hours still for the showtime. I think they waited about four hours but were able to get us good seats. Little by little we all got there in the end out little group consisted of eight people.
No, I won't spoil the movie but I will tell you that even if you have not read it is a great movie to watch. The violence contains no gore and the acting was not too bad so yes now I look forward for part two which as I stated before won't happen until November 2013, I think!
'Hunger Games' Review: Compelling But Implausible, Like 'American Idol' with a Body Count ~ Alonso Duralde
Will I do another midnight show? Probably not! I can patiently wait for the second week after release to watch the movie in peace and without noisy teenagers that won't shut up.
Was St. Joseph a tzadik?
Brethren, may the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Earlier this week we celebrated the feast of St. Joseph of Nazareth, chaste husband of Mary, and foster father of our Lord Jesus. The Scripture reading for the feast, from Matthew 1:19, read in part:
I remembered that in Jewish tradition, the term for a "just man" is tzadik, and that this term carries a specialized meaning in classical Judaism. The title is given to personalities in Jewish tradition considered righteous, such as Biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ṣadiq, is ṣ-d-q (צדק Tzedek), which means "justice" or "righteousness", also the root of Tzedakah (Charity, lit. "righteousness"). The feminine term for a righteous person is Tzadeikas. (Source).Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.
Later Judaic thinkers further developed the concept of tzadik. The Jewish medieval theologian and philosopher, Moses Maimonides, defined tzadik (based on Tractate Yevamot of the Babylonian Talmud 49b-50a) as "one whose merit surpasses his iniquity is a tzadik". This definition opened up, so-to-speak, this way of living according to the Law to the masses and not to a more restricted elite. (Source)
Furthermore, according to the Hasidic Tanya (based on passages in Tanach and the Talmud, and the tradition in Kabbalah), the true title of tzadik denotes a spiritual psychological description of the soul. Its true meaning can only be applied to one who has completely sublimated their natural "animal"-"vital" soul inclinations into holiness, so that they experience only love and awe of God, without material temptations. This select level elevates the "Intermediate" person ("Benoni") into one who never sins in thought, speech or action. Unlike the Tzadik, they only experience Divine communion during devoted moments of worship or study, while in mundane life they can be tempted by natural inclinations, but always choose to stay connected to holiness. In the Tanya the difference between the former Talmudic-Maimonidean and latter Kabbalistic-Hasidic conceptions is raised. (Source) Other teachers further elaborate upon these attributes but these expansions should not concern us here.
The definition of tzadik, as you can see, it's very near our definition of "saint and mystic." The term refers to someone whose observance of the commandments has become second nature and whose prayer life reached the unitive way of contemplative prayer:
The unitive way is the way of those who are in the state of the perfect, that is, those who have their minds so drawn away from all temporal things that they enjoy great peace, who are neither agitated by various desires nor moved by any great extent by passion, and who have their minds chiefly fixed on God and their attention turned, either always or very frequently, to Him. It is the union with God by love and the actual experience and exercise of that love. It is called the state of "perfect charity", because souls who have reached that state are ever prompt in the exercise of charity by loving God habitually and by frequent and efficacious acts of that Divine virtue. It is called the "unitive" way because it is by love that the soul is united to God, and the more perfect the charity, the closer and more intimate is the union. Union with God is the principal study and endeavor of this state. It is of this union St. Paul speaks when he says: "He who is joined to the Lord, is one spirit."[5]. Souls thus united to God are penetrated by the highest motives of the theological and moral virtues. In every circumstance of their lives the supernatural motive that ought to guide their actions is ever present to their mind, and the actions are performed under its inspiration with a force of will that makes their accomplishment easy and even delightful. These perfect souls are above all familiar with the doctrine and use of consolations and desolations. They are enlightened in the mysteries of the supernatural life, and they have experience of that truth proclaimed by St. Paul when he said: "We know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to His purpose, are called to be saints." (Romans 8:28). The form of prayer suitable to persons in the unitive way is the contemplation of the glorious mysteries of Our Lord, His Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension, until the coming of the Holy Ghost, and the preaching of the Gospel. These mysteries may also be the subject of meditation for beginners and for those in a state of progress, but in a peculiar manner, they belong to the perfect. Union with God belongs substantially to all souls in a state of grace, but it is in a special manner the distinguishing characteristic of those in the unitive way or in the state of the perfect. (Source)I find it right and just that the Jewish definition of "just man" or tzadik and our definition of "saint and mystic" track so closely, for both originate from the same spring of living water. Furthermore, although the Jewish sages' full exploration and refinement of the term tzadik occurred after New Testament times, their refinement of the term may well include traditional insights gained during the intertestamental period.
Of course, for a Catholic, St. Joseph was a most special man. It is the common teaching of Catholic theologians that St. Joseph was comprised into the highest order of creation, that of the hypostatic union, and "in that family the highest representation which it is possible to conceive, inasmuch as he was made the very representative of the Divine Father, Who alone has the right to call Jesus His Son, having begotten Him from all eternity; and yet that same God, Who by the mouth of Isaias protested that He would never give His glory to another, that God Who, in communicating to the Word and to the Holy Spirit His Divine essence, does not in any wise communicate to them His Divine paternity, was so generous to Joseph as to concede to him His glory, and communicate to him His name and His paternity; not actually, for that was impossible, but so that he should be in His place and stead, and should be called the father of Him who was the Divine Word, and that the Word Himself should call Joseph by the sweet name of father, so that he might with true joy appropriate to himself that passage in Holy Scripture: 'I will be to Him a father and He shall be to me a son!' (Source)
We then get a glimpse of St. Joseph's participation in the divine nature (theosis) through grace and in the faithful practice of the Law. St. Joseph is a pivotal, transition figure in which both observance of the Law and belief in the promise of salvation coalesced into a singular figure, close to God, head of the Holy Family, and an example to emulate during our pilgrimage on earth.
