Cyber Monday

****Tomorrow is Cyber Monday. This is a day when on-line sales are encouraged by merchants. Most of us do not like the consumerism that has overshadowed the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I will be the first to agree it has gotten more than a little weird.

****However, this is not as new a phenomenon as some would have you believe. When I was a young girl, back before electricity and flush toilets, people were already complaining about the commercialization of Christmas. As a child, I can remember pouring over the Christmas edition of the Sears Catalog (before it was taken to the outhouse), picking out all the loot I wanted. This was a process that took many, many hours spread out over many days.

****The early Church wanted to ban this whole idea of gift giving, but the people prevailed and the Church decided to put a religious spin on it by linking it to the gifts of the Magi and to the fact that Jesus is the best gift ever - which He is.

****The Victorians really cranked it up a notch and gift giving has been growing ever since, until it has become this guilt-ridden, stress-inducing hysteria that causes heartburn and pimples.

****My husband and I celebrated our first Christmas by giving each other gifts. Hubby had not picked up on the concept of gold and diamonds yet, and so I received a beautiful sweater that was a shade of gold guaranteed to make any dark Italian look like they were soon to expire from a virulent case of jaundice. I don't remember what I got him, but I'm sure it was wonderful.

****We decided that year not to ever exchange gifts again. Instead of wasting time and energy, we would purchase something for the house or just go shopping together for an item we may have needed. It's been over thirty years now and this method has worked well for us.

****I'm not suggesting that this is the only way to "do" Christmas, and I sure wouldn't try this with your kids. But one way to cut down on the stress is to take advantage of the internet. Retailers have jumped on the "cyber bandwagon" and tomorrow is Cyber Monday, a day to sit in front of your computer with a cup of coffee and do your shopping.

****Both my husband and I make a portion of our income on the internet. My husband sells instructional material for guitar, banjo, and mandolin. I market my daylilies in the summer and also sell on ebay. A significant portion of my purchases are also done online. No fuss, no bother, and no time-sucking shopping trips to the mall or driving from store to store.

****I encourage all of you to shop online. Almost all of the retailers are offering deep discounts, free delivery, or other inducements to get your business. I have included links below that will take you to sites with links to most major retailers, plus coupons you can use.

****Giving gifts should be fun. We do it because it makes us feel good but, for heavens sake, keep it sane, sensible, and never forget that Christmas is to welcome our Lord and Saviour. Offer your love as a gift to Him.

Cyber-Monday. org

Over-Stock.com

Best Cyber Monday Sales. com

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Lewalt Publishing Guitar, 5 string Banjo, and Mandolin Instruction since 1974 - gift certificates available for the musician in your life. Mention my name and receive a free gift with your order.

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Cheerful givers do not count the cost of what they give. *Their hearts are set on pleasing and cheering the person to whom the gift is given.

Julian of Norwich

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Praying Advent

Creighton University has one of the best websites available on the web. They have numerous resources for prayer and reflection.

Their Praying Advent is a wonderful resource for those of us who seem to be tied to our computers. Based on the readings for the days of Advent, plus text from the Liturgy of the Hours, it offers us a way to pray our way through this wonderful season of anticipation.

I do best when I have some direction in my prayer life and a resource such as this works well for me. Take a peek and see if this is something you may enjoy and find worthwhile.

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Mary Rose over at Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter brought to my attention something for you iphone users for Advent. You might want to check it out.

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A Month For The Souls In Purgatory 2008

Owen (onionboy) has a very special devotion for Advent.

In his words:

****"Beginning November 25th my family and I are praying through the Month for the Souls In Purgatory from November 25th to December 25th 2008. This is my third year practising this devotion while three of my family members joined me during 2007 and again this year.
We would be most pleased and grateful to add any of your deceased Christian loved ones to our list of souls being prayed for. Our family is offering Masses during these thirty days leading up to Christmas Day, known as a day when our Holy Mother, through her faithful prayers, sees many souls released from Purgatory to enter the gates of heaven."
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Art Show

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Don't miss Terry's art show, "Compartments", at Abbey-Roads. Admission is free so you can go back many times (as I have) to enjoy the many different pictures.
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51528 Words

Through storm and sun, you traversed the noveling seas. Pitted against a merciless deadline and fighting hordes of distractions, you persevered. You launched yourself bravely into Week One, sailed through the churning waters of Week Two, skirted the mutinous shoals of Weeks Three and Four, and now have landed, victorious, in a place that few adventurers ever see.

We congratulate you on your hard work, salute your discipline and follow-through, and celebrate your imagination.

You did something amazing this month, novelist. We couldn't be prouder.

We wish you well on your future adventures, and hope to see you for Script Frenzy in April, and have you back again with us for NaNoWriMo next November.

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This is disgusting....
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Wal-Mart worker dies during Black Friday event on Long Island
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Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

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What have we become?

Happy Thansksgiving

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An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'
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1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental **health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard **things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have ***you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, ***extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of ***trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait ***until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you ***Jesus .'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful ***for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'
(Romans 8:31)

NaNoWriMo Update

Turn up your speakers and celebrate with me. Only 8937 words to go! I'm planning on finishing on Thanksgiving - four days ahead of deadline!

