NunEssential

"It seems to mean more and more to our kids..."

2012-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

from foxnews.com
Is seems marriage isn’t off the table anymore for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brad admits, “We’d actually like to, and it seems to mean more and more to our kids.”

What about waiting until gay couples have the same rights like they once said they would? “We made this declaration some time ago that we weren’t going to do it till everyone can,” he says. “But I don’t think we’ll be able to hold out.” (Reuters)

Interesting statement from Brad Pitt who seems to be recognizing a foundational truth about children- that the most important security for kids is that their parents love one another and are unconditionally committed to one another. Hope Brad and Angelina do the right thing....

The Wonders In Space....

2012-01-25T09:13:00.000-08:00

While all of us are fighting down here on earth, check out the beauty in the heavens captured from Sweden. Simply amazing.....

Allen West Preaches It......

2012-01-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

cool clip from yesterday's March for Life in D.C.
(as a side note, the clip is taken from C-SPAN and is the second media outlet i have seen that doesn't report the event as a march in respect for pro-life, but as an "anti-abortion rally". Simple semantics? I think not.....)

Head Scratcher.....

2012-01-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

something is a little off here......cant quite put my finger on it.......

The Most Important Things....

2012-01-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

Two deaths this past week brought me to a deep pondering of reality. Most people know that renowned Penn State football coach Joe Paterno died yesterday at the age of 85 after a battle with cancer. Up until a few months ago, "JoePa" as his fans called him, was about to go down in history as the winningest football coach in the NCAA Division 1 tier. He was widely respected as an intelligent, integrated and upstanding man.

Then certain cracks began to appear. His former assistant coach was charged and arrested for child sexual abuse. Then the news came that the allegations were known by certain members of the staff but that the assistant coach remained employed and undisciplined. People began to wonder, "how much did Joe Paterno know? Why didn't he do anything?"

Apparently Coach Paterno knew about the allegations and took what he thought were appropriate actions but it wasn't enough. Perhaps he didn't know quite what to do. In a previous post about this topic, I mentioned that it's the denial in many organizations that causes the greatest ongoing grief.

Whatever the case may be, Coach Paterno was fired in his last season by Penn State. Shortly after, his battle with cancer returned and on Sunday January 22nd, God called him home.

What are the most important things in life?

Winter X Games freeskiing champion Sarah Burke also died this past week as a result of an injury sustained during a training accident. One of her jumps went wrong and she landed on her neck and fell into a coma. After several days, it became apparent that the damage to her brain was unrepairable and she passed away at the age of 25.

Both of these people were very famous. Both of these people had achieved worldly success. But I wonder, what's the most important thing?

There are debates surrounding both of their deaths. Should Penn State have fired Joe Paterno? Was it his fault that the abuse went on for so long? Should he be honored as a coach when a member of his staff was involved in such grievous affairs? Should people be allowed to participate in such dangerous sports like freestyle skiing? Should the stakes go up every year with higher jumps and more difficult terrain? Should she have had better safety equipment? Isn't one death from this sport already too many?

These questions are left for those left on earth to try and answer. I wonder if we were to ask Joe and Sarah what the most important things are, would they say a stellar career? money? fame? risk?

I doubt it.

Washington State Has Enough Votes To Legalize Gay "Marriage"

2012-01-23T12:47:00.000-08:00

God help us all.....first contraception, then abortion, then euthanasia and legalized physician assisted suicide, now legalization of gay "marriage."

WAKE UP AMERICA!

This is the systematic attack and destruction of the covenantal love of man and woman and the unification of the nuclear family.

These decisions will never bring peace or harmony, they will only wound us ever more profoundly.

Seattle Sleeps...

2012-01-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

After three days of snow and now ice, the streets of Seattle are sparse with inhabitants and quiet with a thick blanket of winter cotton. I hear rain is on the way.....

Bring on the Snow in Seattle

2012-01-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

Snowing in Seattle~ whee!!

from www.kirotv.com

A Priest Responds to the "I Hate Religion" Youtube Video

2012-01-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is VERY clever! love it, Father. Thanks to Lindsey for sending it to me.

Untitled from John Hollowell on Vimeo.

Football = 0 for 3

2012-01-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

New Orleans Saints getting beat at the last minute= sorrow and despair

Tim Tebow and the Broncos getting completely spanked by the Patriots= wailing and gnashing of teeth

The Packers closing the door on hoped for teams in the Super Bowl= just poopy....

Tebow Mania...

2012-01-13T11:25:00.001-08:00

Go Timmy! We love you!

Confrontation In The Rain...

2012-01-12T13:52:00.001-08:00

Love this scene from Pride and Prejudice. Interesting how we can all so easily misunderstand one another....

The Nearness Of You.....

2012-01-12T13:43:00.001-08:00

In the everlasting quest for awesome music, no one does this song like Norah Jones....

Size 6 Is The New "Plus Size" Model

2012-01-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

Check out this article featured originally at foxnews.com--

"A size 6 is now plus size in the fashion world, and most runway models meet the physical criteria for anorexia, according to a report that offers shocking insight into the disparity between models and the real-life women they are purporting to represent.

In the January issue of PLUS Model Magazine, plus size model Katya Zharkova and a straight size model are seen in the nude in an attempt to “open the minds of the fashion industry," which is stepping further away from reality, according to PLUS founder and editor-in-chief, Madeline Figueroa Jones.

The magazine reveals that some of today’s plus size models are wearing the same size as models Christie Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova and Cindy Crawford at the height of their fame in the 1990s. Zharkova, 28, wears a size 14.

The photos appear alongside statistics about today's sometimes dangerously thin straight size models and the continuously shrinking frames of plus size models. Among the revelations: “Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8 percent less than the average woman. Today she weighs 23 percent less” and “most runway models meet the Body Mass Index physical criteria for Anorexia.”

When Jones first saw the images, shot by photographer Victoria Janashvili, her reaction was immediate and emotional.

“I nearly cried,” she told Fox411.com. “The images were submitted to other mainstream magazines and while they loved what they were seeing, they would not publish them. When they came to me, there was no hesitation on my part. I knew this would be amazing for people to see and that if we added the correct statistics, the impact would be powerful.”

And powerful it was. When PLUS model magazine published a blog post, boldly titled “Plus Size Bodies, What Is Wrong With Them Anyway,” it spread like wildfire.

The post asks why the fashion world is afraid to cater to plus size women in advertising, but is willing to accept their dollars.

“This is not about healthy vs. non-healthy women,” Jones tells Fox411. “Because if that was so, most of the models on the runway in New York and Paris would not be walking. Not eating for days at a time can’t be healthy. But I don’t see anyone proclaiming how unhealthy it is and yanking them off the runway and denying them fashion.”

Jones added that the feature is simply about “those plus size women who do embrace their size and want to be treated, marketed to and accepted as equals.”

The response to the blog post blew Jones and her team away. It received more than 300,000 hits within the first days of being published, as well as more than 7,000 Facebook shares and more than 1,000 on Twitter.
“The statistics and photos in this article have had a global impact,” Tulin Reid, Executive Marketing and Creative Director of PLUS said in a statement. “As a plus size fashion magazine, we are thrilled with the results as it expands the conversation that we have monthly between advertisers, designers, readers and the modeling industry.

“We are not advocating an unhealthy lifestyle, but the right to have as many fashion options as the next size 2, 6 or 8 woman,” Jones said. “There are all sorts of epidemics right now besides obesity, which include cancer, auto immune diseases and a myriad of eating disorders.”

Most of the comments on the post have offered support of the message and include shared accounts of painful shopping experiences.

Still, the response hasn’t been all positive and Jones admitted that the experience was an eye-opener for her.
“I knew that we would get some backlash but I did not expect for plus size women to be compared to drug addicts,” Jones said. “Some of the feedback was so bad, we couldn’t even approve it for the public to see. But we want the conversation to happen because it gives us the opportunity to help them see that this is not a health issue. It’s an equal rights issue.”"

Religion = Hypocrisy?

2012-01-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

Someone sent me this video and asked me comment on it--

I think this is an interesting work by a young man who raises a lot of valid points but also has some things that are convoluted as well. Let's take it apart--

It seems his main topic of argument is that religion in general is toxic and hypocritical- that religion is man-made and not something God intended. This young man is making some broad generalizations here but also mentions some good points.

He mentions that we don't become holy by playing dress up and pretending that we are "good people" just because we profess a certain faith. He talked about going to church on Sunday but being addicted to pornography. Many people are caught up in that facade and think "well, I will just go to Church on Sunday and I will be a good person."

Often people hide behind a version of religion to look down on others and judge them and this is surely not what Jesus wants. He exposed the hypocrites in his day and called them "white washed tombs" who "look beautiful on the outside but are full of dead man's bones" (Matt 23:27)

It is true that religion- a systematic belief- will have little effect on the transformation of our lives until we open our hearts to a living encounter with Jesus (daily, not once when we were 12 years old) that Pope Benedict so often speaks of.

However, Jesus did not hate religion and never promoted individualistic beliefs that vary from person to person. He tells St. Peter, "You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt 16:18) and in St. Paul's letter to Timothy, he writes "the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth" ( 1 Tim 3:15)

So, it appears that we must look deeper into this reality. We cannot hide behind a name and say we are Catholic, for instance, when our daily lives profess an opposite belief (been there, done that) but we cannot say that religion is evil and we have no need for it.

It seems to me that a lot of people, when they are "anti-religion", are often struggling with something they don't want to give up and so rather than convert and be purified, they would rather condemn religion so they can do what they want.

I don't know which church this young man was referring to in his negative appraisal of religion, but the Catholic Church is one of biggest philanthropic organizations on the face of the earth. It wouldn't be true at all to say that the Catholic Church doesn't give money to the poor or feed the homeless. Most of the biggest pro-life movements are also within the Catholic Church- we do help unwed mothers and stand in defense of life from conception to natural death.

Here's the deal- all of us, every single person on earth has some measure of hypocrisy within them. We all have some measure of being a "pretender on stage". An ongoing personal encounter with Jesus combined with a solid and authentic belief system will transform us and the world.

We can have the House and Senate filled with pro-life people and have the President praying in front of Planned Parenthood but until we as individuals decide to seek healing, live in the truth, and undergo conversion nothing much will change. No one can live for us. We must intentionally decide to say yes and travel along the journey.

Binge Drinking Is Not Your Friend

2012-01-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Check out this new article put out by the CDC about new findings regarding binge drinking.

Those who need to binge drink are often what we call "alcoholic."

Find a meeting here! Get healthy!

Beary Embarrassing.

2012-01-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

Beary can no longer bear to watch LSU's humiliation by Alabama....He just can't take it anymore....

Ricky Martin Wants A Daughter...

2012-01-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

Latin Popstar Ricky Martin said recently that he would like to welcome a daughter to his growing family. Sounds great, right? Wait one second- read the story within the context he speaks (from people.com):

Ricky Martin says he'd like to add a daughter to his family – which already includes 3-year-old twin sons Matteo and Valentino – but that, contrary to reports that surfaced over the weekend, the openly gay star has no plans to marry boyfriend Carlos Gonzélez Abella on Jan. 28. Or any time soon.

