SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP VI

This one is a little odd I will grant you. But maybe it will spark some thought. It is called "Sin".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf5f6n8Joq0

C.B. sends along this link and recommends it for people who are discerning direction in life.

Habemus Papem reports that the Cedar Lee Theater in Cleveland has begun advertizing for the movie "Into Great Silence" opening on April 13th!

The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland E-newsletter included this link for a virtual tour of our Diocesan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist.

Happy Palm Sunday!

MISCELLANEOUS MISCELLANY

For many parishes out there, today will be the last day before the Great Easter Vigil on which you can go to confession. If you would like an aid to help prepare you, here and here are a couple of decent Examinations of Conscience. Be bold!

A few times it has been mentioned that many of you prefer relevant penances, (in other words, three Hail Marys do not cut it). I have a limited bag of focused penances that I do give out from time to time and I am always amazed at how joyful people are to receive them. If you are comfortable with it, I would appreciate hearing what you find meaningful in a penance. Don’t break the seal of confession though, be very general – and if you are more comfortable, Email your response to me.

There was an interesting occurrence at the rectory yesterday – A lady came to the door and requested to speak to a priest. Invited into my office she took a seat and announced that she was Anglican, had always been Anglican, and until recently, was very proud of the fact. But she could no longer abide with the direction in which the Anglican Church was going and found that her only recourse was to become Catholic.

We discussed theology for a while and as it turns out, she was raised High Anglican which considers itself a third branch of the Catholic Church and her grasp of Catholic teaching was more orthodox and in depth than most Catholics.

“I though I would be safe in my own little parish,” she said, “But things are even starting to happen there. This is very disturbing. I am being abandoned and I see now that my only choice is to become Catholic. I am fully comfortable with ready to declare my full allegiance to the Catholic Church.”

“This is so sad. But Father, there are a lot of us out there. Expect to hear from more.”

Please keep them in your prayers.

Holy Week must be upon us. Expect to see a lot of mud in the PD about the Church. Another article today. (Once again, funny how these articles multiply during holy times.) sigh

Final note: I won't be able to respond as well as I would like to you over the next two weeks as parish duties will take precedence. Happy Holy Week!

THE BUCK STOPS HERE! TODAY!

The day away from the parish begins with meeting a priest friend of mine for coffee. We talk and pray. Often one of shows up before the other and so we always have a book on hand. Fr. B. was reading a Dr. Scott Hahn book entitled "Lord Have Mercy; The Healing Power of Confession" about which he was quite excited. He slid it across the table and told me to take a gander. Passages were underlined and comments were scribbled in the margins. The few blurbs that I perused were tantalizing. So much so in fact that I ran out to the bookstore last night to try and buy a copy and wouldn’t you know it they did not have it.

Cleverly Dr. Hahn shows that confession has been a part of our heritage since the beginning of man. In Genesis, Adam and Eve have eaten of the forbidden fruit. He calls to them and asks what has happened. (Can God not know? But he wants them to take ownership of what they have done!) Immediately the buck starts being passed. “It was she!” “No! It was the serpent!”

Cain slays his brother Able. Again God asks questions to which he already knows the answers. “Where is your brother? What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil!” So important is this action that God even tries to coach him through it.

What a beautiful opportunity they had, to talk face to face with God and seek His forgiveness. (Isn’t it odd that, like them, the more we need it, the less we seem to want to do it?) But the close relationship was lost and we enter a time of ritual, which pales in comparison.

Then comes Christ. He did not stand at the edge of town and say, “Okay, now, everyone in this town; your sins are forgiven!” No, once again God offers forgiveness in a personal encounter. What a wonder to hear from the mouth of God Himself that you are healed and your sins are forgiven. What comfort and blessed assurance. There is no more guesswork involved. “Neither do I condemn you. Now, go and sin no more,” He says to the woman caught in the very act of adultery.

Would we not all want to hear those words about that most wounded parts of ourselves and have that assurance? Would we not all want that personal, physical encounter? Why would anyone suffering under the burden and slavery of sin want to settle for guesswork again?

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” (James 15:16) But is not Jesus the only one who forgives sins? Of course! But there is something important in naming one’s sins and taking ownership of it. Yes! It’s hard! But that points to the power of the action.

And thanks be to God, He did not leave us guessing. He entrusted the keys of heaven to His Church. Through the power of the sacrament of confession we have a safe environment in which to confess our sins to God, to heal of the division between us and Him. Ordained into the one priesthood of Jesus Christ, the priest, not of his own priesthood but that of Christ’s, is privileged to be a dispenser of Christ’s mercy and forgiveness. No guess work! Properly disposed, the penitent is able to stand anew and start again united more closely both to God and to the community. We are not left distant and guessing as our ancestors were after the Garden of Eden, we are graced with the same hope as those who encountered Christ when He walked among us in the flesh.

What an awesome God. What an awesome sacrament! What incredible hope.

SHOULD WOMEN HAVE REALLY BEEN GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE?

Of course. Who would seriously think otherwise today? Or who would consider repealing the right to vote for those who at one time it was illegal? No one I dare say. Who can we keep from voting then? Felons? We can keep felons from voting without getting into too much political trouble from anybody. Illegal aliens. We can keep them from voting. Dead people! Yes, the dead. We can say that it is wrong for them to vote (unless you die in Chicago.) (Just kidding.)

Interestingly it is seems that many would lump people of faith with felons, illegal aliens and dead people. It is held by some that faith should not influence so called “public opinion.” Apparently the term public is being limited to some chosen enlightened. The separation of church and state has been, in some cases, extended to a separation of faith and state. A person of faith, who pays taxes, who are called upon to fight in wars, who are citizens in every way should not allow their beliefs to be part of the debate of public policy. This is proclaimed as if there is some self-evident and uniform basic humanistic principle that trumps all other opinions.

I can understand being upset with a person who votes without a grasp of the issues or with a sound reasoning for why they are voting as they are. It upsets me that people vote simply along party lines or to support a certain sex or heritage or because someone is good looking. Reckless voting is reckless voting.

But so often it is suggested that a stance should be discounted with the disingenuous declaration that the position comes from a faith tradition. This is said as if intelligent people could not or should not hold such a position. Why should a humanistic view automatically trump a faith-based view? Are persons with religious thoughts and agendas less a citizen? Are they not sincere in believing that what they hold dear is for the good of all just as a person with strictly humanistic views would?

