St. Anthony Messenger (a publication normally of dubious value) has an interesting article on the background of the Christmas carol "Do You Hear What I Hear" and that it was actually written in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis by the same composers who wrote "Rain, Rain, Go Away."
With all of the blocking being done to
Summorum Pontificum being done by certain bishops we could only wish they could find this same zeal for other projects. What if these bishops were as effective in blocking the will of the Holy Father and in reality also the previous Holy Father in regards to the TLM as they were to closing down abortion clinics in their diocese?
What if they showed the same concern towards knowing the rubrics of the TLM as they did to the ordinary rite? Is it any wonder some take with more than a grain of salt these new found worries that priests more than adequately know the Mass and to perform it correctly. Now certainly the bishop has a clear role in ensuring his priests have the proper training and that they conform to liturgical regulations, but why exactly is it that there seems to be a rigorist view of this towards the TLM and a Lassie Faire attitude towards the ordinary form of the Mass. Strangely I had the odd idea that the same view should be taken towards all forms of liturgy in the diocese, but maybe that’s just me.
For the last several years Planned Parenthood has been selling their "Choice on Earth" Holiday cards and the ones to the left are this years products. This is one occasion where I am totally fine with them using holiday cards vice Christmas cards.
The images used on their cards once again give absolutely no indication of the reality of "choice". Two images are of a mother with a child, yet Planned Parenthood offers zero services for those who want to keep their child.
Mark Steyn wrote quite accurately recently "What’s the "pro-choice" line? "Every child should be wanted"? Not anymore. The progressive position has subtly evolved: Every child should be unwanted." But in some ways for PP every child is a wanted child, at least wanted by their abortionists so that they might get their bounty. But this view towards families is not just a recent development, but one with a steady message since at least the seventies. Anybody with a large family can attest to the questions they get about them being "all theirs" and the glances turned their way for making a societal faux pas. Though I once had the same attitude in my enlightened liberal days.
Considering the recent news of environmental activists saying having a child is selfish and damaging to the environment and the recent books as Mark Steyn notes such as ""Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence." Planned Parenthood and radical environmentalist are natural allies except the part about the pill damaging the ecosystem with hormones. But Planned Parenthood and radical environmentalist have always had their convenient blind spots when it suits their purposes.
The card with the doves though is obviously the most annoying. Whether the dove is seen as a symbol for the Holy Spirit or as a symbol for peace it is still inappropriate. Blessed Mother Teresa said "I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion"
But I guess the reality of babies ripped apart and removed by suction is not the best image even for a "holiday card." Even contraception doesn’t lend itself to the comfy holiday image they are trying to portray. A tree decked out with condoms and pill packages just doesn’t hit it out of the park.
Though the question is exactly what holiday are these cards for in the first place? Christmas with the celebration of the birth of our savior is obviously not it. They see a pregnant young mother as a target and not something to rejoice in. The miracle related during Hanukkah with the traditional Jews defeating secularist Jews when Judaism had been outlawed by Antiochus IV Epiphanes does not really fit into a holiday they would be happy about. The made-up of holiday of Kwanzaa doesn’t fit the bill considering the historic roots of Planned Parenthood and their view on blacks that extends to the present day with a concentration of their clinics being in poorer black neighborhoods. Well how about the secular holiday of Christmas where the overriding message is "Family is important." Somehow abortion and contraception is not really family friendly. If only they would start making those dime-a-dozen holiday TV movies with the message "Preventing family is important" then PP would have a match.
In years past I have responded with Planned Parenthood cards of my own since I am always willing to help get out the real message of Planned Barrenhood.
2003
2005
So I guess I will continue this bi-annual holiday tradition.
Dawn Eden orignally sent me a link to PP’s latest message.
Planned Parenthood supporters, as I reflect upon the past year and consider the next, I can’t help but feel a sense of good will. Good will toward the women, men, and families that we serve. Good will toward you, my Planned Parenthood family. And good, determined will to accomplish the work that lies ahead in the new year.
Well I agree that they have work that lies ahead – "lies ahead" is pretty much a forecast of their business model.
Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady is a new book by Fr. Joseph Langford, MC who was a co-founder of the priests community for the Missionaries of Charity.
This book put out by Our Sunday Visitor concentrates on Blessed Mother Teresa’s devotion to our Blessed Mother.
I had never thought much about Mother Teresa in connection with our Blessed Mother other than to think like pretty much all saints that she would have had a fervent devotion to Our Lady. This book goes in depth just how fervent that devotion was and just how much it informed her life and prayer life.