In 2008, Ricky had twin sons via surrogate mother and is now seemingly wanting more children...to bring into an unstable environment with men who have homosexual appetites.

I don't get this. Since when did children become a right of personal creation? Because someone wants children, do they have a right to create them by any means possible?

When I hear stuff like this, it makes me want to grab people by the lapels of their Dolce and Gabbana suits and plead with them, "YOU CANT DO STUFF LIKE THIS!! STOP IT!!"

But the problem here is really on a much deeper level than a man who has sex with other men and who wants to create children outside the natural order (let's be honest, that's what really is going on, the media usually presents a "sanitized" version of same-sex relationships).

I had the deep joy of attending a 30 hour intensive course last week taught by Dr. Janet Smith on the topic of John Paul II's book Love and Responsibility. She is easily one of the most learned, wise and down to earth people I have ever met. Her course was outstanding.

As she was speaking very thoughtfully and honestly about same-sex attraction and healing, she said something very true and profound. Dr. Smith said, "the problem really isn't with gay activists, per se, the problem, first and foremost, is with heterosexual people whose sexual appetites are out of control."

Very. Well. Said. She went on to say, "we are all disordered in our sexuality and we all need healing- it's just a matter of how wounded we are."

So, in general society- if people are using contraception and having abortions, if they are creating children via IVF and are routinely unfaithful in their marriage vows, what ground is there to stand on to say that homosexual appetites are disordered? If married couples are cutting themselves off from the fullness of the marital act and rendering their fertility sterile, it's not such a jump to accept homosexual acts as "normal."

The whole thing is disordered and we must strive for integration and healing. Just because we want to do something or feel strongly about something, doesn't mean that it is true or right. We must always hold up our thoughts and actions to the light of Truth and live according to the Truth.

Anything less than truthful living will leave us unhappy, barren and restless.

An Open Letter to Continental/United Airlines

2012-01-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Continental/United Airlines
(or is is United/Continental ? Unitinental? or Conited? not really sure...anyhoo),

It came to my attention, I believe last year, that your two distinct and separate airlines had decided to merge with one another.

When I look up the word "merge" in the dictionary, it reads: to combine, blend, or unite gradually so as to blur the individuality or individual identity of.

Perhaps when your two companies announced this "merger", you felt the operative word in this statement was "gradually." Because I sure do.

An innocent traveler, I assumed that a common logo painted boldly on all your airplanes symbolized a unity between the airlines and a common mission. I guess I didn't get that it meant "gradually."

Although I am grateful for a seat on a plane that took me across the United States plus an entire 12 ounce can of soda during the 3 1/2 hour flight, the check-in process was a bit alarming.

You see, dear airlines, I followed the directions! I checked in online and paid my baggage fee, all I really wanted to do was to appear at the airport, drop my bag off and receive two boarding passes. And it eventually did happen...gradually.

Your employees in your respective companies (company?), seem to be a little confused as well because the check in process went like this:

Try #1

Me: Hi, I need to drop my bag off, I have already checked-in and paid the fee.

United Employee: Oh, you are in the wrong line. You need to check in with Continental.

Me: okay.......

(I leave the line and shuffle over to the Continental counter)

Try #2

Me: Hi, I need to drop my bag off. I have already checked in and paid the fee.

Continental Employee: Oh, you are in the wrong line. You need to check in with United.

Me: Uh, they told me to come over here and check in. I have already been there.

Continental Employee: (rather rudely) Ma'am, trust me, you need to go over to the United counter and check in there.

Me: (smile fading) I understand that, but they told me to come over here

Continental Employee #2: They don't know what they are talking about. You need to go back over there.

Me: (deep breath) okay......

(I stride back over to United)

Try #3

Me in line at the United counter, man who told me to go over to the Continental counter eyes me questioningly

Me: They told me to come back over here, I just need to drop my bag off.

United Employee: Go to the end of our counter and talk to someone else

Try #4

Me waiting to talk to a new employee, not sure which airline she works for.....

Me: I have been back and forth a few times already, I just need to drop my bag off.

Mysterious Employee: Did you purchase two separate flights?

Me: No.

Mysterious Employee (after spending several minutes typing mysteriously on the computer): okay, here is your baggage tag.

Me: Can I please have my boarding passes?

Mysterious Employee (who is now revealed to work for United): I can only issue one boarding pass, you have to go to Continental to get the other.

Hands me one (ONE!!!) boarding pass, for exactly 2/3 of my journey. I look at her like, "seriously?"

No Longer Mysterious Employee: We do not issue each other's boarding passes

(My private inner monologue responds: "oh, of course. I thought merge meant one company, i should have known that a merged company doesn't issue each other's boarding passes")

(I skulk over to Continental)

Try #5

Me: Can I please get a boarding pass for the other half of my journey?

Continental Employee: Yes, we don't issue each other's boarding passes

(My private inner monologue at this point shall not be published)

Anyway, Continental/United corporation, I am no longer a satisfied customer. I feel confused (and it seems some of your employees feel so as well). I thought that the common logo meant a merged company. And perhaps it will be....gradually.

In the meantime, my bag, boarding passes and I shall shop for another means of flying. Maybe one day I will return to Unitinental.

Gradually......

Interesting Case of Cause and Effect.....

2012-01-07T16:50:00.001-08:00

this one made me smile! ha!

Fr. Barron Speaks About Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

15-year-old Reveals Link Between Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood

2011-12-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

Check out this 15-year-old girl's website revealing the link between Girl Scouts, Planned Parenthood and liberal media outlet Media Matters--

check out The Blaze article here

Memorial Mass Update

2011-12-27T09:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a further list of memorial Masses for Fr. Santan Pinto-

December 27 – St. Mel’s Catholic Church, Fair Oaks, CA, 7pm

- St. Joseph’s Catholic Church , Newton, NJ , 8am

December 28 – St. Alphonsus Church, Seattle, WA, 10am

December 29 – Sacred Heart Church, Guelph, Canada, 7pm

December 30 – St.s Francis and Anne Church, Kolin, LA 5:30pm (rosary), 6pm Mass

December 31 – Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, New Mexico, 10am

January 3 – Our Lady of Guadalupe, Helotes, TX, 8am

January 7 – Our Lady of Guadalupe, Helotes, TX, 8am

January 17 -Our Lady of Guadalupe, Helotes, TX, 8pm

January 28 – St. Benedict’s Church, Mohnton, PA , 9:30(rosary) ,10am Mass

Walking Christmas Tree...

2011-12-25T22:16:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this guy's ingenuity in getting a Christmas tree into New York City's public transit stations. Because of a lame Christmas decoration ban, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

I'm also a big fan of when the news station interviews him...as a tree....great stuff.

Echo....

2011-12-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

Perhaps we have all felt like this at times....

Holy Father's Midnight Mass Homily

2011-12-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

This homily that was given last night by our Holy Father is AMAZING. wow, I am so glad he is our Papa.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to Titus that we have just heard begins solemnly with the word “apparuit”, which then comes back again in the reading at the Dawn Mass: apparuit – “there has appeared”. This is a programmatic word, by which the Church seeks to express synthetically the essence of Christmas. Formerly, people had spoken of God and formed human images of him in all sorts of different ways. God himself had spoken in many and various ways to mankind (cf. Heb 1:1 – Mass during the Day). But now something new has happened: he has appeared. He has revealed himself. He has emerged from the inaccessible light in which he dwells. He himself has come into our midst. This was the great joy of Christmas for the early Church: God has appeared. No longer is he merely an idea, no longer do we have to form a picture of him on the basis of mere words. He has “appeared”. But now we ask: how has he appeared? Who is he in reality? The reading at the Dawn Mass goes on to say: “the kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed” (Tit 3:4).

For the people of pre-Christian times, whose response to the terrors and contradictions of the world was to fear that God himself might not be good either, that he too might well be cruel and arbitrary, this was a real “epiphany”, the great light that has appeared to us: God is pure goodness. Today too, people who are no longer able to recognize God through faith are asking whether the ultimate power that underpins and sustains the world is truly good, or whether evil is just as powerful and primordial as the good and the beautiful which we encounter in radiant moments in our world. “The kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed”: this is the new, consoling certainty that is granted to us at Christmas.

In all three Christmas Masses, the liturgy quotes a passage from the Prophet Isaiah, which describes the epiphany that took place at Christmas in greater detail: “A child is born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace. Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end” (Is 9:5f.). Whether the prophet had a particular child in mind, born during his own period of history, we do not know. But it seems impossible. This is the only text in the Old Testament in which it is said of a child, of a human being: his name will be Mighty-God, Eternal-Father. We are presented with a vision that extends far beyond the historical moment into the mysterious, into the future. A child, in all its weakness, is Mighty God. A child, in all its neediness and dependence, is Eternal Father. And his peace “has no end”. The prophet had previously described the child as “a great light” and had said of the peace he would usher in that the rod of the oppressor, the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood would be burned (Is 9:1, 3-4).

God has appeared – as a child. It is in this guise that he pits himself against all violence and brings a message that is peace. At this hour, when the world is continually threatened by violence in so many places and in so many different ways, when over and over again there are oppressors’ rods and bloodstained cloaks, we cry out to the Lord: O mighty God, you have appeared as a child and you have revealed yourself to us as the One who loves us, the One through whom love will triumph. And you have shown us that we must be peacemakers with you. We love your childish estate, your powerlessness, but we suffer from the continuing presence of violence in the world, and so we also ask you: manifest your power, O God. In this time of ours, in this world of ours, cause the oppressors’ rods, the cloaks rolled in blood and the footgear of battle to be burned, so that your peace may triumph in this world of ours.

Christmas is an epiphany – the appearing of God and of his great light in a child that is born for us. Born in a stable in Bethlehem, not in the palaces of kings. In 1223, when Saint Francis of Assisi celebrated Christmas in Greccio with an ox and an ass and a manger full of hay, a new dimension of the mystery of Christmas came to light. Saint Francis of Assisi called Christmas “the feast of feasts” – above all other feasts – and he celebrated it with “unutterable devotion” (2 Celano 199; Fonti Francescane, 787). He kissed images of the Christ-child with great devotion and he stammered tender words such as children say, so Thomas of Celano tells us (ibid.).

For the early Church, the feast of feasts was Easter: in the Resurrection Christ had flung open the doors of death and in so doing had radically changed the world: he had made a place for man in God himself. Now, Francis neither changed nor intended to change this objective order of precedence among the feasts, the inner structure of the faith centred on the Paschal Mystery. And yet through him and the character of his faith, something new took place: Francis discovered Jesus’ humanity in an entirely new depth. This human existence of God became most visible to him at the moment when God’s Son, born of the Virgin Mary, was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. The Resurrection presupposes the Incarnation. For God’s Son to take the form of a child, a truly human child, made a profound impression on the heart of the Saint of Assisi, transforming faith into love. “The kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed” – this phrase of Saint Paul now acquired an entirely new depth. In the child born in the stable at Bethlehem, we can as it were touch and caress God. And so the liturgical year acquired a second focus in a feast that is above all a feast of the heart.

