Papist Picture of the Day - 7/31/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

Next vacation, the Pope decided, he would bring friends.

[source: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (ITALY)]

"Pope’s prayer intentions for August released"

Without further eloquence:

The Vatican's Press Office released the Holy Father's prayer intentions for the month of August today.

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for is: "That the human family may know how to respect God's design for the world and thus become ever more aware of the great gift of God which Creation represents for us."

His mission intention is: "That the answer of the entire people of God to the common vocation to sanctity and mission may be promoted and fostered, with careful discernment of the charisms and a constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation." (CNA)

Photo Caption Call - 7/31/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Source: Flickr user "Dunarth"]

(and yes, it's real.)

"Protestant pastor apologizes to Catholics over minister’s role in female ‘ordinations’"

So welcome to see this.

First, the context:

Just over a week ago, the dissident group Womenpriests claimed to “ordain” three women as priests at a Boston-area Church of Christ location. The move was condemned by the Archdiocese of Boston and now the Rev. David Runnion-Bareford, a Church of Christ minister, is apologizing to the archdiocese for his fellow minister’s sanctioning of the event.

On Sunday, July 20, Roman Catholic Womenpriests held an alleged ordination ceremony of three women at the Church of the Covenant, which is affiliated with both the Presbyterian Church and the United Church of Christ (UCC).

Now, the response:

Rev. David Runnion-Bareford, Executive Director of the Confessing Movement in the United Church of Christ, responded to the situation by sending an open letter to Boston area Catholics via Cardinal Sean O'Malley. In his letter, he apologized for the "division and confusion" caused by Rev. Nancy Taylor and the Church of the Covenant—the church were the ceremony was held.

"Please accept our deepest and sincere apology for the behavior of Rev. Nancy Taylor of Old South Church, UCC and the UCC related Church of the Covenant. They do not reflect the heart and mind of our United Church of Christ whose premise is 'that all may be one.' Those of us who truly value the unity of all Christians and treasure our ecumenical relationships with you as Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ are grieved,” Runnion-Bareford wrote.

Right, anytime a protestant minister facilitates such an action it is a slap in the face to the discipline and doctrine of the Catholic Church.

He continues:

The Confessing Movement UCC pastor also said that his movement is also “fully aware that this event was not motivated by a sincere desire to honor the call of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the ministry of committed Christian women.”

Rev. Runnion-Bradford further criticized the women for refusing to take a vow of chastity and for promoting a self-centered gospel, citing the “Body, Sex and Gender” section of the group’s web page.

“We know that 'Womenpriests' openly include candidates who are engaged in the practice of sexual license. It is significant that the participants would not take the vow of obedience or chastity. We are aware of the statements on their website proclaiming a false gospel of self and mutual affirmation, denying the fall of humanity and our need for repentance from sin and personal transformation through the atoning crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

"We note that it is not incidental that this event was hosted in Boston by a church that is prideful about its aggressive religious sanction of homosexual, bi-sexual and transgender relationships and same gender 'marriage.' We also note that the pansexual activist group Integrity participated and assisted with hospitality," Runnion-Bradford observed in his letter.

Would that the official Catholic response similarly took these women to task for these factors.

Text: Excerpt of Vatican's communique to ex-bishop Lugo

Translated exclusviely for AmP by a Spanish-speaking friend:

The recent situation which has been created with the election of Mons. Fernando Lugo President of the Republic of Paraguay demands another consideration of, for the good of the country and so that the charge of President of the Republic and the Episcopal ministry can be clearly and definitively distinguished, the petition that he presented in his day that the loss of his clerical state be conceded. In effect, his acceptance of the charge of President of the Republic of Paraguay is not compatible with the obligations of Episcopal ministry and clerical state.

In this way, having carefully examined all the circumstances, His Holiness Benedict XVI has conceded for him the loss of clerical state, with the corresponding loss of those rights inherent to that state, dispensing him at the same time of his religious vows made in the Society of the Divine Word, of the obligation to celibacy (cf. CIC can. 291), and of the other obligations which make up the clerical state (cf. CIC can. 292).

The Pontiff exhorts to Mr. Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez to be faithful to the Catholic faith in which he was baptized and to live a life coherent with the Gospel.

Note the use of "Mr." (as opposed to "Rev.") in the final address.

The original, full Spanish text is available here.

"Sen. McCain holds private meeting with Archbishop Chaput"

Scant little details:

Senator John McCain is paying his second visit to Colorado in less than a week and on this trip he is taking time to meet privately with Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver.

At 9:30 on Wednesday morning, John McCain and his wife Cindy met with Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput. The archbishop described the meeting as private and told CNA that no comment would be forthcoming. (CNA)

Off the top of my head, Abp. Chaput has been an active supporter of immigrants' rights (where he would find common ground with McCain), and also Abp. Chaput has a forthcoming book on Catholic faith and voting (which Inside Catholic mentioned will be published "well in time for November's election").

Most to the point, I think, with Abp. Burke out of the country, Abp. Chaput is the most notable bishop who "strongly implied in 2004 that voting for a pro-choice candidate was a serious sin" (this blogger's words, not mine).

Abp. Chaput has, for instance, called out the group "Roman Catholics for Obama '08" and demanded they ask Obama to "become pro-life, instead of overlooking his support for abortion in favor of other issues of concern to Catholics" (derivative source: CNA).

More than a throwaway meeting, this sit down of McCain and Abp. Chaput.

Unearthed Vatican Letter to Bishops Emphasizes Choice of Defiance

Wow, I knew this happened, but the documentation makes it crystal clear:

During the tumultuous years of the 1960's Pope Paul VI published a controversial encyclical, Humanae Vitae, which addressed the issue of birth control in light of the arrival of the birth control pill.

Today LifeSiteNews.com is publishing a recently unearthed letter which was sent to Bishops with a pre-release copy of the encyclical. The letter, dated July 19, 1968, is signed by the late Amleto Giovanni Cardinal Cicognani, who was then-Secretary of the Vatican Secretariat of State.

The outright defiance of many priests and even bishops to Pope Paul VI's encyclical - which restated and reinforced the Church's long-time opposition to artificial birth control - is even graver in light of the carefully worded letter the bishops received specifically pointing to the urgent need for unity on the matter.

[Read more about the letter.]

[Read the actual text of the letter.]

Meanwhile? Are Catholics ready to hear about the Church's teaching?

Maybe not everwhere, but sometimes ... they applaud.

"Pope's vacation writing project remains a mystery"

I though the papal spokesperson was supposed to dispel and abate rumors, not encourage them!

The director of the Vatican press office has told reporters that during his current vacation in Bressanone, Italy, Pope Benedict XVI might be drafting a new book, an encyclical-- or something entirely different.

The papal spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, had earlier told journalists that the Holy Father would spend some of his vacation time on a writing project. He pointed out that there are two projects known to be on the Pope's active agenda: a second volume of his work on Jesus Christ and an encyclical devoted to Catholic social teaching.

However, Father Lombardi observed that the Pope could have other ideas. He reminded reporters of the Pope's summer surprise last year, "when we were all expecting the social encyclical after his vacation in Cadore and instead he wrote Spe salvi.” Spe Salvi, the Pope's second encyclical, was devoted to the theological virtue of hope. (CWNews)

Reporter #1: "Is it true the pope intends to excommunicate John Kerry?"

Lombardi: "Absolutely false! ... or ... IS IT?! *mystery eyes* Ahem - next question?"

Reporter #2: "Does the Pope have any major announcements scheduled for August?"

Lombardi: "None whatsoever. But keep in mind, last time I said that he announced the Motu Proprio!"

(*sheesh!*)

"Contraceptives affect environment too, water expert tells conference"

Truth makes interesting bedfellows, in this case pro-lifers and environmentalists (and no, I'm not saying they're contradictory causes, I'm saying that often, sadly, the latter are at-odds with the former):

Mark W. LeChevallier agrees with Dr. Lester Ruppersberger, a pro-life obstetrician and gynecologist, that natural family planning is safe, healthy and effective. But he would add one more characteristic: It's environmentally responsible.

... In a talk with the daunting title of "Endocrine Disruptions: Chemical Contraceptives in Sewage Effluents," LeChevallier explained that like secondhand smoke, "secondhand estrogens are being released into the environment," to devastating effect on fish, panthers, alligators and other wildlife. (CNS)

I'm not sure I'd take it quite this far:

He said touting the environmental benefits of natural family planning "can be a new way to evangelize youths" and attract them to the church-approved method of postponing pregnancy.

The real way to attract them is the physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits, but sure - environmental as well. The rest of what he says is sound, informed and so desparately needs to be heard by our culture and youth especially.

Picture: Civic Planning with a Moral Message

Some folks might get a bit irked at me for linking to this.

Oh well.

Cardinal Levada opens up lines of communication with traditional Anglicans

This is how stuff gets done:

A traditionalist Anglican group has received strong Vatican encouragement for its hopes of "corporate unity" with the Catholic Church.

Archbishop John Hepworth, the head of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) has received a message from Cardinal William Levada, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), promising "serious attention" to the proposals that the TAC submitted to the Vatican last year. In a visit to the CDF last October, Archbishop Hepworth explored the possibility that the TAC might be received into communion with the Holy See.