St. Joseph of Nazareth, father, spouse, saint, mystic and tzadik: pray for us!
Catching Fire
I am reading:
Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins
So far this year I have read:
The Broker by John Grisham
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
In The Name of Honor by Richard North Patterson
Timeline by Michael Crichton
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
So I am now reading "Catching Fire", the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. These are really easy books to read, big letters, big spacing, and no fancy wording, obviously design for teenagers. They are however hard to put down, once you start you want to push that one more chapter before putting it down.I really enjoyed reading "The Hunger Games" and now I can't wait to watch the movie. My daughter Nichole whom is a fan of midnight movie openings is trying to convince me to be part of her posse next Friday for the movie opening. The only problem with a midnight show is that I think that instead of me catching the action scenes and taking in the movie I'll be catching some Zzzzzzzzzzzzz's instead and posibly getting kicked out for snoring.
I am really enjoying this renewed habit of mine. I substituted reading books because there were so many blogs I would visit on a daily basis but little by little most of my blogger friends have abandoned their blogs to just being on FaceBook and I once again find myself with time for reading books.
So go ahead and recommend some books, I do however stay away from romance novels, I am more of a fiction and adventure kind of guy.
What's on your reading list? Have you read any of the ones I’ve read?
Teach us how to pray
Fr. Nicolas Schwizer
Jesus would pray. Frequently he felt the desire to leave, for a moment, the interested crowd and those hard-headed disciples, to retire to a separate place or a mountain, and there He would be alone with the Father.
For himself, He had nothing to ask for…..neither bread, nor forgiveness, nor protection, nor favors. But in God’s presence, He would again be what He was. He would be filled with peace. He would listen in the depth of his soul. The awareness of his childlikeness would fill him with strength and joy. Once again He would know that He was the beloved Son whom the Father had filled with his gifts. Again He would feel imbued with that infinite patience, with that untiring mercy of the Father, with that dynamic and creative love. His prayer would overflow in words of confidence and love: “Father, I know that You always hear me. Father, I bless You. I give You thanks. Father, everything yours is mine…..”
And when He would return…..glowing, radiant, renewed…..the apostles would ask themselves: “Where is He coming from? What has happened to Him? Who has been able to transform Him in that way?” Someone would tell them He had gone to pray. Then they would say to themselves: “Ah, if only we would know how to pray that way! What a pity that nobody taught us to pray!” And one day they dared to say: “Lord, teach us to pray.”
And Jesus taught them that beautiful prayer, the Our Father. It is a prayer very similar to that of Jesus: Hallowed be thy Name – thy Kingdom come – thy Will be done. But, at the same time, it is a prayer adapted to the needs of the disciples: Give us our daily bread – forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us – lead us not into temptation.
More than a prayer to recite, it is a prayer to meditate. Did He not need an entire night to only pronounce one verse of the Our Father: “Let not my will be done, but thine!” It is a prayer which would transform the apostles….. mould them from within… a prayer which would lead them throughout their lives to the same total surrender of their Lord.
Through this prayer, Jesus shows us the true face of the Father: He is so good that – in the eyes of those who are superficial – He seems a bit weak; He is so loving that He does not know how to deny anything; He gives himself to us so much that, apparently, one does with him whatever one wants.
In the Our Father, Jesus attacks our skepticism and our lack of confidence…..He shakes up our timidity and affirms with all his might that there is no limit to Divine generosity. Our desires are seen limited only by our fears; our prayers only have the boundaries of our inconsistency; our carrying things out only fails because of our lack of faith. One must never seek in God the reasons for our failures.
The only obstacle for us to be heard is not the difficulty for disposing the Father in our favor, it is the difficulty of convincing ourselves that we must go to Him with faith. The only resistance which can oppose a persevering prayer is not that of the Father who refuses to give, but ours in our insisting not to receive.
But it is not about our becoming even more interested than what we already are. The only thing which can be asked for, the only thing which God can give, is Himself…..his spirit…..his love. Therefore, let us be careful with God’s gifts: they are full of life, surprising, active, dangerous to our egoism and lazyiness. God’s gift makes one give. God’s forgiveness makes one forgive. God’s love makes one love as He did…..even unto the Passion and the Cross.
Let us pray the Our Father with that same spirit, with God’s spirit, so that it may be fruitful in us…..so that it may be fertile in our life as Christians.
Task
Reflect on each phrase of the Our Father.
Today we remember St. Joseph of Nazareth, Foster Father of Jesus
From American Catholic Radio’s Saint of the Day:
The Bible pays Joseph the highest compliment: he was a “just” man. The quality meant a lot more than faithfulness in paying debts.
When the Bible speaks of God “justifying” someone, it means that God, the all-holy or “righteous” One, so transforms a person that the individual shares somehow in God’s own holiness, and hence it is really “right” for God to love him or her. In other words, God is not playing games, acting as if we were lovable when we are not.
By saying Joseph was “just,” the Bible means that he was one who was completely open to all that God wanted to do for him. He became holy by opening himself totally to God.
The rest we can easily surmise. Think of the kind of love with which he wooed and won Mary, and the depth of the love they shared during their marriage.