This has nothing to do with sentimentality. It is right here, in this new experience of the reality of Jesus’ humanity that the great mystery of faith is revealed. Francis loved the child Jesus, because for him it was in this childish estate that God’s humility shone forth. God became poor. His Son was born in the poverty of the stable. In the child Jesus, God made himself dependent, in need of human love, he put himself in the position of asking for human love – our love. Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God’s humility, which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity. Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light.

Francis arranged for Mass to be celebrated on the manger that stood between the ox and the ass (cf. 1 Celano 85; Fonti 469). Later, an altar was built over this manger, so that where animals had once fed on hay, men could now receive the flesh of the spotless lamb Jesus Christ, for the salvation of soul and body, as Thomas of Celano tells us (cf. 1 Celano 87; Fonti 471). Francis himself, as a deacon, had sung the Christmas Gospel on the holy night in Greccio with resounding voice. Through the friars’ radiant Christmas singing, the whole celebration seemed to be a great outburst of joy (1 Celano 85.86; Fonti 469, 470). It was the encounter with God’s humility that caused this joy – his goodness creates the true feast.

Today, anyone wishing to enter the Church of Jesus’ Nativity in Bethlehem will find that the doorway five and a half metres high, through which emperors and caliphs used to enter the building, is now largely walled up. Only a low opening of one and a half metres has remained. The intention was probably to provide the church with better protection from attack, but above all to prevent people from entering God’s house on horseback. Anyone wishing to enter the place of Jesus’ birth has to bend down. It seems to me that a deeper truth is revealed here, which should touch our hearts on this holy night: if we want to find the God who appeared as a child, then we must dismount from the high horse of our “enlightened” reason. We must set aside our false certainties, our intellectual pride, which prevents us from recognizing God’s closeness. We must follow the interior path of Saint Francis – the path leading to that ultimate outward and inward simplicity which enables the heart to see. We must bend down, spiritually we must as it were go on foot, in order to pass through the portal of faith and encounter the God who is so different from our prejudices and opinions – the God who conceals himself in the humility of a newborn baby.

In this spirit let us celebrate the liturgy of the holy night, let us strip away our fixation on what is material, on what can be measured and grasped. Let us allow ourselves to be made simple by the God who reveals himself to the simple of heart. And let us also pray especially at this hour for all who have to celebrate Christmas in poverty, in suffering, as migrants, that a ray of God’s kindness may shine upon them, that they – and we – may be touched by the kindness that God chose to bring into the world through the birth of his Son in a stable. Amen.

www.vatican.va

Holy Father Pleads For World Peace

2011-12-25T11:33:00.000-08:00

From this morning at the Vatican-

Holy Father Reflects On The Fruits of World Youth Days...

2011-12-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

Here are some great quotes from the Holy Father as he reflected on the power of World Youth Days and also the Church in Africa...

Another sign of hope is seen in the World Youth Days where "again and again ... a new, more youthful form of Christianity can be seen", one possessing five main characteristics. "Firstly, there is a new experience of catholicity, of the Church's universality. This is what struck the young people and all the participants quite directly: we come from every continent, but although we have never met one another, we know one another" because "the same inner encounter with Jesus Christ has stamped us deep within with the same structure of intellect, will, and heart. ... In this setting, to say that all humanity are brothers and sisters is not merely an idea: it becomes a real shared experience, generating joy".

Secondly, "from this derives a new way of living our humanity, our Christianity. For me, one of the most important experiences of those days was the meeting with the World Youth Day volunteers: about 20,000 young people, all of whom devoted weeks or months of their lives" to the preparations. "At the end of the day, these young people were visibly and tangibly filled with a great sense of happiness: the time that they had given up had meaning; in giving of their time and labour, they had found time, they had found life. ... These young people did good, even at a cost, even if it demanded sacrifice, simply because it is a wonderful thing to do good, to be there for others. All it needs is the courage to make the leap. Prior to all of this is the encounter with Jesus Christ, inflaming us with love for God and for others, and freeing us from seeking our own ego"

At this Christmastime, may we all continue or reinvest ourselves to being of service for the Gospel and praying to Jesus for the courage and openness to encounter Him anew- that He would free us from seeking our own ego.

Update Letter From the Bishop of Belgaum

2011-12-24T09:46:00.000-08:00

Peace of Christ !

May I wish you all the graces of the Christmas season as also the blessings of God has in store for you in the New Year. I know it will be celebrated by you in a very sombre atmosphere after the sad demise of Fr. Santan Pinto. We are just getting over the shock. I am sorry I couldn’t write to you after the funeral because of pressing engagements these days as also the Christmas correspondence.

To add a little more on the details of the funeral, Fr.Santan was buried in the Belgaum Catholic Cemetery after the solemn Eucharist in the Fatima Cathedral on 16th Dec.2011. His body was disfigured and so we couldn’t keep it for public view. As the condition was bad, we kept the coffin closed throughout. About 35 Priests concelebrated with me and the Cathedral was full and overflowing with mourners from all over Belgaum. His sister, Patsy and many of the other relatives had come from Goa, Pune and Bombay.

Of the two others in the vehicle with Fr. Santan, they are in better condition now. The driver, Mr.Freddy was a close friend of Fr. Santan and he had only minor injuries and the other passenger was his nephew, Mr. Ashwin.He had head injuries at the time of the accident but seems to be not so serious as he is improving but still in hospital because of hip fracture. The cause for the accident is reported as tire burst and it happened just 25 kilometers on the way to Belgaum. I had to personally intervene with the Police and transport authorities in order to hasten the post-mortem arrangements which normally take long time in India.

Please convey my condolences to all the members of the community I know how difficult it is to accept this tragic loss. You have benefited from his services and closeness to you especially in the formation of your community. He was a good Priest who motivated you to reach to others in need. He put us in contact with you and we are grateful for the help we have received from you, especially for our seminarians. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as Fr. Santan will surely pray for us from the Heavenly Kingdom.

Wishing you all the joys of Christmas and Happy New Year!

Yours sincerely in Christ,

(+Peter Machado)
Bishop of Belgaum

Valencia County Obituary of Fr. Pinto

2011-12-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Memorial Video In Honor Of Fr. Pinto....

2011-12-21T19:09:00.000-08:00

Created with love by one of the DJM's

Goan Newspaper Article About Father Pinto

2011-12-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

Memorial Masses For Fr. Pinto-- UPDATED

2011-12-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

The SOLT Community will be holding three large memorial masses for those who would like to remember Fr. Pinto in a special way.

Thursday December 22nd at 10am at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Chapel, Corpus Christi, TX

Wednesday December 28th at 10am at St. Alphonsus Parish, Seattle, WA

Saturday December 31st at 10am at Our Lady of Belen, Belen, NM

Letter from the Bishop of Belgaum about Fr. Pinto's accident

2011-12-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

From the website http://www.sharingthetreasures.org/index.php

16th December 2011

PEACE OF CHRIST !
God’s will have been done in the case of Rev. Fr. Santan Pinto.

I am sorry to report to you the death of Rev. Fr. Santan Pinto. It was really shocking for us.

He returned from the States last night and he was travelling from Bombay to Belgaum by car, which was driven by afriend of his in Belgaum. They presumably left Bombay around 10 p.m. and the accident took place at5.00 a.m. in the morning about 30 kms from Belgaum. I visited the spot and saw the body this morning. It looks that the driver may have been sleepy and so banged a pole just before the tollgate. The accident must have been terrible because there are injuries all over the body. The family is still deciding regarding the funeral. I thought of giving you this first information.

We have known Rev. Fr. Santan as a good Priest and a close friend of our Diocese. He encouraged you and the others to contribute for our needs, especially for the training of our Seminarians. May his soul restin peace. Kindly pass on this message to the members of the SOLT ministries.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
(+ Peter Machado)
Bishop of Belgaum

Fr. Pinto's Last Youtube Video On The Topic Of Intercession

2011-12-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

How apropos that Fr. Pinto would post his last video on the topic of Intercession. He is now interceding for us!

check out all of his videos on his youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/frsantanpinto

SOLT Founder, Fr. James Flanagan, Reflects On The Life Of Fr. Santan Pinto

2011-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

In the wake of our grief and disbelief of the sudden departure of our beloved father, Fr. Pinto, (even as I am writing this, I cannot believe I am writing it, you know?) someone shared with me the words of our Founder, Fr. Flanagan, who briefly commented on the life of Fr. Pinto.

Fr. Flanagan reflected, "Fr. Pinto, was a giant of a man, who witnessed the goodness of our father in the Gospels as a priest. He was a son of our Lady always praying the Rosary. He loved the sisters and formed many of them, and also the priests for their calling and vocations in the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, in the church, as well as forming the D.J.M. disciples in the Society of Our Lady's spirituality."

These words are very true and fitting. Fr. Pinto was and is a giant of a man in many ways. He loved Our Blessed Mother and the priests and sisters in our community. It was out of deep love that he spent countless hours forming the laity and giving reflections and retreats.

His love changed us all.

Rest in peace, dear Father. God called you all the way home to take you Home.

We look forward to seeing you again one day....

Fr. Santan Pinto, SOLT 1948-2011

2011-12-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

It is with a heavy and incredulous heart that I post the news that our beloved Father, Fr. Santan Pinto, died suddenly in a car accident after just arriving for a home visit in India. Apparently, Fr. Pinto was the passenger in a car that was struck and he died instantly. A Bishop in India, the Bishop of Belgaum, has contacted our community and confirmed this sorrowful news. Fr. Pinto's funeral will be tomorrow in India.

It's interesting, you know, after just posting Father's Christmas message yesterday and then posting the clip by Fr. Barron about the true nature of Advent, we never know when God will take us home.

The media and secular society loves to mock celibacy and the priesthood but it's easy to see that Fr. Pinto has more spiritual children than those people ever will. God will not be mocked. Father was a priest who was faithful to the end, who loved God more than anything and made countless sacrifices for his many spiritual children.

To say that he will be missed here in earth is a huge understatement but we know now that Father is Home, where he has been longing to go for many years. He is reunited with his mother and father and now his real work begins. We can count on his prayers in a very powerful way.

Perhaps we can ask ourselves, what will our lives say about us at the end? I just read that atheist and author of God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, died yesterday as well after a battle with cancer. Perhaps he found out that God is indeed great and the Lover of our souls.

What a contrast of the lives of these two men. One spent his days telling others about the love of God and the other spent his days telling people that God did not exist. What will our daily actions say about us? Are we ready to go home? Are we still playing games?

"The patience of the Lord is directed toward salvation" 2 Peter 3:15

"I have fought the good fight and I have finished the race." St. Paul's letter to Timothy (2: Tim 4:7) (and now Fr. Pinto)

Father Pinto, we love you more than words can say. We will miss you here on earth and we weep at this time. But we are happy for you. We will pray for your soul, please pray for us.