... The Anglican prelate said that he had written promptly to thank Cardinal Levada for his encouragement, "reaffirming our determination to achieve the unity for which Jesus prayed with such intensity at the Last Supper, no matter what the personal cost this might mean in our discipleship." (CWNews)

Confirmed: Vatican laicizes former bishop to become president of Paraguay

If it's true [update: it is true], this is the first time it's happened, and Cardinal Re was mistake in his prognosis (see below):

Pope Benedict granted Paraguay's president-elect a historic waiver to allow the former bishop to take office next month without violating church rules, a Vatican representative said on Wednesday.

The Pope gave Fernando Lugo a special dispensation, downgrading him to layman's status, said Orlando Antonini, the Vatican's ambassador to Asuncion.

Lugo was elected president in April, ending more than 60 years of one-party rule in the poor South American country notorious for corruption and contraband.

"It's the first time this is granted. It was accepted because the people have chosen him and ... because his clerical status is incompatible with serving as president," Antonini told a news conference.

"The Pope has granted him the loss of his clerical status ... he's a layman now," Antonini said after meeting with Lugo. (Reuters)

I'm surprised that this story is not being reported more widely. Reuters, however, can normally be trusted to get this sort of thing basically right [update: it did this time.]

Prensa Latina adds more details:

Papal Nuncio to Paraguay Orlando Antonini delivered Lugo the resolution in which the former San Pedro bishop requested on December 28, 2007 the loss of his clerical state to aspire to the presidency in the April 20 general elections.

"The Holy See after trying to dissuade Lugo not to present himself to the Republic's presidency has suspended him in the priestly exercise," said Antonini, who noted that the Pope granted him a definitive and perpetual dispensation.

This really is the final resolution, arriving earlier than expected.

Back in May, when I last covered this story, Cardinal Re said this solution was impossible:

Lugo was named a bishop in 1994. He had since asked Benedict XVI to be able to "renounce his ecclesial ministry […] to take up again the condition of a layperson in the Church."

The petition was not accepted because, as Cardinal Re noted, "the episcopacy is a service accepted freely forever."

Curious and Curiouser.

update: considering they held a press conference, I'd say it's official:



Orlando Antonini, Vatican's ambassador to Asuncion, speaks during a news conference, in Asuncion July 30, 2008, after a meeting with Paraguay's President-elect Fernando Lugo. Pope Benedict granted Paraguay's president-elect a historic waiver to allow the former bishop to take office next month without violating church rules, Antonini said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno (PARAGUAY)



Paraguay's President-elect Fernando Lugo (L) meets with Orlando Antonini, Vatican's ambassador to Asuncion, in Asuncion July 30, 2008. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno (PARAGUAY)

update 2: The Associated Press reports.

update 3: Here is the text of the Vatican communique from Cardinal Re in Spanish, with excerpts of it here in English. update 4: Here is an English translation of the most important part of the communique.

Picture: How reformed are you?

Dawn discovers that the Episcopalian Rev. Tommy Allen, is a "closet papist!"

(So does this mean he is very reformed or unreformed, I wonder?)

Picture: Mangificent Church in Oxford

Your moment of liturgical zen, brought to you by the New Liturgical Movement:

There's more.

Tip: The Art of Manliness Website

I think this is one of the web's best kept secrets. It's an entire website/forum (and fascinating, informative) blog as a place for men to learn how to be better men.

I haven't tracked this down for sure, but I'm almost positive that Christians run it.

They frequently discuss virtue, prayer, how to treat women properly, and other decidedly non-mainstream talking points.

For instance, instead of the usual pictures of scantily clad females, AoM offers posts like "How to Give Flowers Like a Victorian Gentleman" & "4 Ways to Date Your Wife All Over Again."

Isn't that great stuff?

Bookmark it, then show your sons/friends.

Note: John Allen (personally) and National "Catholic" Reporter on Humanae Vitae

Fr. Z takes a look at both:

• John Allen gets a "pass" to "good"
• National Catholic Reporter gets a "fail" to "excommunicate"

I'm pleased to see the former, and not surprised to see the latter.

Update: Body ID'd as priest who flew on party balloons

The foreseen conclusion:

DNA tests confirmed that a body found off the coast of Brazil is that of a priest who disappeared while flying over the Atlantic buoyed by hundreds of brightly colored party balloons, authorities said Tuesday.

The Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli set off from the Brazilian port city of Paranagua on April 20 strapped to 1,000 helium-filled balloons in an attempt to raise money to build a rest stop and worship center for truckers.

But the 41-year-old Roman Catholic priest soon lost contact with his ground team, and the cluster of yellow, orange, pink and white balloons was found in the water a day later. (CNN)

The reaction:

The brother, Moacir de Carli, said the news came as a relief.

"Now we can have a respectable burial service," he told the Agencia Estado news service.

For several days after the priest's disappearance, rescue crews in boats, planes and helicopters scoured a vast stretch of ocean and densely forested mountains.

God rest his soul. And for the rest of us - let's stick to prayer and dry land.

Photo Caption Call - 7/29/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Source: Flickr.]

Planned Parenthood's latest teen web site most offensive yet

Dawn peers into the lion's den (again):

American Life League reports on Planned Parenthood's latest teen Web site, TakeCareDownThere.org (see video here).

As usual, ALL errs on the side of restraint, demurring from showing the most offensive material on the site. In plain fact, TakeCareDownThere.org, which is run by Planned Parenthood's Pacific Northwest chapter Planned Parenthood Columbia Williamette, is so gratuitously exploitative of underage teenagers that it makes the national organization's Teenwire look like Abstinence Clearinghouse by comparison.

I am sorry to be in the position of recommending you view the site. It is especially not for those who practice what Christians call "custody of the eyes" (and ears). But, because TakeCareDownThere is a taxpayer-funded site that targets children, I believe it is important to have an idea of just what Planned Parenthood is promoting. The site's pro-promiscuity agenda is truly degrading to human beings in general and children in particular.

[Continue reading.]

PP received 336.7 million dollars of our taxpayer money last year.

Noted: Excommunication Lifted for 3 in St. Louis

See? You can get un-excommunicated:

Three leaders of a former St. Louis parish who incurred excommunication for hiring a suspended priest have been reconciled with the Church.

According to a statement last week from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Bernice Krauze, Stanley Rozanski and Robert Zabielski, members of the Board of Directors of St. Stanislaus Parish Corporation, met in June with Archbishop Raymond Burke to be reconciled fully with the Church.

"They are once again in full communion with the Catholic Church and are no longer under any censure," the archdiocese reported. (Zenit)

The Church takes far more joy in welcoming someone back from being excommunicated than excommunicating them in the first place (the only joy to be had in the first place is that the offender hopefully clearly understands the gravity of their offense and may then take the necessary steps to reconcile, as happened in this case).

Awesome Video: Spanish 6-Foot High Incense "Boat"

This knocks my papist socks off (jump to about midway through if you are impatient):

It's called the Botafumeiro (literally, "the smoke boat"):

The Botafumeiro is a famous thurible found in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. Incense is burned in this swinging metal container, or "incensory".

The Santiago de Compostela Botafumeiro is one of the largest censers in the world, weighing [approx.] 80 kg and measuring 1.60 m in height. It is normally on exhibition in the library of the cathedral, but during certain important religious occasions it is brought to the floor of the cathedral and attached to ropes hung from the pulley mechanism.

Shovels are used to fill the Botafumeiro, or the Alcachofa, with about 40 kg of charcoal and incense. The thurible is tied to the rope with elaborate knots. The censer is pushed initially to start its motion. Eight red-robed tiraboleiros pull the ropes, producing increasingly large oscillations of the censer. The turible's swings almost reach the ceiling of the transept. The incensory can reach speeds of 68 km/h as it dispenses thick clouds of incense.

It costs about 250€ for each thurible "performance" at the cathedral. Although this is expensive, the swinging of the thurible is very popular with pilgrims, tourists and visitors.

The Botafumeiro produces large volumes of smoke. This is in accord with the well-known saying in religious circles, "More incense, less nonsense." [Wikipedia] Here is a video taken from the sacristy with it in motion:

Things have gone wrong, very wrong before:

One of the most renowned accidents took place during a visit of Princess Catherine of Aragon. She was on a journey to marry the heir to the English throne in 1499 and stopped by the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. While it was being swung, the Botafumeiro flew out of the cathedral through the Platerias high window. No one was reported to have been injured on this occasion.

It's still awesome.

Taylor Marshall of Canterbury Tales echoes my sentiment:

As I said last year, one of the best things about being Catholic is being in communion not only with the Holy Father, but also with the Botafumeiro itself. Catholic brothers and sisters, if you ever become discouraged, just know that there is a incense thurible over six feet tall swinging around in a Saint James Compestella in Spain. No other religion would dare to have something so awesome.

Ph/t: Creative Minority Report.

Introducing the Catholic Digg: "Pick a Fig"

Digg.com is an exteremely popular way for folks to tell one another about the top stories and internet finds of the day. Paul Nowak has created a social bookmarking site like Digg, but for Catholic stories:

http://pickafig.com/

It's very useful, and I encourage you to sign up (easy) and use it (also easy). I have and will.

AmP Speaking Appearance: Madison, WI Theology on Tap

Sharp-eyed readers have noticed that this event is already featured on the AmP sidebar. Today I received a copy of the ad the Cathedral Parish in Madison is running in satirical newspaper (and locally-published) The Onion:

Click here for larger version. If anyone wants to help spread the word, here's the PDF file. More info here.

Mark your calendar and invite your friends, and see you in Madison!

New internet search engine unveiled, clearly needs work

There's a new internet search engine in town called Cuil (pronounced "cool"). The AP talks about it:

Anna Patterson's last Internet search engine was so impressive that industry leader Google Inc. bought the technology in 2004 to upgrade its own system.