This is GREAT!

QUAS PRIMAS (On the Feast of Christ the King)

Pope Pius XI

Encyclical promulgated on 11 December 1925

Excerpt. Link to complete encyclical at bottom of page

****It was surely right, then, in view of the common teaching of the sacred books, that the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to be spread among all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy as King and Lord, and as King of Kings.

****And, in fact, she used these titles, giving expression with wonderful variety of language to one and the same concept, both in ancient psalmody and in the Sacramentaries. She uses them daily now in the prayers publicly offered to God, and in offering the Immaculate Victim. The perfect harmony of the Eastern liturgies with our own in this continual praise of Christ the King shows once more the truth of the axiom: Legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi. The rule of faith is indicated by the law of our worship.

**** When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord's regal office invests the human authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the citizen's duty of obedience.

Take a few moments and read and reflect of this wonderful encyclical

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Stained glass window is in Leicester Cathedral

This is Creepy!

Go to change. gov and check out the blog. Here's an excerpt. Am I the only one who thinks this is very, very, creepy?


Friday, November 21, 2008 05:11pm EST /

President-elect Obama stops by Chicago deli

President-elect Barack Obama visited Manny's Cafeteria and Deli in Chicago today to pick up two cherry pies and three corned beef sandwiches -- including one for himself and one for White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

President-elect Obama ordered his sandwich on rye bread with mustard.

The President-elect visited the Chicago institution with Valerie Jarrett, an Obama-Biden Transition Team co-chair and White House senior adviser. He spent about 15 minutes shaking hands and taking pictures with people in and around the eatery.

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Obama Daughters Will Go

to Sidwell Friends School

Tuition? $28,442.00 a year per student (not including extras)

On February 20, his campaign (Obama's) issued a statement headlined, "Response to Misleading Reports Concerning Senator Obama's Position on Vouchers" that said,

"Senator Obama has always been a critic of vouchers." The statement went on, "Throughout his career, he has voted against voucher proposals and voiced concern for siphoning off resources from our public schools." It noted that Mr. Obama's education agenda "does not include vouchers, in any shape or form."

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Presentation of Our Lady

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****O God, who were pleased that on this day Blessed Mary ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, should be presented in the temple; grant, we beseech Thee, that through her prayers we may be found worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory.

Domenico Ghirlandaio

Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple 1486-90

Fresco Cappella Tornabuoni, Santa Maria Novella,

Florence

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More on Liturgy

****Often comments need to be put on the front page. This is one such instance. My friend Joe, who resides at Orthodox Christian Musings, has some additions to what Father Jay Scott Newman had written in his article that I posted yesterday.

****I have a particular soft spot for the Orthodox since we live two doors away from a beautiful Orthodox Church (pictured at right as viewed from my back deck.) It has been my fervent prayer for quite some time that a reconciliation between our two great faith groups (I just can't say the word community), would be a reality that I will live to see. For one thing they eat waaaaay better than we do and their music is sublime.

****I agree with everything Joe has added except for just a few points. Although our delightful priest at the Eastern Rite Church in the Spokane Valley sports a beard and looks quite smashing, I simply cannot imagine every priest with a beard. Let's just say if he is not challenged in the hair growing department and looks ok in a beard, then I'm all for it.

****Also in number eight is the call to "one Mass per altar on any given liturgical day." While I understand the liturgical reason for this I think the logistics would not be worth the trouble.

from the combox:

****I think that Fr. Newman's liturgical sensibilities are spot on. I would add a few more recommendations:

1. Turn the priest around so that he is facing the right direction, not the people.
2. Get rid of musical instruments altogether and sing the whole Mass in Gregorian Chant (English translations if need be).
3. Clergy should wear beards as a sign of their apostolic and Christ-given authority and should normally wear cassocks under their vestments, even outside of liturgy.
4. Forbid communion in the hand.
5. Forbid Lay Eucharistic Ministers. Only a Bishop, Priest, or Deacon should touch the Holy Bread or the Holy Chalice. If there are not two clergy members to distribute both the body and blood, then have the priest distribute both by intinction. Also, along with male-only altar servers, it should be canon law that women are never to be in the altar area for any reason. For us in the East, this is easy since we have an iconostasis separating the altar from the rest of the Church. But perhaps reinstituting communion rails would do the trick.
6. Institute the practice (borrowing from the east) of using a blessing cross to give the final blessing. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, have the people come to the front to kiss the cross and the priest's hand. Institute chanting by the cantors while people are lining up and going forward.
7. During the distribution of communion, forbid any hymn or song that is not about Holy Communion or receiving Christ in some real sense.
8. Reinstitute the other prayer services of the Church such as Matins and Vespers. Ban the Saturday evening Liturgy and replace it with Vespers. Also, offer only one Mass per altar on any given liturgical day. If everyone can't fit into the church, then build a bigger one.
9. Ban all children's liturgies and children's sermons.
10. Institute the forthcoming new English translation of the Mass as soon as possible and as completely as possible.
11. Incense, Incense, Incense! Require by Canon Law that incense be used at EVERY liturgy.