A Revolutionary Advent

2011-12-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

Check out this rockin' clip by Fr. Barron on the revolutionary nature of Advent, great warrior stuff!

Hateful? Abortion Blogger Urges Donations To Abortion Groups For Every Tebow Touchdown

2011-12-15T14:26:00.000-08:00

In a world where nothing much surprises me anymore, this pro-abortion blogger's post who is encouraging her readers, "For every touchdown Tebow throws next week … donate $5 or $10 to your local pro-choice organization,” is in particularly bad taste.

'Sophia' (apparently not her real name and the irony is heavy because the name Sophia means 'wisdom') went on to write about Tebow, "This is the same man that used the Super Bowl to a) build his reputation and brand as the saintliest saint of an athlete that ever lived, and b) raise money for an anti-choice organization that would deny the right to abortion to millions of women that need it. Yuck,” she adds. “If you’re a sports fan that also thinks women should be able to do what they want, when they want, and how they want it with their uteri, you can join in this too.”

History has proven that people doing whatever they want, whenever they want and however they want without any ethics, logic or morality has never brought about good results. It's been atrocious. And it also gets me that people who advocate for abortion rarely identify themselves with this horrible crime. They use "feel-good" euphemisms like "pro-choice" and "anti-choice." If they are going to advocate for the killing of innocent children, why not be honest and identify the crime for what it is?

Poor Tim Tebow, he is just minding his own business and playing football, why don't people just leave him alone? If a person of another faith tradition was thanking their God frequently, I doubt people would say anything because they would have "freedom of religion." But Christians? not so much.

God bless you Tim Tebow. Thank God your mom said yes to your life.

A Message From Fr. Pinto

2011-12-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

Below is a beautiful Christmas message from SOLT Priest, Fr. Santan Pinto:

"Dear Disciples of Jesus and Mary, Missionaries of Mercy and Friends:

The Lord chooses to hide His greatest blessings. These are seen or noticed by those who seek them. The wise men sought the Lord and were directed by means of a star. Simeon and the prophetess Anna sought the Lord and the Holy Spirit directed them to come to the temple at the very hour that Joseph and Mary were bringing Jesus to the temple. Zaccheus sought to see Jesus and Jesus went and stayed with Him.

In the Resurrection the women were seeking Jesus. They were told, "Why are you the living among the dead. He is risen as He said." even today we will never find Him in the world with all it's glamour, power and greatness. He will always be found by the little ones in a place that is hidden, poor and simple.

What is important for us this Christmas is to find within our hearts a spark that we should keep working at. Each of us can desire to seek the Lord in our own little ways. Let us try to be creative. Try to spend much time with Mary and Joseph asking them to form your heart so it may grow in this desire to seek the Lord.

Remind yourself that everyone who desired to see Jesus found Him. Learn this Christmas to keep this little candle of devotion burning in your heart!

The patriarchs, the prophets and His leaders were all little and simple men. God chose that His Son be born as a man - in humility and poverty and silence.

Let us use this Christmas season to grow in these three virtues and graces, so that Jesus will reveal His presence to us. We will know this year that Jesus was truly born in our lives by the joy and peace that will accompany us constantly. It is His light of grace that dispels the darkness of sin in us. It is His grace that enables us like Mother Mary to wonder and praise God, and ponder all these words in our hearts.

Even today He hides Himself in the Most Holy Eucharist. It should be our constant desire to come to seek His glory and majesty in these sacramental signs.

In our hearts let us bring all our family members, friends, co-workers, enemies and those we dislike to the Living Manger as we receive Jesus and honor Him in the Blessed Eucharist. Let us ask the Lord that they too share this great desire that fills our hearts to see the Lord and worship Him in the tabernacles of our hearts!

Please share this Christmas letter with your family and friends? Thanks.

Blessings to you, your family and friends for this great and grace-filled season of Christmas! And may the blessings of Christmas continue to guide and protect you throughout the coming year."

With my priestly blessings,

Fr. Santan Pinto SOLT

A Baby Changes Everything....

2011-12-10T22:37:00.001-08:00

Indeed, babies and The Baby, change everything... :)

Nuns On The Birth Control Pill? Outrageous..

2011-12-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

This has got to be one of THE most propaganda-filled articles on the birth control pill that I have ever read.

A "study" is suggesting that if we nuns take the birth control pill, it may keep us healthier longer.

I am actually laughing over the stupidity of this idea as I write this.

Putting chemicals into my body that may include (and these are JUST the physical ones) side effects of (from drugwatch.com) :

Nausea
Vomiting
Weight gain
Breakthrough bleeding between menstrual periods
Breast tenderness, breast pain

High blood pressure
Breast cancer
Stroke
Liver cancer, liver tumors, severe liver bleeding
Heart Attack
Blood clots in the legs or lungs

Vaginal itching
Vaginal discharge
Breast tenderness, breast pain
Weight gain or loss
Change in appetite
Increased hair growth or loss of hair on the head
Darkening of facial skin

Rash
Upper respiratory infection
Sinusitis
Bronchitis
Itchy skin
Headache
Abdominal pain
Acne
Depression
Diarrhea
Back pain
Infection
Dizziness
Migraine
Nervousness
Fluid retention
Dark spots on the skin, specifically on the face (melasma)
Inflammation of the pharynx in the throat (Pharyngitis)
Inflammation of the bladder (Cystitis)
Allergic reaction
Inflammation and irritation of the stomach and intestines (Gastroenteritis)
Physical weakness
Vaginal discharge
Flu syndrome (flu-like symptoms of fever, shivering, dry cough, nausea, etc.)
Urinary tract infection
Uncontrolled or unusual emotions
Menstrual cramps
Yeast infection

How insidious and what a mockery to suggest that giving the Brides of Christ the birth control pill would be acceptable under Humanae Vitae for "therapeutic reasons."

I am not interested in that kind of "therapy"

Why Women Weep....

2011-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

At first, I was just going to publish one article that I saw this morning, but in looking at the one article, there were several linked to it that all had to do with the same thing- how we as women are destroying ourselves.

Many times we blame men for our problems, and yes, there is a deep woundedness between men and women because of original sin. Even John Paul II mentioned that women suffer in a more particularly acute way, the imbalance between men and women.

However, we as women often lead the way in the destruction of ourselves and our fellow women. I would like to point out three articles that appeared just this morning-

#1) an article about MTV that states that on most of the shows that feature violence against women, women are the ones perpetuating the violence against each other. Obviously MTV is near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to morals, but some of their shows garner a huge audience in the area of "reality" (which is anything but) TV. How is it that we as women have sunk to the level of acting like wild animals for the sake of "fame" and TV ratings? It's indeed heart breaking and cringe worthy.

#2) The clothing store H&M has been busted for using fake computer generated bodies in their lingerie and swimsuit ads. The editors simply put a different model's head on the fake body and change the skin tone of the fake body to match the model's head. It's the exact same body used in every picture, just with a different head attached.

I feel like I am writing a science fiction article, but it's not. See the story and pics here (please note that the story features women in lingerie and so if that is a source of struggle for you, don't go there, I will describe the horror here).
Here is what I find particularly disturbing about this practice:

First, that the body is totally fake and does not exist in reality.

Second, the body looks like that of a 15 year old girl, it's not a grown woman's body-- grown women do not look like that.

Third- it treats women and these models, as interchangable parts and not as real people.

And last, but certainly not least, is the quote from the representative of H&M who said, "This illustrates very well the sky-high aesthetic demands placed on the female body,” the rep said. “The demands are so great that H&M, among the poor photo models, cannot find someone with both body and face that can sell their bikinis.”

God help us all.

#3) Actress Katherine Heigl speaks about the reality of women and one-night stands. I am certainly not promoting Ms. Heigl's movies or anything like that, but I think she speaks the truth in this magazine article when she says, "“I don’t like them (one-night stands), I’ve never met a single woman who has ever walked away from a one-night stand and been like ‘That was awesome! Oh, my god! Best ever!’”

The beautiful Ms. Heigl (at right, who is looking fabulously photoshopped on the cover) also talks about the potential of forgiveness of infidelity, learning to accept her body as it is in skinny Hollywood and about being a mother. It was interesting. I am glad she, as popular actor, spoke the words so many women know in their hearts but are not allowed to say.

Because of shows like "Sex and the City" and "Desperate Housewives" and a false feminism, women are encouraged to behave like animals and then pretend that it doesn't hurt or they don't feel empty because they are "liberated." We deserve better.

Women, how will we stem this tide? by giving in to the demands and false illusions of the world? or by running in the other direction and rejecting our femininity and becoming doormats? Neither option is the answer, for those options are just opposite sides of the drastic pendulum swim.

The answer lies in integration and holiness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the meaning of chastity as "the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being." (#2337)

No, it doesn't mean being "barefoot and pregnant" as some "feminists" would claim that the Church teaches. Nor does it mean embracing hedonism and nihilism. It doesn't mean becoming like men or turning to sterilization and abortion, treating fertility and womanhood as a curse.

It means allowing Jesus to come and reveal us to ourselves. It means embracing the strong rock of Life and standing firm. It means learning and growing ever more deeply into what it really means to be a woman. It means casting aside the lies that are in our hearts and living in the truth. It means transformation and discipleship. Ultimately, chastity is the journey of true and authentic love. Learning who we really are so we can make a complete and full gift of ourselves.

We as women must unite and learn and grow. Start a women's bible study or women's group in your area. Read the letters of John Paul II to women, read and study Theology of the Body. There are so many women out there, women like Kimberly Hahn and Johnette Benkovic who have beautiful women's study groups available in book form and DVD.

If you have something like this in your area, maybe you could write and leave a comment here and give other women hope and encouragement.

And tomorrow, on the beautiful solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, may our Mother, The Woman, bless us, her daughters, and bring us healing, peace and courage.

As a woman and a Bride of Christ, I am praying for you all.

Rush Limbaugh on Tim Tebow

2011-12-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I posted an article about Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow written by Catholic author George Weigel.

Here is Rush Limbaugh's take on the persecution and naysaying of Mr. Tebow.

I think Rush, like George Weigel, makes a lot of great points that are true and valid.

A Guy's Note To His Wife About Christmas Lights

2011-12-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Someone sent this funny joke to me this morning and it made me laugh. Hope you enjoy it as well!

Hi, Sweetheart:

I am sorry about getting into an argument about putting up the Christmas lights.

I guess that sometimes I feel like you are pushing me too hard when you want something.

I realize that I was wrong, and I am apologizing for being such a hard-headed guy.

All I want is for you to be happy--and be able to enjoy the holiday season.

Nothing brightens the Christmas spirit like Christmas lights!

I took the time to hang the lights for you today--and now I will be off to the golf course.

Again, I am very sorry for the way I acted yesterday.

I'll be home later.

Love you……

Yoda On A Monday Morning...

2011-12-05T09:31:00.001-08:00

Wise words from our little green friend on a cold December morning....

Treacherous Shows Your Kids May Be Watching Without Your Knowledge

2011-12-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

Check out this eye opening article about the top TV shows that your children may be watching without your knowledge. Wow. Good to know....