To disregard a position out of hand by declaring it unworthy simply because to aligns itself with a belief in God is a dishonest means of debate and to pull such a trump card is inherently un-American and unites the user with the worst blemishes in our history.

(All right. Time to cool down. Here is a little comic relief for you.)

WET BABIES

A number of years ago when the fault lines in the Episcopal Church first started to become glaringly public, the Episcopal archbishop of Washington D.C. was asked by an NPR correspondent about his views on the changes taking place within his denomination. He had two interesting comments. One was, "The only people who like change are wet babies," and, when confronted with the notion that many of the positions he was taking had clear prohibitions in Scripture stated, "Don't argue Scripture with me. You can make Scripture say anything you want it to."

Wow.

So much for Sola Scriptura.

Today the PD reports that one of the largest Episcopal parishes in Colorado has decided to leave the Episcopal Church. This is quite a thing to be living through; the brink of a modern day schism. What a historical event. And sad. Yet another division within the body of Christ.

All the more reason to tenaciously hold on to Sacred Tradition which informs Scripture, which in turn informs Tradition. These are the two pillars that keep the bark of Peter on course, the guiding lights that guide her true whenever she may stray.

And she does. Another beautiful safeguard however is the papacy, the magisterium, and the faithful. Even divine institutions have human beings as members and as such they are swayed by evil as any men are. Throughout history, corrupt individuals, revolutions, popular heresies, suppression and persecution have always caused hardships and lapses of faith in one of these branches, but one or two of them remaining faithful have always carried the day and brought us safely back to shore. Man! This Church is an AMAZING institution!

Speaking, however, of our own blemishes, the PD reports today of the Diocese of Cleveland's response to the accusation against former bishop Anthony Pilla from Joseph Smith who himself is accused of financial misdeeds with diocesan funds. The trial of Mr. Smith does not even start until August. It is going to rain mud all summer in Cleveland.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK (or) WHY YET AGAIN I AM GLAD TO BELONG TO THE ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH

FINDING TRUTH WHERE IT MAY BE FOUND - "I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it! . . . There's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well, are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?" He said, "Baptist!" I said, "Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?" He said, "Baptist Church of God!" I said, "Me too! Are you original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God!" I said, "Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879 or Reformed Baptist Church of God reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!" I said, "Die heretic scum," and pushed him off. - Emo Philips from 'Moonbeams' in the magazine "The Sun"

More links from the Cleveland Diocese E-Newsletter: Catholic World News is an independent Catholic news service staffed by lay Catholic journalists, dedicated to providing accurate world news, written from a distinctively Catholic perspective.

CATHOLIC PIE AND FOOTBALL FIELDS

In a recent story in "The Sun", Mary Kenyon says she was looking for a friend just like her; a mother of many children who breast-fed and home-schooled, but always seemed to find breast-feeding mothers who didn't home-school or home-schooling mothers who didn't breast feed. Her close friends however ended up being the ones who were different, accepting, and taught her to be open to others. "If I had ever met my twin friend," she said, "I probably would have found her annoyingly self-righteous."

In a similar way I sometimes daydream about being in a parish where everybody believes and thinks quite the same as I with the same taste in music and art. Such will never be the case. That is part of the richness of being the Catholic (or universal) Church - all peoples, all times, all places.

And really, that is not all that bad. I, too, as much a I hate to admit it, learn a tremendous amount from those with whom there is a differencing of opinion.

Fr. Robert Hilkert (RIP) my first pastor had to deal with a house full of priests who were just about as differently tempered as you could imagine. It is a testament to him as a pastor that we made it all those years with nobody ending up bleeding. His basic premise was that we were all priests and as long as we stayed on the Catholic playing field all was well.

The danger in identifying too closely with being liberal or conservative or whatever in the Church, is in becoming holier than she and limiting the legitimate expression of others (assuming that it is truly a legitimate option.) Rob said it well, our goal is orthodoxy - living the life that Christ calls us to in the manner it has developed within His church and as the Church allows.

That is not to say that we cannot have a vision or preferences and promote them - even strongly. Which I do. (Ask any of my friends.) But there is a big roof on this Church and it covers a lot of people with whom we are called to pray, not pray like. And sometimes that means breaking out of our private wedge of the Catholic pie. (AS PAINFUL AS THAT MAY BE AT TIMES.)

“I used to be a liberal, if liberal means concern for the other guy,” Father Groeschel said. “Now I consider myself a conservative-liberal-traditional-radical-confused person.” - (Taken completely out of context, but funny here I believe. For the scoop on what he was talking about, take a gander at the Curt Jester.)

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP V

This week's video is entitled, "Why Am I Catholic?" Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0nSjxDKJEo

Habemus Papem sent this link to a sight that has a compilation of blogs by religious. Pretty cool.

http://catholicblogs.blogspot.com/#SISTERS

Happy Sunday!

SIR, PUT DOWN YOUR UTENSILS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BUFFET

Shamefacedly and with head hanging low I confessed to those who hold me accountable for such things my disastrous eating habits these past two weeks. I am already weak, and if someone says, “Oh, but I made this just for you,” my resolve is just destroyed.

I have been better about choosing what I will eat before touching a prepared plate. But then we sit there and talk and the remaining food is right there before me and all of a sudden another forkful is heading toward my mouth.

I read once somewhere that one third of the world is dying from lack of food. Another third of the world is dying from over eating. We live in the land overflowing with milk and honey. I spend too much of my energy trying to run away from the abundance of food.

About 10 years ago I went to Zimbabwe with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to see what kind of work we were doing there. This upset more people than you would think. “We have poor people right here in our own country whose refrigerators have nothing in them!” This is true. But most people that live in the United States live in relative poverty. The places where CRS goes people live in absolute poverty. Many there would consider themselves fortunate to be what we consider poor in the United States.

Empty refrigerators are not the problem in Zimbabwe. There are none. There are no kitchens in which to put one. Many families live in a cluster of tiny mud and straw huts. There is no electricity to plug a refrigerator into. As a matter of fact, there is little of anything for miles and miles.