Father William Eugene O'Brien, Jr.
Saints Cyril & Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church in Spokane

Now that's one smashing beard!

Worshiping the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness
November 28, 2005
Fr. Jay Scott Newman

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****I was baptized in the Episcopal Church, and there I learned to worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. When I became a Catholic, one of the most difficult adjustments for me was learning to accept the generally wretched state of the sacred liturgy in most parishes: banal language, casual atmosphere, mediocre secular music, ugly buildings badly decorated. In all too many places, the result is simply unspeakable. But this need not be.

****The Catholic Church gave us Chartres and Canterbury; she gave us plainchant and Palestrina. The Catholic Church saved the language of Cicero, and gave birth to the Christian poetry of the West. The cultural and artistic riches of the Western Church are still in our storehouse; we need only deploy them in a way adapted to the present structure of the Roman Rite.

****I have been a priest for more than twelve years, and in that time I have served four parishes, one college chaplaincy, and one seminary. In all of those posts, the following characteristics were observed (mutatis mutandis), and the results were splendid. I offer these suggestions for those who seek to "re-enchant" the sacred liturgy for the purpose of leading those who worship more deeply into the Paschal Mystery.

For the building and its contents

1. The tabernacle MUST be on the rear wall of the chancel and on the central axis of the church. Putting the LORD anywhere else turns everything else on an angle, and no ideological justification will change the way in which this simple fact destabilizes the liturgy.


2. The priest's chair should face the ambo, not the congregation, and it should ideally be located on the opposite side of the altar from the ambo. When he is seated, the celebrant (like the congregation) should be facing the proclamation of the Word of God; to have him face the people from his chair makes him the focus of attention and invites him to behave like a talk show host.


3. Right angles are preferable to oblique ones. The eye senses rest when it follows one line to a 90 degree angle with another line; it senses motion when any other angle is present. One of the reasons many of our churches do not feel like peaceful houses of prayer to most folk is that the entire building and all of its furnishings are constantly "in motion."


4. The altar candles should rest on the mensa, not on the floor around the altar. The passion for the "naked altar" is bizarre, pagan, and antiquarian for its own sake. Yes, the rubrics do allow for the candles to be on or near the altar, but I believe that placing them on the mensa has an immediate effect towards the re-enchantment of the liturgy.


5. Avoid kitsch in all its forms, including most especially the trendy and sentimental, in decorating the church. Most churches look like someone's Italian or Irish grandmother has just finished sprucing up the place. Is it any wonder we have such trouble convincing our men that religion is not women's work? The sanctuary is the home of the Son of Man; let's make it look like a place in which most men would be comfortable spending a little time.

For the sacred music

1. Stop balkanizing the Mass schedule with different types of music. This trick comes from Protestant church growth strategies, and it teaches our people that divine worship is just a matter of personal taste. Yes, progressive solemnity can distinguish one Mass from another in a large parish (low Mass, sung Mass, solemn Mass, etc.), but the basic approach to matters musical should remain essentially the same.


2. If the choir is visible to the congregation, move them to a place where they will not be. This is absolutely essential to celebrating liturgy as worship rather than liturgy as entertainment. Yes, Anglicans more or less successfully replaced priests with lay choirs in the chancel, but for several different reasons, that simply does not work in the contemporary Roman Rite. The ideal place, of course, is a loft for organ and choir at the rear of the church. Failing that, at least move them to the back of the church.


3. Sing only sacred music. Much of what is now marketed as "liturgical music" is not sacred at all, and congregations addicted to that pablum are not capable of entering the liturgy as a participation in the worship of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Sacred music is a happy marriage of text and music, and both halves are necessary to re-enchant the liturgy.


4. If you sing hymns, sing the whole hymn. Stopping after the second verse because Father is at his chair makes as little sense as reciting half the Creed. And no "closing hymn" is needed. "The Mass is ended, go in peace" means what it says. Where possible, the priest and ministers should depart the sanctuary to an organ postlude or something comparable.


5. The Anglican, Methodist, and Lutheran traditions have given us an extraordinary treasury of hymnody, most of which can be used in the Catholic liturgy with very little adaption. This music has proven itself to be durable, effective, and sacred. Do not be afraid of using hymns from this patrimony because they are "Protestant." In truth, these texts are far more orthodox and "Catholic" than most of the tripe published by Catholics in the past two generation.


6. Plainchant was, is, and ever shall be the music best suited to the Roman Rite. Teach your musicians and your people some simple chants, and sing them well. Even those who struggle with Latin grammar will not need to be taught that this is sacred music.
   

For the congregation

1. Silence is indispensable. No talking before Mass. Teach them to be comfortable with prolonged sacred silences during the liturgy by explaining that we're not just waiting for the next thing to happen; we're waiting together for the LORD.


2. Teach them all the gestures proper to them, e.g. profound bow in the Creed, striking the breast at the Confiteor, kneeling at all appropriate times, etc. If the liturgy is just talking, talking, talking, then half the human person is left out of worship.


