Is Anybody There?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says Yahweh Sabaoth" Zach 4:6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dio di Signore, nella Sua volontà è nostra pace!" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin 1759

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Caution: This Story Will Definitely Make You Sick

I kid you not. I 1st heard about this on Laura Ingraham's show this morning when she had Fe Vinoya on as a guest to talk about it. When I heard Vinoya share what her suprevisor said it made me sick to my stomach. It also gave a great insight into the twisted mindset of the abortion industry & the "culture of death".
& the fact that, as Thomas Peters points out, other pro-aborts are reacting hysterically, is more proof that they know how horrific what these nurses were told really is.  The Jezebel article Ptetrs links to is entitled "Nurses Fight For Their Right To Refuse Women Care". Notice how she is trying to make it sound like being forced to catch a murdered baby in your hands is being painted as simply offering a woman health care. & not doing so is denying a woman health care. Jezabel makes it sound like they are not being forced to participate in the abortion but simply provide post abortion care. Shades of Nancy Pelosi's comments about pro-lifers wanting to let women die on the floor. Like I said, sick, sick sick.
The last I looked, being required to receive & hold the baby expelled is not merely postabortive care. It is helping with a part of the abortion proceedure. Jezabel is very careful to omit that fact.
But they have to result to twisted claims & lies like this like this to cover up the truth about what it is they are demanding others be forced to participate in against their will.
I don't even want to think about how much worse what else is being said out there is that Thomas Peters doesn't feel free to repeat.
I wish Laura had put up the segment on YouTube like she did the one with O'Brien I posted about yesterday., but she hasn't.  Still this gives you a pretty good idea of the ongoing persecution going on against those who live their faith out. We also get a good idea of what the Obama administration means by conscience rights that it has claimed it will protect. As far as the Obama administration is concerned it is open season on Pro-lifers & esp those who live out their Christian faith as they are supposed to.

Pro-life nurse asked to assist abortion told: ‘You just have to catch the baby’s head’
by Thomas Peters

As we’ve reported, a dozen pro-life nurses in New Jersey are fighting for their right to follow their conscience and not be forced to assist at abortions.
This quote in The Washington Post by one of the nurses stopped me in my tracks when I read it:
One of the nurses, Fe Esperanza R. Vinoya, said a manager told her: “‘You just have to catch the baby’s head. Don’t worry, it’s already dead.’ ”
A child killed through abortion.
Can you imagine anything more horrific than being forced to “catch” a dead baby’s head? A baby who only minutes before was alive in its mother’s womb?
Pro-abort writers and bloggers are hysterically (I don’t use the word lightly) attempting to attack these women’s motives.
Here’s just a sample of mockery by Erin Ryan of the feminist blog Jezebel:
“From the way the complaint describes it, you’d think they were being ordered to line babies up and shoot them with a crossbow in front of their children.”
I won’t even repeat some of the other things I’ve seen written about these pro-life nurses.
I think the need by pro-abort writers to hysterically blow this story out of proportion is telling: they have to exaggerate because the actual reality of what these nurses have been asked to do is truly horrifying. No one is talking about shooting babies with crossbows, we are talking about crushing a baby’s skull while the baby is still inside his or her mother and severing it from its tiny body. Pro-lifers demand that all sides simply face the gruesome facts.
For a movement that claims to be for “choice”, pro-aborts absolutely cannot admit that pro-life nurses have a choice not to assist at abortions. But the more important choice facing advocates of abortion is whether or not they will agree to discuss and confront the reality of abortion.
So, stow the crossbows and contemplate the heads of the poor victims of abortion instead.

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Cardinal Burke Looks Back & Ahead

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke recently sat down with CNA/EWTN News reporter David Kerr to talk about his 1st year as a Cardinal (Cardinal Burke reflects on his first year in the Sacred College). & while part of the article looks back at the past, the Cardinal also shared his concerns about what is going on in his beloved United States as well as what he sees as the possible direction things could go here.
Talking about  the struggle for his country's culture he was very blunt. "It is a war." He said that as his way of describing the battle lines between "a culture of secularization which is quite strong in our nation," & "the Christian culture which has marked the life of the United States strongly during the first 200 years of its history."
He went on to issue  a challenge. He said that it is "critical at this time that Christians stand up for the natural moral law." He added that this is especially true in defense of life & the family. He then issued a warning. "If Christians do not stand strong, give a strong witness and insist on what is right and good for us both as and individuals and society, this secularization will in fact predominate and it will destroy us."
He also sees persecution of the catholic Church as a distinct possibility here in the USA. "Yes, I think we’re well on the way to it." To back that up he pointed to areas of social outreach - such as adoption and foster care - where the Church has had to withdraw rather than compromise its principles. & if this trend continues, it could reach a point where the Church, "even by announcing her own teaching," is accused of "engaging in illegal activity, for instance, in its teaching on human sexuality." When asked if he could envision U.S. Catholics ever being arrested for preaching their faith, he replied: "I can see it happening, yes."
The Cardinal isn't all gloom & doom. He says he is just being a realist. he does have some hope for the future. "I think that sometimes the young people understand much better the bankruptcy of a totally secularized culture because they’ve grown up with it," he observed. While many youth "have seen their families broken" & "have been exposed to all the evils of pornography," he sees it as leading them to conclude that the secularization project "is going nowhere and that it will destroy them" if left unchecked.
He had some pretty strong things to say about U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who is currently seeking to force most of the country's employers, including Catholic institutions, to cover contraception & sterilization in employee health plans. "To the degree to which (Sebelius) proclaims herself to be a practicing Catholic, she is very wrong," said Cardinal Burke. He says it is "simply incomprehensible" for a Catholic to "support the kind of measures that she is supporting."
He says the upcoming 2012 election is  "very significant." Catholics "have a serious duty to vote and to try and find the best candidate to elect." He added that some "good and solid, right-thinking individuals" may even be called to run for public office themselves.
Yesterday I shared a bit about where I saw the USA heading. Cardinal Burke's views are a solid confirmation of what I said. What he is saying should be getting wide distribution in Catholic circles & heeded. He may not see himself as a future Pope (as he said when asked). Who knows. That is the future. What he is doing now is what he knows he must do as a shepherd. He is speaking out & providing the leadership & teaching needed in this critical time.
______________
In the article he also talks about many other things like the liturgy & canon law. The whole article is well worth reading.




Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Laura Ingraham Takes on Jon O'Brien, the head of ------ for Choice*

This was the final segment of the Laura Ingraham Show on Monday, 29 November 2011, except fot the "Call of the Day" (more on that later). Her guest was Jon O'Brien, president of ---- for Choice*.  You can tell how fustrated Laura got when he refused to answer her questions or let her finish what she said.