Here are some pictures from a town called Binga. In them you can see the Church and a collection of some of the young folk who live there. They did not choose to be there. (Why don’t they just move out of the desert to someplace where there is food many ask.) They did live in a lush area and subsisted happily on their own until being moved out and settled here by decree so that their prime land could be used as resort areas. They were promised water, but it never came. And there are no resources for them to just pick up and move.

CRS, unlike many groups, doesn’t just drop a whole bunch of money on the problem and move along. The CRS of the United States sets up revolving loans to establish businesses that helps residents becomes self sufficient. A loan was given to a lady to buy equipment to sew school uniforms (required there for all students) and she earned enough to pay back the loan, which went to another man who bought chickens to start a farm. In this way we assist them in not becoming dependant on outside sourcing for sustenance.

It is with great comfort that I recommend CRS (the people who bring you Operation Rice Bowl) to you. It not only reaches out to the poorest of the poor in the world, it is a charity in which an incredible amount of each dollar goes directly to helping those in need.

Just one last picture of interest; here is the chapel for the main seminary of the country. It is absolutely packed with seminarians. What a joy it was to celebrate mass with them. One wonders if they will be the future missionaries to the United States.

DEATH AND SEX IN THE STATE OF OHIO

Mike DiSalle, former governor of the State of Ohio called it “temporary Godlike power.” It is the decision of a man to decide if another man will live or be “legally” put to death by the state that he governs. Our new governor, Ted Strickland, could face that decision as the 24th of April approaches and we as a state are scheduled to put to death James Filliaggi by lethal injection for the shooting death of his wife. It is the decision that Pontius Pilate had to face.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer asks today, “Put aside the legal and moral arguments over capital punishment in Ohio for a minute.” Not an entirely easy thing to do. After all, the decision to be made is whether we want to become what we hate, to have absolute power of life over another human being and to choose to snuff it out. “Consider instead the decision that a governor faces alone each time he allows an execution to move forward. What must it be like to hold a man’s life in your hands?”

“It is a time for reflection and prayer,” former governor Taft is reported as saying. “If you believe in God, it’s something you have to take extremely seriously.” Mr. Taft oversaw the death of 24 condemned persons in Ohio.

It is even harder and less popular to hold up the pro-life banner when it comes to executions. Emotions run high and even some ardent supporters of life in the womb waver when it comes to the death penalty. It can be politically damaging. Former Ohio governor Celeste who opposed capitol punishment commuted the sentences of eight inmates on Ohio’s death row before leaving office in 1991 creating great controversy. That takes courage. Do we have that kind of fortitude to stick by our convictions?

Further in the paper is more news coming out of the governor’s office. Governor Strickland has stripped the funding for abstinence education because, “Quite frankly, I don’t believe that abstinence-only education programs work in the long run. There is evidence that they may delay the onset of sexual activity, but over the long term there’s not data there that show they prevent, in a statistical sense, sexual activity outside of marriage.”

This despite statewide statistics that show, “teen pregnancy rates have dropped from 42.3 pregnancies for every 1,000 females ages 10 to 19 in 1997 to 33.1 in 2005.” Do you ever feel, as a Catholic, like a political orphan?

“We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common . . .” Preamble to the 1852 constitution of the state of Ohio.

“With God, all things are possible.” State motto.

These are not concerns for Ohio alone. Many people face them. This is what this man feels called to do. What do you feel called to do?

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Mom would cringe when she walked into a house and saw an old fashioned iron or a washboard sitting out on display as an antique or conversation piece. “We hated those things,” she would say, “they were a drudgery to use. We were so thankful to be done with them and move on to modern conveniences.”

But to the younger generation they took on new meaning. They became a connection to a heritage and to people. (Can you imagine? Grandma used this at one time.) They became a link to something greater. (I am part of a family.) And, quite honestly, more artistic quality was put into many things from past times so they are more interesting and pleasing objects at which to look.

The situation is not much different in the Church. Young religious and priests come on the scene and start dragging out items that those directly before us have been busily packing away. The new generation goes to the basement or attic and hauls things out much to the chagrin of those who were happy to be done with them and who are often hostile toward those who have a new appreciation for them. Why is this?

As much as I hate to admit it, sattvicarrior does have at least this point; symbols only have the meaning that we assign to them. To those who came before us, these items can be symbols of oppression, associated with leadership against whom they were defining themselves, a mark of who stood with the past and who is moving on with the future. Seminarians and those discerning religious orders who had an affinity for such things were (are) looked upon with suspicion and even outright hostility. “Do they intend to bring back the worse of what these things symbolize?”

Yet, for the “New Faithful”, be they religious, clergy, or lay, the meanings of the symbols have changed. These things mark an allegiance with all that the Church hopes for the future while maintaining a healthy respect for our heritage and history. They have become that by which new generations of Catholics take a stand against worldliness and thereby find in them not oppression, but freedom. In these symbols hope is seen, the promise of a strong tomorrow built on a solid history. They have become again visible indictors of our unity.

The world is full of strong symbols beckoning people away from faith. If we intend to win people to Christ and the Church, we need to use what we have at our disposal. One of our assets is our strong symbol system and we need to use it. So while it behooves us to get over fading hang-ups and embrace them, those who employ them anew need to do so with respect and care; for they are powerful.

YOU'RE GETTING TO BE A HABIT WITH ME

An update from the postulant from St. Clare who is joining the Sisters of Life in New York: She appreciates any prayers that may have been offered for her interview with MTV. The taping was for a news segment that will air sometime in April. She asked that our prayers may help people who see the segment "know that there is a God who made them and has a plan, a purpose, [and] a dream for them in their lives."

Those of you who mentioned such things will like to know that she and her fellow postulants are currently in the process of sewing their own habits. It turns out that none of them had ever sewn before so I hope that doesn't bode poorly for what they will look like once the don them! One more quote from her general letter, "It was also amazing because it was time to ponder our external transformation that will happen in June that will reflect the internal transformation that is happening through formation. One of the most awesome realizations is that it is a sign to the world and myself of the eternal, we are all made for something more, for that glorious union with Christ which real. More simply put, it is a sign that God is alive and well; a sign of hope."

WOW!

Now that I am the last person to report on such things, (I am just now getting together a group of people to with whom to study it) here is a link to take you to the exhortation that came from Rome concerning the Eucharist, "Sacramentum Caritatis". Enjoy!