3. Emphasize coming early and stigmatize leaving early. Being casual about being on time renders the entire activity casual. Ditto for clothing. Same for the eucharistic fast.


4. Give constant, clear, and firm instruction about who should and who should not receive Holy Communion. Nothing desacralizes the sacred liturgy more than sacrilegious Communions, and the people need to be told this regularly. If you are not in full communion with the Church, if you are married outside of the Church, if you are in serious sin (including missing Mass on a Sunday or a Holy Day) and have not yet been to Confession: DO NOT EAT AND DRINK YOUR OWN CONDEMNATION. Reasserting that the Most Holy Eucharist is the most sacred reality on earth and not to be profaned by unclean lips will go a long way towards sorting out the McChurch atmosphere that poisons our souls.

For the priest

1. Say Mass as though the people were not present. This means that the priest is thinking about, speaking to, and turned towards the Most High God. Paradoxically, it is this benign neglect of the people that gets the person of the priest out of the way and invites the people into the most intimate participation in the sacred mysteries. This is now counter-intuitive to most priests, who were taught that their first, last and constant job is make the people "feel welcome," but it is absolutely and unconditionally true: say Mass as though they are not there, and they will start to say things like, "That's the first time in 40 years I feel like I've been to Mass." Guaranteed.


2. Naturally, when speaking to the people, the priest must look at them. But except when speaking directly to the people, the priest's entire attention (shown by posture, direction of eyes, etc.) must be directed away from the people and towards the Throne of Grace. For example, the Collect is not addressed to the congregation. Why face the people when you are speaking to the great I AM? And in the Eucharistic Prayer, the words "Take this all of you.." are NOT directed to the congregation, so when you say those words, Father, DO NOT look at the people. The entire Anaphora is directed to God the Father, so do not look at your congregation when you are speaking to the Ancient of Days.


3. Eliminate the words of introduction in the entrance rite. Simply cut them out completely. This little interlude is one of the worst mistakes in the 1970 Missal; it's like pulling the emergency brake on a train moving at 80 mph: the whole thing comes crashing to a disturbing halt. Give one homily, and give it when you should ... in the homily. No off the cuff remarks, no improvisation after Holy Communion.


4. To the maximum extent possible, hide your personality under the chasuble. Who the celebrant is ought to be as nearly insignificant as possible. The priest's job is to pull back the veil between God and man and hide himself in the folds, and this task is made nearly impossible by the ever expanding personality of "The Presider" who feels compelled to intrude his personality into every part of the sacred liturgy. The people aren't there to see us, Father, and if they like our jokes, then we can let loose at cocktail parties. But not in the liturgy.


5. Sing the liturgy. Most parishes sing around the liturgy, but the liturgy is meant to be sung. Unless a priest is truly tone deaf (and even then he can learn to sing recto tono), he should sing, at least at Solemn Masses, nearly every word out of his mouth. From "In the Name of" to "The Mass is ended" and including most especially the Eucharistic Prayer (in whole or at least the words of the institution narrative), the priest should sing the liturgy. In the Christian East, it was once clear that a man who could not sing had no priestly vocation. I wouldn't go that far, but singing the priestly prayers is an essential part of the sacred liturgy, and when it is done well, the re-enchantment of the liturgy is literally at hand.


6. Remember that every liturgy leaves chronological time and enters kairotic time. In chronos we say Good Morning; in liturgical kairos we say Dominus vobiscum. If we do not depart from the texts of the Church, then we stand a fair chance of taking the people with us into the never ending liturgy of the New Jerusalem. This is also why SLOW walking, talking and gestures are important. Same with hiding street clothes under sacred vesture. Ditto for the athletic shoes of the altar boys.


7. Yes, that's altar boys, not androgynous altar servers. Want to encourage young men in the parish to think about the priesthood and all the men to take seriously their responsibilities for masculine headship? Then restrict the service of the altar to boys and young men.

What's This About?

Remember that the cult of the ugly and the mundane was forced upon the Church in the service of an ideology. And if 40 years ago there was any doubt that this ideology is the enemy of the Gospel of Christ, there can be no doubt now. A bare ruined choir is all that is left in many corners of the vineyard, but even (and sometimes especially) in the ruins, God can make all things new.

In the service of this renewal, or re-enchantment:

1. Take Cardinal Mahony's pastoral letter on the celebration of parochial liturgy and throw it on the fire. Watch it burn. Now go take a hot shower.


2. Reject the ideology that got us here. Root and branch, cut it out of yourself. Empty seminaries, despoiled religious orders, plummeting Mass attendance, and wholesale immorality among clergy and laity alike are probably pretty good clues that the vocation to holiness which is our baptismal second birthright is getting obscured along the way.


3. Read good books that will help you understand the real nature and purpose of the sacred liturgy. Two excellent places to start are The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Ratzinger (who now goes by a new nom de plume) and Looking at the Liturgy by Aidan Nichols, O.P. For the mechanics of celebration, start with Peter Elliott's Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite and Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year.