You will notice that O'Brien claimed that his baptism gave him the right to call himself Catholic while totally avoiding the real question about the Bishops & Pope's knowledge of authentic Catholic teaching & their making it clear the group was NOT Catholic. He also refused to answer her question about unborn children as  well. & what little he did say about Catholics & Family Planning was inaccurate/incomplete. (Again more about that under "Call of the Day" below.)
Now as for the call of the day you can hear it here, or here: Allen says being pro-choice is not Catholic.
Yes, it was me who called in. Yes, I was surprized I actually got on the air, & even more so to later find out I was the "Call of the Day". I called in to simply pass on my support of Laura's defense of the Catholic Church's teachings. I didn't think she would be putting any more callers on the air. But there I was, being told to hold on. I guess she liked how "brutal" I was.
I stand by my statement that he would be one of those urging the Early Christians to offer incense to the Emperor to avoid being martyred. & I don't apply that only to him, but to all those who call on the Catholic Church to bow to the Obama demand that Catholic institutions pay for birth control etc in their insurance policies. I came to that conclusion after recently reading the article Does the Catholic Church Still Count? in the Nov 2011 issue of The New Oxford Review. Towards the end of the story I began seeing what the Obama administration was doing was the equivalent of requiring the early Christians to offer incense to Caesar. They were being told that they had to do that but then could still be able to practice their faith otherwise. (NOTE: the link only has the 1st part of the story, not the part I am refering to.) Then at the weekday Mass for 15 Nov the 1st reading was 2 Maccabees 6:18-31. It tells the story of Eleazar being told to pretend to eat pork & his refusal because doing so would cause scandal. The next day the reading was from 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 that told of the Jewish mother & her 7 sons in a similar situation. I also read a couple of short bios on various days about early martyrs (such as St. Marcellus, the Centurion, MartyrSt. Quintin, Martyr &  St. Theodore Tyro, Martyr) who refused to compromise despite being urged to do so.
& while we may not be facing physical martyrdom, we are being put in a similar situation of having to chose between what we believe & what the government wants us to do. We need to be ready, should that day come. It may not be too far away when we have to go along with what the government demands of us to support their "culture of death" agenda or pay whatever legal price, to be willing to sacrifice all, including our freedom rather than deny our faith.

* Except for when she actually introduced Jon O'Brien she would not say the word Catholic as a part of the title of the group. & obviously I agree with her wholeheartedly.

Monday, November 28, 2011

If Chuck Woolery's Crack Team Could Find $1.2 Trillion to Cut In 10 Minutes Why Couldn't the Super Committee Succeed

When you see where they found the cuts, you might understand why Congress was unable to, it would mean they would have to make sacrifices themselves rather than forcing us to:

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Papa Benedetto - A Reflection for the 1st Sunday of Advent


The NEW 1st Sunday in Advent Propers

Introit:





Offertory (Yes there always has been 1, but none of the Missallettes print them):





Communion:





You can find the entire Psalm texts for the antiphons of the First Sunday of Advent here.
Source: Simple English Propers – by Adam Bartlett (CMAA 2011)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Judge Napolitano: Why Taxation is Theft, Abortion is Murder, & Gov't is Dangerous


Happy New (Liturgical) Year

Tommorrow the new English Translation goes into effect. Fr. Kubicki talks about what full participation really means. & it isn't just saying all the words.




Thursday, November 24, 2011

Buona Festa di Ringraziamento






Salmi 103
[1] Di Davide.


Benedici il Signore, anima mia,
quanto è in me benedica il suo santo nome.

[2] Benedici il Signore, anima mia,
non dimenticare tanti suoi benefici.

[3] Egli perdona tutte le tue colpe,
guarisce tutte le tue malattie;

[4] salva dalla fossa la tua vita,
ti corona di grazia e di misericordia;

[5] egli sazia di beni i tuoi giorni
e tu rinnovi come aquila la tua giovinezza.

[6] Il Signore agisce con giustizia
e con diritto verso tutti gli oppressi.

[7] Ha rivelato a Mosè le sue vie,
ai figli d'Israele le sue opere.

[8] Buono e pietoso è il Signore,
lento all'ira e grande nell'amore.

[9] Egli non continua a contestare
e non conserva per sempre il suo sdegno.

[10] Non ci tratta secondo i nostri peccati,
non ci ripaga secondo le nostre colpe.

[11] Come il cielo è alto sulla terra,
così è grande la sua misericordia su quanti lo temono;

[12] come dista l'oriente dall'occidente,
così allontana da noi le nostre colpe.

[13] Come un padre ha pietà dei suoi figli,
così il Signore ha pietà di quanti lo temono.

[14] Perché egli sa di che siamo plasmati,
ricorda che noi siamo polvere.

[15] Come l'erba sono i giorni dell'uomo,
come il fiore del campo, così egli fiorisce.

[16] Lo investe il vento e più non esiste
e il suo posto non lo riconosce.

[17] Ma la grazia del Signore è da sempre,
dura in eterno per quanti lo temono;
la sua giustizia per i figli dei figli,

[18] per quanti custodiscono la sua alleanza
e ricordano di osservare i suoi precetti.

[19] Il Signore ha stabilito nel cielo il suo trono
e il suo regno abbraccia l'universo.

[20] Benedite il Signore, voi tutti suoi angeli,
potenti esecutori dei suoi comandi,
pronti alla voce della sua parola.

[21] Benedite il Signore, voi tutte, sue schiere,
suoi ministri, che fate il suo volere.

[22] Benedite il Signore, voi tutte opere sue,
in ogni luogo del suo dominio.
Benedici il Signore, anima mia.