She is of course well known for always carrying a Rosary with her that were often in her hands. For her this was no mere accessory as part of her habit, but evidence of her close connection with Our Lady. She was once asked way she always carried a Rosary in her hand even when it was obvious she was not praying it at time. She responded that it reminds her that she is holding the Our Lady’s hand. The term "Our Lady" is what she predominately and simply referred to Mary as. The book describes the vision she had on the train to Darjeeling in 1947 when she first received her "call within a call" to serve the poorest of the poor. Subsequently in 1947 she had a series of vision in three parts that in the visions of Jesus, with Mary at his side, in a crowd of the poor where the poor were reaching out to him. In the third of these visions Mary reached out and supported Mother Teresa and held her outstretched hand reaching out towards Jesus. These visions encapsulated her call and how she lived her life in the fifty years that she lived in the slums of Calcutta.
Fr. Langford throughout the book goes deeper into what Mother Teresa lived and taught those around her about the Blessed Mother. Providentially I came upon the chapter of Mother Teresa devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mother Teresa identified with Saint Juan Diego in his humility and simplicity and to do whatever Our Lady asked him to to. An appendix in the book contains the Nican Mophoua which was originally written in Aztec and relates the story of Juan Diego that was first published in 1649.
I also thought that Father Langford did an excellent job in describing Mother Teresa’s spiritual darkness and her great faith that was carved out and deepened by the dark night of the soul.
This is just a wonderful and beautiful book on multiple levels as you read about Blessed Mother Teresa and how she so imaged the Blessed Mother in her life by holding herself within the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There is quite a lot of spiritual nourishment that can be gained by reading this short book of around 114 pages. The book is also quite beautiful on a physical level also. I enjoyed how color was used in the book. A nice Marian blue is used in chapter and subchapter titles along with a page on the Marian Covenant that refers to her duties and our duties. The first page of the book contains a representation of a painting of Mother Teresa’s vision in 1947 that is displayed in the house of the Missionary of Charity Fathers in Mexico City along with a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the last page of the book.
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Although there has been no change in the law on interruption of pregnancy, since the fall of Communism the number of abortions in Croatia has dropped by 88,5% (2005). Fruit of the local Catholic Church’s efforts to educate and form.
Coming in 2008 from ICONOCLAST Pictures, Inc.
The Copper Dredil
Long ago, in a place far away from political correctness, there was a land, a prophecy, a villian and a hero. Critics rave about the upcoming film for its bold, daring and provocative attempt to insult two of the three major monotheistic religions. Since Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, have already been dissed, trashed and ridiculed by Hollywood seventy times seventy times, the tables have now been turned. Ron Boward produces and directs this innovative cinematic masterpiece intended to even the score once and for all.
Synopsis an ancient prophecy predicts that the thousand year reign of evil tyranny will end only when the magic Copper Dredil is returned to its proper place. Before that can happen, however, it must be rescued from the clutches of the malevolent Synagogue of Zeon, a super-secret society of fanatical fundamentalists who claim the only true magic comes from the Book of Spells. They are always at war, however, with a competing faction, the Mosque of Mira whose adherents reject anything and everything in the Book of Spells. They maintain the only true and valid incantations are the ones not written down but are spontaneously created by the individual wizard. The Mosque of Mira has declared a Jihad on the Synagogue of Zeon. There can be no victory until one side is no more.
Meanwhile, while the forces of darkness battle each other for control of the world, a small group of rebels known as the Sacerdotes, led by the wise and aged Pontifex Maximus, seek to fulfill the prophecy given millennia ago. Visitors from another world came in peace to share their knowledge: scientific, philosophic and theological. They only wore scarlet red clothing and were called by the natives, Cardinals. The Cardinals had no agenda and no ulterior motives. That was not the case with their enemies, however.
Cardinals insisted on worshipping their deity facing East and in an old, archaic language only spoken in their temples. They also wear elaborate costumes when they worship.
The biggest obstacle, however is that the Cardinals refuse to dilute their teaching which is as much moral as it is religious. An alliance between the Cantors (local authorites from the Synagogue) and the Imams (secret police from the Mosque) occurs when it is learned that the Cardinals have something which promises eternal life.
Before the mysterious element is discovered, however, war breaks out and all the Cardinals are killed, save one. Catzinger lives long enough to prophesize that a hero will find the Copper Dredil which has the power to render enemies powerless and thus enable the quest for the Missal, the special book that allows the Priest to make present the source of eternal life.