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK VI

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND - "Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things. If a wretched man has a vice, it shows itself in the lines of his mouth, the droop of his eyelids, the molding of his hands even." - Oscar Wild in "The Picture of Dorian Grey"

Quote II - "Up until age 40, genetic endowment is dominant and that is why, up until that age, we can be selfish and still look beautiful. From then onward, though, we look like what we believe in. If I am anxious, petty, selfish, bitter, narrow, and self-centered, my face will show it. Conversely, if I am warm, gracious, humble, and other centered, my face will also show it. A scary thought; there can be no poker faces after 40. - Ronald Rolheiser.

In other news - Defund Abortion Guy sent this depressing link supplied by Cleveland Right to Life which lists the loss of life due to abortion in the nation and in particular Ohio and the Diocese of Cleveland. Yet despite the numbers we are very comfortable in the middle of it. It is as if it is a war over seas and nobody is reporting it. It does not effect us - these people are not people we know - and we as a nation can pretend that nothing happened nor is anything happening. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Notice that there is no indication that the rich man was even aware of the presence of the poor man at his door, yet he was held accountable. Kind of scary.

HOW TO FIX THE CHURCH

Most (not all) readers of this site when they are upset with the “the Church” tend to be agitated by the actions of individuals within her rather than with the Church per se. That is, they love the faith and are disheartened and/or discouraged by the way those who claim to believe practice it. As Avery Cardinal Dulles (who, before he became a cardinal spilled coffee me – an interesting story) said, “In a secular society such as our own, consistently orthodox Catholics will constitute a minority, not only in the society at large but even, I would say, within their religious community. The majority are carried along by the tide of public opinion, which they receive daily in large doses through the popular media of communication.”

So what are the frustrated, faithful orthodox to do? Report every liturgical abuse to the bishop? Call every Christian who does not hold every tenant of the Church on the carpet? Become the “Catholic Police?” There are times and circumstances in which one of these actions might be appropriate, but over all they do not work. Neither do committees, clubs, programs, initiatives, task forces, or banners, at least not in the long run. They might help, but they in and of themselves have never, do not, and will not in the future bring true, lasting, positive change in the Church. Father Benedict Groeschel in his book “Reform of Renewal” points in the only direction that has ever been effective and lasting in the Church; personal renewal.

When one sets out to make the Church more orthodox by fixing others, the effect is rarely great. The peak moments in the renewal of the faith has always been when individual men and women have taken faith seriously, reformed their lives and conformed themselves to Christ. Through study they knew about Christ and His Church, through deep prayer they come to know Christ, and through JOY they made that truth attractive.

It is so much easier to fix others than ourselves because of our ability to observe. (Again the benefit of having a spiritual director.) But a helpful exercise is to imagine yourself as a Church. C. T. says, “If you want to know about a business or institution, don’t look at their mission statement, look at their budget.” We each have a budget of time, talent, and resources. How are they spent? Would someone looking at our budget think we were Catholic? That we were serious about it? That we are striving to become a saint? Where do our resources go? (Being lent and tax preparation season, it is an advantageous time to contemplate this.) How is our time proportioned? How are our talents focused? Are our lives attracting others to Christ? Do we resemble the thankfulness and joy of the saints and martyrs?

Saint Francis was given the mandate to “Save my Church,” not to establish a religious order. So how exactly did he save the Church? By radically following Christ which in turn attracted others to him, and through him to Christ. Look at his budget line compared to his return. No programs, no banners, no pep rallies; and no immediate results, it took time, but the results that he garnered were great and last to this day.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP VI (or) QUIET ON THE SET!

Markus sent word from the Eternal City that a great movie is coming our way, "Into Great Silence." This week's Sunday Video On Tap will take you to a site that has an explanation of the movie as well as a trailer. (Why do they call them "trailers" if they come before the movie?)

http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/film.php?directoryname=intogreatsilence

Habemus Papam noticed that over on "For God, For Country, and for Yale," he has a link (found here) with information about where this film will be showing in the United States.

Clevelanders will be happy to know that it is coming to the Cedar Lee Theatre on April 13th. The Cedar Lee is a mere twenty minute drive west from good ole' Saint Clare.

In other news, the Saint Rose Young Adult Group mailed out this link as a good place to find Catholic resources.

The Diocese of Cleveland in their weekly on-line bulletin sent out this link for a Catholic news service.

And Finally - Here a couple of posts for those looking for a different angle to the contraception debate. The first is from Adoro Te Devote and the second from Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering.

God bless & Happy Sunday

TU ES SACERDOS IN AETERNUM

PART II of My Vocation Story (Sorry it is so long.)

College over meant facing the real work-a-day world and I loved it. I had a great time working in a number of places as a light designer, set designer, stage carpenter, prop master, stage manager, director, and various and sundry other jobs that kept me employed and life interesting.

The thing that was attractive about the theater was the idea that if someone attended a performance, their life had to be effected. They would either have to reaffirm what they already believed or they would be challenged to explore new ideas. They would have to think.

The problem was there was not always any control over the message and if I wanted to eat, I would have to do a great job and putting across messages that I detested. One day I was stage-managing a show that was called something like “The Seven Princesses.” There are only two things that come to mind about the show: The set represented the legs of a woman spread – and – well – I really don’t want to describe the rest of the set, and the women with whom I was friends had to wear costumes that I felt were beneath their dignity. One night this notion came over me like a sickening cloud and I knew then that I could not do this for the rest of my life. The message must be one that I can believe in or I could not be a part of it.

There was a church that had perpetual adoration in town and so a visit was made late that night and a deal was struck with God. If He would allow me to accomplish 5 life goals, then I would look into the seminary again. These were long-term goals. At best I estimated they would take a decade to accomplish. Four of the five were done before the end of summer. God can be like that.

Working in another town and attending daily mass during Lent worried that I might finish the last of the five goals, a priest, Fr. Keller, tapped me on the shoulder and said that he wanted to speak to me after mass. In the sacristy with no hesitation he asked, “Did you ever think about the priesthood?” I laughed and said that it had been considered. Pressed as to what was holding me back I told him of my fifth goal: to have all of my student loans paid off. His response was basically that this last goal was (rubbish) and that he was personally going to take me to visit the seminary on Monday (a dark day for the theater.)