BUONA FESTA di RINGRAZIAMENTO!!!!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

1878 or 2011

By now I shouldn't be surprized at how the Holy Spirit works propheticly through the Popes when they exercise their Petrine Charism to teach us the unchanging truths of God. Or maybe it is just that they are the same problems that simply have new labels. But whatever the reason, it still amazes me when I read something written by a long dead Pope that sounds like it could have been written about the problems the Catholic Church is dealing with today.
In this case I am refering to 2 encyclicals written by Pope Leo XIII. While we rightly remember him for his deep devotion to Mary, his promotion of the Rosary & devotion to St. Joseph & especially Rerum Novarum , his groundbreaking encyclical on the relationship of capital & labor that is so often (like much of the Church's teachings) twisted to suit those with a liberal, socialist bent when it is in fact a defense of capital as well as labor.
But in this case it was what he had to say in the 2 encyclicals that he wrote at the start of his pontificate in 1878. I had watched a program on EWTN that mentioned Pope Leo's encyclical on socialism (Quod Apostolici Muneris ), so I decided to look it up. As I started reading it I came across a reference to his 1st encyclical (Inscrutabili Dei Consilio ) that this 1 had been written as a follow up. As I read them I began to think to myself that this sure sounds like many of the same problems the Church is dealing with today as well as describing the attacks the Catholic Church is undergoing today for standing up for the truth.
While I won't share the entire encyclicals here, I recommend you follow the links & read them in their entirety. Instead I will share a few sections from them to show you why I quickly came to the conclusion about what is said in them is very much needed to be heard today. The use of  "we" "us" & "our" may be a little disconcerting to some. Back then that was standard practice by secular rulers as well as the Pope. It has nothing to do with ego on Pope Leo's part.
In Inscrutabili Pope Leo starts out by explaining that he is sending it out so that those who read it can help him "to carry on the battle now being waged on behalf of the Church of God and the salvation of souls." Isn't that exactly what we are supposed to be doing today, praying for, supporting & working with Papa Benedetto to defend the Church & proclaim the good news of salvation found in Jesus?
Paragraph 2 & its footnote (emphasis mine): "For, from the very beginning of Our pontificate, the sad sight has presented itself to Us of the evils by which the human race is oppressed on every side: the widespread subversion of the primary truths on which, as on its foundations, human society is based; the obstinacy of mind that will not brook any authority however lawful; the endless sources of disagreement, whence arrive civil strife, and ruthless war and bloodshed; the contempt of law which molds characters and is the shield of righteousness; the insatiable craving for things perishable, with complete forgetfulness of things eternal, leading up to the desperate madness whereby so many wretched beings, in all directions, scruple not to lay violent hands upon themselves; the reckless mismanagement, waste, and misappropriation of the public funds; the shamelessness of those who, full of treachery, make semblance of being champions of country, of freedom, and every kind of right; in fine, the deadly kind of plague which infects in its inmost recesses, allowing it no respite and foreboding ever fresh disturbances and final disaster.(1)
1). This description of what is usually called a "corrupt government" or the government of a "corrupt party" is, in fact, the description of what necessarily happens to any government, or ruling party, when it rejects the moral rules taught by the Church. A religious error is the main root of all social and political evils."
From paragraph 3: "We are convinced, in this, that the holy and venerable authority of the Church, which in God's name rules mankind, upholding and defending all lawful authority, has been despised and set aside. The enemies of public order, being fully aware of this, have thought nothing better suited to destroy the foundations of society than to make an unflagging attack upon the Church of God, to bring her into discredit and odium by spreading infamous calumnies and accusing her of being opposed to genuine progress. They labor to weaken her influence and power by wounds daily inflicted, and to overthrow the authority of the Bishop of Rome, in whom the abiding and unchangeable principles of right and good find their earthly guardian and champion."
This next part of paragraph 3 could be a description of the rules promulgated by the Obama administration that are forcing Catholic institutions to have tehir insurance pay for birth control as well as state laws forcing Catholic organizations to offer adoption services to homosexual couples. "From these causes have originated laws that shake the structure of the Catholic Church, the enacting whereof we have to deplore in so many lands; hence, too, have floured forth contempt of episcopal authority; the obstacles thrown in the way of the discharge of ecclesiastical duties; the dissolution of religious bodies; and the confiscation of property that was once the support of the Church's ministers and of the poor. Thereby, public institutions, vowed to charity and benevolence, have been withdrawn from the wholesome control of the Church; thence, also, has arisen that unchecked freedom to teach and spread abroad all mischievous principles, while the Church's claim to train and educate youth is in every way outraged and baffled."
In paragraph 5 Pope Leo makes 1 of those especially prophetic statements. "(I)f any one of sound mind compare the age in which We live, so hostile to religion and to the Church of Christ, with those happy times when the Church was revered as a mother by the nations, beyond all question he will see that our epoch is rushing wildly along the straight road to destruction; while in those times which most abounded in excellent institutions, peaceful life, wealth, and prosperity the people showed themselves most obedient to the Church's rule and laws."
There is so much more I could point out from this encyclical alone. I can't share everything. But before I move on to the next encyclical I will share 2 more parts. I will start with the following where Pope Leo lays out the responsibility of the Bishops in teaching the truth. "In the next place, in order that the union of hearts between their chief Pastor and the whole Catholic flock may daily be strengthened, We here call upon you, venerable brothers, with particular earnestness, and strongly urge you to kindle, with priestly zeal and pastoral care, the fire of the love of religion among the faithful entrusted to you, that their attachment to this chair of truth and justice may become closer and firmer, that they may welcome all its teachings with thorough assent of mind and will, wholly rejecting such opinion, even when most widely received, as they know to be contrary to the Church's doctrine. . . . It is your duty, venerable brothers, sedulously to strive that the seed of heavenly doctrine be sown broadcast in the field of God, and that the teachings of the Catholic faith may be implanted early in the souls of the faithful, may strike deep root in them, and be kept free from the ruinous blight of error. The more the enemies of religion exert themselves to offer the uninformed, especially the young, such instruction as darkens the mind and corrupts morals, the more actively should we endeavor that not only a suitable and solid method of education may flourish but above all that this education be wholly in harmony with the Catholic faith in its literature and system of training, and chiefly in philosophy, upon which the direction of other sciences in great measure depends." (Par 13)
Then there is this from paragraph 14 that surely describes the attack these days on the family. "Now, the training of youth most conducive to the defense of true faith and religion and to the preservation of morality must find its beginning from an early stage within the circle of home life; and this family Christian training sadly undermined in these our times, cannot possibly be restored to its due dignity, save by those laws under which it was established in the Church by her Divine Founder Himself. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by raising to the dignity of a sacrament the contract of matrimony, in which He would have His own union with the Church typified, not only made the marriage tie more holy, but, in addition, provided efficacious sources of aid for parents and children alike, so that, by the discharge of their duties one to another, they might with greater ease attain to happiness both in time and in eternity. But when impious laws, setting at naught the sanctity of this great sacrament, put it on the same footing of mere civil contracts, the lamentable result followed, that, outraging the dignity of Christian matrimony, citizens made use of legalized concubinage in place of marriage; husband and wife neglected their bounden duty to each other; children refused obedience and reverence to their parents; the bonds of domestic love were loosened; and alas! the worst scandal and of all the most ruinous to public morality, very frequently an unholy passion opened the door to disastrous and fatal separations. These most unhappy and painful consequences, venerable brothers, cannot fail to arouse your zeal and move you constantly and earnestly to warn the faithful committed to your charge to listen with docility to your teaching regarding the holiness of Christian marriage, and to obey laws by which the Church controls the duties of married people and of their offspring."