She believes her latest invention is even more valuable—only this time it's not for sale.

Patterson instead intends to upstage Google, which she quit in 2006 to develop a more comprehensive and efficient way to scour the Internet.

The end result is Cuil, pronounced "cool." Backed by $33 million in venture capital, the search engine plans to begin processing requests for the first time Monday.

Cuil had kept a low profile while Patterson, her husband, Tom Costello, and two other former Google engineers—Russell Power and Louis Monier—searched for better ways to search.

Now, it's boasting time.

For starters, Cuil's search index spans 120 billion Web pages.

Patterson believes that's at least three times the size of Google's index, although there is no way to know for certain.

Personally, it already failed my litmus test:

Oh well, I hope they work out the kinks. Google did.

Pope begins Alpine vacation, AmP to fly south soon

Pope Benedict goes north:

Pope Benedict XVI began his summer vacation on July 27, flying to northern Italy for a 2-week stay in the Alpine town of Bressanone. (CWNews)

And I'm flying south to Florida sometime in early August, to meet with some old college friends.

Because, you know, Pope Benedict said I couldn't come visit him this year...

PQOTD: "Getting divorced is easier than cancelling cell phone service"

Sad ... but so true!

"Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren Anselmi of Piura called on officials last week to promote measures that help the family instead of weaken it, referring to recent passage of a law facilitating divorce, which he said, makes it “easier to get a divorce in Peru than to cancel your cell phone service.” (CNA)

I bet more people stay in their cell phone contract than marriage. But at least a phone contract is supposed to end.

Well, I guess this might be as good a time as any to officially announce that I'm getting ...

... a new cell phone plan. ;-)

I've long been considering a Blackberry, specifically the 8830 "World Edition" (pictured left) with Verizon Wireless.

Anything I should know before I "take the leap" into a two year contract? Could I do better for the money?

Papist Picture of the Day - 7/28/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

The right to wear lederhosen was recently upheld in Europe, despite an upswing in the number of lederhosen-associated violent fashion crimes reported.

[source: AP Photo/Antonio Calanni]

Catholic Rap: Elijah & Elisha

Spotted on the happening PhatMass phorum:

Hello everyone, my brother and I have decided to give up 10 years of rapping about anything and everything to rapping about our Catholic Faith. We made this decision a couple of weeks ago and have some sample songs for you guys to check out. If you wanna check out our songs, go to www.myspace.com/twinrecords We will have a brand new myspace page coming soon and also an official website. The myspace link above is the link to our old myspace that we had our "other rap songs" on there but just took them out and put our Catholic songs.We are both devout Catholics who are in love with our faith. We are currently working on an album but for right now, we can give samples. Thank you!!

I listened to one of their songs - not bad, if you dig the genre.

An in a related vein, Pope Benedict said this weekend that young people are called to be apostles to their friends:

Before the recitation of the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI spoke about his July 12-21 trip to Australia for the 23rd World Youth Day. Recounting his experiences at the Sydney event, he encouraged young people to follow the example of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati by being apostles to their friends.

Speaking from the balcony of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father described World Youth Day as an “extraordinary experience.” He told his audience that in Sydney he met the “youthful face of the Church,” a “multicolor mosaic, composed of boys and girls from the world over, united in one faith in Jesus Christ.” (CNA)

Music ain't a bad way to start.

Picture: Liturgical Sandals

The New Liturgical Movement, which always has fascinating liturgically-related posts, talks shoes:

Continuing our series which is looking at some liturgical ephemera found in the Roman traditions of clerical vesture (both liturgical and extra-liturgical), having just covered the topic of buskins, or liturgical stockings, it seems logical to turn to the topic of prelatial liturgical sandals.

(A note must be made. For those not interested in this admittedly specialist sort of historical topic, please recall as a liturgical blog we have the luxury to dive into both the greater and the smaller things surrounding the liturgy.)

Liturgical Sandals for Prelates, etc (including papal shoes)...

Interview: 3 Priorities for Promoting Vocations (especially among young women)

This is the sort of person one should listen to on this topic, a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (commonly known simply as the "Nashville Dominicans"), which are the powerhouse vocations community for religious sisters in the United States:

There are three high priorities in fostering vocations to the religious and priestly life, said a Dominican sister with 15 years of experience in vocational work.

Sister Catherine Marie Hopkins is now the executive director of the Dominican Campus in Nashville where the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia own and operate Overbrook School, St. Cecilia Academy and Aquinas College.

Recently named a member of the U.S. bishops' national advisory council, Sister Hopkins suggests the three highest priorities in fostering vocations: education, sacramental devotion and youth ministry that exposes young people to both prayer and evangelization.

Her personal vocation story, briefly:

Q: You worked for 15 years as vocation director for your order. What was the key to finding your own vocation? Did your own experience help you to aid other women in discerning theirs?

Sister Hopkins: The key to finding my own vocation was the realization that God had the plan and I just needed to discover exactly what that plan was. It began with inner turmoil at the thought that God could ask such a thing of me, but I very quickly found out that if he were calling, everything that I needed in order to respond would be provided by him as well.

That brought me tremendous freedom and my turmoil was replaced by a very strong attraction. [Read on.]

Also do checkout their daughter community, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I had the privledge of studying with some of these young women. I also came across them many times on the campuses of other, secular institutions. They are such a public, living witness in their full Dominican habits, rosaries, smiles and backpacks full of books!

Israel paper publishes Obama's private note placed in Western Wall

An outrageous stunt:

Daily newspaper Maariv published the contents of the note to G-d which Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama placed in the Kotel Thursday. The paper claims a yeshiva student took the note out of the crack in the Kotel which Obama placed it in, as is done traditionally in the belief that G-d will receive the writer's wishes.

... Notes to the Kotel are considered extremely personal and never, in recent memory, has one been published against the wishes of the person who placed it.

The LA Times has a scan of the text:

It reads: "Lord - Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair [edited]. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will."

I have to say, if the note is genuine - it's a good note.

The surprivising Rabbi is very angry, and understandably so:

The rabbi who supervises Jerusalem's Western Wall [Wikipedia entry] condemned the removal of a prayer note purportedly written by Sen. Barack Obama, saying the action was "sacrilegious."

The U.S. presidential candidate visited the holy site early Thursday and placed a note in the cracks of the wall -- a custom of visitors.

The note was subsequently removed from the wall, according to the Israeli newspaper, Ma'ariv, which printed what it said were the contents of the prayer.
Ma'ariv said a seminary student gave the note to the newspaper.

Obama's senior strategist Robert Gibbs told CNN, "We haven't confirmed nor denied" that the note is from the Illinois senator.

"This sacrilegious action deserves sharp condemnation and represents a desecration of the holy site," said Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who supervises the Western Wall, in a statement.

He said notes are supposed to be removed twice a year, on the eve of Jewish New Year and Passover, and placed in a repository under supervision "to keep them hidden from human eyes."

"Notes which are placed in the Western Wall are between the person and his Maker; Heaven forbid that one should read them or use them in any way," Rabinowitz said.

CNN's Sasha Johnson, who was a part of a pool of journalists who accompanied Obama to the wall, said when reporters asked Obama what he wrote, he declined to share the contents of his prayer. (CNN)

If only the same respect were widely given to the seal of confession as is being shown to the Western Wall.

Video: Cannes '08 Short Film Winner

A good video for a Sunday:


Description:

Fourth annual Short Film Online Competition - Cannes 2008. The NFB, in association with the Cannes Short Film Corner and partner YouTube, is proud to announce that the winner of the NFB Online Competition Cannes 2008 is Alonso Alvarez Barreda for his short film Historia de un Letrero (The Story of a Sign) produced in Mexico/U.S.A.

Running Time : 04:50

With a stroke of the pen, a stranger transforms the afternoon for another man in this emotionally stirring short film by Alonso Alvarez.

[Ph/t: PhatMass user "Seven77"]

Photo Caption Call - 7/26/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Source: Flickr.]

Is anything different 40 years later? Yes.

A particularly sad and encompassing example of dissent is presented by Fr. Richard McBrien (of the University of Notre Dame) upon the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae.

He cites the same, tired arguments that have been circulated against the teaching about contraception, and ends with this question: "Is the situation any different today, on the fortieth anniversary?"

My answer is yes, the situation is very different, but you, sir, sadly, are not.

(And that difference is not, I might add, in the teaching, but in the reception of it by the people of God - particularly my own generation - and the proven veracity of the predictions that document made.)

"What makes for a good abortion?"

Not to upset our Saturday, but there are actually people who pose and answer this question, mostly on a blog called "Abortion Clinic Days", "a blog of abortion providers telling their stories."

And as the feminist blogger adds, "I'd just like to say thanks to all of the abortion providers out there who literally risk their lives to bring compassionate reproductive health care to women - you are amazing."

Yes, plenty of work to do, and prayers to say.

Video: Colbert on the Anglican Schism ... "Skism"?

update: sorry about the broken video, it should work now:



I've actually interviewed with Laurie Goodstein.

She didn't use it. :-)

Papist Picture of the Day - 7/25/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

The gold-encrusted feather duster signifies two papal duties: witnessing to the beauty of God's plan for us, and cleaning up the cobwebs of heresy when needed.