Until that day arrives, the mysterious artifact lays hidden and protected in a Basilica by an order of Knights called the Krewsaydurs. Hildebrand, our hero, leaves the safety of the monastery to seek the Copper Dredil and free his people from slavery once and for all. He is accompanied by Zozimus, the sacristan; Jerome, the lector; Edmund, the extern; and Sylvester, the Acolyte. Together, they form a brotherhood sworn to return proper worship back to their temple. Forbdidden for centuries, the ancient language of their forefathers is still secretly used by our champions. VERITAS VINCIT (truth conquers) is the motto of this coalition for victory.
But it is only fiction, so why should anyone be offended???
With the recent comment by Mike Huckabee on asking whether Mormon’s believe that Satan is Jesus’ brother, Andrew Sullivan tries to explain how odd Catholic teachings are anyway.
As a Catholic, I am obliged to believe that the mother of Jesus was whooshed physically into the sky rather than dying.
Once again Mr. Sullivan shows his ignorance about the faith. The dogma of the Assumption is relates to the bodily Assumption into heaven of Mary. There has been no statement by the Magisterium as to whether Mary was alive when she was assumed or whether she died first. Eastern Catholic/Orthodox theology generally sides on her having died first and celebrate the Dormition (falling asleep) of Mary. Of course Mr. Sullivan is being facetious with the whole "whooshed physically into the sky" part.
Though I bet most faithful Catholic wouldn’t be embarrassed to have someone bring up the Assumption in contrast to the Satan is Jesus’ brother teaching in Mormonism.
Much like Al Gore’s claim that he invented the internet, Hillary is taking credit for the reduction in teen pregnancy rates
between 1995 and 2005.
"To address this important issue, my husband issued a call to action in 1995 to America’s parents and leaders to join together to cut America’s teen pregnancy rate by one-third over a decade. In order to help achieve this ambitious goal, I helped launch the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and we successfully achieved a one-third reduction by 2005"
Never mind that during this period, abstinence among teens was on the rise and state restrictions on abortions were given new strength by the Supreme Court’s 1992 *Planned Parenthood vs. Casey* decision. For example, a study by professor Michael New of the University of Alabama found that pro-life legislation, and not the influence of Bill or Hillary Clinton, resulted in significant reductions on the abortion rate among
minors.
And never mind that the partial birth abortion ban, which Hillary opposed and voted against, may have significantly changed public perception on abortion and its acceptability.
Yes, folks, Hillary Clinton wants us to believe that increased abstinence and pro-life legislation did not have an impact on teen pregnancy and abortion rates. And of course, she blames the recent rise in teen birth
rates on the Bush administration:
"But the report released today indicates that under President Bush’s leadership, we may be falling off track"
So let’s get this straight – Hillary caused teen pregnancy rates to drop by 1/3 over the span of a decade, George Bush is responsible for the recent rise in teen birth rates, Bill Clinton did not have sex with "that woman",
and Al Gore invented the internet. Given these facts, how could anybody doubt that putting Hillary in the Oval office will once and for all end teen pregnancy?
Since there are now so many conservative who now say that waterboarding is not torture and that it is effective and just another "enhanced" interrogation technique, I think we should take it to the next level. Just think of all the money we can save if we brought waterboarding to our local police precincts. We could get confessions in murder cases in no time and help to improve the wait time in the court system while at the same time saving taxpayers money on lengthy and costly murder trials. Though why constrain it to just murder cases since it is only an enhanced interrogation technique. Martha Stewart would have copped to insider training in no time. In fact we could have members of the administration when they testify to congress be waterboarded just to be sure of the truth of what they are testifying to. After all the ends now justifies the means so lets get with the program and bring simulated drowning in a controlled environment to a neighborhood to you. If it’s good enough for the Khmer Rouge it’s good enough for us.
(CNSNews.com) – In a Dec. 1 op-ed in the Washington Post, First Lady Laura Bush said Americans need to “practice safe sex,” use condoms “every time,” and get tested for HIV/AIDS. Her spokeswoman repeated the message to Cybercast News Service this week. However, it is a message that is contrary to the Bush administration’s policy position on abstinence education as the best way to fight HIV/AIDS.
In her commentary, “Let’s Unite Against HIV-AIDS,”
Mrs. Bush wrote that Americans “should know our HIV status” and provided the Web site to find “the testing center closest to you.” She went on to write: “Practice Safe Sex. Let’s take a cue from our African counterparts and follow the ABC method of prevention: Abstinence, Be Faithful and the Correct and Consistent Use of Condoms. That means not just occasionally, but every time.”
To the First Lady’s message just say no. Though I would ask of her if you are abstinent or faithful why would you need to wear a condom every time? But I guess it is perfectly consistent within Church teaching for abstinent people to wear condoms. Heck anybody can wear a condom if they want – just not while having sex.