Like I said, there is so much more I could share from Inscrutabili. But I need to move on to Quod Apostolici. He starts out by reminding everyone why he wrote the 1st encyclical. "At the very beginning of Our pontificate, as the nature of Our apostolic office demanded, we hastened to point out in an encyclical letter addressed to you, venerable brethren, the deadly plague that is creeping into the very fibres of human society and leading it on to the verge of destruction; at the same time We pointed out also the most effectual remedies by which society might be restored and might escape from the very serious dangers which threaten it."
 Then he goes on to explain why another one on this subjest is out so."But the evils which We then deplored have so rapidly increased that We are again compelled to address you,. . . . We speak of that sect of men who, under various and almost barbarous names, are called socialists, communists, or nihilists, and who, spread over all the world, and bound together by the closest ties in a wicked confederacy, no longer seek the shelter of secret meetings, but, openly and boldly marching forth in the light of day, strive to bring to a head what they have long been planning - the overthrow of all civil society whatsoever."
Pope Leo goes on to say "Surely these are they who, as the sacred Scriptures testify, "Defile the flesh, despise dominion and blaspheme majesty."(2) They leave nothing untouched or whole which by both human and divine laws has been wisely decreed for the health and beauty of life. They refuse obedience to the higher powers, to whom, according to the admonition of the Apostle, every soul ought to be subject, and who derive the right of governing from God; and they proclaim the absolute equality of all men in rights and duties. They debase the natural union of man and woman, which is held sacred even among barbarous peoples; and its bond, by which the family is chiefly held together, they weaken, or even deliver up to lust. Lured, in fine, by the greed of present goods, which is "the root of all evils, which some coveting have erred from the faith,"(3) they assail the right of property sanctioned by natural law; and by a scheme of horrible wickedness, while they seem desirous of caring for the needs and satisfying the desires of all men, they strive to seize and hold in common whatever has been acquired either by title of lawful inheritance, or by labor of brain and hands, or by thrift in one's mode of life." Sound familiar?????
Then we have this from section 5 that could describe those cafeteria Catholics of today: "For, indeed, although the socialists, stealing the very Gospel itself with a view to deceive more easily the unwary, have been accustomed to distort it so as to suit their own purposes, nevertheless so great is the difference between their depraved teachings and the most pure doctrine of Christ that none greater could exist: 'for what participation bath justice with injustice or what fellowship bath light with darkness?'"
After reminding rulers (which includes legislators) that their power ultimately comes from God he says this in section 7:  "But that rulers may use the power conceded to them to save and not to destroy, the Church of Christ seasonably warns even princes that the sentence of the Supreme Judge overhangs them, and, adopting the words of divine wisdom, calls upon all in the name of God: "Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations; for power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the Most High, who will examine your works, and search out your thoughts. . . . For a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule. . . " But when "the power of the State is rashly and tyrannically wielded by princes" Pope Leo makes it clear what the Christian response is. "(I)f the will of legislators and princes shall have sanctioned or commanded anything repugnant to the divine or natural law, the dignity and duty of the Christian name, as well as the judgment of the Apostle, urge that 'God is to be obeyed rather than man.' "
Section 8 sure sounds like it could be talking about what is wrong with the current attempts to redefine marriage. "Even family life itself, which is the cornerstone of all society and government, necessarily feels and experiences the salutary power of the Church, which redounds to the right ordering and preservation of every State and kingdom. For you know, venerable brethren, that the foundation of this society rests first of all in the indissoluble union of man and wife according to the necessity of natural law, and is completed in the mutual rights and duties of parents and children, masters and servants. You know also that the doctrines of socialism strive almost completely to dissolve this union; since, that stability which is imparted to it by religious wedlock being lost, it follows that the power of the father over his own children, and the duties of the children toward their parents, must be greatly weakened."
Then section 9 sounds like Pope Leo is talking about "Operation Wall Street". "But Catholic wisdom, sustained by the precepts of natural and divine law, provides with especial care for public and private tranquility in its doctrines and teachings regarding the duty of government and the distribution of the goods which are necessary for life and use. For, while the socialists would destroy the "right" of property, alleging it to be a human invention altogether opposed to the inborn equality of man, and, claiming a community of goods, argue that poverty should not be peaceably endured, and that the property and privileges of the rich may be rightly invaded, the Church, with much greater wisdom and good sense, recognizes the inequality among men, who are born with different powers of body and mind, inequality in actual possession, also, and holds that the right of property and of ownership, which springs from nature itself, must not be touched and stands inviolate."
The Pope isn't blind to the abuses of the poor often done by the rich, but he also knows socialism doesn't have the answer, but the Catholic Church does. "She is constantly pressing on the rich that most grave precept to give what remains to the poor; and she holds over their heads the divine sentence that unless they succor the needy they will be repaid by eternal torments. In fine, she does all she can to relieve and comfort the poor, either by holding up to them the example of Christ, "who being rich became poor for our sake,(18) or by reminding them of his own words, wherein he pronounced the poor blessed and bade them hope for the reward of eternal bliss."
Pope Leo goes on to describe what the Catholic Church does to improve society, including hospitals, & what happens when society tries to undermine that work. Again, doesn't this sound like what is going on today??? "But who does not see that this is the best method of arranging the old struggle between the rich and poor? For, as the very evidence of facts and events shows, if this method is rejected or disregarded, one of two things must occur: either the greater portion of the human race will fall back into the vile condition of slavery which so long prevailed among the pagan nations, or human society must continue to be disturbed by constant eruptions, to be disgraced by rapine and strife, as we have had sad witness even in recent times."
I'll conclude with this from paragraph 10 that is just as apt today as it was 133 years ago: "We again lift up Our voice, and beseech them again and again for their own safety's sake as well as that of their people to welcome and give ear to the Church which has had such wonderful influence on the public prosperity of kingdoms, and to recognize that political and religious affairs are so closely united that what is taken from the spiritual weakens the loyalty of subjects and the majesty of the government. And since they know that the Church of Christ has such power to ward off the plague of socialism as cannot be found in human laws, in the mandates of magistrates, or in the force of armies, let them restore that Church to the condition and liberty in which she may exert her healing force for the benefit of all society."  I underlined the 1 line because it explains why the attacks on the Catholic Church are happenning, both then & now.
Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit would guide the Catholic Church into all truth. Once again we see how well He has kept that promise. & we also see why it is important to know & follow the true teachings of the Magesterium. Fallen human nature, when left to itself, does welcome that "deadly plague" back again & again. It is only through the Catholic Church that God  exerts His "healing force for the benefit of all society." Because of this, the attacks from without & within will continue until Jesus' return at the end of time. But no matter how hard the enemies of God try, that voice of truth will never be silenced. The question is, will we, individually &/or communally, listen?