[source: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano/Pool (VATICAN)]

"Papal spokesman calls Catholics for Choice ad 'paid propaganda'"

Good to see the Vatican speaking out:

Responding to an open letter from dissident groups asking Pope Benedict XVI to change church teaching on birth control, the pope's spokesman said the letter was "paid propaganda in favor of the use of contraceptives."

The letter, sponsored by the U.S.-based Catholics for Choice and signed by dozens of its national chapters, sections of We Are Church and groups promoting women's ordination, was published July 25 in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

... Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the papal spokesman, told Vatican Radio that the ad was "nothing new" from a collection of small groups already known for their opposition to church teaching on a variety of topics."

In addition, the harshest accusation -- that the Catholic position is the cause of the spread of AIDS and, therefore, of suffering and death, blocking enlightened policies of public health -- is demonstrably unfounded," he said.

The spread of AIDS has nothing to do with someone's religion, he said, and policies responding to AIDS that rely chiefly on the distribution of condoms "have largely failed."

"Responding to AIDS requires interventions that are much deeper and detailed," he said, and Catholic agencies and religious orders are actively involved in those projects.

The most interesting thing about the protest letter, Father Lombardi said, was the fact that "it does not touch -- in anyway -- the true question at the center of 'Humanae Vitae,' which is the connection between spouses' human and spiritual relationship and the exercise of their sexuality as an expression of it and its fruitfulness."

"In the entire letter," he said, "the word 'love' does not appear once."

Father Lombardi said the letter does not "express a theological or moral position," but seemed to be "paid propaganda in favor of the use of contraceptives. One also could ask who paid for it and why." (CNS)

I normally tend to not quote articles at great length, allowing instead my readers to follow through themselves if they have an interest. But I found everything Lombardi had to say to be topical and enlightening. Well done!

"Rebel With a Cause: Bobby Jindal's Spiritual Journey"

Bobby Jindal has been in the news again lately, this time being mentioned as a short-list candidate for McCain's VP. I frankly hope and believe that won't happen. He's such an appealing figure, however, that I'm sure McCain is happy to have an association with him, even rumored.

Today the Wall Street Journal has a story about Bobby's faith, and specifically his conversion from Hinduism to Catholicism as a young man:

... Twenty years later, Mr. Jindal, a convert to Roman Catholicism, is being mentioned as one of John McCain's top choices for the Republican vice-presidential nomination. And his strong religious faith is often cited as a potential bonus for the ticket.

Hinduism is a diverse religion, with varying interpretations. Mr. Jindal, speaking from his office in Baton Rouge this month, said his parents raised him "in a monotheistic home with a firm belief in a God with traditional values -- the same sort of values you find in the Ten Commandments and other mainstream religions." Recalling their religion as "not a faith that was necessarily tied to a particular historical scripture or revelation," Mr. Jindal said, his parents "made their faith their own."

It is rare for Hindus to convert to Christianity or any other religion. According to a survey released by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life earlier this year, eight in 10 American Hindus who were raised in the faith remain so as adults.

"I did not have an overnight epiphany like so many people do," said Mr. Jindal, calling his conversion a "very intellectual-based journey," where he studied countless religious texts. "Given my background and personality, that was an important part of the process." But, he notes, "I don't think you can 'read' yourself into faith. I had gotten to the point where I knew what history had to say about this person named Jesus and what he had done on Earth. . . . I think at some point you have to take a leap of faith."

And while we're doing a bobby post, you can watch him respond to the question about whether he is being considered for McCain's veep:

I frankly wonder if he's been asked to not categorically deny the possibility of being asked, just to keep the talk going (and therefore, his excellent track record in the public eye).

My previous posts on Bobby Jindal can be found here.

First to press: Vatican Approves New English Translation for the Order of the Mass

I have just received a copy of today's press release from the USCCB making official what was recently rumored. I believe I'm the first blog to have access to and publish this news.

... and here it is!

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has received approval (recognitio) from the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the new English-language translation of the Order of Mass (Ordo Missae).

This is the first section of the translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal. It includes most of the texts used in every celebration of the Mass, including the responses that will be said by the people.

In its letter, the Congregation pointed out that while the texts are binding, the approval “does not intend that these texts are to be put into use immediately.”

Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation, explained the reasons for providing the text at this time. The purpose is to provide “time for the pastoral preparation of priests, deacons and for appropriate catechesis of the lay faithful. It will likewise facilitate the devising of musical settings for parts of the Mass.”

(Now the notable details....)

The more significant changes of the people’s parts are:

1. et cum spiritu tuo is rendered as “And with your spirit”
2. In the Confiteor, the text “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” has been added
3. The Gloria has been translated differently and the structure is different from the present text
4. In the Preface dialogue the translation of “Dignum et justum est” is “It is right and just”
5. The first line of the Sanctus now reads “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts”
6. The response of the people at the Ecce Agnus Dei is “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

At this point, it has not been determined when this new translation of the Roman Missal will be made available (and it's interesting to me, to say the least, that the text is copyrighted by ICEL).

And as for the six points noted above, all of them represent accurate, faithful translations of the Latin text of the Mass, remedying the previous mistranslations (and outright deletions) executed by ICEL.

This is welcome news, to be sure. Hopefully it quickly reaches the faithful who desire and deserve it.

update: Rocco adds details.

Friar meets Heavy Metal, Knight of Malta meets Metal Head

Consider this your end-of-the week news-of-the-strange post. And its a double header!

First up, the heavy metal-loving capuchin friar from Milan, Italy:

The story behind the "music" [ph/t: Christopher Blosser]:

Brother Cesare Bonizzi is a Capuchin friar in Milan who rocks out. He got into heavy metal 15 years ago at a… Metallica concert!

“I was overwhelmed and amazed by the sheer energy of it” he tells the BBC.
He began fronting a metal band, howling above the din, his white beard and friar’s hood swaying to the heavy beat.

The heavy metal monk says he would like to send his new CD to a certain lover of Mozart who lives in Rome.

“He is a music lover and metal is music!” Bonizzi says. (Blogging Religiously)

And before you regain your sense of propriety, the "Metalhead bassist at night, Sovereign Knight of Malta by day" which is documented on Blabbermouth.net [ph/t: AmP reader Paul]:

"As part of the official delegation of the "Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta, Federation of Autonomous Priories", MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio presented an Award of Merit on Sunday, July 20 in Timisoara Transylvania), Romania to world-famous Spanish tenor José Carreras hailing his artistic career achievements and lifetime philanthropic works. "

[Here's a better photo of him - sure looks like a metal head to me...]

It's my sincere hope that you don't witness anything stranger today than this posting.

Video: PRI exposes feminists ignoring sex-selective abortions worldwide

A needed message, well told:

Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute (PRI), says that America has a hidden problem of sex discrimination, but a form of discrimination that feminists refuse to address.

In PRI’s latest YouTube video, Mosher decries the practice, common in East and South Asian countries, of sex-selective abortion. According to the United Nations, this practice has already claimed the lives of over 100 million girls worldwide. The video goes on to cite a recent study published by the National Academy of Sciences, saying that many American groups, particularly those of Asian descent, have the same skewed birthrates as found in their country of origin. Many of the sexist customs and practices that have led to these skewed birthrates are being imported into the United States.

The Video...

More information at their website.

Notable post-WYD commentary and Stations slideshow

Via the Pope2008 blog:

A slideshow of highlights from the Sydney Stations of the Cross is up at the ncRegister.com, named "Amazing Grace" after one of the songs sung.

The Register has just put up another photo slideshow: This one is called "Memories" and gives you highlights from World Youth Day 2008. Find the slideshow here.

See also John Allen's wrap-up.

Humanae Vitae 40th Anniversary Post

(this post will be updated throughout the day .... see below)

Marcel LeJeune brought this to my attention:

The Vindication of Humanae Vitae by Mary Eberstadt

That Humanae Vitae and related Catholic teachings about sexual morality are laughingstocks in all the best places is not exactly news. Even in the benighted precincts of believers, where information from the outside world is known to travel exceedingly slowly, everybody grasps that this is one doctrine the world loves to hate. During Benedict XVI’s April visit to the United States, hardly a story in the secular press failed to mention the teachings of Humanae Vitae, usually alongside adjectives like “divisive” and “controversial” and “outdated.” In fact, if there’s anything on earth that unites the Church’s adversaries—all of them except for the Muslims, anyway—the teaching against contraception is probably it.

Humanae Vitae was promulgated 40 years today.

Also... Listen to a recorded debate between Dr. Janet Smith and Charlie Curran on contraception:

• [Listen to Part One] - Dr. Smith and Fr. Curran give their presentations and rebuttals.
• [Listen to Part Two] - They ask each other questions, and take more from the audience.

Note: Each file is roughly 25mb, so they will take a little while to download even on a broadband connection.

My description:

Pro-Life activist Dr. Janet Smith debated the dissenter Dr. Charles Curran in front of a packed Dallas audience in 1994. I think the debate is well worth a focused listening because Dr. Smith and Dr. Curran are widely recognized as the top proponents of their respective positions on the contraception issue (at least in the US), and it's a rare occurrence indeed to hear two figures of their stature debating each other live.

Perhaps this weekend would be a good chance to set aside a bit of time and give it a listen.

And for a secular perspective: Forty years of 'Humanae Vitae' (Irish Times)

Plenty of work to do.

update: Cardinal James Francis Stafford shows us the path towards Humanae Vitae and since its publication from an insider's/scholar's perspective.

The "Reproductive Health" blog, meanwhile, reminds us that the culture of death has set its sights squarely on squarely on the Philippines. Surprise, surprise: the author references Catholics for Free Choice.

