Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel discuss the NBC mini-series “The Last Templars” which starts tonight. It is based on the book of the same name and is in the mode of Da Vinci Code tripe. Their discussion focuses on the actual history and the abrupt end of the Templars. As always with these two authors it is an excellent and informative conversation. [Go here to download MP3 file]
Chance that I will watch this mini-series is zero.
I would like to give thanks to two ladies in St. Blogs. Maureen of Aliens in This World and Julie of Happy Catholic. Both of them run great blogs that are certainly among my favorites and part of my daily blogs of obligation. They also both have side projects and this is what this post is about.
For awhile Maureen has been running another site called Maria Lectrix. She seems to spend considerable time narrating public domain audio books which she then places on archive.org for download. Her motto is “public domain audiobooks six days a week – for people with Catholic tastes ” So as you might expect she does a considerable amount of work with the Fathers of the Church. Maureen also does Science FIction, Mystery, History, Poems and other works. She also has quite an excellent singing voice which I learned when she sang some of the songs in E.R. Eddison’s novel “The Worm Ouroboros.” Her voice acting is also quite good.
Last year Julie D. started the Forgotten Classics podcast where as you would expect she narrates classics that you might not know about. Over the last year we have gotten everything from cavemen to a Agatha Christie novel, Though her podcast provides much more than that. We get commentary on the novels along with reviews of other podcasts, especially reviews of other podcasts narrating books. She also has a great interest in Science Fiction and is also now helping to narrate on other SF podcasts. I have found her suggestions for other books to listen to are always worthwhile.
I listen to a good number of books via audio downloaded from the internet. I listen to them on the commuting to work, household chores or even while brushing my teeth or taking a shower (yes I am a book addict). Librivox and Podiobooks.com have been a good source. Plus there are a number of authors such as Scott Sigler who are podcasting their books before they are published. The first thing I do for planning a long car trip is to make sure I have enough hours of audio along to accompany me.
What I like about Maureen and Julie is that their taste in books is quite close to my own. I am introduced to authors I might never had otherwise read and I am never disappointing by their choices. So I just wanted to thank them for their side projects and that here is one fan quite appreciative of their efforts.
An excellent post from a cradle Catholic who wandered and later went from Progressive Catholicism to the fullness of the truth.
You can also follow Paul on Twitter
As it has been widely reported this week, the Pope indeed has lifted the excommunications of four SSPX bishops today. I guess this is phase two of Pope Benedict XVI’s work to bring the SSPX fully back into the Church.
Father Z has some wise thoughts on this which I heartily agree.
I especially agree with this snippet.
What it all depends on, to my mind, is the attitude of both sides, the Holy See and the SSPX leadership. If they really want unity, then they must make these concrete gestures, such as that which we saw today, and then get into the same room, roll up the sleeves, and work things out. They have to open their minds and hearts and keep in mind that we don’t have to be in lock step about the putative glories of Vatican II, or the efficacy of the Novus Ordo, etc. It is time to let go of the Council or its “spirit” as some sort of super dogma.
It is also time to start obeying the Roman Pontiff and tone down the language
On the tragic anniversary yesterday President Obama said.
“On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services. On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.”
Typical platitudes. Talking about private family matters while invading the economic life of the family at every opportunity and taking over the parents role in teaching their children about sex and passing out birth control at every opportunity. Once again with the message we must protect abortion while also having the need to reduce them. Which one is it? Either abortion is morally fine and thus no reason to do anything about it or it is evil and we need to do more than just reduce numbers – these numbers are human lives not some accounting tool.
I really find the daughters and sons opportunity line to be rather sick. Hey why don’t we just remove a girl’s uterus as soon as possible. For the President and others equality means pursuing a career with no time outs for punishments like a pregnancy. Can hardly wait for the utopia where we just clone children and have people take turns raising them just do away with bothersome reproduction. So we can live like the Solarians in Asimov’s novel “The Naked Son.” Only then will we be equal.
Women with good careers is the pinnacle of life in an Obamian world. Motherhood is something to not ever be mentioned in polite society. The presidents statement assumes there is nothing outside of a career for women and that motherhood is exclusive of such goals. No wonder he speaks of not wanting his daughters to be “punished” with a baby since for him a child it a sad detour on the route to career bliss.
Over the last couple of days there have been varying reports of the President getting rid of the Mexico City Policy via executive order. That he did not sign it on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade was seen as a positive sign by some. Some wondered what he was waiting for since it certainly seemed obvious he would sign it. Well we should have known that he was waiting for 5:09 today to do it to put it into the vacuum of the weekend news. Brave, Brave Obama who is going to protect women’s rights had to wait for a more opportune time to bury the story.
Once again we can thank the Obama Catholic supporters who tell us his policies are really pro-life. Tell that to the child that is aborted with funds given to family planning organizations. Maybe Doug Kmiec can get a job overseas doing this.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In a move to downplay his pro-abortion agenda, President Barack Obama has decided to wait a little longer to reverse a Bush policy preventing taxpayer funding of abortions overseas. The Mexico City Policy prevents sending public funds to groups that perform or promote abortions in other countries.