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Monday, November 21, 2011

European Union Rules That Drinking Water Does NOT Relieve Dehydration

& if you disagree, then get ready to be locked up in prison for 2 years. As over @ Moonbattery puts it "The dysfunctional form of authoritarianism we know as moonbattery has officially jumped the shark in the European Union." (For those who don't know what "jump the shark" means, go here) The MailOnline article he links to uses the word "barmy".  Either way, it is clear that the EU bureaucracy has finally gone over the deep end.
Dehydration is defined as a shortage of water in the body. Everyone know that. & that the best way to deal with dehydration, especially to prevent it, is to drink water. But the European Food Standards Authority decided any statement  to that effect could not be allowed. According to the DailyMail: "The statement on which the eminent EU experts ruled claimed that ‘regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration and of concomitant decrease of performance.’
However the Parma gathering ruled: ‘The panel considers that the proposed claim does not comply with the requirements for a disease risk reduction claim.’ It declared that shortage of water in the body was just a symptom of dehydration."
Welcome to the Twilight Zone that is the EU. As Tory MEP Roger Helmer said: ‘This is stupidity writ large. The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are worrying about the obvious qualities of water. If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project, then this is it.’
When I read this story I couldn't help but flashback to a bit from the BBC sitcom "Yes, Minister". In 1 episode they talk about a new EEC (European Economic Community, a predicessor of the EU)regulation that a ban on the name "British Sausage" and standardize the EuroSausage.
Talk about life immitating art!!!!!

Unfortunately, this isn't a sitcom scene, this is real life. & a prime example of what is wrong with the EU. It is also the road where Obama & company want to lead us down. The sound you hear is that of our Founding Fathers turning over in their graves.
Source: EU Bans Saying That Drinking Water Relieves Dehydration

At Least They Will Be Able to Vote for Obama In the Next Election


Dick Locher (Iowa Boy originally from DBQ) at GoComics.com via Jill Stanek (Stanek Sunday funnies 11-20-11)

Why the Catholic Church's Full Teaching On Unions Should Be Followed

In the last few months there has been a lot of screaming every time talk of putting limits on unions has come up. Among the socialist, leftist, Catholic in Name Only gang you hear the refrain about how the Catholic Church approves of unions. & while that is true as far as it goes, what they fail to mention is that, while saying people have the right to form or join a union if they want, that the Catholic Church also puts out some guidlines on what is or isn't proper behavior for the unions.
Paragraphs 305-305 of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (taken mostly from Laborem Exercens) list these guidlines. 1 of those guidelines found in Par 306 says that unions "must overcome the temptation of believing that all workers should be union-members". In short, they are not to force people into joining them who don't want to. Fortunately Iowa has an open shop law to prevent this from happenning. But not every state has these laws to protect the workers from union thuggery being used to bully them into joining the union. & in Michigan the law goes even one step further. It has being used by the SEIU to force a Michigan couple to join. The couple cares for their 2 adult children with cerebral palsy at home rather that putting them in an institution. The Michigan law defines them as "home health care workers" & that they must join the union.
Now, the SEIU is using that law to make them join. They are taking the money that the family needs to care for the children & using it to enrich their coffers. Remember this is the same SEIU that has been known to use thuggery to silence those that opposed ObamaCare. (Obama's SEIU Blueshirts, & They Call Us Violent) & you can be sure that some of that money will go to cement their unholy ties with Obama & the Democratic party, another violation of Catholic teaching. "Unions do not, however, have the character of “political parties” struggling for power, and they should not be forced to submit to the decisions of political parties nor be too closely linked to them. “In such a situation they easily lose contact with their specific role, which is to secure the just rights of workers within the framework of the common good of the whole of society; instead they become an instrument used for other purposes”. (par 307 emphasis mine)
Yes, I totally uphold what the Catholic Church says about people who want to having the right to join a union. But I also uphold the rest of what the Catholic Church teaches as well, that unions cannot force people to join either. & what is happenning in Michigan is clearly a violation of Catholic Church teaching & is thus totally wrong. All these parents want to do is give their children the loving care they deserve. They are capable of doing it in the best environment possible, their home. So they should be applauded, not punished for doing so.
 If the SEIU (or any other union) can get away with this then what next, forcing every stay at home parent to join?  It could happen. After all, before now how many people ever thought that a law would be passed creating this situation? Yet, it has. So, who is to stop them from taking that next step should they want to?
In the end, this is an attack on the family. The latest in many attacks we have seen with the attempts to redefine marriage etc. This is not about the right to join a union, it is about the rights of parents to raise & care for their children. It is about having a healthy society where the God given rights to life, liberty & the pusuit of happiness are recongized by the government. Not a government that sees itself as the source of our rights as we have seen time after time in socialist political systems. (& may I remeind you that the Catholic Church condemns socialism.)
While abortion is the most important issue today, issues like this are related. The 2012 election is important. We must work to get candidates nominated that will uphold the rights of all human beings. & then we must work to get them elected. If not, well, the last few years under Obama & teh Dems shows us the disaterous way we are heading. & it isn't towards freedom, but into a new dictatorship like we saw in the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Fasict Italia & elsewhere. & we know how disasterous they were.
Source:SEIU Loots Parents Who Care for Disabled Children

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Sunday, November 20, 2011

He IS the King of Kings










Saturday, November 19, 2011

This Just In, An Interview with Fr. McBrien & Sr. Joan Chittister On What They Think of the Mass Changes Next Week

Paul Nichols @ Catholic Cartoon Blog has posted a link to an interview showing Fr. MacBrien & Sr. Jaonie Chittister's reaction to the upcoming changes in the English translation of the Novus Ordo. Unfortunately, embedding has been disabled so you have to go to the YouTube page here to see it. 

In the same post he also reminds us to Keep an eye on your liberal friends this Advent! He points out that "The liberals are fighting mad over these (minor, in my opinion) changes coming to the Mass. As Advent begins, please keep an eye on your liberal friends for signs of hives, convulsions, profuse sweating, gout, & thrush as adverse reactions to the new translation."  & hopefully, no one will have the following reaction:

Thought for the Day - 19 November 2011



Source: Moonbattery (Open Thread)

Marshmallow Island

(Photo: Andrea Ricordi/Spumador/Flickr.com)

This photo of Litla Dimun, part of the Faroe Islands, was taken by Andrea Ricordi. “It was early morning and the sky was unusually clean except the stubborn clouds that hid the top of the island.”