The Mass Is Not Like Angry Birds...

2011-12-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

With all the talk and some disagreement from people about the new translation of the Mass, it reminds me once again that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not like Angry Birds.

The Mass is not a superficially entertaining game. We do not come to Mass to be entertained. I hear people often say (and I used to think the same thing myself) "Mass is so boring, I dont get anything out of it and no one ever talks to me after Mass is over."

The truth of this statement depends upon our interior disposition. If we are coming to Mass unprepared and expecting to be entertained and have things be "about us" then, yes, we will be bored. If we dont know much about our faith or the meaning of the prayers, then reciting them will seem monotonous and needless. If we don't realize that we are coming to receive and be received BY the King of Kings and our hearts are full of sin, then we will leave untouched and frigid.

Rather than being a game like Angry Birds, the Holy Mass is an eternal invitation, much like fine art. Not art that says its art, but exquisite art in its true form. True art is an invitation to ponder and enter into eternal beauty. This kind of art stands firm and true, no matter whether the shallow walk by without a second glance or "new interpretations and standards" of art deem it old-fashioned and irrelevant. Truth is truth.

There is a quote by someone (sorry, I cannot recall the author) who said, "the truth is the truth if no one believes it and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it."

When we see an amazing piece of fine art and we stop and ponder it, we enter into it very deeply. The more we know about the artist, the symbolism within the painting and the time in which it was painted, the more we are absorbed into its beauty. It's not "entertaining" but richly life-giving. This is the Mass on every level.

In the Mass, we engage all of our senses to receive and be received. We encounter Jesus as the Word of Life and we encounter Him as the Bread of Life and the Lamb of God. We profess our faith. We pray and sing together as a community. And the more we study about our faith and the more we come to know Jesus, as He is, personally, the more we are absorbed into His beauty and life. It's incredible.

In the end, we are responsible for our own holiness or lack thereof. The priests at our respective parishes lead us and guide us, and hopefully they feed us, but in the end, they are not responsible for our personal holiness. All of us have equal access to Jesus and the Sacraments, so we must journey on this path responsibly.

There is a time for games like Angry Birds, sure. There is nothing wrong with being entertained at times. But there is a time for all things.

Above and beyond all, the Holy Mass is the time we enter into and are transformed by Eternal Beauty Himself.

"Larry King" and "Sarah Palin" Debate the New Translation of the Mass

2011-12-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

This video is hilarious and so true!!! thanks to Rick for sending it along.

This is exactly what I was referring to in one of my other posts, "everyone KNOWS what's in Vatican II" when many people dont!

Michele Bachmann explains Same Sex Marriage and Prayer In School

2011-12-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

This women seems full of common sense and grace. God bless her for speaking the truth...

Stephen Colbert's World....

2011-12-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

Someone sent me a link last night to a bit that Stephen Colbert did on his show The Colbert Report which is featured on Comedy Central.

I don't watch Stephen Colbert nor much of Comedy Central but I am familiar with him and his show. His show is a satirical take on politics and current events. It seems he spends a fair amount of time making of fun more conservative talk show hosts like Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck.

In the clip that was sent to me by a reader, (thanks for sending that, anonymous person) Mr. Colbert was commenting on the new Mass translation and its effect on the people. Mr. Colbert referred to himself as a Catholic and poked fun at the translation, the inability to follow along during Mass and play games on one's iphone at the same time, and how it was a scandal that the Church "not known for changing it's stance on things" changed the translation.

If I am not mistaken, Mr. Colbert has a team of writers that write his monologues so whether he is saying what he really thinks or just things to make people laugh or offend people is unknown.

However, I do know this- learning about the Catholic Church from mainstream media is scary and precarious. Quite honestly, I am not offended by Mr. Colbert's "opinion" because it holds no weight for me. It would be a sad day indeed if I were to look to him for spiritual guidance, no matter how "Catholic" he claims to be. I do not know what resides in his heart or how he lives his private life or his true relationship with God, but I do know that I wouldn't turn to his show for spiritual or even political guidance. It's a comedy show, not a real source of information.

Last night I was listening to a homily by Fr. Robert Barron from his Word on Fire website. This particular homily was on the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Fr. Barron explains the context of the parable and then talks about how we put oil in our lamps. He talked about the need for the ongoing study of our faith. He asked, "how many of us have a theology book next to our bed that we really study?" and i think it's so true. It seems like so often we want people to TELL us what to think and HOW to think so we don't have to do the homework ourselves.

Sometimes I hear people (still) denouncing or mistranslating the Second Vatican Council. Yet, I highly doubt they have ever read the documents from the Council to know what they even say. It's easier for us to hear someone "important" say something and then repeat that ourselves without ever doing our own homework.

If we want our faith to grow and the Light of Jesus to shine from within us, we must do our own work. We must study, learn and grow.

I did agree with Stephen Colbert on one point though. He said, "these new translations make me have to actually pay attention to the words I am saying, rather than mindlessly recite prayers I have memorized."

Amen, brother. Amen.

Some Scientists Call For 'Health Warnings' To Be Placed On Photoshopped Images

2011-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is an AMAZING study by scientists who have found an mathematical formula to determine whether an image has been photoshopped. They are suggesting that photoshopped images carry a 'health warning' so that people know they aren't real. (do we live in the Twilight Zone or what?)

Read the excerpt from www.foxnews.com here:
Scientists have come up with a way to detect if photographs of celebrities or models have been airbrushed or not -- and they hope it will be used to provide a universal “health warning” on magazine images.

Professor of computer science Hany Farid and doctoral student Eric Kee from Dartmouth College analyzed 468 sets of unedited and retouched photographs of models. They then created a computer program to highlight the differences between a natural and retouched picture, using a mathematical description of augmentations. Each altered photograph was then judged on a scale of 1 to 5 -- with 5 signifying heavy retouching.

Prof Farid and Mr Kee then asked 50 people randomly to compare the photographs against their own ratings and found the scores matched closely.

"Now what we have is a mathematical measure of photo retouching," Prof Farid wrote in a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "We can predict what an average observer would say."

Farid said he undertook the research to provide consumers with more information on Photoshopped images.

“Impossibly thin, tall, and wrinkle -- and blemish-free models are routinely splashed onto billboards, advertisements, and magazine covers,” Farid wrote.

He said these highly idealized images have been linked to eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction in men, women, and children.

Farid and Kee said they are seeking a way for advertisers to truthfully and accurately characterize the extent to which an image has been altered, allowing the public to make informed judgments.They propose a rating system that takes into account common practices such as cropping and color adjustment while providing assessment of other kinds of modifications.

“Such a rating may provide incentive for publishers and models to reduce some of the more extreme forms of digital retouching that are common today,” they wrote.

Fr. Barron Speaks On New Mass Translation...

2011-12-01T13:46:00.001-08:00

Former Actress Speaks Out On Hollywood's Obsession With Being Thin

2011-12-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

Tracey Gold gave this interview regarding the immense pressure on women to be thin in Hollywood and how that affects regular young women. Very thought provoking....

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day...

2011-12-01T11:43:00.001-08:00

Powerful rendition of this song by Casting Crowns....about hope in the midst of suffering.

Lady Gaga Speaks Her Sorrow...

2011-12-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Lady Gaga is arguably the most influential and popular woman in pop culture today. She calls her fans her "little monsters" and always seems to be doing ever more sensational things, everything from wearing a dress made out of raw meat to wearing a latex nun's habit onstage and featuring "Jesus" and "Judas" in a controversial music video.

Her music hints at her delving into bi-sexuality and she is a well-known proponent of gay rights. She often appears scantily clad in public or dressed up in eccentric fashions. Needless to say, she gets noticed.
A lot.

But for all her "shocking" behavior choices, I wonder what is behind this mask. She seems to me to be one of the most closed and covered individuals of heart. We see a lot of her body and "life-style choices" but something about it seems hollow and empty. I'm not buying it.

Her wikipedia entry says this: From the age of 11, Gaga – who was raised Roman Catholic attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girls Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's Upper East Side. She described her academic life in high school as "very dedicated, very studious, very disciplined" but also "a bit insecure" as she told in an interview, "I used to get made fun of for being either too provocative or too eccentric, so I started to tone it down. I didn't fit in, and I felt like a freak." Acquaintances dispute that she did not fit in at school. "She had a core group of friends; she was a good student. She liked boys a lot, but singing was No. 1," recalled a former classmate.

As I pondered her peculiar public behavior and overtly sexual music, it seemed to me that she must have a hangup somewhere, like we all do. When I read her newest interview with Vanity Fair magazine, her words were very revealing.

She says, "I have never felt truly cherished by a lover. I have an inability to know what happiness feels like with a man...I have this effect on people where it starts out good. Then, when I’m in these relationships with people who are also creative, or creative in their own way, what happens is the attraction is initially there and it’s all unicorns and rainbows. And then they hate me.”

So we see in the heart of Lady Gaga, the same deep yearning all of us have- to be loved for who we are, unconditionally and totally. When we don't get that kind of love- be it from our family of origin, our own wounds or choosing toxic people to unite with, it's easy to seek more disordered ways of "love" to try to get what we crave the most, but it never works.

Our capacity to love and be loved is a bottomless ocean. It is eternal and endless because we were created in endless and eternal love for endless and eternal love.

Lady Gaga seeks love and she seeks to "be seen" like we all do. This is not bad, it's part of our humanity. Our struggle is allowing Jesus to come and reorder our brokenness and thereby turning away from sin. Sin makes us unhappy and dark.

We pray for all those in the public eye who have influence over others. May they use their influence for good and not for evil.

Glee Is Killing Me....

2011-11-29T14:48:00.000-08:00

How can a TV show that I don't even watch irk me so? I get tired of seeing all the headlines about this musical show, watched by many elementary and middle aged students, continually destroying boundaries of dignity and decency.

A few weeks ago, the show, set in a high school, apparently featured a young gay "couple" and a heterosexual couple both deciding whether they should sleep together for the first time.

Now the show will feature a new episode with the girl cast singing Katy Perry's song "I Kissed A Girl, (and I liked it)".

One website promotes the new show as such, "They’ve always been known for pushing the envelope, and the “Glee” cast members have once again outdone themselves with a provocative new performance. Santana and Rachel (Naya Rivera & Lea Michele) have a fabulous and flirty time with Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” much to the delight of their male classmates. As the song progresses, Quinn, Brittany, Mercedes, and the rest of the gang join in for a female gender-empowering anthem."

Female gender-empowering anthem? To the delight of their male classmates?

Are you kidding me?

When I speak to parent groups, one thing I like to share with them is that they need to know what their kids are watching on TV. This requires a bit of effort on the part of parents and a willingness to stand guard over the hearts, minds and souls of their children. The agenda being pushed by mainstream society is one of introducing destructive behavior to younger and younger people and billing it as "normal and healthy." This is a toxic lie and it is wreaking havoc on our young people.