I thought we were going to check the place out and look around. It turns out there were meetings and an application form and just like that I was back home telling my Dad (anti-Church) and Mom (a saint) that I was applying to go back to school (again), and not only school but to the seminary.

As you probably have figured out, I was accepted. But I still did not go in. There were some jobs that I promised to do (and wanted to do) and so put it off for another year.

If you are considering a priestly or religious vocation, note that it is not at this point that the gates are locked and your life course is set. This is just the courtship phase so to speak. My third year the live-in experience was horrible to put it mildly. The good part about it was, that although I HATED the situation, I loved ministering. But my impression was that those in charge at this particular period wanted no part of me in the priesthood. Three quarters of the way through the year I had enough. I was willing to become a priest, it was choice number one, but there were other things that I could do and if they didn’t want me there, that would be just fine.

I packed my bags and started making the appropriate calls informing people that I was leaving. Here the Holy Spirit played a role in making everyone unavailable except for my spiritual director who imparted good, calm advice (which is why I recommend a spiritual director for everyone.) He said, “Don’t give them the satisfaction. Make ‘em kick you out.” So I attacked the rest of the year with that attitude and it ended on a good note followed by a couple of fabulous years of formation and then (thanks be to God) ordination.

This may seem lengthy, but it really is the bare bones version of a longer story. Pulling out these highlights may make is it seem like a clear path, but it was not. And I was extremely fortunate to have family, friends, parish, and pastor who were exceedingly supportive, not something that a lot of guys have, and I owe those supporters much.

Bishop Gries came to St. Clare this past Thursday for confirmation and in his homily told a story about his mother who died about a year ago. He was going through her prayer book and came across a letter she wrote to God. In it she asked God how she could be so blessed that her son, the fruit of her womb, could call on God and make Jesus present on the altar. It still amazes me too. I still get chills when the congregation says, “May the Lord accept this sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of His Name, for our good and the good of all His Church.” What an honor!

If you are contemplating a religious vocation, know of my prayers and if I can answer any questions, please feel free to Email me. In the Diocese of Cleveland, my classmate Fr. Mike Gurnick is in charge of vocations. He is still getting his feet wet but will work with you in any way he can to help you in your discernment. God bless.

IT SEEMS SO CLEAR NOW, BUT IT SURE DIDN'T THEN!

Wow! Well, as promised, here is part one of my vocation story, trimmed of fat and meandering reminiscence. Hope you enjoy: Some forced thinking about the priesthood began with serving mass. One day Fr. Ozimek announced to me (not asked) that I would start serving. Sometimes coming off of the altar one of the old-timers would stop me and secret a dollar bill into my fist and say something like, “You did a good job up there. You should think about becoming a priest.” I would say, “Thanks for the dollar,” and move along.

But the notion was not completely ruled out at least in play. The neighbor kids and I would play mass in our basement and I would be the priest. They were perfectly happy to be Catholic for those few minutes even though they were Protestants because Mom would supply Oreo cookies and milk the mass wafers.

I can honestly say that the priesthood was not seriously thought about through high school and into college other than the occasional, “If I were a priest, I would do it this way . . .” But then some things began to happen toward the end of my college career. It was not a loud voice from heaven, nor even a single event, but a string of events and small voices that seemed to lay out a path to the seminary.

Thanks to Fr. Ozimek (whom I admired as a man and a priest – in fact, I took my confirmation name in part after him) who never really bought into the whole “Jesus loves you, how do you feel about it, make a poster” approach to CCD, I knew a bit more about my faith than my fellow students at the University of Akron. So if a question arose, it would likely be steered my way. I didn’t think much of it until one day the girl I was dating burst out into tears and asked, “Are you going to become a priest?” That comment dropped my jaw to the floor. No mention of that had ever been made nor had it been given any real thought. From where did that come? But interestingly enough, from then on, it was dwelt upon from time to time.

The next incident was when C.P. wanted to go to a Latin Mass and so I accompanied her. Father Mackert was giving a knockdown, drag out homily about the priesthood. I remember sitting in the pew thinking that it was quite a remarkable thing that he was saying (though scarcely any of it is remembered now) when C.P. elbowed me and pointed toward the pulpit. The exact words are no longer held in memory, but the gist of the whisper in my ear was, “That could be you!”

The next few months were one of those fists-on-the-hips “how did I end up here?” periods. There were some serious discussions with God, but he didn’t seem in much of a hurry about anything.

Interestingly, one of the biggest turn offs was the package that came from the diocese. I decided to write just to see what they had to say to men contemplating priesthood. (My concept of seminary was so off it is laughable.) When the package came, I took it to a private place outside and looked at the brochures that had obviously not been updated since the early 70’s and it all went into the trash along with most thoughts about the priesthood. Time to get on with the life that I had been working toward! But then . . .

Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat station for: CRISIS BACK STAGE!

TO VOW OR NOT TO VOW: THAT IS THE QUESTION

Says Brother Parker in Colleen Carroll’s book “The New Faithful”: “I’ve learned that’s the key to discernment. If you’re really doing what God wants you to do, you’ll have peace and you’ll have joy.”

Here are two sad little stories. The sad part is the frequency with which they occur.

Coming across a mother with kids in tow and making some passing comment about how many of them might have a religious vocation she says, “Oh no Father, I don’t think I want any of my children in religious vocations!”

A man comes in the confessional and sadly tells about the state of his marriage and how he has always kind of known that he was not meant to be a married man with children.

If someone feels the call to religious life (and is likewise called by the community) it is not a done deal. There are years of discernment that takes place while everyone figures out if this is truly the best fit for the person and the community. On the other hand, it is pretty much a given that people are inherently cut out for marriage and children. “Now, when you grow up and have children of your own . . .” But not everyone is cut out for it and pressuring someone into it will cause not only them to lose that joy and peace, but the joy and peace of those around them will suffer. It is imperative that a person looking toward the future not only discern if they want to marry, but if they are cut out to be married (or live a religious or single vocation.)

There are several categories of discerners. There are those who would be happy in any of the three lifestyles. This can be a cause for angst as the person struggles to learn exactly to which God is calling. But sometimes there is not a “right choice.” Sometimes there is choosing and then living it to the best of your ability.