It is no contradiction of Joseph’s manly holiness that he decided to divorce Mary when she was found to be with child. The important words of the Bible are that he planned to do this “quietly” because he was “a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame” (Matthew 1:19).
The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to God—in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage.
Comment:
The Bible tells us nothing of Joseph in the years after the return to Nazareth except the incident of finding Jesus in the Temple (see Luke 2:41–51). Perhaps this can be taken to mean that God wants us to realize that the holiest family was like every other family, that the circumstances of life for the holiest family were like those of every family, so that when Jesus’ mysterious nature began to appear, people couldn’t believe that he came from such humble beginnings: “Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary...?” (Matthew 13:55a). It was almost as indignant as “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46b).Quote:
“He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: ‘Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord’” (St. Bernardine of Siena).
Congratulations to all Josephs and Josephines on their feast day!
Super Heroes Birthday Party!
For Diego and Ramon.
Can somebody explain to me how this happens? How is it that in one more year Diego will hit the double digits and Ramon is already two? How did that happen? I know it's cliche but I could start this post with "Wasn't it just yesterday...?" The fact is that last Saturday we celebrated just that, Diego's ninth birthday and Ramon's second.
To see them grow is nothing short of wonderful, it's like each time I see them I see changes. They are just getting too old too fast and that only means one thing, that I am becoming a dinosaur of sorts.
My daughter Michelle has the best ideas for parties and this was no exception. They erected a metropolis in their dining room and every so often the buildings started falling but on this particular occasion no one feared the danger as the house was filled with super heroes.
Here, Super Grandpa leaped from the hot dog machine to hold this falling high rise building, I think one of the many batmen in attendance knocked it in error but Super Grandpa's sharp reflexes prevailed and saved the building placing it back in place.
It was like the super hero convention at the Duckworth's abode. Batman, Captain America, Superman, Bat girls, Super girls, and many other heroes made the party and fun was had by all, specially the mini heroes which were running and jumping all over.
Batman, Superman, and Captain America.
Batgirl and an older Captain America.
Birthday boy Ramon with his super daddy.
As you can see, super heroes come in many sizes and shapes.
As always, we had a blast. The food was delicious, the super nachos were the BOMB!, the hot dogs had a POW! once all the toppings were in place, and the PUNCH! well it was refreshing. I even had me a care package which I gladly ate the following day. Ummm que rico!
Well, in a couple of weeks Ariele and Atalie will have their birthday party and I heard it through a very reliable source that Ariele a.k.a. Rapunzel will be hosting a formal party. I guess if you are invited to a ball it has to be formal, and in our household with so many princes and princesses around formal attire will be required. Oh and Ariele says that when the tea is served our pinkys have to be sticking up.
Can somebody explain to me how this happens? How is it that in one more year Diego will hit the double digits and Ramon is already two? How did that happen? I know it's cliche but I could start this post with "Wasn't it just yesterday...?" The fact is that last Saturday we celebrated just that, Diego's ninth birthday and Ramon's second.
To see them grow is nothing short of wonderful, it's like each time I see them I see changes. They are just getting too old too fast and that only means one thing, that I am becoming a dinosaur of sorts.
My daughter Michelle has the best ideas for parties and this was no exception. They erected a metropolis in their dining room and every so often the buildings started falling but on this particular occasion no one feared the danger as the house was filled with super heroes.
Here, Super Grandpa leaped from the hot dog machine to hold this falling high rise building, I think one of the many batmen in attendance knocked it in error but Super Grandpa's sharp reflexes prevailed and saved the building placing it back in place.
It was like the super hero convention at the Duckworth's abode. Batman, Captain America, Superman, Bat girls, Super girls, and many other heroes made the party and fun was had by all, specially the mini heroes which were running and jumping all over.
I think you just have to appreciate who you are and hopefully they can see what a superhero is about. ~ Lucy Liu
As always, we had a blast. The food was delicious, the super nachos were the BOMB!, the hot dogs had a POW! once all the toppings were in place, and the PUNCH! well it was refreshing. I even had me a care package which I gladly ate the following day. Ummm que rico!
Well, in a couple of weeks Ariele and Atalie will have their birthday party and I heard it through a very reliable source that Ariele a.k.a. Rapunzel will be hosting a formal party. I guess if you are invited to a ball it has to be formal, and in our household with so many princes and princesses around formal attire will be required. Oh and Ariele says that when the tea is served our pinkys have to be sticking up.
Holy See Rejects SSPX’s Letter
Brethren: Peace and Good to you in Jesus Christ.
The following is from the Catholic News Agency:
Vatican City, Mar 16, 2012 / 11:50 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has said that the theological position of the breakaway Society of St. Pius X is insufficient to restore full unity with the Church at present.
Pope Benedict XVI has reviewed a January 2012 letter from Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the society. In that letter, the bishop responded to a doctrinal statement intended to be a basis for full reconciliation with Rome.
However, following the decision of the Pope, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has found that the position Bishop Fellay expressed is “not sufficient to overcome the doctrinal problems which lie at the foundation of the rift between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X,” a March 16 communiqué from the Holy See Press Office said.
The congregation is concerned to avoid “an ecclesial rupture of painful and incalculable consequences” and has invited Bishop Fellay to clarify his position “in order to be able to heal the existing rift, as is the desire of Pope Benedict XVI.”
Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Society of St. Pius X in 1970 in response to what he saw as errors that had arisen in the Church after the Second Vatican Council. The society broke from the Church in 1988 when its founder ordained four bishops against Pope John Paul II’s instructions, resulting in their excommunications.
Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications in 2009 as a prelude to talks about reconciling the society with the Church. At the time he said that the society would have to show “true recognition of the Magisterium and the authority of the Pope and of the Second Vatican Council” to restore full communion.
Vatican officials said that the restoration of unity could come in the form of a personal prelature, a special Church jurisdiction without geographic boundaries.
In September 2011 Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, presented Bishop Fellay with the doctrinal preamble, a statement of principles that outlines points of doctrine which the breakaway group needed to accept to restore communion.
In November 2011, Bishop Fellay said that the society cannot endorse the preamble. He said he particularly wanted to discuss what the Vatican meant when it said there is “leeway” for a “legitimate discussion” on the documents and legacy of the Second Vatican Council.
Commentary. I hate to say it, but, I TOLD YOU SO. The SSPX is not interested in reconciliation, but on imposing their will and if not, on whitewashing their consciences to justify their schism.
There is a chance that theirs is a negotiating ploy that will allow them to state their position before they yield. Except that only the Holy See has announce what concessions they’re willing to make whereas the SSPX has not floated any. Therefore, I remain pessimistic regarding their intentions.
Of course, I believe in miracles, but something tells me that the SSPX will not repent even if someone rises from the dead and comes to tell them of the gravity of their sin of schism.
Video: Walking Toward Eternity: Lectio Divina
Brothers and Sisters: Peace be with you.
I myself have been a bit neglectful in following the Church's invitation to deepen my relationship with the Lord through Lectio Divina. I look forward to increasing my intimacy with the Lord in this manner during what remains of Lent.
- Read Vivificat’s Lectio Divina thread for more information about the prayerful reading of Scripture in the Catholic Church.
Back to the laboratory
For now, at least, I'm dropping my WordPress blog, World's Latest Bloomer, a chronicle of my life as a late-blooming musician and singer.
Turns out only a couple of people on the planet knew or cared about the blog, including my own family (insert whine here). I began to question whether it was a worthwhile use of time I should be using to practice guitar. I suspect my monkey mind was trying to avoid the actual pursuit, in favor of blathering about it. Those hours of blogging could have been put to better use practicing scales, chords and lyrics.
I did learn a few things about how to work in WordPress and I'm sure the knowledge will come in handy in the future. For instance, I discovered that if you rename your blog in WordPress, every post you've labored over up to that point will be consigned to oblivion. At which point, you get to decide whether to start again at square one or give it up.
Let's just call it another faltering experiment in the great laboratory of life. So for now you will have to settle for the mental meanderings provided here.
Now I'm going to practice some scales.
Turns out only a couple of people on the planet knew or cared about the blog, including my own family (insert whine here). I began to question whether it was a worthwhile use of time I should be using to practice guitar. I suspect my monkey mind was trying to avoid the actual pursuit, in favor of blathering about it. Those hours of blogging could have been put to better use practicing scales, chords and lyrics.
Let's just call it another faltering experiment in the great laboratory of life. So for now you will have to settle for the mental meanderings provided here.
Now I'm going to practice some scales.
Tidbits
While in Los Angeles I observed that every third car was a Mercedes Benz and not the classics but the brand new kind. Did Mercedes dropped their prices or is everyone well off there. All I know is that they are sweet and I want one. You think I'm kidding? I am not, they are all over the place.
I was in the city of Monterey Park and we were taking a walk on Garfield Blvd. Then I saw this. Even my hometown missed me and sent me this subliminal message in the form of this street sign.
The freeways are always packed and commuting is slow, of course if you are from there you don't notice *wink, wink* but us visitors notice this just as soon as we get there. Yet, I navigated through them as best as I could.
More than once, actually four times to be exact the ghetto bird was busy, the black and whites were blocking the entrance of every street for a five block radius on both sides. Another time about ten patrols to a mini van, on another one a car chase that ended near my sister's house, and again the ghetto bird flying and using their loud speaker first thing in the morning. Yep, never a dull moment in the La Puente area.
Just some of the highlights from last weeks trip.
* Three out of four images borrowed from the Internet.
I was in the city of Monterey Park and we were taking a walk on Garfield Blvd. Then I saw this. Even my hometown missed me and sent me this subliminal message in the form of this street sign.
The freeways are always packed and commuting is slow, of course if you are from there you don't notice *wink, wink* but us visitors notice this just as soon as we get there. Yet, I navigated through them as best as I could.
More than once, actually four times to be exact the ghetto bird was busy, the black and whites were blocking the entrance of every street for a five block radius on both sides. Another time about ten patrols to a mini van, on another one a car chase that ended near my sister's house, and again the ghetto bird flying and using their loud speaker first thing in the morning. Yep, never a dull moment in the La Puente area.
Just some of the highlights from last weeks trip.
* Three out of four images borrowed from the Internet.
US Catholic Bishops United for Religious Freedom
Brethren: Peace and Good to all of you. The US Catholic Bishops have released the following statement about our continuing fight to protect religious freedom in the United States:
A Statement of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 14, 2012
The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, gathered for its March 2012 meeting, is strongly unified and intensely focused in its opposition to the various threats to religious freedom in our day. In our role as Bishops, we approach this question prayerfully and as pastors—concerned not only with the protection of the Church's own institutions, but with the care of the souls of the individual faithful, and with the common good.
To address the broader range of religious liberty issues, we look forward to the upcoming publication of "A Statement on Religious Liberty," a document of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. This document reflects on the history of religious liberty in our great Nation; surveys the current range of threats to this foundational principle; and states clearly the resolve of the Bishops to act strongly, in concert with our fellow citizens, in its defense.