Some people might say, "oh, come on, Sister, this show is realistic, a lot of young people are gay and everyone knows that teenagers can't say no and often sleep around. You are just archaic and oppressive with your right-wing conservative religion."

I disagree completely. We go back, once again, to the beginning of our origins and God's plan for man and woman. Man and woman were made to be a gift to one another in a covenanted, life-giving relationship. Their union is called to be an icon of God's unconditional love for us. The misuse of our sexuality never produces good fruit and we need to really look at this reality and be intentional in our pursuit of what is good, true and beautiful.

Are we really going to stand by quietly and let our kids find out about masculinity and femininity from magazines, pop music and TV shows?

We must use the gift of discernment. We must have dialogues with our young people about what they are seeing on TV and the lies that society is telling them. We cant move our family out to the Himalayas and pretend there is no such thing as sin, anymore than we can just let our kids unabashedly submerge themselves into the often toxic media. We must teach them how to critically think and remind them from where they came and where they are going.

All of us came from heaven and will hopefully go back there. The deepest desire of our hearts is ordered, life-giving and eternal love. Anything less than this fails to satisfy.

Glee might feature talented singers and dancers, physically beautiful young people and an exciting format, but the underlying agenda is ugly, indeed.

Mad Money's Jim Cramer explains looming financial crisis...

2011-11-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

check out this link for a simple and understandable explanation of the debt crisis in Europe and how it could affect us here in the US (because we don't already HAVE a huge debt crisis of our own....)

When we look at the signs of the times, it seems that something large is coming our way, perhaps something that will readjust life as we know it. Perhaps we will have all of our "gods" paraded before us-- our "gods" of money, power, arrogance, etc. Will they save us? Uh, no. and everyone is about to find that out firsthand.

The awesome thing is that the REAL God never abandons us. We are like children who need correction and education.

I came across a very telling and true quote from John Adams (the second US President) who spoke these words in 1797, "Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

Behold, our current state of affairs....

Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful....Or Are You Beautiful Because I Love You?

2011-11-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

When I first heard the song Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, I pondered it for a long time.

The setting in the musical is the royal palace garden and the Prince has just seen Cinderella and danced with her. He is captivated by her beautiful form and finds himself falling in love with her. He then begins to sing "Do I love you because you're beautiful or are you beautiful because I love you?"

Obviously fairy tales speak a deep meaning and are meant to be more than just a superficial story, and so it is with this song.

Philosophers and theologians from of old have heralded beauty (ultimately Divine Beauty) as the attraction of our souls. We are attracted to beauty. But there is another, deeper, aspect to love. Love makes things beautiful. When love is placed in a situation, it invites and elicits beauty.

What may appear "ugly" to someone on the surface, is beautiful to the one who loves. This is why we can say that the Crucifixion, or a disfigured person contains a deep beauty because God always brings beauty and good out of darkness and suffering, if only we have the eyes to see.

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in The Summa, "motion is nothing more than the reduction of potentiality to actuality." I LOVE this. Our whole lives, our becoming less so that He becomes more, is to lose our potentiality of beauty and holiness for the actuality of these realities.

St. Thomas gives the example of logs on a fire, that once they are hot and burning, they are no longer potentially hot, but actually so. And i think this is a very apropos example, for the reduction of our ego and self-centeredness does feel like a burning fire. But since God is pure essence and actuality, out of His love, He wants to make us like Him.

He loves us because we are a beautiful creation of His and we are beautiful because He loves us, and no one can take that away from us. People can gossip about us or steal from us. They can ignore us or be unkind to us but they can never, never take from us what really matters- the beauty and love that come from God. How freeing. How freeing. What matters most can never be taken or stolen.

May this Advent, with the beautiful new translation of the English Mass, be a journey of freedom, healing, beauty and a deeper knowledge that we are loved by the One- Jesus, who is the Light of the World.

God bless you.

Tim Tebow Makes A Wish Come True

2011-11-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

This is a really moving video. Tim Tebow seems like an authentically decent person. Its really beautiful to see people who are famous and wealthy use their gifts to help others and make dreams come true. God bless them all.

Sometimes, even on Thanksgiving Day, it can be easy to feel sorry for one's self and compare situations and find your own lacking. Yet, when we re-enter reality, and see the true crosses many others bear, it reminds us that God knows what He is doing and will bring good even out of darkness.

Addicted To The Game?

2011-11-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

This commercial made me laugh! people think of creative ways to get their "fix" ;)

"yeah, this is great..."

Jelly Belly....

2011-11-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

This is SUCH a cool video. The background is not computer generated but created from 288,000 jelly beans. It took TWO years to make this video because of the painstaking work of shooting each scene and then moving the jelly beans a little at a time. Love the creativity!

Beyonce and Christ the King....

2011-11-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

I love this particular song Halo by Beyonce. In her music video, she sings it to a man but perhaps in the depths of her heart she is singing it to Christ the King. For it is He whom we ultimately find so attractive and captivating. He is the Light and He breaks down the barriers of our hearts, He awakens us and surrounds us by his grace and his embrace. Truly breathtaking.....

Speaking of Beyonce, there is some of her music that I like very much and would like to post the videos here, but unfortunately, Beyonce seems to have bought into the lie that tells women that if we want to be considered attractive by the world, we must show nearly all our body has to offer.

This makes me very sad because Beyonce is obviously very talented and she is absolutely physically gorgeous- she has been given many great gifts from God. However, all of us have the choice to use our gifts to glorify God and bring true beauty to the world, or turn our gifts back on ourselves and bring glory and attention to us. It must be a tough climate she is in. Hopefully one day, she will use her body as a gift to glorify God. How awesome that would be.

Here is the song I mentioned, Halo. The lyrics and her voice are incredible!

Team Is....

2011-11-20T20:39:00.001-08:00

Very good commercial---

Cookie Monster Occupies Wall Street....

2011-11-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

Apparently even Cookie Monster has a bone to pick with the 99%.

He joined the Occupy Wall Street movement today....check out www.theblaze.com

Vatican Prepares To Sue Benetton Over Deplorable Image..

2011-11-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

The Vatican is preparing legal action against the Italian company Benetton after the company used the Holy Father's image in a manipulated photo showing him kissing a prominent Islamic imam.

Read the full story here.

I will not post the image because it's disturbing and unnecessary but I would like to explore the company's response to the outcry.

The clothing company is featuring an ad campaign entitled "Unhate" and other images show US President Barack Obama kissing Chinese President Hu Jintao, other images feature leading figures kissing one another.

But get this, regarding the image of the Holy Father, Benetton released this statement, "we are sorry that the use of the image had so hurt the sensibilities of the faithful ... The point of this campaign was solely to battle the culture of hate in all its forms."

oh....right.....what a surprise that manipulating the image of the Holy Father to show him in a homosexual kiss would "hurt the sensibilities of the faithful."

Are you kidding me? Come on, people. This is no innocent campaign.

Why the homosexual kiss? If Benetton really wanted to show "Unhate" there are obviously endless ways this could be done in a respectful and life-giving manner. This is no accident.

Why is it that the mainstream media considers acceptance of homosexual behavior the supreme act of tolerance and love?

There are many people who suffer the trials of same-sex attraction. Just like there are many people who suffer from drug addiction, sexual abuse and pornography addiction. Those who suffer from these deep wounds are called to be treated with compassion and kindness, for God has mercy upon us all and comes to seek and save what is lost.

However, there is a huge difference between suffering from an attraction or addiction vs embracing a lifestyle.

This is where people get really, really upset. People will probably hate me for writing these things but before you freak out and called me homophobic, I would like you to appeal to reason (not emotion) and ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill you with truth.

Mainstream media says, "if you feel like doing something, do it. The only things holding you back are your archaic religious practices and outdated modes of thinking there is right and wrong."

This whole issue, especially in regard to homosexual behavior, has been clouded by men and women accepting birth control at large. For if sexual union can be thwarted from it's life-giving impetus to the sole pursuit of pleasure, then what's so wrong with people of the same sex seeking that pleasure?

We must go back to the very roots and foundation of our being. We are made in the image and likeness of God- which means that we are created in and for life-giving love. We learn from John Paul II's work on Theology of the Body that true love is free, total, faithful and fruitful. When our relationships do not or cannot include these four realities, true love is lacking and withers into selfish, self-seeking gratification.

Let us honestly look at what rampant sexual encounters and endless birth control have brought us. There is more "sex" promoted in society than ever before, so let us ask ourselves- are we authentically happier? is there more respect for life, especially the unborn? has respect for women increased and violence against women decreased? Has the number of STDs risen or fallen in the last 50 years? Are men more responsible for their actions or less responsible? Have the number of abortions increased or decreased? Which group of men has the highest rate of HIV infection?

Think about it.

God is our loving Father who wants us to be authentically and eternally happy. He knows that cutting ourselves off from life-giving love and embracing a life of addiction or empty sexual encounters will not make us happy and will only fill us with despair, darkness and shame.

We are made for more. If you live this kind of life-style or have tendencies toward it, please know you are deeply loved by God. Please know that He never abandons you. Please know that there is hope and healing when we embrace the truth and walk toward the Light. Jesus comes to re-order our disorder. All of us are dis-ordered and we all need healing. This is not an easy path, but the value of redemption and healing is priceless.

With the Lord, there mercy and fullness of redemption. (Psalm 130)

Wanna start the journey?

Same-sex attraction-
www.couragerc.net
http://www.desertstream.org/

12 Step Programs-
www.aa.org
www.na.org
www.sa.org
www.oa.org

Sexual Abuse
Restoring the Heart Ministries

Fatherless Sons.....

2011-11-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

The current generation of young men suffer a tremendous wound of being raised without fathers. Although perhaps these young men "get by" in their lives and try to cope, being abandoned by a father is a deep, deep wound.

Many years ago there was a long running sitcom on TV called, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Will Smith played a young man from a poor neighborhood who was sent to live with his wealthy uncle Phil and family in Bel-Air. The show was funny and touching and poignant at times.

One of the most powerful scenes of the entire series was when Will encounters his father who abandoned him as a child. His dad "Lou" returns to Will's life and promises he has changed and that he wants to be a part of Will's life again- only to change his mind and abandon his son for a second and final time.

Will Smith really captures the deep agony of a fatherless son in this scene and it's heart-breaking.

I apologize for the poor video quality- the better quality videos had no embedding options.

My Heart's A Stereo and The Book of Proverbs

2011-11-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

In the never-ending quest for all that is good, true and beautiful-- i found an echo of the natural law in the song "My Heart's A Stereo".

I love the lyrics-- especially the rap lyrics because what the guy is really saying is this: "will you love me even though I am not perfect and if I become inconvenient?" love it- because that's what we all long for, that's the deep desire of human love for human love is an echo of divine love.

I am not particularly a fan of Adam Levine who is featured singing the chorus, but i like the rest of the song. (my random thoughts continued below...)

This week's Sunday readings featured an excerpt from the Book of Proverbs about the characteristics of a worthy wife. This incredible book gives us some concrete examples and tools for living an authentic and happy life, and some solid advice to men on how to choose a good woman--

It speaks of a man who finds a worthy wife AND entrusting his heart to her (love that) finds a worthy prize or treasure.