4. Now approach the altar in spirit and truth, and worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

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Main Stream Media to be Trusted?

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****The controversy surrounding Father Jay Scott Newman's statements regarding receiving communion has generally gotten mangled by just about everyone who wrote about it. I think the most important lesson learned is that the main stream media (MSM) is not to be trusted.

****Read again what my friend Laura had to say and the twists and outright distortions the MSM put on this story.

****So often when something hits the airwaves or print, particularly if we agree with it, we are very anxious to spread the news. Sometimes after hours of vetting something I have read, I decide to not post it at all; often for no other reason than it doesn't "smell" right.

****The MSM has essentially elected a president by way of biased reporting, fear mongering, distortions, and outright lies. We have millions of citizens who still believe if something is on CBS, NBC, et al, it must be true, just as my father believed if it was written in the newspaper it was true.

Our Catholic duty is to have a clear and moral voice in the public square. That means taking the time to learn what the Church teaches and to apply it, not only in our daily lives, but also in the political arena.

****And now from Jeff Mirus comes this which is well worth a read and backs up what I have just said:

A web service from Trinity Communications. © 2008Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Truth Can Be Tricky Too

Dear Adrienne,

****You try very hard to be careful in how you handle an issue; you try to comment on it both accurately and with a sound spiritual purpose. Then, if God chooses to remind you of your limitations, you don't quite catch your errors before anyone else sees them. That's what happened to Fr. Jay Scott Newman, and to myself when I commented on his case.

****When I first heard that Fr. Newman had written in his Church bulletin that those who voted for Obama must refrain from receiving Holy Communion until they receive absolution for their sin, I saw a grave (though well-intentioned) oversimplification of the Church's teaching, and I wrote an extended blog entry to clarify the point (even though I hold that it was not morally justifiable to vote for Obama). I posted that blog entry yesterday afternoon with a strong criticism of Fr. Newman.

****A couple of hours later, I saw Phil Lawler's commentary article on the same subject (see The shameful betrayal of a courageous pastor). I was alarmed that Phil went in exactly the opposite direction with his commentary, and I could not reach him immediately by phone. So I explored Phil's relevant news postings and found that I had missed some of the story. In fact, Fr. Newman had correctly clarified his position within a few days, so I revised my blog entry (see No Communion for Obama Supporters?).

****I still thought it important to help our users understand the moral theology behind the question, so that's what I concentrated on. For his part, Phil revised his article a little also and, on the theological issue, he pointed to what I had written. Some readers still think I was too hard on Fr. Newman. But the whole story is in Phil's article, so even if you let me have the last theological word, please take the last word on Fr. Newman himself from Phil.

Simpler Items?

****Clearly, we need something simpler, so let's try human embryology and the energy crisis. First, we've added to our library a scholarly study of the current state of Human Embryology and Church Teachings by Dianne Irving. The text is detailed and the notes and web references are very extensive. For most readers, it may be enough to know this is there if you need it.

Second, while there is no specifically "Catholic information" on energy, all of us need to learn about how potential energy sources might be used to solve the problems of diminishing petroleum supplies, rising costs, and energy independence. The best and clearest treatment I've seen comes from Modern Age. See P. E. Hodgson's The Energy Crisis (parts 1 & 2).

Finally, in your prayers, don't forget our fellow Catholics in Vietnam: Viet police stand by as mob ransacks Hanoi chapel. Pray too that we are not headed in the same direction here.

Jeff Mirus
PresidentTrinity Communications

Arrrrgh!

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Arrrrgh!

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Week two problems are surfacing in week three.

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Happy A.A. Birthday to my Hubby

November 17, 1990

November 17,2008

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Tonight, while waiting for the news to come on, hubby caught the last few minutes of Boston Legal. James Spader's character referred to bloggers as "beginning life forms emerging from the primordial ooze." Damn, that's enough to make a person start drinking again!

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NaNoWriMo Update

Word count 25,100 - 24,900 to go

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I decided to take Sunday off from writing. Not a problem - just a little double duty on Monday. Since I took the night off from RCIA I expected an uneventful day with lots of time to write. Not to be! (or, to be or not to be, or some such thing).

Today my littlest and most spoiled doggie was sick - everywhere and often. I have changed the sheets twice, washed two rugs, cleaned chair and sofa cushions numerous times. And let's not forget to mention mopping floors.

I think the end is in sight. Elle weighed 10 pounds this morning and by this evening she weighed 14 ounces. Only kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiding!!!

Which means I have over 4000 words to pound out on Tuesday. Arrrrgh!

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HLI Leader's Reflection on the Election: "The Beginning of the Twilight of Our Country"
Commentary by Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President, Human Life International

This:

ELECTION 2008
Obama Likely To Reverse Bush Executive Orders On Family Planning, Stem Cell Research, Advisers Say

Leads to this:

11/17/2008 15:06
CHINA Uyghur woman forced into abortion with one-child law

09/20/2005 10:20CHINA
The Chinese government admits: "Forced sterilisations and abortions took place"

Your tax dollars at work under Obama
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St. Ambrose

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****One of my favorite prayers to say before Mass is the Prayer of St. Ambrose. I don't believe it was by accident that Angela Messenger assigned this poor man to be my special patron for the year. As I said before, St. Ambrose was last seen crying, wailing, and asking God what he had done to deserve such an assignment (even saints have their theologically imperfect moments). Why not you, Ambrose? It's a dirty job but someone has to do it!