One particular religious freedom issue demands our immediate attention: the now-finalized rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would force virtually all private health plans nationwide to provide coverage of sterilization and contraception—including abortifacient drugs—subject to an exemption for "religious employers" that is arbitrarily narrow, and to an unspecified and dubious future "accommodation" for other religious organizations that are denied the exemption.
We begin, first, with thanks to all who have stood firmly with us in our vigorous opposition to this unjust and illegal mandate: to our brother bishops; to our clergy and religious; to our Catholic faithful; to the wonderful array of Catholic groups and institutions that enliven our civil society; to our ecumenical and interfaith allies; to women and men of all religions (or none at all); to legal scholars; and to civic leaders. It is your enthusiastic unity in defense of religious freedom that has made such a dramatic and positive impact in this historic public debate. With your continued help, we will not be divided, and we will continue forward as one.
Second, we wish to clarify what this debate is—and is not—about. This is notabout access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive, even when it is not provided by the Church's hand and with the Church's funds. This is notabout the religious freedom of Catholics only, but also of those who recognize that their cherished beliefs may be next on the block. This is not about the Bishops' somehow "banning contraception," when the U.S. Supreme Court took that issue off the table two generations ago. Indeed, this is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the federal government forcing the Church—consisting of its faithful and all but a few of its institutions—to act against Church teachings. This is not a matter of opposition to universal health care, which has been a concern of the Bishops' Conference since 1919, virtually at its founding. This is not a fight we want or asked for, but one forced upon us by government on its own timing. Finally, this is not a Republican or Democratic, a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American issue.
So what is it about?
An unwarranted government definition of religion. The mandate includes an extremely narrow definition of what HHS deems a "religious employer" deserving exemption—employers who, among other things, must hire and serve primarily those of their own faith. We are deeply concerned about this new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry. The introduction of this unprecedented defining of faith communities and their ministries has precipitated this struggle for religious freedom. Government has no place defining religion and religious ministry. HHS thus creates and enforces a new distinction—alien both to our Catholic tradition and to federal law—between our houses of worship and our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and universities, and others in need, of any faith community or none. Cf. Deus Caritas Est, Nos. 20-33. We are commanded both to love and to serve the Lord; laws that protect our freedom to comply with one of these commands but not the other are nothing to celebrate. Indeed, they must be rejected, for they create a "second class" of citizenship within our religious community. And if this definition is allowed to stand, it will spread throughout federal law, weakening its healthy tradition of generous respect for religious freedom and diversity. All—not just some—of our religious institutions share equally in the very same God-given, legally-recognized right not "to be forced to act in a manner contrary to [their] own beliefs." Dignitatis Humanae, No. 2.
A mandate to act against our teachings. The exemption is not merely a government foray into internal Church governance, where government has no legal competence or authority—disturbing though that may be. This error in theory has grave consequences in principle and practice. Those deemed by HHS not to be "religious employers" will be forced by government to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions. This is not only an injustice in itself, but it also undermines the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world. For decades, the Bishops have led the fight against such government incursions on conscience, particularly in the area of health care. Far from making us waver in this longstanding commitment, the unprecedented magnitude of this latest threat has only strengthened our resolve to maintain that consistent view.
A violation of personal civil rights.The HHS mandate creates still a third class, those with no conscience protection at all: individuals who, in their daily lives, strive constantly to act in accordance with their faith and moral values. They, too, face a government mandate to aid in providing "services" contrary to those values—whether in their sponsoring of, and payment for, insurance as employers; their payment of insurance premiums as employees; or as insurers themselves—without even the semblance of an exemption. This, too, is unprecedented in federal law, which has long been generous in protecting the rights of individuals not to act against their religious beliefs or moral convictions. We have consistently supported these rights, particularly in the area of protecting the dignity of all human life, and we continue to do so.
Third, we want to indicate our next steps. We will continue our vigorous efforts at education and public advocacy on the principles of religious liberty and their application in this case (and others). We will continue to accept any invitation to dialogue with the Executive Branch to protect the religious freedom that is rightly ours. We will continue to pursue legislation to restore the same level of religious freedom we have enjoyed until just recently. And we will continue to explore our options for relief from the courts, under the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws that protect religious freedom. All of these efforts will proceed concurrently, and in a manner that is mutually reinforcing.
Most importantly of all, we call upon the Catholic faithful, and all people of faith, throughout our country to join us in prayer and penance for our leaders and for the complete protection of our First Freedom—religious liberty—which is not only protected in the laws and customs of our great nation, but rooted in the teachings of our great Tradition. Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength—for without God, we can do nothing; but with God, all things are possible.
Thank God It Was Just a Scare
Let me start this post by saying all is fine and God is good.
Well the 3-day weekend in La Puente was unpredictably extended into an eleven day stay. As I mentioned before when I got there on Thursday afternoon Abby was already there waiting for me, she had missed work due to her being sick with the flu and so instead of staying in Lancaster she drove to La Puente and surprised the heck out of me. Me? I love these kind of surprises.
Apparently everyone there had been sick with the flu all week long so when I got there it was like an epidemic. They were all getting flu shots the kids and the adults and the weather which was hot during the day and cold during the night was not helping either. Abby too was still battling the flu but I noticed her dad was really, really struggling.
We left to my sister's to spend the night and then we got the call. It was roughly 4:00 am when Abby's sister called to let us know her dad was having a hard time breathing and so they called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital to have him checked.