Proverbs speaks about the woman who is a hard worker and serves with joy, a woman who fears the Lord and does what is right, a strong and noble woman, a woman who is truly beautiful.

The words also warn men that "charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting." A man looking for a good woman needs to look beyond her physical appearance and peer into her heart to see whether she is rightly ordered or not.

Any woman or man who is deeply disordered and not interested in allowing Christ to come and heal them and bring order to that disorder, will have a hard time in a marriage relationship.

Good to know-

Happy Monday :)

Divorce Ceremonies All The Rage In Japan...

2011-11-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

I just saw a similar clip to this one and couldn't really believe my eyes. A divorce ceremony as a cause for celebration? wow.

It makes my stomach turn when the divorcing couple smash their wedding rings in an act of "unity."

A covenant ends with a smile and a handshake? Not on your life.....

Joe Paterno Fired....

2011-11-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

Penn State University officials have fired head football coach Joe Paterno over the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations of one of his staff members.

The students reaction: Riot.

yikes....

Division 1 Re-Integration...

2011-11-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

By now, I am sure many people have read about the disheartening abuse scandal regarding a former Penn State football coach.

Legendary head coach Joe Paterno (left) announced today that he will be resigning at the end of the season and he expressed his sorrow that he wished he had 'done more' regarding gross mishandling of the situation by his staff.

From this event, we see many realities at hand.

First of all, we see that sexual abuse is not a problem solely encountered by "religious organizations." Whenever a priest is accused of abuse, critics are quick to attack and often drag in the issue of celibacy as a reason for abuse. This is untrue. Sickness and brokenness are the reason people abuse others, not celibacy.

We also see that the tendency and desire to keep problems quiet or to deny their existence isn't only a "church problem" but is trait of fallen human nature. Many times when bad things happen or we have trouble in our family or organization, our first response is to deny the existence of the problem or convince ourselves that it's
"not that bad."

This denial obviously leads to devastation on many levels, especially in regard to the victims. Children never deserve or "ask for" abuse. Children only deserve love, kindness, guidance and protection.

A friend of mine and I were just talking about how coaches have so much influence over their athletes. They often teach the young men and women in their care the meaning of true masculinity and femininity. When a coach violates that trust, everyone suffers. Being a coach is a tremendous responsibility.

Our founder, a former Notre Dame football player, told me a long time ago that when we coach young athletes, we aren't teaching them a sport so much as we are teaching them how to live their lives.

From this angle, we can see how a predatory coach destroys the foundation of the athlete as a person.

As the stakes get higher, (and make no mistake that Men's Division I athletics, especially football and basketball, have VERY high stakes and make an incredible amount of money for their athletic program and school) perhaps it's easier for coaches to forget that the most important thing they are doing is guiding and forming immortal souls, not making money for the university and promoting themselves.

God help us all.

All of us will answer to a higher power than the boosters of the athletic program, the athletic director or the president of the university. We will all give an accounting to God Himself. No amount of money or fame can bypass that reality.

When I see stories like the one that is being exposed at Penn State, its another revelation that we all must seek integration and healing of our sexuality- our masculinity and femininity. We can't pretend that we or our families or institutions don't have problems or disorders. We must go to Christ and embrace all the other help available and begin the journey of healing.

There is a saying: "Suffering that is not transformed is transmitted"

If we don't honestly face our disorder and fears, we will just continue to pass them on to our children, athletes, co-workers, families,and others.

We pray for all victims of abuse that they receive healing, help and hope. Abuse is a devastating crime. The longer it's allowed to continue, the deeper the wounds.

May God have mercy on us all and may we pray for the courage to do what is right, no matter what the cost.

Fr. Robert Barron Is Awesome.....

2011-11-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

I am late on the draw on promoting the awesome work of Fr. Robert Barron, but better late than never! Fr. Barron, a prolific teacher and writer, has recently produced an incredible media project on the truth of our faith that was made into a series called Catholicism.

Check out Fr. Barron's website here.

Lend your support, pray for him and his mission and pass it on!

George Weigel On 'Occupy Wall Street' Confusion...

2011-11-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

In the past few weeks, certain Catholic "leaders" have spoken out on a document that seemingly lends the Holy Father's support to the Occupy Wall Street chaos.

George Weigel writes another excellent article, clarifying the matter.

Read it here.

Beary Birthday...

2011-11-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

Our very masculine convent bear (who is a eunuch for the kingdom, by the way) takes one for the team and dons a purple apron to help wish Sr. Giovanni a very happy birthday! Go Birthday Bear!

Beary Sporty...

2011-11-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Beary, the giant convent bear, intently watches the LSU/Alabama game...who will win?

Beary thinks he knows... (or maybe he just wants to drink some tea and be civilized while watching the game.....)

At Your Gate by Mike Mangione and the Union

2011-11-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

I LOVE song #3, At Your Gate by Mike Mangione and the Union.

It was so awesome to hear him sing it live and listen to the accompaniment by awesome band members Patrick and Kristina when we were in Spain. It was breath taking. God has surely filled the world with talented and beautiful people.

Offering by LLRLRR

Lifehouse

2011-11-04T11:31:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday. Here is a beautiful song by Lifehouse. Enjoy!

Occupy The Confessional....

2011-11-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

If we want to change the world and the way things are, the best way to do that is to have a daily conversion from the depths of our hearts. True freedom comes from the forgiveness of sin. We must personally take responsibility for our sin and brokenness and allow Jesus to come and heal us. From this place of healing comes true transformation. Blowing things up and starting riots doesn't lead to peace.

Occupy The Confessional and Receive Grace and Mercy!

Bishop Fulton Sheen on Marriage...

2011-11-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

From his book written in 1951- Three To Get Married:

"There comes to every human, at one period or another, the discovery of his nothingness. The man who wanted a certain position eventually becomes dissatisfied with it, and wants something higher; he who has wealth does not have enough, not even with the first million. So, in married love, there comes the crisis of not completely realizing the ideal. But this crisis of nothingness which comes to everyone, married or not, does not mean life is to be mocked. One has not hit the bottom of life, but only the bottom of one's ego...

During this crisis of nothingness, the thing that hearts are kicking and complaining against in not their destiny, nor their nature, but their limits, their weakness, their insufficiency. The human heart is not wrong in wanting love; it is wrong only in thinking that a human can completely supply it. What the soul yearns for in the crisis is the Light of love, which is God, and not the shadow...instead of thinking that the other partner is to blame for this emptiness, which is so common today, one ought to peer into his own soul....the thorn in the flesh is a summons to climb to the Flame of Love which is God."

"Life Is a Race Toward Holiness"...

2011-11-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Love this address from our Holy Father given today in Rome for the Solemnity of All Saints.

Raking In The Dough?

2011-11-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

In Part 2 of the ridiculous "marriage" drama of Kim Kardashian- she apparently MADE nearly 18 million dollars from her wedding event from start to finish. Kim has recently denied this claim stating she made no money off of the wedding and that she "married for love."

There seems to be such confusion of what "love" is. The essence of true love is not powerful, pleasurable feelings but the willingness to do what is best for the beloved. True love is not fixated on the masculine or feminine traits found in a body but reaches deeply to the person as a whole- a creation of God who is unique, precious and unrepeatable.

I found it interesting that the person quoted in this article speaks of how the industry makes money off of young people--

"But Gene Grabowski of Levick Strategic Communications said that the divorce could actually enhance Kim's brand, and isn’t likely to do any real long-term damage as she wasn’t taken particularly seriously in the first place.
“Kim’s quick divorce enhances her brand because she’s all about being outrageous and over the top. The divorce keeps Kim in the public eye and guarantees her another week of cover stories,” he said. "Kim isn’t taken seriously by anyone. Her life, like that of Paris Hilton or Britney Spears is a curiosity that gives everyday people something shocking to talk about at work, at parties or at the hair dresser. And it’s that surreal, vicarious, even reckless life that makes her image so marketable among young people who wouldn’t dare behave that way, but who are excited by the idea of doing so.”

I would like to say "yikes" on so many levels just regarding this brief quote but I can't decide where to begin.

In the end, it will be Kim who loses in this arena, for she ultimately is not an empty image or a marketable product. She is a person. She has been created by God as unique, precious and unrepeatable. She is not to be used as a "thing" to make money and then tossed aside when she is no longer "useful."

I pray that she realizes this about herself- she does not have to flaunt or expose herself. She is loved more deeply than she can ever imagine.

All Saints Day.....

2011-11-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

We begin our road to sanctity very young. Is there anything more delightful than this? A kiss from a little boy to his mother :)

Jesus "declines our penalty"

2011-10-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Being football season, we have seen many plays and many penalties as well. Every now and then, a team will "decline the penalty." At first I was like, "hey! you can't go around declining penalties" or "I wanna decline some penalties too" but then I realized I didn't really understand the rule. So being the nerd that I am, I did some investigative work.

In football, an opposing team can decline the penalty of the other team.

For example, if Team A is called for pass interference and receives a 15 yard penalty, Team B can decline that penalty and let the play stand as and where it ended, if they feel that it benefits them more than that penalty would. So the referee gets on the mic and says "pass interference, defense, the penalty is declined" and the game goes on. (okay, football experts, I know it's a bit more complicated than that, but go with me here)

And I was thinking about how Jesus declines our penalty. We know that the evil one is the accuser who ceaselessly accuses us before God (Rev 12:10). And so the evil one stands before God and watches us, bringing to Him all of our faults and "penalties". But Jesus has already paid the price for our penalties, He paid it with His blood. The new and everlasting covenant was made in and with His blood.

He took on our penalties- our pass interference, our roughing the passer, our offsides and He declines the penalty because He wants to be with us. He doesn't want our penalties to separate us from Him.

Amazing. I love that.

We receive this mercy by confessing our faults and turning away from darkness and sin toward the Light.We enter most deeply into Him when we receive the Eucharist.

I don't think I will look at football quite the same ever again :)

Garden- Matt Maher

2011-10-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

LOVE this song by Matt Maher. It takes my breath away. SO lovely.

George Weigel On Tim Tebow...

2011-10-31T14:08:00.001-07:00

I like both George Weigel and Tim Tebow.

Mr. Weigel writes an excellent article about Tim and Christophobia. It's very true and relevant. God bless both of these men.

A Heavy Pricetag...

2011-10-31T13:59:00.000-07:00

Kim Kardashian's engagement ring: 2 million dollars

A lavish wedding ceremony with over 400 people in attendance: 10 million dollars

A 72 day "marriage" that is ending because "sometimes things don't work out as planned": Loveless and sorrowful

Steve Jobs Last Words.....

2011-10-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

I found this article about Steve Jobs last words on earth to be piercing and telling. I have been pondering all day what he might have seen over the shoulders of his loved ones that would elicit that response.

Did he see angels? Jesus? Eternal Beauty? Perhaps one day we will know....