Friday, November 18, 2011

This Day in History - 18 November 1965




Read Dei Verbum here.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Good News: "Geron Is Shutting Down Its Stem Cell Clinical Trial"

While it is good news, the NY Slimes story makes sure that there is plenty of spin in it to continue pushing for embryonic stem cell research while doing nothing to make it clear that adult stem cells are already giving real hope rather than the false promises they continue to offer to justify using embryonic stem cells. In fact, to read the entire article you wouldn't even know of the 80+ treatments already out there in use or far along in development. In the 4th to the last paragraph it does finally admit to their existance. But this is all it says: "There are many other trials for a variety of diseases using so-called adult stem cells, which are not as controversial."

Nor does this mean the end of the research Geron was doing. As the story reports, Geron hopes to sell or license the stem cell program to another company that would continue it.

Additionally, as Rebecca Taylor reports in the LifeNews story I 1st read about this in: "Geron’s retreat is sure to be a rallying cry to increase federal funding for embryonic stem cell research." & you can be sure the speeches are being readied even as I write this as will as bills being prepared for intorduction in Congress by the "culture of death" allies there.

As I said above, the article gives short shrift to the success stories with adult stem cells, but it does go on to promote 2 other clinic trials using embryonic stem cells.

Not only that, there is additional spin via Dr. Robert Lanza, the chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell Technology, 1 of those still doing embryonic research. He said Geron’s move was “very unfortunate for the field” and “puts the pressure on us now.”
He added that spinal cord injury “was not the ideal first indication for an embryonic stem cell therapy. Everyone knew it was going to be very difficult to show efficacy.” Again no mention that adult stem cells have shown plenty of "efficacy". (Adult Stem Cells Help Spinal Cord Injury)

As I said, this is good news in the short run. We cannot just be happy 1 company has quit & leave it at that. But as I have also pointed out, this will be used, not to admit the truth, but as another means to push for more federal funding. We must be ready to answer those calls for more funding with the truth about adult stem cells. If we don't, then they will win in the long run by default.


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Some Advice for College Math Majors

party-fails-the-sloshed-sciences-bar-sign-calculus
see more epicfails

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

You Will Notice How Completely the Main Stream Media Has Ignored This









But then, if they did pay attention it would show that they have been lying about how the Catholic Church is opposed to stem cell research as well as that they have been lying about how the only real hope is embryonic stem cell research & that there isn't really anything out there today in the area of adult stem cell research.
Here is the address in its entirety:


Clementine Hall
Saturday, 12 November 2011


Dear Brother Bishops,
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,
Dear Friends,
I wish to thank Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, for his kind words and for promoting this International Conference on Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture. I would also like to thank Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Workers, and Bishop Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life for their contribution to this particular endeavour. A special word of gratitude goes to the many benefactors whose support has made this event possible. In this regard, I would like to express the Holy See’s appreciation of all the work that is done, by various institutions, to promote cultural and formative initiatives aimed at supporting top-level scientific research on adult stem cells and exploring the cultural, ethical and anthropological implications of their use.


Scientific research provides a unique opportunity to explore the wonder of the universe, the complexity of nature and the distinctive beauty of life, including human life. But since human beings are endowed with immortal souls and are created in the image and likeness of God, there are dimensions of human existence that lie beyond the limits of what the natural sciences are competent to determine. If these limits are transgressed, there is a serious risk that the unique dignity and inviolability of human life could be subordinated to purely utilitarian considerations. But if instead these limits are duly respected, science can make a truly remarkable contribution to promoting and safeguarding the dignity of man: indeed herein lies its true utility. Man, the agent of scientific research, will sometimes, in his biological nature, form the object of that research. Nevertheless, his transcendent dignity entitles him always to remain the ultimate beneficiary of scientific research and never to be reduced to its instrument.


In this sense, the potential benefits of adult stem cell research are very considerable, since it opens up possibilities for healing chronic degenerative illnesses by repairing damaged tissue and restoring its capacity for regeneration. The improvement that such therapies promise would constitute a significant step forward in medical science, bringing fresh hope to sufferers and their families alike. For this reason, the Church naturally offers her encouragement to those who are engaged in conducting and supporting research of this kind, always with the proviso that it be carried out with due regard for the integral good of the human person and the common good of society.


This proviso is most important. The pragmatic mentality that so often influences decision-making in the world today is all too ready to sanction whatever means are available in order to attain the desired end, despite ample evidence of the disastrous consequences of such thinking. When the end in view is one so eminently desirable as the discovery of a cure for degenerative illnesses, it is tempting for scientists and policy-makers to brush aside ethical objections and to press ahead with whatever research seems to offer the prospect of a breakthrough. Those who advocate research on embryonic stem cells in the hope of achieving such a result make the grave mistake of denying the inalienable right to life of all human beings from the moment of conception to natural death. The destruction of even one human life can never be justified in terms of the benefit that it might conceivably bring to another. Yet, in general, no such ethical problems arise when stem cells are taken from the tissues of an adult organism, from the blood of the umbilical cord at the moment of birth, or from fetuses who have died of natural causes (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction Dignitas Personae, 32).


It follows that dialogue between science and ethics is of the greatest importance in order to ensure that medical advances are never made at unacceptable human cost. The Church contributes to this dialogue by helping to form consciences in accordance with right reason and in the light of revealed truth. In so doing she seeks, not to impede scientific progress, but on the contrary to guide it in a direction that is truly fruitful and beneficial to humanity. Indeed, it is her conviction that everything human, including scientific research, “is not only received and respected by faith, but is also purified, elevated and perfected” (ibid., 7). In this way science can be helped to serve the common good of all mankind, with a particular regard for the weakest and most vulnerable.


In drawing attention to the needs of the defenceless, the Church thinks not only of the unborn but also of those without easy access to expensive medical treatment. Illness is no respecter of persons, and justice demands that every effort be made to place the fruits of scientific research at the disposal of all who stand to benefit from them, irrespective of their means. In addition to purely ethical considerations, then, there are issues of a social, economic and political nature that need to be addressed in order to ensure that advances in medical science go hand in hand with just and equitable provision of health-care services. Here the Church is able to offer concrete assistance through her extensive health-care apostolate, active in so many countries across the globe and directed with particular solicitude to the needs of the world’s poor.


Dear friends, as I conclude my remarks, I want to assure you of a special remembrance in prayer andI commend to the intercession of Mary, Salus Infirmorum, all of you who work so hard to bring healing and hope to those who suffer. I pray that your commitment to adult stem cell research will bring great blessings for the future of man and genuine enrichment to his culture. To you, your families and your collaborators, as well as to all the patients who stand to benefit from your generous expertise and the results of your work, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you very much!