There are those who feel called a certain way but are pressured to choose differently: to meet other’s expectations. This is a dangerous route as it may lead you down a difficult path. Nothing like living somebody else’s calling and not your own. That is a recipe for a hard life. Often these are the ones who feel pulled in more than one direction: heart one way, mind the other. It would help if this person sought the advice of a trusted spiritual director and spent some serious time in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Happily, there are those whose path seems as clear to them as a Clarion commercial.

Then there are those who have made a vow. They are no longer discerners. That time has passed. Now is the time to live one’s chosen vocation to its full.

Every path to a vocation, religious or otherwise, is unique. But for what it is worth, I thought that I would share my discernment story with you over the next couple of days in hopes that it might aid someone else on their journey (or at least provide some entertainment.)

WOULD YOU DIE FOR PIZZA?

There is a difference between running a social club and a youth or young adult group in a Catholic parish. It is not about get-togethers at all costs; it is about helping Catholics live a more authentic Christian life-style. If instilling the faith is not our objective goal, then we are stepping outside of our mission statement and wasting our valuable and limited time and resources. We are not a social organization. Community comes from living the mission; it is not to a mission simply to establish community.

Here are a couple of interesting insights from Colleen Carroll’s book, “The New Faithful”:

“[Y]oung Christians must find communities and fellowships that inspire and sustain them. Not every community fits that bill. Many churches, parachurch organizations, and religious orders struggle to attract young adults who seem hopelessly unresponsive. The attempts of these organizations to appeal to the next generations by diluting their message or softening their demands seem to backfire, leading many religious leaders to conclude that today’s young adults cannot commit to Christian communities of any stripe.” Page 95

“The decisions to be an orthodox Christian today entails a conscious choice, not a passive inheritance. And living that choice is no easy task.” Page 45

“’People think that if we make it easy on [young adults], we’ll draw them in,’ she said. ‘It’s the very opposite. Youth are looking for a cause, a reason to live. They need something to give their lives to.’” Page 70

“Law said, ‘I think every Christian knows it deep down – that it’s a life of self-sacrifice. But we never had a place to fall down and die.’”

It is truth that is compelling. I will not lay down my life, give of my earnings, wake up early on Sunday or devote my vocation to an organization because it will provide free pizza and games for me once a week for a couple of hours. Many places provide that already. Give me something to live for and die for and I will be there.

Now, that is not to say that we never have dances or pizza nights or open gym, but it must grow organically out of Christian fellowship, not be the attempted cause of it or the only people you will attract are those who simply have no place else to go that day. You will have visitors, not warriors for Christ.

A cool place for Clevelanders to check out is the Saint Rose Young Adults Group who seem to have a great balance. Good luck out there finding a place to lay down your life. If you can’t find one – start one.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK - V

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND - "Few of the Nazi doctors who acted as judges and executioners saw themselves as murderers. They killed to make the world a better place for the living. They killed to learn how death worked - to advance the cause of science. . .[H]orrifying events were once as mundane as the common cold, terrifying in their everyday banality." - Frank Green from an article in the Cleveland TAB

QUOTE II - "A quick lesson in natural law: If you fill your car with molasses it won't run no matter what you paradigm." - Janet E. Smith

CATHOLICS GOT GIRMS

A Quick Lesson in Liturgical Law:

Let us suppose that it is my birthday (it isn’t – not even close) and you want to take me out to dinner and tell me to choose my favorite place to eat in Cleveland. So I say to you my favorite restaurant is One Walnut, then Valerio’s, followed by the Lemon Grass. So you, in your kind-heartedness take me to the Lemon Grass as you prefer it. In fact, the next few times you take me out, you take me to the same place. Soon you are of a mind that this should be my favorite place because it is such a fine restaurant. In your estimation, it is everything that a restaurant should be. You tell others that, although I said I like One Walnut better, you know that I should be taken to the Lemon Grass. This is perfectly fine. I like the place a lot. But despite all your reasoning and I would prefer One Walnut.

Liturgical Law is not far from this. In the same way that no words are used without careful consideration, there is also no randomness in the order of things in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Things listed first are preferred.

For example: Notice the preferences for the opening “chant” (GIRM 48). The singing is done alternately by the choir and the people or (less desirably) by the cantor and the people (and less so) by the people alone, (and still less so) or the choir alone. All permissible; some preferred.

The music to be used is 1. The antiphon from the Roman Missal or Psalm from the Roman Gradual, 2. The seasonal antiphon from the Simple Gradual, 3. A song from another collection of psalms and antiphons approved by the Conference of Bishops, and finally 4. A suitable liturgical song approved by the Conference or local bishop.

So, instead of, Oh, let’s say, “Gather Us In” (in the Subject Index under I, Me, I, Me) with its lyrics, “Here in this place new light is streaming,” following the Rule of Firsts, this past Sunday at mass you would have sung (alternately along with the choir) the opening antiphon from the RM, “Remember your mercies, Lord, your tenderness from ages past. Do not let our enemies triumph over us; O God, deliver Israel from all her distress.” Interesting.

Example Two: (GIRM 160) “The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of the communicant.” While there is a clear preference for one, the decision is squarely in the hands (or tongue) of the one receiving, not the one distributing.

How to get around Liturgical Law:

Easy Method (recommended): Declare that the Spirit of Vatican II obviously intended for (insert your own personal cause here) to be preferred. Since this (spirit? Spirit?) (did not/was not able) to manifest itself, we take it upon ourselves now who are in touch with this (S/s)pirit to make this change and require others to do so also.

Advanced Method: Being an expert on the documents, it is easy to see that this part of the law was clearly a compromise document to appease those who (what? Are less faithful? Less influenced by the Holy Spirit? Are less Catholic? Less with it?) were causing trouble about what (the real Catholics?) wanted.

Yes, today I am blowing off a little steam. It seems some people are all about the Rule of Firsts unless it does not meet their desires. Either the Holy Spirit was present at VII or not, either the Rule of First works or it does not. This GIRM is either the legacy we have been given (at least for the time being) or it is not. Then we either invoke the Rule of First (and admit that we sometimes personally prefer or need the second, third, or fourth option) or just stop talking about it all together.

Now I need to go say mass and recite the introit, the least desirable option for the opening hymn.