Authentic feminism started in ... 13th century Belgium

To counter yesterday's depressing revelation, a burst of light from Belgium:

Here’s another reason to travel to Belgium, if the world’s best beer and chocolate weren’t enough to draw you there already: its beautiful, well-preserved beguinages.

If feminism means a desire for independence from patriarchal authority, the beguines — a Roman Catholic laic order that began in the 13th century and branched across northwest Europe — represented, perhaps, the world’s oldest women’s movement.

I can only speculate that these women of simplicity likely experienced more fulfillment than participants in the more infamous woman’s movement centuries later. (Mary Rose Rybak)

And upon this occasion, please keep a friend of mine in your prayers. She's leaving several important professional positions in Washington DC to pursue a vocation with the Nashville Dominicans.

Imagine a state in Amercia with no abortion clinics

It's called "South Dakota."

Praise God.

update: PP claims the clinic isn't closed.

"World's oldest Bible goes online"

Very cool:

The oldest known surviving copy of the New Testament gets the modern touch Thursday when parts of it go online for the first time.

The British Library plans to begin publishing the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century text handwritten in Greek, on its Web site. The Gospel of Mark and the Book of Psalms go online Thursday. The full manuscript is to be online in a year.

Translations of the Codex Sinaiticus have long been widely available, but publishing images of the manuscript online will let anyone see pages that, until now, have been viewed in detail mainly by academia.

As the Web site becomes operational, it will show photographs of each page of the text, with links to translations in English and German. There will also be a search function.

"It contains the earliest complete copy of the New Testament," said Scot McKendrick, the head of Western Manuscripts at the British Library. (CNN London)

The Gospel of Mark's grammar is on the simpler side, so it's more accessible to entry-level Greek scholars.

Report: Sacred Heart statue beheaded in Madrid?

If it did, it happened right after the announcement made by Pope Benedict that the next World Youth Day would be held in Madrid, Spain. Rorate Caeli has more. [Ph/t: Matthew.]

The Curt Jester celebrates six years of blogging today!

Hop on over to the Curt Jester's blog and congratulate its owner, Jeff Miller, for six years of blogging. He even posted a (rare) picture of himself. He's truly one of the pillars of the Catholic blogosphere. Congradulations!

Tip: Reserve your papal tickets by fax!

"Using the latest in 1980s technology!"

No, seriously, it's good to know this is offered:

Visitors to the Vatican can now make reservations for papal audiences by fax.

A service provided by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household enables pilgrims to make reservations weeks or days before their trip to Rome for activities such as Wednesday audiences or Masses celebrated by the Pontiff at St. Peter's. The tickets are free.

By downloading and faxing a document available on the Web page, pilgrims can make the reservations. The tickets can be retrieved at the ticket office located just inside the Bronze Door (by the right colonnade of St. Peter’s Square). [Zenit]

The previous methods for getting a papal event ticket included a) sending a snail mail to your diocese, or b) asking in person at the diocese or (my personal favorite) c) begging for extra/spare tickets outside the gates.

3 Book Picks 4 Summer Reading

biblical--> topical--> practical-->

Breaking: Arch of STL & Board Members Sue St. Stanislaus for Control

Breaking, big, news:

The St. Louis Archdiocese filed suit today against the St. Stanislaus Kostka church in an attempt to regain control of the former Polish parish.

Six parishioners, including three recent board members, joined the archdiocese in the suit. They are asking a St. Louis judge to void any changes to the St. Stanislaus' bylaws since 2001 and give the archbishop the authority to appoint a pastor and board there.

Last month, the St. Stanislaus board voted 4-3 to dissolve itself and allow parishioners to elect a new board at its annual meeting in August. Eight St. Stanislaus board members had been declared excommunicated by Archbishop Raymond Burke.

According to the archdiocese, the three board members who lost that vote - Bernice Krauze, Stanley Rozanski, and Robert Zabielski - were secretly reconciled with the Roman Catholic church last month in a meeting with Burke before Pope Benedict XVI re-assigned him to a new position at the Vatican.

Last month, Edward Florek, a former board member, also reconciled with the church.

The archdiocese’s release said that if the lawsuit is successful, it "is prepared to appoint a Catholic priest, Rev. Michael Marchlewski, SJ, to St. Stanislaus as administrator." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

The full dust-up is at the Saint Louis Catholic blog.

The ugly side of Feminist blogging

Regular readers know that I occasionally read some of the more popular "feminist" blogs, to see what the other side is saying. Sometimes they make good points or valid observations.

Other times, however, you realize what a gulf separates you. For instance, when a regular contributor starts offering her personal "feminist porn" picks, and begins her post with the following disclaimer:

Warning: May not be safe for work…unless you are like me and work at Planned Parenthood. :)

Doesn't that just speak volumes?

Needless to say, I knew there was nothing to be gleaned from the rest of that post. I had learned my lesson.

Noted: "Gay Bishop Must Resign or Confess, Says Sudan Church Head"

Sanity prevails, at least in the Sudan:

The head of the Anglican church in Sudan said on Tuesday that unity could be restored to the troubled Anglican Communion only when the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson resigns or confesses he has "made a mistake" in embracing homosexuality.

The Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul told reporters at the Lambeth Conference, the once-a-decade gathering of Anglican bishops, that Robinson “should resign for the sake of the Church.”

“We consider him as a human being. We are not throwing him away. But he is supposed to resign to allow the Church to be united,” he said. “The norms of the Anglican Communion have been violated.”

He added that those involved with Robinson's consecration also had to confess.
"We as Christians always forgive one another and confess whenever we make mistakes. If they could do that that would help the Anglican world."

Just under a quarter of Communion's bishops have boycotted the Conference in protest of the attendance of pro-gay clergy. The absent bishops, largely conservative church leaders from the Global South, held an alternative summit in Jerusalem last month, the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).

“I think there is already a breakdown of the Anglican Communion,” the Sudanese archbishop said. “Three hundred bishops have stayed away from this conference because of Gene Robinson. Shouldn’t Gene Robinson resign to allow the 300 bishops to come back to the house?”

In an official statement issued earlier on Tuesday, the Episcopal Church of Sudan said that it could not accept church leaders who practice contrary to the biblical teaching on sexuality. (Christian Today)

Update: Author believes California bishops' response to "gay marriage" was "tepid"

I said, she said:

But the response from some Catholics so far has been tepid. Take the following statement released by the California Catholic Conference.

{she quotes it, then comments:}

“Maintain support” for traditional marriage? Catholic support requires more episcopal muscle than the release of a mild statement. Because the Church is "the universal sacrament of salvation" (Lumen Gentium), our shepherds should be mobilizing Catholics to fight back. Every Catholic priest, religious, businessman, teacher, doctor, banker, grocer, landlord, professor, and college student should be sent out with a mandate to fight for marriage.

Again, maybe a topic like "gay marriage" deserves a press release longer than one page.

Papist Quote of the Day

I didn't even have to read past the first line of this article titled "Pastor Gets into Motorcycle Crash - During Service" before I was cracking a smile:

"A pastor brought out a dirt bike during a church service to demonstrate the concept of unity. Now he's demonstrating the concept of healing."

:-D!

Good: "U.S. bishops launch Natural Family Planning Awareness Week"

This is a good, positive way to approach Catholics (and non-Catholics) about artificial contraception alternatives as the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae approaches this Friday:

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched “Natural Family Planning Awareness Week” to promote Catholic teaching about human sexuality, marital love, and responsible parenthood as the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae approaches.

...

Natural Family Planning (NFP) uses a variety of methods for married couples to determine the signs of a woman’s fertility to help conceive a child, or for serious reasons, to avoid a pregnancy, but still maintaining an openness to life. (CNA)

The URL is: http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/nfpweek/

They also offer a poster suitable for putting up on your parish's bulletin board, which you can download in English & Spanish (PDF files), or order it.

On clapping in Church, and whether one should (ever)

Fr. Z comments on an article in Catholic Exchange titled, "Hold the Applause: Confessions of a Conflicted Clapper", which begins with this arresting statement:

"Whenever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of the liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment."

Now guess who said that? Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Arinze, head of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, is also quoted:

"…when we come to Mass we don’t come to clap. We don’t come to watch people, to admire people. We want to adore God, to thank Him, to ask Him pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for what we need.”

Now, my question: does proper liturgical praxis involve never clapping during Mass (ever)?

Update: "No action to be taken against professor who threatened to desecrate Eucharist, university says"

Blogged about before here (July 13) and here (July 16), and now ... a fizzle:

The University of Minnesota has told CNA that disciplinary action has not been taken against Professor Paul Zachary Myers, a biology professor at the school’s Morris campus who threatened to acquire and desecrate a consecrated Host on his popular science blog Pharyngula. However, impeachment proceedings have begun against the University of Central Florida student senator who took a Host from a Catholic Mass in the incident which inspired Myers to make his threat. (CNA)

Frankly, I think the best thing that can be done here, and the last thing in the world Myers wants, is for us simpy to ignore him. Which I intend to do starting about .... now.

update, ahem: "Concerning Eucharistic Desecration" by Mark Shea.

Okay .... now.

Wow: "Pope's tree flourishes while others wither"

Take with a grain of salt, or a mustard seed of faith:

In the Jubilee Year of 2000, Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land stopping at one point to bless an olive tree on the Mount of the Beatitudes. A forester with the Jewish National Fund reports that this tree is the only one producing olives this year.