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There is NO Opposition Between Faith & Science



Monday, November 14, 2011

Batman Meets His Greatest Villian: "Occupy Wall Street"

I know that sounds like the plot for a future Batman movie. Well, actually 1 of the great artists of comicdom has come out swinging against "Occupy Wall Street", an artist who has strong ties with Batman. He is known for his Batman limited series, later made into a graphic novel Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. He is also famous for other graphic novels Sin City & 300. If you haven't figured out who I am talking about it is Frank Miller.
He recently  posted a long statement on his website, titled "ANARCHY". In the post Miller says he has decided to say what others are "too damn polite" to say about  "Occupy Wall Street" & he doesn't pull any punches.

 "The “Occupy”movement, whether displaying itself on Wall Street or in the streets of Oakland (which has, with unspeakable cowardice, embraced it) is anything but an exercise of our blessed First Amendment. “Occupy” is nothing but a pack of louts, thieves, and rapists, an unruly mob, fed by Woodstock-era nostalgia and putrid false righteousness. These clowns can do nothing but harm America.
“Occupy” is nothing short of a clumsy, poorly-expressed attempt at anarchy, to the extent that the “movement” – HAH! Some “movement”, except if the word “bowel” is attached - is anything more than an ugly fashion statement by a bunch of iPhone, iPad wielding spoiled brats who should stop getting in the way of working people and find jobs for themselves.
This is no popular uprising. This is garbage. And goodness knows they’re spewing their garbage – both politically and physically – every which way they can find.
Wake up, pond scum."

IMHO it sounds like he hit the nail right on the head. He goes on to tell them to grow up as well as look at what is really going on in the world.
This follows on his recent graphic novel Holy Terror: Islamist terrorism. Miller describes it as "propaganda" in the grand tradition. He said "Let's keep in mind that, back in the forties, Superman punched out Adolf Hitler."  Of course, back in the 40s most of the Entertainment industry or News industry weren't sympathetic to Hitler.  Since then much has changed. Today in the the Main Stream Media PC land of "we can't say anything negative about Islam even if it is the truth", he is coming under some major criticism for his stands.
But he doesn't let that bother him. Instead he coming out swinging against the MSM. In the same post where he defended his graphic novel Holy Terror, he had the following to say about the New York Slimes, er Times: "One need only read the front page of the sacred New York Times, that Gray, Senile Old Lady, let alone explore the serpentine chasm that is its editorial page, to read news so slanted as to be beyond recognition of the facts on the ground." He goes on to say that MSNBC is shamelessly practicing propaganda, not reporting the news. He goes on to say: "Come on. Propaganda is rampant. News objectivity is a twentieth-century myth."
Again he is exactly right, most of what passes for news in the MSM is propaganda intended to promote the socialist agenda of the left.
In this day & age when most of the Infotainment industry gladly promotes the liberal elitist socialist agenda, it is refreshing to see someone have the courage to stand up & say things that need to be said about what is really going on with groups like "Occupy Wall Street" rather than painting them as the good guys.
I have to put in 1 little postscript on a similar line about "Occupy Wall Street" by sharing something that was in a recent letter to the editor in our local paper. The author talked about the differences between the Tea Party movement & the "Occupy" movement. He compared the Tea Party to those who supported the American Revolution while calling the "occupy" gang as the modern day equivalent of the rabble who supported the French revolution a few years later. That person did an excellent job of making the right comparisons. The American Revolution lead to a new nation "under God" that promised liberty for all. The French revolution produced the loss of not only liberty & freedom for many,many years, it also produced the total destruction of property & untold loss of life as well.

Source: Frank Miller Doesn't Think Much of Occupy Wall Street

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Fr. Barron On the New Translation of the Roman Missal


Saturday, November 12, 2011

I Am 1000% Certain These Statues Would NOT Be Called Beautiful By Bishop Morlino

Every so often you come across a couple of posts on various blogs where 1 just seems to be intended to compliment the message in the other 1. Today was 1 of those days.
1st I came across a post by LarryD @ Acts of the Apostasy about some new statues installed by the pastor at his parish. (Church Art Shouldn't Make You Say "Blech!") The 2 statues (below) were put there to replace 2 others. 1 was a lifesize depiction of the Pieta. The other was actually a shrine to the Blessed Mother. The statue of Mary was painted, traditional, beautiful. A bank of votive candles stood before her. Larry said that he was told that the pastor felt the Pieta "disturbed" children because it depicted such a sad scene. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although I suspect that is the PC excuse the pastor used, the real person who was "disturbed" was probably the pastor who didn't like to be reminded that Jesus died for our sins since that reminds him that there ARE some actions that are sin that he doesn't want to admit are sin. (& yes Larry, I'm just as sure as you are that "it's just a matter of time before the crucifix is replaced with a "Resurrection Jesus" superimposed upon a cross.")

But this, what I can only call an "INFAMITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", gets worse. What until you hear what they are called. The female one, alledgedly the Blessed Virgin Mary, is called "Starving Palestinian". What the. . . . . . . . ????????? That title makes absolutely no sense at all. Additionally, it reminded me of the 1st halk of the Romulan salute in the original Star Trek. I think that says it all.



The other 1, alledgedly St. Joseph & the child Jesus, goes by something along the lines of "Bedouin". When I 1st saw it I wanted to know who broke St. Joseph's neck.





Larry is right when he says "Those unholy statues have no business being on consecrated ground." Used as a sorce of fuel for a campfire, yes, in a Catholic Church, NEVER. & I was not at all surprized to find out from Larry that the wife of the person who took 2 good pieces of wood & ruined them (I can't call him an artist) runs reiki sessions out of their studio.
Larry was also right when he said: "And when it comes to art in churches - statues, iconography, stained glass images - well, it ought to both reflect and project beauty. It ought to reflect the beauty, truth and goodness of God, creator of all things, as best presented by the artist's hands and imagination. And it also ought to project the blessed beauty of our final end - heaven, and eternal union with God. It ought to be beautiful, as well as draw us towards Beauty.
If the work of art fails to do either of those two things, then it should not be anywhere near a church
."
This leads me to the 2nd post, this time by Dad29 @ his blog (Bp. Morlino Hits Another Home Run). In it he shares a part of a column Bishop Morlino wrote for the Madisan Diocesan newspaper. While the focus of Bishop Morlino was The beauty of our worship in the liturgy, what he had to say could be applied just as well to the art & decor of a Church building as well. Compare the above to what Bishop Morlino has to say about what is beautiful.