***One of the great losses we as a church suffered after Vatican II, was that of our personal missals. When we were children, it was a proud moment when we received our first "grown up" missal, and we set about immediately filling it with lovely holy cards. Not only was it a cool thing to take with us to Mass, but it contained many beautiful prayers. We were able to access the Stations of the Cross, the Rosary, and prayers for many different occasions.

***We were exhorted by our parents and the sisters (if you were lucky enough to attend a Catholic school), to follow along in our missals, thereby enabling us to have a fuller understanding of liturgical theology. We understood, without being able to express it adequately, due to our young years; "Say the Black, Do the Red".

****Now we have those ugly little missalettes printed on cheap paper (if, indeed your parish even has that much), with the barest minimum of additional prayers. Like the discordant music we have become accustomed to, almost none of these prayers speak to the possibility that we may be sinners in need of help.

****Personal missals are still available, but when was the last time you actually saw someone with their very own missal? I was lucky enough to snag one at a thrift store for $2.00, and of course, I still have my pre-Vatican II missals - all of which, I might add, are stuffed full of beautiful holy cards.

****The prayer of St. Ambrose was, and is, a favorite of mine to say before Mass. It was prominent in my pre-Vatican II missal. I have highlighted words I find to be important. You may find completely different words which speak to you in a special way. Copy the prayer, keep it with you, and take time to recite it before Mass. I think you may find it helpful.

Prayer of St. Ambrose
(Before Mass)

Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.

Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgment,
but I trust in your salvation.

Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.

Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind.
Praise to the noble and precious blood,
flowing from the wounds of the my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away
the sins of the whole world.
Remember, Lord your creature,
whom you have redeemed with your blood;
I repent my sins,
and I long to put right what I have done.

Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins;
purify me in body and soul, and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.
May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,the end of my evil thoughts,
and the rebirth of my better instincts.
May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to my health in body and soul,
and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.

Picture: St Ambrose Converting Theodosius, Pierre Subleyras 1745, Oil on canvas, Galleria Nazionale, Perugia

The deadline for saint assignments is December 1st. Head over and request one from Angela
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NaNoWriMo Update

Half Way There

25,100 words. Who says you need a plot??

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Patron Saint for the Year

Angela Messenger is still taking requests for patron saints. Hop over and request a saint. This year the deadline for requests is December 1st, so don't dally.

In My Opinion:

****The Catholic Campaign for Human Development 2008 Collection will occur November 22-23, the weekend before Thanksgiving, in most dioceses of the United States. I am not comfortable, and haven't been for many years, with the concept of large charity type collections. The CCHD has a pretty poor record for stewardship. I believe much more good is done at a local level. The Knights of Columbus at our church have a Christmas basket program and our church provides a free meal every Thursday year in and year out. These are the endeavors where I will place my time, talents, and money.


Constitutional crisis' looming over Obama's birth location
Alan Keyes lawsuit warns America may see 'usurper' in Oval Office
By Bob Unruh© 2008 WorldNetDaily
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****The California secretary of state should refuse to allow the state's 55 Electoral College votes to be cast in the 2008 presidential election until President-elect Barack Obama verifies his eligibility to hold the office, alleges a California court petition filed on behalf of former presidential candidate Alan Keyes and others.......read more
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Ex-Hitler youth's warning to America
'Every day brings this nation closer to Nazi-style totalitarian abyss'
Posted: November 13, 20081:00 am Eastern© 2008 WorldNetDaily

**** Because it has abandoned moral absolutes and its historic Christian faith, the U.S. is moving closer to a Nazi-style totalitarianism, warns a former German member of the Hitler Youth in a new book read more

Father Jay Scott Newman

****If you have not been living under a bushel basket for the past week then you're aware of the statement made by Father Jay Scott Newman of St. Mary's in Greenville, SC.

****"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ’s Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."-Excerpt from November 9 Homily

****His complete statement has already been pulled from the parish website, and the diocese was quick to issue a statement which was not in support of Father Newman. I'm wondering why the bishops were not as quick to respond to the homosexual priest problem, abuses of our liturgy, or in the case of this election, the clear teaching on abortion and your duties as Catholic citizens.
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Statement of Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin
Administrator of the Diocese of Charleston

From Laura's Place:
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****"However, I do dispute Msgr. Laughlin's claim. I dispute it passionately! * Father Newman did not divert focus from the Church's position against abortion. *Father Newman's statements do very clearly reflect the Catholic Church's teachings." read rest of entry
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NaNoWriMo Update

from the com-box:

****"Writing is a difficult process, and writing well is much harder than it looks like on paper!" excerpt from Mark in Spokane

****Well that's the understatement of the century! Mark can say that because, unlike yours truly, he is not "comma challenged". But I appreciate the well wishes as I continue on my journey (commas be damned!) Word count 23,047 as of last night.
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The Grind Continues

****I was feeling fairly confident that week two was not going to be a disaster like predicted. But guess what?? It is!

****My characters are all over the pages, smashing into each other, and just generally creating havoc. I am soooooo bored I have come to the conclusion a reader would have to be bored also.