SUNDAY VIDEO ON TAP V

Yes, I still have not figured out how to post videos the nice way everyone else does. *sigh* But here is "God in the Streets of New York City." Gives me chills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX5X2cXMh0o

On an interesting side note, the web site for the Diocese of Cleveland Secretariat of Catholic Charities Health and Human Services has an interesting link to a meter that counts the cost of the war in Iraq as well as several other endeavors by us as a nation.

Being rather intrigued by this, I set about looking for a meter that estimates the number of abortions. I found one here. I have not looked through the site thoroughly at all, but at least found this mter helpful for understanding the magnitude of the deaths.

And if you are interested in a lighter draught, here is a sight just chuck full of meters. Though some are outdated or no longer in use, there are still some really cool things here.

Good Sunday and God bless!

EVERYONE CALLS ME FATHER TOO

On a lighter note for the end of the week, here is the second day in January 2006 of the writing experiment; a day in the life of . . .

I sat and stared at the offending car through my windshield. There are many good and constructive ways to handle the situation, and I chose none of them. I was lazy. I was careless. And it was my fault, though at the moment you couldn’t have told me that.

There were acres of empty parking spaces at Saint Clare that day, just a few taken up here and there with teachers in the day school or the occasional parishioner wanting to stop in at the chapel and pray. So with so many viable options open, why then did the person in the white car decide that the best place to park was right in front of my garage door?

The real problem began when I decided to try to shave past the car into the tiny garage door. It would be close, but it seemed possible. So inching around the other car I stuck the nose of my old, but still good-looking car into its garage. It seemed to be going well until a loud scrapping noise was heard. The maneuvering was not as clever as originally thought and the car had scraped up against the side of the opening. Of course the parking lot, which had been a desolate wasteland a nanosecond before, was now full of spectators who heard and then saw what happened.

BLAP! I laid on the horn, a very mature and Christian thing to do, and a lady came running out of the rectory. “Oh that’s me! Sorry! Just give me a second!” and then she drove her car a short distance to one of the hundreds of parking spaces and came back to take care of her business in the house.

In the meantime, my temperament became foul and festering. That had to change. The sun was out and it was warm enough to be outside with only a windbreaker on (in January in northeast Ohio!) A walk might help. A man had called and asked that his mother be visited in a nearby nursing home about a quarter of a mile away and so the destination was set.

This was the second time I’d gone to visit “Nancy”. The first time she had disappeared and nobody could find her. Apparently she was recouping at the nursing home and not in much need of one. The nurses searched and searched and so I gave up and left my card on her nightstand. So it was with some relief that I found her in her room on this visit. She was dressed to the nines and looked as though she had lain down on her bed just to take an afternoon nap.

I knocked on the door. No response. I knocked harder. Again no response. “Nancy?” Nothing. “Nancy!” The only response was a snore. I put my hand on her shoulder already growing more nervous about intruding this far. I wouldn’t want someone, even if he be a priest, to come barging into my room while I was sleeping and shaking me awake simply because he wanted to visit NOW. But even a gentle shake and last calling of her name failed to rouse her.

Long ago I remember talking to Mrs. Momchilov who went into the nursing home. When we visited her, Mom told her that she was in a deep sleep last time we were there so we didn’t wake her. She thanked us and explained how much of a blessing it was to sleep. With this in mind, I decided to let a sleeping Nancy lie.

A second card was taken out of my wallet and a note scribbled to her saying that she was in my prayers. I put the note next to the previous card on the nightstand, gave her a blessing, and started the trek home.

On the way back I passed a nice strip mall (if such an adjective can be used for a strip mall,) I decided to take a walk through it. Passing restaurants, offices, and boutiques, I came at last to an artists supply shop and felt an overpowering urge to go in.

It seems in my family, well at least Mom’s side of the family, stress is always handled by some sort of artistic enterprise (seconded only by housework. Anger meant a clean house and the shiniest Revereware in the state.) It can take many forms. For example, Mom might drag out a suitcase of old Slovenian music and pound out tunes on the piano for an hour or so. It could take on a more permanent manifestation. My cousin who has been working on a beautiful old house for years, carefully restoring and preserving the abundant wood work with which it was graced, one day, while in a stressed state, decided to paint the French doors a bright aqua. When asked why she did it, she shrugged her shoulders and said, “It was just something that I had to do.” So now she has a beautifully restored house with magnificent woodwork and aqua French doors.

Not to belabor it, but the projects could also be monumental. My one sister who lives in the woods in upstate New York builds rock walls. Yes, rock walls. And not tiny, little rocks either, but miniature boulders that are far heavier than the weights I use at the gym. A visit to her house may find a twenty-yard rock wall gracing the entrance to her garden, two feet high and built well enough to walk on, or a new wall of rock and mortar in her house. She just smiles when asked about it and says, “I just thought it would look nice. Besides, the house was clean.”

In a trance, I went to the pastels and purchased a box of 60 colors or so and headed back to the parish and into the old choir loft. Truth be told, it is not a choir loft though it was intended to be. The parish never raised the money to buy the pipe organ for which it was built and so it sits empty except for use by the occasional bride or overflow seating at Christmas and Easter. It has thus become my hideout, my sanctuary by the sanctuary, a place to pray, read, and now: do art.

Off one end of the balcony is a door that leads into the bell tower. It is largely empty for it was to hold the blowers and other mechanisms for the never realized pipe organ. The room is kept clean, but forty some years of vacancy have left their grimy marks. The walls are tired and stained, and little plaster has fallen from the ceiling. With a little imagination, this room could transport you to an ancient church in Europe that has been standing for a thousand years. On one wall, I took my pastels out and started drawing a mural of Saint Clare, not a bright and bold mural, but one that looks as though it was painted five-hundred years ago and was terribly faded and in danger of disappearing all together. One day, someone will happen upon it wonder what this room must have been used for and why did they let such a mural practically disappear. As each stroke was made, devils fell off of my back and satisfaction filled me. Stepping out of the tower room, the car that was parked in front of the garage became just a car parked in front of the garage, the scratch on my car became just a scratch on the car, the pointless visit to the nursing home became a nice walk, and all was right with the world.

YOU DO THAT VOODOO THAT YOU DO SO WELL - (PART 3 OF 3)

To do is to be.
-Plato

To be is to do.
-Socrates

Do be do be do.
-Sinatra

My Dad is in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s. “Why don’t you ever come and see me?” “Dad, I was here Tuesday.” “No you weren’t, I’d remember.” “Okay. (Uncomfortable pause) So, what did you have for lunch today?” “I don’t remember.”