1st of all the good Bishop deals with the argument those who would approve of alledged art like the above. He points out how our country & our culture would respond to any criticism of these statues as being ugly (at the least with the response “but beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” or, “everything is beautiful, in its own way.” Bishop Morlino doesn't buy that. He explains exactly what is wrong with the claim when he says "Just as our culture has sought to relativize everything important to human nobility, asserting that it is human nature not to have a nature, so too is this the case with beauty itself." Bishop Morlino is absolutely right to say this is another symptom of the problem of "relativism" that Papa Benedetto has continually condemned as wrong.
Bishop Molino goes on to add: "Beauty is not, in fact, simply in the eye of the beholder, from the viewpoint of reason. For reason tells us that beautiful, good, true, and one are interchangeable; therefore, whatever is beautiful is also good and true, and expresses unity and harmony.
Beautiful can never be mistaken as an indicator of what pleases some majority of people somewhere. The fact that our parish likes to sing a particular song at the liturgy cannot, of itself, make that song beautiful. To be beautiful, indeed, is to be good and is to be true. As much as some people may enjoy the musical antics of Lady Gaga, these cannot honestly be described as beautiful.
Beautiful means, in the first place, embodying the truth. . . . . Being true is necessary before anything can be beautiful." (emphasis mine)
By the absolute standard that Bishop Morlino states of what is beautiful, those statues fail miserably. There is nothing good or true in them.
But Bishop Morlino doesn't stop there. He goes on to talk about the fact that for something to be beautiful it must be good as well as true. "But, it is equally important for something to be good so that it also might be judged beautiful. The truth, which is clothed by beauty, must be such as to ennoble the human person in terms of bringing out his or her very best, both of intellect and of will. The beautiful must embody that which is true, but also ennobling to our human nature as made in the image and likeness of God. Whatever is beautiful must fix our minds and our hearts on the things above, according to St. Paul (Phil 4).
When one realizes that to be authentically beautiful, something must be both true and ennobling of our human nature, that tells us a great deal about what exactly is appropriate at the liturgy." (emphasis mine) Again, it is clear that the above fails that standard as well. This stautues do anything but fix our minds & hearts on that which is above.
Bad liturgy & bad art & decor in a Church usually go hand in hand. I say usually because sometimes you have n new pastor come in & starts doing liturgy right but can't clean up the environmental polution immediately. It is the same false "Spirit of Vatican II" gang that has promoted both. & it has done so to get the focus off of God & onto man. Bishop Morlino makes it clear where the focus should be, why both should be done right, to put our focus where it belongs, on Christ, not man.
"Thus, everything that we will be doing in the days, months, and years ahead, since it will be aimed at reverent Christ-centeredness in liturgical celebrations, must be nothing less than beautiful, reflecting the perfect beauty, unity, truth, and goodness of the object of our worship and adoration Themselves, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (emphasis mine)
Bishop Morlino has made it clear to us what the standard is. Yes, there will be those who will oppose what he is saying. What the Bishop is saying is basicly what Papa Benedetto has been saying as well. (& in his post, Larry as well.) Where this standard is not being upheld, those of us in the pews must stand up & demand what is simply our right, that it be done right.

Kellogg's Betrays Its Loyal Customers by Ruining Thanksgiving

Every family has its traditions for the holidays. Some of them include specific foods served for the family dinner. In my family, 1 of those traditions was using Kellogg's Croutons (later Stuffing mix) as the base for the stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey. This was a tradition I continued after moving out on my own.
In fact, I also enjoyed eating the croutons as a snack. No other croutons came close to the unique taste of Kellogg's.
So, you can imagine how unhappy I was when I was shopping yesterday & was informed that Kellogg's has discontinued making them. Bluntly, it makes no sense at all that they would do something like this. Apparentlym they discontinued it before Thanksgiving last year, but I still had a couple packages I had bought earlier in the year so I was unaware until now that they no longer made it.



Naturally I went to the Kellogg's website & went over to the "contact us' page to send them a message letting them know my displeasure.  This is what I wrote: "I was just informed yesterday that you have discontinued your Stuffing mix when I went to get it at the grocery store. Needless to say I am anything but happy about it. Using your stuffing mix for the turkey has been a life long tradition in my family. & I see your discontinuing it as a betrayal to all of us loyal customers who have used it & would continue to use it.
It may be too late to bring it back for this Thanksgiving, but please bring it back."
I also found a couple of Facebook pages, no surprize, (here & here) calling for them to bring it back.  I doubt that Kellogg's will bring them back but at least I can publicly let them know my displeasure. I know not everything lasts forever. I have seen some brands I liked go by the wayside through mergers, bankruptcies etc., & this is apparently just the latest. Anyhow, I guess I will have to try & find some brand of croutons that comes close & do my best with some other brand.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Oy vey! (אױ װײ) This is the Fail to Top ALL Fails!



Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Bil Keane 1922-2011 RIP







This is still 1 of the best, most family friendly cartoons out there. He will be missed, but the strip is in good hands with his son.

Obituary
Family Circus website

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

What the USCCB Deems as the Most Important

A friend of his sent Matt @ Badger Catholic  this look @ USCCB actions on some issues that have come up lately. Notice what they took the strongest action on. IMHO it gives a clear insight into USCCB priorities.
Abortion-on-demand: strongly worded statement
Obamacare with taxpayer funded abortion-on-demand: strongly worded statement
Contraception coverage mandate: strongly worded statement
Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: strongly worded statement
Obama speaks at Notre Dame: strongly worded statement
Refusal to defend DOMA: strongly worded statement
Persecution of individuals and businesses that don’t succumb to the homosexual agenda: strongly worded statement

Take away our grant money: LAWSUIT!

H/T: Badger Catholic (Strongly worded statements)

Monday, November 07, 2011

The Devil is in the Details, In This Case, Literally

The picture below is 1 of the frescos painted by Giotto di Bondone in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi. This fresco is  fresco number 20 in the cycle of the scenes in the life & death of St Francis. It was painted by Giotto in the 13th century. Recently, Italian art historian Chiara Frugone made an interesting discovery, a devil hidden in 1 of the clouds. According to the report it is difficult to see from the floor but is clearly visible in close-up photographs.


If you cannot see it in the above photo then here is a close-up of the section with the devil:


It is a profile of a figure with a hooked nose, a sly smile, & dark horns. According to Sergio Fusetti, the chief restorer of the basilica, Giotto probably never wanted the image of the devil to be a main part of the fresco. He may have painted it in among the clouds "to have a bit of fun."
Fusetti added that Giotto may have painted it to spite someone he knew by portraying him as a devil in the painting.  
There is some controversy as to whether or not Giotto actually painted the frescos. That aside, whoever did clearly intended to have a bit of fun at a friend's expense.


Source: Devil found in detail of Giotto fresco in Italy's Assisi

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