I knew he really looked bad the day before but did not anticipate this. During the next six hours in the emergency ward it was determined that it was heart related and not flu related. They contacted his doctor whom had him transferred to a medical center in Monterey Park and it was inevitable but he was going to need an operation and it was a risky one. His arteries were completely shot and were not working at all so for the next couple of days they needed to stabilize him, including controlling his sugar as he is diabetic.
He was neglecting his health and God in his infinite wisdom sent him and us a reminder of how wonderful life is, and that it is worth living til the end.
Finally on Wednesday the operation took place, a quadruple bypass that took six long agonizing hours but when the doctor came out he told us that as soon as the arteries which were donated by his own leg were in place his heart took over right away.
He is a strong man and his faith helped him through this hard time and now we just wait for his fast and full recovery, he needs to because he has to walk Abby down the aisle pretty soon.
He is still in the hospital recuperating very nicely but your prayers for a faster recovery will be greatly appreciated.
The Hunger Games
So while I was in California I finished reading Timeline, I really liked the book which is a typical Michael Crichton story. It had adventure, action, and some romance but not much, it was mostly a race against time to save their professor from a parallel world in the past during the medieval time in France.
I didn't realize a movie based on this novel was released back on 2003 so I went searching for the trailers on Youtube and it looks good even though I can already tell they did some major changes for the screen play. Still I think it will be a good watch if I can only get the movie. Since Blockbuster closed its doors in my neighborhood it is hard to find general titles now and as you all know Red Box is very limited when it comes to older movies.
The new book I am reading comes highly recommended by my daughter Nichole whom made me read the entire Harry Potter and Twilight sagas.
The Hunger Games is the first of three books and the movie will be released at the end of this month so hopefully we will get to watch it on the big screen.
I went to the library looking for it but they had a huge waiting list for the few copies they have available so I put a note on FaceBook for someone, anyone to send them my way. Luckily my nephew whom only lives five minutes away from me had all three and I now have them here with me and have already started on the first one.
I can already tell they are very easy to read so I figure it will take me about a week each since I only read at night unlike my daughter Nichole whom can probably read this type of books in two sittings.
What's on your reading list? Have you read any of the ones I’ve read?
I didn't realize a movie based on this novel was released back on 2003 so I went searching for the trailers on Youtube and it looks good even though I can already tell they did some major changes for the screen play. Still I think it will be a good watch if I can only get the movie. Since Blockbuster closed its doors in my neighborhood it is hard to find general titles now and as you all know Red Box is very limited when it comes to older movies.
So far this year I have read:
The Broker by John Grisham
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
In The Name of Honor by Richard North Patterson
Timeline by Michael Crichton
I am reading:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The new book I am reading comes highly recommended by my daughter Nichole whom made me read the entire Harry Potter and Twilight sagas.
The Hunger Games is the first of three books and the movie will be released at the end of this month so hopefully we will get to watch it on the big screen.
I went to the library looking for it but they had a huge waiting list for the few copies they have available so I put a note on FaceBook for someone, anyone to send them my way. Luckily my nephew whom only lives five minutes away from me had all three and I now have them here with me and have already started on the first one.
I can already tell they are very easy to read so I figure it will take me about a week each since I only read at night unlike my daughter Nichole whom can probably read this type of books in two sittings.
What's on your reading list? Have you read any of the ones I’ve read?
The Imitation of Christ: Strength Against Slander
Book 3 Chapter XXVIII
THE VOICE OF CHRIST: MY CHILD, do not take it to heart if some people think badly of you and say unpleasant things about you. You ought to think worse things of yourself and to believe that no one is weaker than yourself. Moreover, if you walk in the spirit you will pay little heed to fleeting words. It is no small prudence to remain silent in evil times, to turn inwardly to Me, and not to be disturbed by human opinions. Do not let your peace depend on the words of men. Their thinking well or badly of you does not make you different from what you are. Where are true peace and glory? Are they not in Me? He who neither cares to please men nor fears to displease them will enjoy great peace, for all unrest and distraction of the senses arise out of disorderly love and vain fear.
Anorther Trip, Another Adventure
Every trip is different, you would think after a whole year of going back and forth I would be fed up but the truth is that I make them as enjoyable as I possibly can. I wanted an early departure going to Cali but the best I could do was 10:00 am. This is including a stop at Costco for gas.
I got on the freeway and headed towards California, forty five minutes later I stopped in Tonopah to top off the gas tank again. Here a poor lady was getting frustrated because her poodle got off her SUV and was running all over the gas station, luckily it wasn't a very busy gas station.
She asked a young kid for help but he was on the phone so she asked me, so we started chasing the poodle around, the kid got off the phone and joined us. At this point the poodle is like what the heck, who are these two fools trying to get me so he sheltered himself behind the lady. What frustrated the lady was that because she was old she couldn't just bend down and scoop the dog up, eventually the poodle chose her over us and finally got in front of her and did not move anymore. She then gently picked him or her up and back in the car he went. Then as I left I noticed she now was fighting with the gas pump, but I was already saying sayonara and was on my way again.
Second stop was right before the California border. I once again put filled my gas tanks and then I noticed this wall that to me screamed photo up. So, I put my bike right in front of it and captured these two images. I really like them.
This shinny wall was a great place to photograph the bike and then I took the opportunity and got a shot of my reflection as well.I guess by now you already realized that my Fatboy is the star during this trip right? I few miles up the road is a very small town if you can even call it that. The name of the town is Desert Center and it's a middle point for trucker to exchange trailers between Los Angeles and Phoenix. There's an empty gas station, an old abandoned house, a train wagon, and a few other interesting things. I once again liked the setting for some more photo shots. I had been here before so this time I placed the bike exactly where I wanted it.