The new president could either issue an order tomorrow or in the near future to reverse the policy or allow Congress to do it.
Obama was expected to overturn the pro-life policy on his first or second full days in office and to possibly do so today, on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. [article]
Well I for one am glad that at least on this horrific anniversary he did not add insult to injury by doing this today, It might not mean anything in the long run, but at least there seems to be some concern on his part. We can certainly pray for more.
Update: He is signing it Friday the 23rd of Jan.
In Catholic moral theology husbands and wives must share the remote control. This is called “remote material cooperation.”
Yesterday we were not giving money to organizations overseas that provided abortions, today we are – Change.
Yesterday before noon the official White House site did not promote abortion, now it does – Change.
Yesterday we had a President that did not consider that the question of human life was above his paygrade, now we do – Change
Yesterday we had a President who signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, today we have a President who voted for infanticide – Change
This is all true so that makes it “Change we can believe in”.
Yesterday I did not blog about President Obama and the inaugural. At that point some of the things he had promised to do were not actualized. For politicians you don’t take them at their word. Certainly I had little if not zero hope that he would not get rid of the Mexico City policy by executive order, but once again a Democratic President makes this a priority with 24 hours.
Cardinal George had written to Obama saying in part:
The Mexico City Policy, first established in 1984, has wrongly been attacked as a restriction on foreign aid for family planning. In fact, it has not reduced such aid at all, but has ensured that family planning funds are not diverted to organizations dedicated to performing and promoting abortions instead of reducing them. Once the clear line between family planning and abortion is erased, the idea of using family planning to reduce abortions becomes meaningless, and abortion tends to replace contraception as the means for reducing family size. A shift toward promoting abortion in developing nations would also increase distrust of the United States in these nations, whose values and culture often reject abortion, at a time when we need their trust and respect.
So much for a “humble” foreign policy. Cardinal George is exactly right about this where often organizations offering aid have strings attached by saying the poor need abortion most. In disaster relief often you will finds containers of condoms and abortion equipment and no basic medicine. This type of imperialistic “family planning” will be back in force with government funding.
From whitehouse.gov.
* Supporting Stem Cell Research: President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that we owe it to the American public to explore the potential of stem cells to treat the millions of people suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Obama is a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, which will allow research of human embryonic stem cells derived from embryos donated (with consent) from in vitro fertilization clinics. These embryos must be deemed in excess and created based solely for the purpose of fertility treatment.
Well in this evil they were one with Sen. McCain. No mention of human cloning though, but he did vote for clone and kill research before.
* Supports a Woman’s Right to Choose: President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in that case.
First I guess they need to raise taxes to afford a spellchecker. Once again we get “abortion is a divisive issue” however we are going to shove it down your throat anyway. Robbery is a divisive issue, now hand over your wallet.
* Preventing Unintended Pregnancy: President Obama was an original co-sponsor of legislation to expand access to contraception, health information, and preventive services to help reduce unintended pregnancies. Introduced in January 2007, the Prevention First Act will increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education that teaches both abstinence and safe sex methods. The Act will also end insurance discrimination against contraception, improve awareness about emergency contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims.
As if people don’t have enough access to contraception here. I guess they consider having to pay for it yourself is a lack of access. Of course compassionate assistance to rape victims does not mean checking to see if they are pregnant first before using an abortafacient like Plan B. The rapist does not get the death penalty, but the innocent person who might be the result of the evil of rape must die.
Some have likened Obama’s presidency as Carter II. More likely Herod II. I would love to be wrong on this and we will just have to see what the Democratic run house passes and President Obama signs.
Some critics of President Obama wish for his presidency to fail. My wish for President Obama is the same that I wish for everyone. That they grow in holiness and one day enjoy the beatific vision. I wish President Obama and his family well and will them the same good as I will for all. As for his presidency then everywhere where he and his administration promotes evil I hope that it fails miserably and is totally defeated. Where he and his administration promotes actual goods I support him totally and wish success.
Update: I just thought of this “Abortion – Change we can bereave in.”
I am quite glad I started today with Psalm 37 in the Office of Readings.
Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday.
Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off; but those who wait for the LORD shall possess the land.
Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look well at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him; but the LORD laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows, to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those who walk uprightly; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
Better is a little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide for ever; they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance.
But the wicked perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures, they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows, and cannot pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the LORD shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
The steps of a man are from the LORD, and he establishes him in whose way he delights; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD is the stay of his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsakenor his children begging bread.
He is ever giving liberally and lending, and his children become a blessing.
Depart from evil, and do good; so shall you abide for ever.
For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints.The righteous shall be preserved for ever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall possess the land, and dwell upon it for ever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.
The LORD will not abandon him to his power, or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked.
I have seen a wicked man overbearing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
Again I passed by, and, lo, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Fr. Z with the latest Fr. Greg J. Markey letter on the liturgy. What an awesome priest that not only does he take care of the liturgy in his parish, but that he helps to teach his parishioners what he is doing in following the norms of the Church.