"It is a miracle," Yossi Karni from the JNF, which maintains the plot, told local media.
During a visit to northern Israel, in March of 2000, the late Pontiff blessed an olive tree that was planted on the Mount of Beatitudes, which was previously called Mt. Eremos. According to tradition, Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount on this mountain, which is located near the Sea of Galilee.

Israel is currently facing what Uri Shani, Israel’s Water Authority director, called “the worst crisis in 80 years.” “Israel's major sources of drinking water, including the Sea of Galilee and the mountain aquifer, are below their ‘red lines,’ meaning they are not recommended to draw water,” he said at a news conference last month.

Karni explained that all the trees on the plot were treated equally, but the ones that did not receive the blessing have not given fruit this year.

"They get treated the same, watered the same," he said, adding that some trees had even started to wither, which he could not explain.

When he was asked what he would do with the olives, Karni told Israel's Channel 10 he might market their "holy oil." (CNA)

Looks like this tree is taking a lesson from a certain biblical fig tree.

Update: "Archdiocese of Boston responds to attempted ordination of three women"

Blogged earlier, the AofB responds:

The Archdiocese of Boston has issued a statement in response to a group that planned and performed an ordination ceremony for three women in Boston on Sunday. In the July 18 statement the archdiocese’s vicar general, Father Richard Erikson, explained Catholic teaching on the male-only priesthood and said the group, which calls itself Roman Catholic Womenpriests, is “not an entity of the Roman Catholic Church.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests held an alleged ordination ceremony of three women at a Boston-area Presbyterian church. (CNA)

No word about any sort of penalty being brought against these women. Has anyone heard different?

Report: "For secular Australia, World Youth Day was wake-up call"

World Youth Day, it should not be forgotten, serves not only the inner life of the Church, but also provides a stirring witness to the country in which it takes place:

In what is often seen as one of the most intensely secular nations in the world, Australia received a wake-up call: the faith of the church on public display over the weeklong celebrations of World Youth Day.

For young Catholics used to seeing a steady annual decline in figures such as Mass attendance -- now estimated at approximately 13 percent of Catholics nationally -- and feeling like the only young person in the local parish, the sight of an estimated 300,000 pilgrims from around the nation and overseas may well have provided a much-needed shot in the arm. (CNS)

Do any knowledgeable contributors wish to speak about the state of the Church in Spain...?

Photo Caption Call - 7/21/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Source: AFP/Greg Wood]

Web: I'm friends with a Bishop on Facebook

When I first heard the rumor that the new bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas had a profile on super-popular social networking site Facebook, I had to follow up on it to see if it was true.

Lo and behold, as of yesterday, I'm the Most Reverend Anthony Basil Taylor's friend ... on Facebook, that is {photo}.

Luckily, I wasn't tempted to ask him based on his profile picture if he was an Anglican Bishop, as the blogger at St. Monica's Kneeler harrowingly recounts.

Now, in all probability, the profile is administered by someone in the diocesan offices.

So, with that proviso in mind, let's take a look at the bishop's online Facebook profile. It includes, notably:

• A yahoo email address
• 388 friends (as of this posting)
• The "Help Fight Global Warming! Together we can make a Difference" application
• Someone left him a "bumper sticker" saying "Who's Awesome? You're Awesome!"
• The "We're Catholic" and "Send Catholic Gifts" applications
• He posts his weekly homilies, in English and Spanish
• He's part of one cause: "The Social Reign of Christ the King", and one blog network: "Immaculate Heart of Mary's Hermitage Report."
• He has 38 wallposts (he's got some catching up to do - I have 2100+)

I especially got a kick out of his Education & Work background....

I must quibble. "Employer" should be "Jesus Christ", "Holy Spirit" or, I guess, "Pope Benedict XVI."

But "Position: Bishop"? Okay, he's got me good there.

... welcome to the New Evangelization (?).

On leaving Mass right after Communion

Fr. McNamara tackles the question in a Zenit Q&A:

Q: Unfortunately some in the parish have developed the poor habit of leaving Mass immediately after Communion. I estimate around 30%, or approximately 225 people, leave early. Our church holds 750, so the disappearance is definitely noticeable. Could you provide a theological discourse on why this is not appropriate behavior? -- D.S., Port Charlotte, Florida

A: This is a perennial problem, but one which must be faced with patience, insisting, as St. Paul would say, "Opportune et inopportune" (in season and out of season), until the message reaches home. [Read the entire answer.]

His answer, briefly: leaving Mass early robs you of the opportunity for silent reflection and prayer after receiving communion; it's simply discourteous; we ought to participate in the thanksgiving of the community post-communion; we ought not to leave until we are dismissed (sent forth) by the celebrant.

And let's not neglect the practical:

"From a very material standpoint one could also see if there is some tangible motivation that leads so many of the faithful to leave early. Is there a bottleneck in the parking lot? Are Mass schedules too close together? If there are real practical inconveniences involved, then theology alone will be ineffective in changing people's habits until these are resolved."

This all appears airtight to me. Sadly, in my parish I see people leave directly after communion often. It strikes me as very selfish to deny the community (and the Eucharistic presence of Jesus) your attention once you've "received what you came for."

Is it horrid of me to suggest some sort of (mild) public shaming for this sort of juvenile activity?

Confratenity of Catholic Clergy defends Humanae Vitae on its 40th anniversary

Stories relating to Humanae Vitae (explicitly and implicitly, or tangentially) have been increasing lately in anticipation of its 40th anniversary on July 25th. Notably among these is the outrageous decision of "Catholics for Choice" to publish an open letter to Pope Benedict criticizing the church's constant teaching against artificial contraception.

I'm happy to see, therefore, that the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (who generously invited me to their convocation in Baltimore last week) is jumping into the breach:

The leader of "Catholics" for Choice argued that in some countries where Catholic institutions exercise great power, people "are dying as a result of the ban" on contraceptives. His statement presumably referred to the argument that AIDS is spread by the lack of access to condoms.

However, the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, a group of 600 orthodox Catholic priests and deacons, meeting in Baltimore last week, strongly endorsed the Church's teaching. Referring to the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae, in which Pope Paul VI reinforced the traditional teaching, the Confraternity approved a statement asking "all its brother clergy to teach, explain, and defend this timely encyclical."

"While sometimes a difficult teaching to embrace and maintain, it is nevertheless the only means to uphold the natural law and to safeguard the sanctity of the human person, marriage, and the family as well as civilization itself," the Confraternity proclaimed. The group pointed out that in the 40 years since Pope Paul issued the encyclical, the steadily growing public acceptance of contraception has been associated with epidemics of sexual promiscuity, deviancy, venereal disease, divorce, illegitimacy, and other problems including sharp increases in breast cancer and uterine cancer. (CWNews)

LifeNews has more on the story. You can also read more on the Catholic and Christian newswires.

Please consider making a donation to the CCC or sponsoring your priest for a CCC membership to support the good work they are doing and spread awareness their joyful, firm obedience to the Church's teaching.

Boston Boondoggle: More "Women Priests"

[sarcasm] Oh wow, how radical [/sarcasm]:

Three aspiring Catholic priests will be anointed and prayed over this weekend in an ordination liturgy that will resemble the traditional in most ways but one: The three being ordained are women. (Boston Globe)

Photographic proof:

Pope Benedict's reaction:

Okay, seriously, Fr. Z has at the first report, then the follow-up, which is better and includes a Globe retraction:

Clarification: The main headline on a report in yesterday’s City and Region section may have led to the erroneous impression that three women will be recognized as priests by the Roman Catholic Church after their ordination tomorrow. As the report and a subordinate headline made clear, the women’s status after the ordination is a matter of dispute. Although the organization hosting the ceremony will consider the women to be Catholic priests, the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Boston will regard them as having excommunicated themselves and therefore as being neither Catholic nor priests.

The Curt Jester always has good comments about women ordinations. For instance, see his satirical post, "I am only a Newsweek reporter." Really, just re-read it. Everything in there still applies.

Ph/t: AmP Reader Steve.

[photo credit #1: Curt Jester; photo credit #2: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia]

Design websites? Need a job?

I'm trying to get a few needy friends connected with website design companies or individuals with website design experience. The main project I've been asked to find someone for specifically involves building a custom template and some graphic designing for a mid-level academic institution. It pays.

So, if this sounds like your cup of tea, or if you have some contacts who might dig this sort of thing...

my email is "thomas [at] americanpapist [dot] com".

~thanks much!

update: thanks for the response! Please keep the suggestions and introductions coming.

A job offer was also brought to my attention that some readers might find attractive:

[The Catholic Diocese of Arlington is] looking for a Website Content Manager (position description here). The ideal candidate would have a love for the Church, knowledge of website content management and an interest in utilizing new media and technologies. The position is full-time and available immediately. We would love to have someone on our team who is constantly on the look-out for ways to keep us up-to-date and technologically relevant.

"Catholics for Choice" to publish open letter to Pope criticizing Humanae Vitae

The nerve:

A group of Catholic dissenters plans to publish an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI in a major U.S. and a major Italian newspaper criticizing Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae on the fortieth anniversary of its promulgation, July 25. The group Catholics for Choice (CFC) claims that the encyclical’s teaching against contraception has been an “utter failure” that endangers women’s lives and leaves millions at risk of HIV. However, a major pro-life leader said the group’s accusations were hard to take seriously. (CNA)

Meanwhile, in the corridors of sanity:

On 40th anniversary, 'Humanae Vitae' starts to gain more attention "Humanae Vitae" ("Of Human Life"), Pope Paul VI's encyclical on artificial contraception and the role of procreation in marriage, turns 40 July 25 and seems to be finding new life across the country.