My father is not able to “do” anything for me anymore. It is excruciating even to carry on a conversation with him because anything that happened more than thirty seconds in the past has been forgotten. The challenge now is to love him for being, not for what he can do for me.

It is easy to love persons who make you feel good, who can provide you with things and services or joy. They are useful to us. But that is like loving a car. We cherish it and baby it because it serves us (and looks so good! Be jealous of me!) But wear and rust and dirt soon make the repair bills annoying, the glory faded, and we start searching for a replacement.

But unlike a car, you have an inherit dignity. You are lovable because you are, not because of what you can do for someone. That is how God loves you. He has no need of you per se. After all He is perfect community and self-sufficiency. The IV weekday preface in ordinary time reads, “You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to thank you is itself your gift.” We add nothing to his glory. And as a human race we have worked hard at showing God how much we do not need Him. Yet He still loves you, died for you, forgives you, welcomes you, shares with you, is with you.

It is imperative that each of us to understand both our unworthiness of God’s love and how abundantly we share in it anyway by His free gift. It is then we can realize how God can love even those we name our enemies, our least desirables, our inconvenient, our useless, our difficult, and call us in our dealings with them to remember their inherit human dignity and to act toward them accordingly.

WHEEL OF FORTUNE - SELFISH REASONS TO BE PRO-LIFE (2 of 3)

It is Speech Day in Middle School and you are not ready. But that’s Okay because your last name begins with a “V”, the teacher always proceeds in alphabetical order, and there is only time to do about half the class. Besides, they will focus on those who have yet to be videoed, which you have already taken care of on a previous assignment. You are home free.

But then the teacher announces that the video equipment is down today, so those people will have to wait until next week. Fine, there is still the rest of the alphabet in front of you. But Aaron Aphaski is absent, Gale’s was very short, and Harry was not ready to go today. He was counting on not having to give his speech until next week. Idiot. He got what he deserved. (Snicker) Wow, two more speeches down. I’m getting a little nervous. Get the teacher talking; try to eat up some time. Terry Tauling was not ready either. Darn. Wow, we are up to the U’s. This is going to be close. Please, oh please let the bell ring before it is my turn!

Just like in that classroom, fortunes in life can change quickly. Those who feel superior and safe today, able to make careless remarks about the worth of other human lives, can find themselves suddenly near the bottom of the “desirable” list.

Kerry Max Cook spent 20 years on death row for a murder he did not commit as has happened to many others we are discovering through DNA testing. We are an accusation away from being treated undesirables who deserve barely humane treatment.

In the 1930’s, the Christian world was in agreement that contraception was not in keeping with the Christian message. Approximately 70 years later, the right to kill the baby in the womb is seen as a right by many Christians. At the Right to Life March in Washington D.C. were persons with disabilities marching with signs asking, “Are we next?” Around the world we “weed out” people in the womb who are the wrong sex, inconvenient, and not as able as we would like them to be. What does that say to the people who are around that are in these same categories but who happen to be outside of the womb? Does that not make them “less than?” Will the slippery slope continue? We are all an accident away from being in such a category.

You could find yourself all of a sudden a member of an undesirable nationality as did U.S. citizens who were German and Japanese in WWII, or today, coming from the Middle East. You may be detained and have your rights withdrawn, or simply have people hate you for being of that ethnic descent. (Not to mention how the Native Americans, African Americans, or the Irish for the matter have been treated. And the list does not end there.)

It may be that you associate with the wrong persons. Lives were wrecked during the McCarthy period because persons were accused of talking to the wrong people. An interesting expose on this is the movie “Good Night and Good Luck.”

An unscrupulous man looking to cash in might destroy your company, your job, your benefits, and your pension and over night you can be “one of those people” looking for a hand out to make it through the day.

It is dangerous not to be pro-life. It takes a minute and a reshuffling of the cards to find oneself on the wrong end of the deal. We are all one body in Christ. To love others is to love oneself. We cannot hate without becoming less ourselves.

“Do you hate (them) because (they’re) pieces of you?” - Jewel

GIVING LIFE TO THE WORLD - PART I

I was thinking about the Scourging at the Pillar; about the guy who was wielding the scourge. How could he have done it? As the scourge slapped across Christ’s back he would have heard the painful cry and seen the writhing of His body as it tried to cope with the pain. “Great God,” Sir Walter Scott writes in Ivanhoe, “Hast Thou given men Thine own image, that it should be thus cruelly defaced by the hand of their brethren?”

Of course the way we come to this is by dehumanizing the one we are to cause pain. This is done in war to ease the restraint one might have about putting to an end the life of other human beings. We paint criminals as unworthy of life – animals that should be done away with. Even babies in the womb are just a glob of cells, not human, to be done away with at will.

If Christians want to rectify this situation, it is best recognize and deal with our own culpability in the holding of life cheaply. I was struck by a comment a professor made at the University of Akron about twenty years ago. It hit me like a brick between the eyes and it has stayed with me ever since. “When you choose to drink and drive, something inside of you stops caring about another human life.”

We contribute to mentality of cheap life when we gossip, when we exercise prejudices, when we look at pornography, when we engage in premarital sex or brush it off as unimportant or participate in joking about it, when we take others for granted or look down upon certain people, when we remain quiet when atrocities occur against the dignity of the human person, when we engage in contraceptive acts, when we could act out in charity but choose not to for selfish reasons or even when we do not treat our bodies well and with modesty. If we want to root out the major problems in the culture of death, there is no more effective place to begin than pushing back the darkness in our own lives.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE DAY IV

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND: "Honor and virtue are ornaments of the soul, without which the body, though it be really beautiful, ought not be thought so." - from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saaveda

QUOTE II - "Because if it's only a symbol to hell with it." Flannery O'Conner

This blog comes to you from the parish of Saint Clare. The first picture is a picture of one of our stained glass windows telling the story of once during the Christmas mass, when St. Clare was restricted to bed rest due to illness, she had a vision of the manger and heard the choir as if she had actually been there. So, she has been named patroness of television. I think the second picture, stolen from The Shrine of the Holy Whapping gets the message across better.