This is truly a ghost town, even in the daylight it's a bit eerie. Right away you find this gas station which has now been closed for at least three years, but even when it was opened it was a freaky place to stop. We pretty much never stop here as 25 miles up the road there's a more enjoyable stop in Chiriaco Summit. So as I took this picture a heavily tattooed young man came over and asked me if I wanted a picture on the bike all the while I kept thinking if he so wants he can just run with my camera and I have no chance of catching him. Well, he didn't but he did ask me for money and better yet a ride to the next town as supposedly he needed gas. What? A guy on the back of my seat heck no.
Then I rode to the train wagon and was taking more bike shots when another random kid came to me with a very similar story as tattoo guy. And he also wanted to ride on the back of my bike, what? Are you guys nuts, this I took as my clue to leave Desert Center behind and move on.
After the second intruder came around my inspiration was gone. I took captured this image real quick and just rode off into the sunset.Twenty five mile up the road you find another Chiriaco Summit. This is a very nice and safe stop for travelers complete with a nice restaurant, a store, gas station, The George Patton museum is there too as well as the West Coast Vietnam Wall. There's even an airport for Cessna's. I have already posted lots of images from this place but I will post a few more today.
At The Patton Museum there are lots of tanks on exhibition, so I chose them as background for some more Fatboy photo shoots.
One more gas stop in Coachella and the next stop would have been La Puente but as I came down the hill before Coachella I knew that for at least the next hour and a half it was going to be a bumpy ride because the wind was really blowing making my bike in a not so straight line.
It got even worse when I crossed the Palm Springs area, I think I was riding against the wind because the bike's engine was really pushing and I was only doing 60 miles per hour. That one and a half hours got me more tired than the whole trip, when riding in high wind the body tenses up and the mind becomes very aware that the wind can make you change lanes even when you are not planning on making them.
I had already ridden in high wind so I knew exactly what to expect. The last leg of the trip the sun got covered by clouds and the temperature dropped by at least 10 degrees to where I was getting very cold, so I stopped as soon as I could and bunddle up. Once my sweat shirt went on under my leather jacket I was fine the rest of the way.
All this things I endured during the trip were totally worth it because my sweetheart was supposed to meet me there the next day but instead she surprised me by being in La Puente a day in advance so needless to say that made me very very happy.
Pennsylvania Bishops Call Day of Prayer, Fasting, Abstinence for Religious Liberty
The Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania have called for Friday, March 30, 2012, to be a day of prayer, fasting and abstinence for religious liberty. Below is their letter to the faithful:
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The assault by the federal government on constitutionally guaranteed religious liberty continues. Our concern and alarm flows from a mandate of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which punishes the Church for its firmly held beliefs and consistent teaching. This mandate – published in the federal register without change, despite claims of “accommodations” – would force Catholic employers to pay for abortion-causing drugs, sterilization and contraception.
Some falsely suggest that the HHS mandate is about contraception. This is primarily about religious liberty and our First Amendment rights to the free exercise of our religion. Make no mistake about it – this government mandate is a step which will inevitably lead to other mandates that continue to strike at the heart of our Faith and the constitutional liberties we have been guaranteed. The mandate cannot stand – it must not stand!
This same mandate also, alarmingly, purports to tell churches what type of activities the government thinks are religious. Catholic schools, hospitals, nursing homes and Catholic charities do not qualify for a religious exemption. Why? Because they serve non-Catholics. Under the government’s view, Jesus and his disciples would have been deemed not religious enough. We have entered dangerous territory – the government is defining religion and limiting its practice. This is an unprecedented and gross infringement on our religious freedom. We did not pick this fight, but neither will we run from it.
Religious liberty does not belong to the Democrats or Republicans, it belongs to all Americans. Long before these mandates were issued, the bishops in the United States worked for health care reform and universal coverage that respects all human life from conception to natural death and includes language to protect religious conscience and practice of all citizens. Our fervent entreaties were answered with promises that we had nothing to fear. We cannot now sit idly by and let this happen. We cannot, as a Church, be silent because some have sought to politicize our plight. Please visit www.pacatholic.org to send a message to your legislators in support of conscience rights. Our voices and yours must be heard. The mandate must be rescinded. Our freedom and liberty must be preserved. And in this effort, we must remain steadfast.
Throughout history, Catholics in times of need have turned to God through prayer and fasting, as these practices allow us to grow closer to the Lord, inspire us to do His will and invoke His protection in answer to our prayers. During the Fridays of Lent, the faithful are obliged to abstain from eating meat. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics are also asked to fast – eating only one full meal, and, if necessary, two much smaller meals – to aid our spiritual life. Recognizing the efficacy of prayer and fasting as well as the challenges we face in overcoming the recent attack on our religious freedom, we, the Bishops of Pennsylvania, request that all Catholics dedicate the regular Lenten Friday practice of prayer and abstinence as well as the additional practice of fasting on Friday, March 30, to the preservation of religious liberty. On that day, offer your sacrifice for the cause of religious liberty, that the Church may be granted the basic right to practice what she preaches, and for our political leaders, that their eyes may be opened to the rights of all Americans, including those of faith. We will join with the over 3 million Catholics in Pennsylvania to mark this day of prayer, fasting and abstinence for religious liberty.
As we continue on our Lenten journey, we know the Lord walks with us during times of trial and concern. Let us do all that we are able – prayer, fasting, abstinence and the exercise of faithful citizenship – to uphold the freedoms of Christ’s Church and to grow closer to Him.