"There is an army of people out there right now who are desirous of getting this message out," said Janet Smith, professor of moral theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Detroit Archdiocese.

Smith, who has taken her "Contraception Why Not" presentation across the U.S. and Canada, is finding that while the numbers may not be overwhelming, a growing number of people are beginning to understand the connection between the sexual freedom that emerged in the 1960s and today's violence, depiction of women as sex objects and high incidence of divorce.

"It seems to me that 40 years ago people thought that contraception would be advantageous. Now 40 years later, we'd better rethink that," she said. (CNS)

There's nothing like having reality on your side when you're trying to make a point.

Does Having Kids Makes You Happy?

Newsweek says it doesn't, and cites surveys.

I say they should reevaluate their questions.

Plus, I find it very intriguing that they would choose to publish such an article so close to the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae. What, are they trying to console all those folks who chose to contracept instead of having children, telling them, in other words, that they're probably happier off for it?

On ignoring the "f" word in questions of early puberty

Liberal Feminist blog Feministing.com, in their "weekly feminist reader" notes this article in Colorlines ("the national newsmagazine on race and politics"), which claims that plastic is the reason why black girls enter puberty earlier than white girls:

"A 1997 study, conducted at pediatricians’ offices nationwide, found that girls were showing the first signs of puberty about a year earlier than was considered normal. Most striking was that Black girls were beginning puberty about a year earlier than white girls."

What I found most striking is the entire article never once mentions the many many studies which claim that early puberty normally occurs in situations where there is no biological father present during the girls' upbringing (it's a pheromone thing). African American homes in the United States, sadly, often do not have the original biological father present through the entirety of childhood.

In other words, lack of a father, not the presence of plastics, can begin to account for some of the disparity in the statistics along ethnic lines.

But if there's anything I've learned from reading these radical feminist blogs, it's to never accept a sound sociological/biological explanation when a hypothetical ecological/lifestyle solution can be offered instead.

Golden Compass boycott a success - sequel uncertain

Who says boycotts dont work?

This blog was a not-insignificant player in last year's efforts to spread awareness.

AmP Quick Movie Review: The Dark Knight

On Friday I got myself out of the house to catch a matinee showing of the new batman movie The Dark Knight (official website here).

The movie has been hyped to no end, receiving a 94% rating from metareview site Rotten Tomatoes. Early word is that it is set to break countless records at the box office. Watch the high-definition trailer on YouTube here.

Because the movie came to me so highly recommended, I tried especially hard to give the movie an honest, unbiased viewing.

The filming technique and pacing are flawless, and the acting is top-notch. Heath Ledger is absolutely brilliant, and if he certainly deserves a posthumous Oscar.

With a run time of over two-and-a-half hours, there's plenty to absorb while watching it (and plenty to digest after), but I can say with confidence that it's the best movie I've seen this year.

Because the movie is so complex, I've decided to go see it again tonight before I try to review it.

Chuck Colson sums it up for me...

On the topic of gas prices:

It is galling to me to watch people who, doubtless, live in large homes, fly in private planes, and are not affected by the price of gas, build their idea of utopia on the backs of the poor. Christians must care about the environment, of course — but people, especially the poor, come first.

So, if our leaders are, indeed, ready to change this immoral status quo, I say, “What took you so long? And let’s get going now.”

I agree. And I don't even own or drive a car.

WYD 2008 Concludes

And it went well:

• CNA: Final Mass was largest gathering of people in Australia’s history (~350,000)
• CNA: Next World Youth Day will be in Madrid (in 2011), Pope announces
• NLM: Coverage (with photos) of the Final Papal Mass at World Youth Day

There is already a facebook group lobbying for Houston, TX as the WYD host in 2014.

Papist Picture of the Day - 7/17/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

"Pssst! Hey George, what do you want to do after detention?"

[source: AP Photo/William West, POOL]

The Contrarians' Review talks NFP

The Contrarians' Review is hosting a provocative series of reflection essays on the topic of Natural Family Planning. They are, individually, short reads, and pose some interesting questions:

• The Tuscan Orchard – An Un-Aesthetic Tale (Part 1)
• Opening Questions (Part 2)

What are your thoughts about his "thermometer conondrum"?

I think Natural Family Planning is a very good thing, when used for appropriate reasons. I think people also tend to forget that NFP is quite often used for the purpose of achieving pregnancy, and not only avoiding it.

Is the author, Ted Turner, demanding too much of NFP anthropologically, do you think?

Commentary: Pope Benedict talks eloquently about ... water

I admit to raising my eyebrows upon my first reading:

"I am pleased to send a message of faith and hope", the Pope writes, "to those who are visiting the 2008 Saragossa Expo dedicated to the complex themes tied to the importance of water for human life and the maintenance of equilibrium among the diverse elements of our world. The Holy See wanted to be present at the Expo with a pavilion that was jointly prepared with the archdiocese of Saragossa, which I thank for their generous commitment to promoting proper cultural initiatives that draw the visitor closer to the immense patrimony of spirituality, art, and social wisdom that is inspired by water and which has been safeguarded by the Catholic Church".

"We have to be aware that, regrettably, water - an essential and indispensable good that the Lord has given us to maintain and develop life -, because of incursions and pressures from various social factors, is today considered a good that must be especially protected through clear national and international policies and used according to sensible criteria of solidarity and responsibility. The use of water - which is seen as a universal and inalienable right - is related to the growing and urgent needs of those living in poverty, keeping in mind that the 'limited access to drinkable water affects the well being of an enormous number of people and is frequently the cause of illness, suffering, conflict, poverty, and also death'".

"Those who consider water today to be a predominantly material good", the Pope concludes, "should not forget the religious meanings that believers, and Christianity above all, have developed from it, giving it great value as a precious immaterial good that always enriches human life on this earth. How can we not recall in this circumstance the suggestive message that comes to us from Sacred Scripture, which treats water as a symbol of purification and life? The full recovery of this spiritual dimension is ensured and presupposed for a proper approach to the ethical, political, and economic problems that affect the complex management of water on the part of all concerned, as well as in the national and international spheres". (VIS)

After thinking about it for a bit, however, I began to see the two-fold point. First, a clean and accessible water supply is indeed of paramount importance in the fight against global hunger and disease. Second, in the final paragraph, Pope Benedict transcends the material good represented by water and elevates his discourse to treat water's spiritual symbolism and (even) sacramental efficacy.

Now that's a type of conservationism I can admire.

Typo: Vatican online document contains "she Creator"

I figure a lazy Friday afternoon is the best time to complain about typos on the Vatican website. Here's one I found in a CDF instruction:

5. Teachings of the Magisterium

... Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves "the creative action of God" (18) and it remains forever in a special relationship with she Creator, who is its sole end.

Obviously, it should read "the Creator", not "she Creator."

Okay, what's your favorite typo on the Vatican website?

Video: Baby Got Book

Most Definitely:

Click here for lyrics. You can buy it here.

Clever dude.

Tip: Resources for preaching/teaching Humanae Vitae

Courtesy of Human Life International:

• PREACHING HUMANAE VITAE
• PARISH BULLETIN INSERTS FOR HUMANAE VITAE 40th ANNIVERSARY
• Benedict XVI and Contraception, Part 1
• Benedict XVI and Contraception, Part 2

The 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, the papal document which reaffirmed the Church's teaching against contraception, is this July 25th.

What a wonderful thing it would be if priests would take this opportunity to either re-affirm the teaching to their congregations, or preach about the evils of contraception for the first time from the pulpit!

See also:

Humane Vitae turns 40

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Mary Eberstadt’s excellent piece from our current issue — viewable online for free — “The Vindication of Humanae Vitae.” In it, you’ll find a comprehensive survey of the current data which, although drawn from secular sources, illustrates the warnings and predictions of Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical almost to the T.

Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review Online also questions the empty promises of liberation and empowerment that contraception was purported to fulfill for women, and contrasts it with what’s actually followed — largely, a growing degradation of women — which looks remarkably like what Humanae Vitae predicted.

Photo: Large WYD Monstrance

But not very beautiful...

Full-size here, courtesy of Pope2008.

Ph/t: Faith&Family.

In the Mailbox: Chant CD from Into Great Silence

Courtesy of the producers, I today received a CD of chant entitled Office of the Night: The Monks of the Grand Chartreuse, which you may remember, opened their doors for the unique documentary Into Great Silence.

I'm seriously excited to hear it. Here is the description:

In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary about them. They said they would get back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready.

In 2007, the documentary film Into Great Silence came to American theaters. Audiences and critics embraced it immediately. After releasing the soundtrack to the film, Jade Music is proud to release Into Great Silence: Office of the Night.

This is the first time that any recording of the Office of the Night at the Grande Chartreuse is made available in its entirety. The two-CD album is a collection of chants, readings, prayers, and sounds of silence recorded by the film director Philip Gröning during his six-month stay at the monastery.

Devoted listners will be happy to know that the accompanying CD materials contain the lyrics (both latin and english) for the entire CD, as well as a short description of the monks and the office of the night.

On integrating refugee conservative anglicans stateside

As a blogger, one of the most rewarding experiences one can have is watching several disparate stories suddenly fall into place nicely. Now of course, the danger is to let oneself impose an order that isn't actually there, but in this case I think there's some encouraging signs that the pieces are actually lining up....