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You Don't Have Mail
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY Posted Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Competition: For the first time in its history, the U.S. Postal Service is considering layoffs. Imagine that — a unionized work force passing into obsolescence. read more

****Until a few years ago, the bulk of my husband's business was done by mail. Thanks to innovations he now can send music and tablature through the internet. If that had not happened, his business would have been driven into the ground by the rising costs of using the United States Postal Service.

****My business, however, still relies heavily on the USPS, and each year I have watched my revenues decline because the unionized workers at the post office demand higher and higher wages. When the postage becomes onerous, the customer can't buy the item. Simple!

****Any package I mail out that hits around the 6 lb mark automatically goes by way of FedEx to save my customers money, thereby increasing my ability to sell an item. So revenues at the Post Office continue to drop while postal workers continue to receive high wages and the security of never losing their jobs. The people that work at the post office are not "bad" people, but they are caught in a system that rewards you regardless of job performance.

****We have become a nation that rewards failure and poor performance. We start early with this concept. School children in the lower grades play games which have no winners or losers, and many high schools have 10 or 15 valedictorians. Unions perpetrate this myth by protecting its workers to the point where businesses are no longer profitable. Which takes us to the auto workers.

****If you want to know what's wrong with the auto industry, you need not look any further than the United Auto Workers. The "big three" want a bailout without the UAW making one teeny tiny concession concerning its workers, whose average salary is over $78.00 per hour including all their benefits. How much do you earn per hour?

****So what do I wake up to this morning? Presumptive President-Elect Barack Obama calling for tax-payer money to be used for an auto industry bailout. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't George W. Bush our President? This is just more "rewarding bad behavior." It's time for the UAW to be run out of town.

Read also:

UAW Malignancy on US Car Manufacturers

E-mail from an auto industry worker
By Michelle Malkin • November 13, 2008

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A Saint for Angela

Angela Messenger, who resides at Where Angels Go, is once again assigning patron saints for the year to anyone who requests one. This takes lots of time, prayer, and thought.

Last year I offered to allow God to help me find her a saint since it doesn't seem right somehow to pick out your own saint. Anglea and her patron saint for last year, Blessed Angela of Foligno, have spent a year getting to know each other. But it is time for Blessed Angela to move on and spend "quality" time with someone else.

A lovely lady by the name of Saint Margaret of Scotland (November 16, 1093) will be spending the year with Angela. St. Margaret said she had lots to discuss with Angela. Why am I not surprised?

My special saint for this year is St. Ambrose, who was last seen weeping in the corner and whimpering, no, no, no!

My wonderful husband will be looked after by St. Peter, the deeper (oops! keeper) of the keys

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This is going to unleash anti-Catholic virulence, the likes of which none of us have ever experienced.

Are you ready and willing to defend your Church?

Catholic Bishops Vow to Confront Obama Administration Over Abortion

Roman Catholic bishops say they will confront Barack Obama over his support for abortion rights.
AP Tuesday, November 11, 2008

BALTIMORE -- The nation's Roman Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for abortion rights, saying the church and religious freedom could be under attack in the new presidential administration.

In an impassioned discussion on Catholics in public life, several bishops said they would accept no compromise on abortion policy. Many condemned Catholics who had argued it was morally acceptable to back President-elect Obama because he pledged to reduce abortion rates.
And several prelates promised to call out Catholic policy makers on their failures to follow church teaching. Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, Pa., singled out Vice President-elect Biden, a Catholic, Scranton native who supports abortion rights.

"I cannot have a vice president-elect coming to Scranton to say he's learned his values there when those values are utterly against the teachings of the Catholic Church," Martino said. The Obama-Biden press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas said politicians "can't check your principles at the door of the legislature."

Naumann has said repeatedly that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic Democrat who supports abortion rights, should stop taking Holy Communion until she changes her stance.
"They cannot call themselves Catholic when they violate such a core belief as the dignity of the unborn," Naumann said Tuesday.

The discussion occurred on the same day the bishops approved a new "Blessing of a Child in the Womb." The prayer seeks a healthy pregnancy for the mother and makes a plea that "our civic rulers" perform their duties "while respecting the gift of human life."

Chicago Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is preparing a statement during the bishops' fall meeting that will press Obama on abortion.

The bishops suggested that the final document include the message that "aggressively pro-abortion policies" would be viewed "as an attack on the church."

Along with their theological opposition to the procedure, church leaders say they worry that any expansion in abortion rights could require Catholic hospitals to perform abortions or lose federal funding. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Chicago said the hospitals would close rather than comply.

During the campaign, many prelates had spoken out on abortion more boldly than they had in 2004, telling Catholic politicians and voters that the issue should be the most important consideration in setting policy and deciding which candidate to back.