- Click here to send a message in support of religious liberty.
Why Catholics Cannot be Masons
Brethren, Peace be with you.
I want to add these to your reading list: a six-part interview of a former Freemason on why Catholics can’t become such published serially in the Colorado Catholic Herald:
• Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons, Part 1
• Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons, Pt. 2
• Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons, Pt. 3
• Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons, Pt. 4
Also,
• Purchase Why Catholics Cannot Be Masons from Amazon.com.
Also read online:
• Regent Restates Vatican's Anti-Masonry Position.
• What does the Church say about Freemasonry?
• Vivificat’s Freemasonry-related posts.
The Holy Father on Chastity, Cohabitation, Marriage, and the Family
"There is an urgent need for the entire Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity"
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 9, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of the address Benedict XVI gave today to a group of bishops from the United States, in Rome for their five-yearly ad limina visit.
* * *
Dear Brother Bishops,
I greet all of you with fraternal affection on the occasion of your visit ad limina Apostolorum. As you know, this year I wish to reflect with you on certain aspects of the evangelization of American culture in the light of the intellectual and ethical challenges of the present moment.
In our previous meetings I acknowledged our concern about threats to freedom of conscience, religion and worship which need to be addressed urgently, so that all men and women of faith, and the institutions they inspire, can act in accordance with their deepest moral convictions. In this talk I would like to discuss another serious issue which you raised with me during my Pastoral Visit to America, namely, the contemporary crisis of marriage and the family, and, more generally, of the Christian vision of human sexuality. It is in fact increasingly evident that a weakened appreciation of the indissolubility of the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost.
Yet, as Blessed John Paul II observed, the future of humanity passes by way of the family (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 85). Indeed, "the good that the Church and society as a whole expect from marriage and from the family founded on marriage is so great as to call for full pastoral commitment to this particular area. Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is injurious to society itself" (Sacramentum Caritatis, 29).
In this regard, particular mention must be made of the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage. The Church’s conscientious effort to resist this pressure calls for a reasoned defense of marriage as a natural institution consisting of a specific communion of persons, essentially rooted in the complementarity of the sexes and oriented to procreation. Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage. Defending the institution of marriage as a social reality is ultimately a question of justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community and the rights of parents and children alike.
In our conversations, some of you have pointed with concern to the growing difficulties encountered in communicating the Church’s teaching on marriage and the family in its integrity, and to a decrease in the number of young people who approach the sacrament of matrimony. Certainly we must acknowledge deficiencies in the catechesis of recent decades, which failed at times to communicate the rich heritage of Catholic teaching on marriage as a natural institution elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament, the vocation of Christian spouses in society and in the Church, and the practice of marital chastity. This teaching, stated with increasing clarity by the post-conciliar magisterium and comprehensively presented in both the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, needs to be restored to its proper place in preaching and catechetical instruction.
On the practical level, marriage preparation programs must be carefully reviewed to ensure that there is greater concentration on their catechetical component and their presentation of the social and ecclesial responsibilities entailed by Christian marriage. In this context we cannot overlook the serious pastoral problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation, often by couples who seem unaware that it is gravely sinful, not to mention damaging to the stability of society. I encourage your efforts to develop clear pastoral and liturgical norms for the worthy celebration of matrimony which embody an unambiguous witness to the objective demands of Christian morality, while showing sensitivity and concern for young couples.
Here too I would express my appreciation of the pastoral programs which you are promoting in your Dioceses and, in particular, the clear and authoritative presentation of the Church’s teaching found in your 2009 Letter Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan. I also appreciate all that your parishes, schools and charitable agencies do daily to support families and to reach out to those in difficult marital situations, especially the divorced and separated, single parents, teenage mothers and women considering abortion, as well as children suffering the tragic effects of family breakdown.
In this great pastoral effort there is an urgent need for the entire Christian community to recover an appreciation of the virtue of chastity. The integrating and liberating function of this virtue (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2338-2343) should be emphasized by a formation of the heart, which presents the Christian understanding of sexuality as a source of genuine freedom, happiness and the fulfillment of our fundamental and innate human vocation to love. It is not merely a question of presenting arguments, but of appealing to an integrated, consistent and uplifting vision of human sexuality. The richness of this vision is more sound and appealing than the permissive ideologies exalted in some quarters; these in fact constitute a powerful and destructive form of counter-catechesis for the young.
Young people need to encounter the Church’s teaching in its integrity, challenging and countercultural as that teaching may be; more importantly, they need to see it embodied by faithful married couples who bear convincing witness to its truth. They also need to be supported as they struggle to make wise choices at a difficult and confusing time in their lives. Chastity, as the Catechism reminds us, involves an ongoing "apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom" (2339). In a society which increasingly tends to misunderstand and even ridicule this essential dimension of Christian teaching, young people need to be reassured that "if we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, of what makes life free, beautiful and great" (Homily, Inaugural Mass of the Pontificate, 24 April 2005).
Let me conclude by recalling that all our efforts in this area are ultimately concerned with the good of children, who have a fundamental right to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfillment. It is my hope that the Church in the United States, however chastened by the events of the past decade, will persevere in its historic mission of educating the young and thus contribute to the consolidation of that sound family life which is the surest guarantee of intergenerational solidarity and the health of society as a whole.
I now commend you and your brother Bishops, with the flock entrusted to your pastoral care, to the loving intercession of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. To all of you I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of wisdom, strength and peace in the Lord.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)