Braxton Miller Is Amazing

2011-10-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Check out this AWESOME play by freshman quarterback Braxton Miller. With 30 seconds left in the game, he scrambles to stay alive and then gets off this game winning pass to his freshman teammate, giving Ohio State the upset win over Wisconsin yesterday. It was incredible to see it as it happened and still makes me shake my head as i watch the replay.

This is why I love sports-- when all seems lost, one heroic play can change everything.

Cool Pumpkin

2011-10-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

check out this pic of an amazing pumpkin featured by the people over at the Susan B. Anthony List.

Let the little babies stay in the wombs!

Adele...

2011-10-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

I love Adele's voice, so soulful and beautiful. Here is a video of her singing her latest hit, Someone Like You, in her home with only a piano to accompany her. She is lovely indeed, God bless her and her beauty.

Playing With The Big Boys...

2011-10-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

Played some volleyball yesterday, haven't had the chance of doing that since the summer. The team I play on is awesome because they are awesome people, truly a joy to be around. And while we are easily the oldest team out on the court, I think we laugh the most and have the most fun.

But sometimes the competition we face is rather daunting. The volleyball league we compete in plays on men's height nets, which are eight feet tall (and I SWEAR that they are more like nine feet tall at times). My league is co-ed so we regularly face young men who can jump like they are in the NBA and they hit so hard that I wonder if we should have tourniquets readily available in case of limb-removal-by-force-of-volleyball tragedies. Needless to say, it can be pretty overwhelming.

At these times I can:
A) whine that it's not fair and that these guys should be playing in the league above ours (popular and common option)
B) become resentful that I am not young anymore and have had knee surgery and now have a chronic shoulder injury (occurs in my mind often)
C) lay on the court in the fetal position and beg for mercy (never happens but is a tantalizing temptation when we are losing the game severely and i am stinking up the court)
D) play with the big boys and tell them to bring on the heat because I can take it, or at least try (usually what happens)

There's a saying: "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen" and I ponder that often.

In sports, giving up is not an option. On days where my game just isn't flowing and i can't seem to do much that is helpful, I feel like giving up and running away, but this is not an option. If I gave up, my teammates would surely kill me and it would be a huge letdown to everyone.

Team sports remind me that it's not all about me (thank God) and that I have a role and a job to do no matter if I am playing well or not playing well. If something in my game isn't working, then I can switch skills to something that is.

If I am not hitting well then I can support and set my teammates who are. If I am not passing well, then I can move out of the rotation so those who are passing well can do that job. If I am serving well, then I can continue to do so and score some points that way. At any rate, everyone on a team has a job and a role and we depend upon each other.

In sports as well, we are taught that we have to let go of past mistakes and move on to the present play at hand. When we make a mistake, we can look at our fundamentals and what went wrong, try to incorporate that information and then we try to apply it in the next situation.

One of the surest ways to lose a game is to harp on past bad plays in your mind so much that they affect your present and future plays. If you do that too often, you will find a nice spot on the bench, where you can dwell entirely upon yourself. Whee! (not so much...)

Anyway, I often appreciated John Paul II's words on athletics, that sports can indeed be an avenue and training ground for virtue.

I couldn't agree more.. (that is, when I am not reattaching my arm after being hit with a leather missile.....)

Kermit's Pivotal Moment

2011-10-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Thought you all might enjoy this, thank you to the person who sent it to me! Happy Friday :)

Fr. Andrew Apostoli Speaks Out On The Present Manifestation of Fatima

2011-10-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Read this sobering article about the message of Fatima and how it is coming true in our present day.

We must prepare.

Bishop Fulton Sheen on War and Suffering...

2011-10-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is powerful and timely. Bishop Fulton Sheen writes as though he is still alive on this earth today. If I were to read this excerpt on the internet, not knowing who the author was, I would assume it was written by a current Bishop imploring his flock and fellow Americans. Incredible.

From Bishop Fulton Sheen's address on War and Providence, December 29th, 1940

"Our Declaration of Independence affirms that this country trusts in God. Let us Americans take it literally and never relinquish an absolute trust in the Providence of God even in adversity, sorrow, depression, catastrophe, and war. With Job we cry out : "Although he should kill me, I will trust in him: but yet I will reprove my ways in his sight” (Job 13 :15) .

Starting from this basic trust in God, certain conclusions follow:
We will not start with the assumption that we are innocent, and therefore assert that all our misfortune is undeserved.

Henceforth, instead of asking, "On whose side is God?" we shall look into our own souls and say: ”On whose side are we?"

We shall constantly keep before our minds that the greatest tragedy of war is not economic loss or physical suffering but acquiescence in evil: ”And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul : but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10 :28) .

The unbeliever can explain the tormentor in war, but he cannot explain the sacrifice of the soldier or the martyr. The believer in God can explain both.

Suffering in all forms is, for the Christian, a mystery not a problem. To get a square peg into a round hole is a problem because one fact does not fit the other fact. Suffering is not like that. It fulfills a purpose; even sin may be a "happy fault” if it brings Redemption.

Given the spectacle of the Son of God Incarnate stretched on a Cross through the corporate evil of men, and yet conquering their hate and sin by rising to a new life and pouring out forgiveness and pardon — I say, given that vision on Calvary, suffering and war and evil can be faced without losing hope either in humanity or in God. It was the prosperous Solomon who complained of the emptiness of life, not the suffering Job. The Cross could once more marry us to God.

Thus we are brought back to the general theme of this series of broadcasts: America must return to God humbly and penitently, or if we forsake God, God will forsake us. He is not only the God of Mercy, but the God of Justice, and though He suffers some to sneer, "Where is your God now?", He in His turn will answer, "Where are their gods, in whom they trusted . . . let them arise and help you” (Deut. 32:37-28). We will be under Providence either by free response to His love or by submission to His Justice."

Love Awakened By Beauty...

2011-10-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

"Love is awakened by beauty, in the first instance by the beauty of another person; but then it proceeds by stages to higher levels so that the soul appreciates beauty of character, of thought, of all goodness and all things perfect. Finally, having come so far, the virtuous person will find supreme beauty, the source from which all other beauties flow. Love is thus the catalyst and binder of the universe: in a manner of speaking, Love is God. And since beauty is the initiator of love, it follows that those who create and encourage beauty, such as artists and philosophers, are acolytes in the divine mystery. By seeking beauty, they seek God."
Robert Coughlan from the book, The World of Michelangelo

A Modern Hosea

2011-10-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

I was reading the Book of the Prophet Hosea yesterday and doing some deep thinking about the words of God. I think God often shocks us with His honesty. We get uncomfortable with his straightforward truth and passion, so instead of opening ourselves to Him, we distance ourselves and create a "sanitized" and "safe" version of God.

Check out His words to the prophet Hosea regarding the infidelity of the nation of Israel, " ² “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her,
   for she is not my wife,
   and I am not her husband.
Let her remove the adulterous look from her face
   and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts.
³ Otherwise I will strip her naked
   and make her as bare as on the day she was born;
I will make her like a desert,
   turn her into a parched land,
   and slay her with thirst.
⁴ I will not show my love to her children,
   because they are the children of adultery.
⁵ Their mother has been unfaithful
   and has conceived them in disgrace.
She said, ‘I will go after my lovers,
   who give me my food and my water,
   my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’
⁶ Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
   I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
⁷ She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
   she will look for them but not find them.
Then she will say,
   ‘I will go back to my husband as at first,
   for then I was better off than now.’
⁸ She has not acknowledged that I was the one
   who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil,
who lavished on her the silver and gold—
   which they used for Baal.
⁹ “Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens,
   and my new wine when it is ready.
I will take back my wool and my linen,
   intended to cover her naked body.
¹⁰ So now I will expose her lewdness
   before the eyes of her lovers;
   no one will take her out of my hands.
¹¹ I will stop all her celebrations:
   her yearly festivals, her New Moons,
   her Sabbath days—all her appointed festivals.
¹² I will ruin her vines and her fig trees,
   which she said were her pay from her lovers;
I will make them a thicket,
   and wild animals will devour them.
¹³ I will punish her for the days
   she burned incense to the Baals;
she decked herself with rings and jewelry,
   and went after her lovers,
   but me she forgot,”
            declares the LORD."

Wow. pretty intense, huh? But within this description is powerful beauty and restoration. God knows that He is the ONLY one who will fully satisfy us. He gives us all these amazing gifts and instead of seeing them as a gift from His hand, we grasp at the gifts and make them our idols.

We begin to think that it's the gifts that will satisfy us and that give us our dignity but it's only God who delightfully does that. So out of His love, concern and kindness to us, He often hedges in our ways and tries to remove our idols from us. It is here that we often fight against Him and feel stripped and empty.

But this removal of idols from our hearts is a deep mercy of God. And He doesn't leave us naked or shame us. Because in the next part of Hosea, God says this--" “Therefore I am now going to allure her;
   I will lead her into the wilderness
   and speak tenderly to her.
¹⁵ There I will give her back her vineyards,
   and will make the Valley of Achor^[b] a door of hope.
There she will respond^[c] as in the days of her youth,
   as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
¹⁶ “In that day,” declares the LORD,
   “you will call me ‘my husband’;
   you will no longer call me ‘my master.^[d]’
¹⁷ I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;
   no longer will their names be invoked.
¹⁸ In that day I will make a covenant for them
   with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
   and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle
   I will abolish from the land,
   so that all may lie down in safety.
¹⁹ I will betroth you to me forever;
   I will betroth you in^[e] righteousness and justice,
   in^[f] love and compassion.
²⁰ I will betroth you in^[g] faithfulness,
   and you will acknowledge the LORD.

God redeems and restores everything and gives us what we truly seek, His very Self. This is piercingly beautiful and hopeful. He just wants to love us.

If I could put this book in the form of a modern song-- I think God could sing this to us (it's one of my favorite songs)

Rest In Peace, Dan Wheldon

2011-10-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died yesterday in a horrific IndyCar pile up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The 33 year old car racing champion leaves behind a wife (pictured here) and two young sons. Makes you wonder if the pursuit of excellence in this manner was really worth the ultimate cost.

May he rest in peace.

The Destruction Of Innocence...

2011-10-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

This article breaks my heart about a lesbian couple who is giving their 11 year old son hormone blockers so he can "choose his gender" should he want to become a girl.

Where the heck is common sense? This is crazy stuff. We need to know who we are and where we came from.

God help us all....

Beary Lonesome.....

2011-10-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

I went to Canada this weekend and returned to find a forlorn Beary waiting for me at the front door, complete with his do-rag and sorrowful expression. I think he had been waiting for some time....

Bishop Fulton Sheen on Beauty.....

2011-10-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

In light of the earlier post on fashion models and what the world considers beautiful.....

From the book, "The Quotable Fulton Sheen"--

"Beauty without virtue is like a fair flower that has an offensive odor. But true beauty bathes in that light without which nothing is beautiful. Beauty is a gift of God, like the rain. He allows the rain to fall upon the just and the wicked, and He gives beauty not only to the good, but even to the wicked. Wicked beauty strikes the eye, but the inner beauty of grace wins the soul."