Yet, according to exit polls, 54 percent of Catholics chose Obama, who is Protestant. The new bishops' statement is meant to drive home the point in a way that cannot be misconstrued.
"We have a very important thing to say. I think we should say it clearly and with a punch," said New York Cardinal Edward Egan.

But some bishops said church leaders should take care with the tone of the statement.
Bishops differ on whether Catholic lawmakers should refrain from receiving Communion if they diverge from central church beliefs. Each bishop sets policy in his own diocese.
"We must act and be perceived as acting as caring pastors and faithful teachers," said Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, S.D.

But Dr. Patrick Whelan, a pediatrician and president of Catholic Democrats, said angry statements from church leaders were counterproductive and would only alienate Catholics.
"We're calling on the bishops to move away from the more vicious language," Whelan said. He said the church needs to act "in a more creative, constructive way," to end abortion.

Catholics United was among the groups that argued in direct mail and TV ads during the campaign that taking the "pro-life" position means more than opposing abortion rights.
Chris Korzen, the group's executive director, said, "we honestly want to move past the deadlock" on abortion. He said church leaders were making that task harder.

"What are the bishops going to do now?" Korzen said. "`They have burned a lot of bridges with the Democrats and the new administration."
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Veterans Day

We will always remember.

We will always be proud.

We will always be prepared,

So we may always be free.

President Ronald Reagan

Omaha Beach,

Normandy, France

June 6, 1984

In Flanders the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place, and in the sky,

The Larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce hear amid the guns below.

We are the dead.

Short days ago

We lived,felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up the quarrel with the foe;

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders' fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

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A Must See

Visit Uncle Jim at a second chance for a wonderful post on Veterans Day. Watch the video and follow the link. God bless you Jim for bringing this to us.

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Happy Birthday Marines

The Marines' Prayer

Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose in deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family. Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Make me considerate of those committed to my leadership. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold. If I am inclined to doubt; steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again. Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer. Amen.

Never forget what these young men and women of the Marine Corps of the United States of America have done for you.

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And the World Starts to Change

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We skipped the light fandango

Turned cartwheels cross the floor

I was feeling kinda seasick

But the crowd called out for more

The room was humming harder

As the ceiling flew away

When we called out for another drink

The waiter brought a tray

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And so it was that later

As the miller told his tale

That her face, at first just ghostly,

Turned a whiter shade of pale

She said, there is no reason

And the truth is plain to see.

But I wandered through my playing cards

And would not let her be

One of sixteen vestal virgins

Who were leaving for the coast

And although my eyes were open

They might have just as wellve been closed

She said, Im home on shore leave,

Though in truth we were at sea

So I took her by the looking glass

And forced her to agree

Saying, you must be the mermaid

Who took neptune for a ride.

But she smiled at me so sadly

That my anger straightway died

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If music be the food of love

Then laughter is its queen

And likewise if behind is in front

Then dirt in truth is clean

My mouth by then like cardboard

Seemed to slip straight through my head

So we crash-dived straightway quickly

And attacked the ocean bed

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Dedicated to Heelers - my fine Irish freind who knows good music when he hears it.

Defending

the

Mormons

****Hate crimes (also known as bias- motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation.[1]
****Hate crime can take many forms. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters. Wikipedia

****I've always had a lot of respect for Mormons. They work hard, raise large, and for the most part, very nice families. They have great zeal for their beliefs and make some great music. Other than a few inconvenient visits by their missionaries, they pretty much stay out of our way. Imagine if the Catholic kids evangelized like the Mormon kids.

****The schools in Utah turn out some of the highest test scores at the lowest cost. Coincidence that Mormons control Utah? I don't think so. If they refer to the Catholic Church as the "whore of Babylon", at least they do it behind closed doors the same way we question the planet they are all going to get when they finally shuffle off this one.

****The Mormon Church in California and Utah is being targeted by the disappointed homosexuals who wanted the "right" to "marry." These folks blame the Mormons. Too bad they're not blaming the Catholics.

****My question is why is this not considered a "hate crime?" These people rampaging through the streets seem pretty hateful to me. Churches can be burned down and it's not considered a hate crime. Christians of all stripes can be targeted and it's not considered a hate crime. But woe to someone who hurts a homosexual or a "person of color."

****Very soon it will come to pass that if a priest or minister speaks out against the sin of engaging in homosexual behavior, he will be charged with a hate crime. Don't think so? Just ask someone in Canada.

****Catholics, you need to thank a Mormon for standing up for the rights of marriage and family in California.

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That Didn't Take Long

WASHINGTON – President-elect Obama's transition chief said Sunday the incoming administration is looking to reverse President Bush's executive orders on stem cell research, oil and gas drilling, and other matters.

John Podesta said the president can use such orders to move quickly without waiting for Congress to act, highlighting the extraordinary powers a president can wield beyond signing legislation approved by Congress. Podesta said people should expect Obama to use those powers to reverse many policies of the Bush administration.

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Prayer for Aborted Babies

Spiritually adopt an unborn child

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