First up, Damian Thompson (who is rapidly becoming my trusted source for UK Anglican/Catholic information, think of him as the British Rocco), has published that "The Catholic Church will expand its provision of "Anglican Use" parishes in the United States in order to allow whole communities of traditionalist Anglicans into the Roman fold".

The source for this development is Abp. John Myers of Newark, a canonist of the first order, speaking at this summer's Anglican Use Conference in San Antonio. The radioactive quote:

“We are working on expanding the mandate of the Pastoral Provision to include those clergy and faithful of 'continuing Anglican communities’,” Archbishop Richard J Myers said in San Antonio, Texas at a conference for “Anglican Use” parishes of the Roman Catholic Church.

Anglo-Catholic bishops attending the Lambeth Conference confirmed to ReligiousIntelligence.com that discussions were underway with the Vatican over their reception into the Roman Catholic Church, and were hopeful a way could be found for them to go over to Rome with their dioceses. [Religious Intelligence UK]

[More from his address to the conference:]

Through the Anglican Use liturgy, individuals from the Episcopal Church who reconcile with Rome have the option to worship in a manner that is familiar to them, which many practiced from childhood, and which has nourished their faith in Jesus Christ.

... (In some cases the sense of the sacred conveyed in the Anglican Use liturgy has been a vehicle of return for Catholics who had fallen away from the practice of their faith because of liturgical abuses during the implementation of the Novus Ordo.)

... Catholic faithful who worship according to the Anglican Use must never see themselves as different from other Catholics or somehow privileged among other Christian Communions. We are Catholics together, obedient to the Holy Father, to those bishops in communion with him and ever faithful to Magisterial teaching.

... The struggle is real. The choice is not always easy. However, the Holy See’s allowance of the Anglican Use liturgy for now might help to make the burden a little easier for some to bear. The mark toward which we press as Catholics and as Christians is Jesus Christ. He is our goal and we can only find Him through the Church he founded on Peter.

[Read his entire keynote address here.]

For more information on the Anglican Use rite (I've blogged about related topics previously):

• The Anglican Use Society - and do note: one of the speeches given at this year's conference was by a former episcopal bishop! Read more about that here. I believe I blogged about him when the news broke, but can't find it in the archives immediatly.
• Anglican Use on Wikipedia - also lists the Anglican Use parishes in the U.S (11 or 12)
• CIN provides the rubrics of the Anglican Use liturgy in a single page

Now here's the final, fun part: the part where I tie a couple separate strands together:

The exhumation of Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman has been requested by the Vatican to make veneration easier for his devotees. The prominent nineteenth-century convert from the Church of England is being considered for beatification, the last step before he is declared a saint.

Cardinal Newman’s body was buried in a small cemetery at Rednal in 1890. According to the Telegraph, the Vatican wants his remains to be moved to a marble sarcophagus in the Birmingham Oratory.

Father Paul Chavasse, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, explained the reason for the request: "One of the centuries-old procedures surrounding the creating of new saints by the Catholic Church concerns their earthly remains. (CNA)

CWNews speculates that his beatification could take place "before the end of this year."

And how appropriate, that simultaneous upon the prospect of numerous Anglicans returning to the barque of peter, the Anglican-convert par excellence would be elevated to the dignity of a blessed!

And lest we forget the spiritual... "Is Cardinal Newman Praying for His Anglican Brethren?".

It's such a harmonious picture, the plan seems a bit more than human.

Megapost: WYD 2008 in Sydney, Australia

Coverage of major papal events/Catholic gatherings poses several challenges, to be sure.

On the one hand, there is a proliferation of media: live video feeds, on-the-ground blogging, local coverage, international coverage, etc.

On the other hand, there are the crucially important addresses and speeches of the Holy Father, which merit special attention.

Add into that mix the reaction among the faithful and the witness provided to the local population and, well, you begin to see the picture.

That said, I'm going to try my very best. Watch this post to be updated with the pope's speeches, notable links, and - most importantely - continually updated resources pages so you can pursue the stories and information that interest you most.

Finally, because megacoverage requires a special amount of time and attention (above and beyond the regular posting that will continue), a little jingle in the paypal tip jar is always especially appreciated.

The important bookmarks:

• Pope2008 - on the ground, regular-updated coverage with an EWTN live feed
• The official WYD 2008 website - includes a special video section
• The Vatican website's WYD section - includes texts of the Holy Father
• EWTN's excellent video and audio coverage, also see Salt & Light + H2o News
• CNS has a dedicated blog, local ABC news has a page, and so does CNA!

Okay, that should keep folks busy for a start. If anthing notable happens - you'll see it here.

Papist Picture of the Day - 7/17/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

Frankly, sir, it was a waste of resources, but the U.S. spy satelite system operators just had to know what the pope was up to in Sydney, ya know?

[source: REUTERS/Robert Pearce]

Cartoon: Preparing for Lambeth

Eerily accurate:
Ph/t: Nathaniel Peters @ First Things.

Cardinal Pell undescores the importance of campus ministry

From a Cardinal Newman Society exclusive:

George Cardinal Pell of Sydney encourages college students attending World Youth Day and emphasizes the importance of campus ministry work in an article prepared for the flagship publication of The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, a division of The Cardinal Newman Society.

“I am deeply committed to what universities can do, and in particular to what Catholic universities can do,” writes Cardinal Pell. “I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of university education and the role of the Church in helping to form the next generation of leaders. For secular universities, this means a serious commitment by the Church to chaplaincy services.”

Speaking of college students at World Youth Day, Cardinal Pell writes, “I hope many of these pilgrims will come back to their universities and studies with a renewed commitment and energy to spreading the word on campus. Pope Benedict XVI is not only a wonderful pastor, but an intellectual in the best traditions of Catholic Europe and European university life. University students in particular will find much to inspire them and to pray about in the Pope’s teaching during World Youth Day.”

Cardinal Pell’s article, “World Youth Day and Catholic University Students,” will appear in the September issue of The Center’s Bulletin of Catholic Higher Education. An advance copy of the article is now available at http://www.catholichighered.org/.

It's an excellent point, considering that the vast majority of Catholic youth do not attend Catholic colleges, even "in name only" ones.

Photo Slide Show: Pope Arrives in Sydney

Fr. Z spent a lonely vigil in front of his computer screen grabbing photo stills from the CTV feed of Pope Benedict's grand entrance into Sydney harbor. Validate his valient efforts by clicking here! It's worth it.

What not to attend: '08 NY Catechetical Convention

Thanks for warning us, Diogenes.

*Shudder*

Soccer star Chase Hilgenbrinck retires to enter priesthood

Professional soccer isn't exactly my cup of tea, but brave young men sacrificing fame and fortune to discern a call from God? I'm all about that. From USA Today:

When Chase Hilgenbrinck bounced from Chile to Colorado to New England this spring, his eyes were already on another path. Not toward another MLS club or Europe. Toward the priesthood.

MLS fans might have been startled to read the New England Revolution's announcement this week that the defender was ending his career in midseason to enter a seminary at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland, but the decision wasn't abrupt.

It was something very personal to me. I didn't discuss it with anybody for a long time," says Hilgenbrinck, adding that it took a couple years to reflect. "I just discerned it through personal prayer for a long time, trying to come to a conclusion if this was really what the Lord was calling me to or not."

He started the application process a year ago, telling his family when he returned from Chile. Yet he also wanted his family to see him play in MLS. He was waived by the Colorado Rapids in preseason but landed in New England, where he appeared in four league games and Open Cup and reserve play.

Hilgenbrinck gave the Revs plenty of notice. But coach Steve Nicol encouraged him to stay as long as possible, and the team made no announcement until he had departed after Sunday's SuperLiga game in which he dressed but did not play.

"There's always something that surprises you," Nicol says. "On this occasion, it's a good surprise. Chase is going to go and do something that he really wants to go and do. There's not many of us that can say we're able to do something we really want to do, so that's great for him."

Mount St. Mary's, eh? That's right up the street from DC.

More from Chase Hilgenbrinck himself:

Chase Hilgenbrinck's decision to leave MLS for the seminary and eventual priesthood was surprising but not sudden. The former Revolution defender tells the story ...
Why?Because I feel called. I’ve actually had my calling. I’ve been discerning this decision for several years now. I had a chance to go play professional soccer in Chile. For a long time, I felt called to something greater, and I didn't know what it was. I thought maybe it was professional soccer. In playing soccer, I realized that wasn’t it. I continued searching.

(In Chile,) for a time, I was trying to get used to the culture and trying to get used to life on my own. I did a lot of soul-searching. I went back to my roots in the Catholic church. I did a lot of praying and strengthened my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That is what led me and first got me onto the idea that this was a possibility for my future, that this could be what the Lord was calling me to. It was something very personal to me – I didn’t discuss it with anybody for a long time. I just discerned it through personal prayer for a long time, trying to come to a conclusion if this was really what the Lord was calling me to or not.

After all this time, I did realize this is my calling. I decided to discuss that with the priest, who is Father Brian Brownsey, the vocations director of the Peoria diocese where I live. I was accepted by the bishop of the Peoria diocese to be a seminarian. They have accepted me and are sending me to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.

I found an old interview he gave on YouTube:



Watching it, I think one can sense in him the maturity you need to prudentially make a decision like this.

Best of luck, Chase. Our prayers are with you!

Video: I Like Being Catholic

Ta-da!



Info:

Earlier this year I gave a speech to a group of parishioners at Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Faribault, Minnesota. At the end of my talk the organizer of the event, Justin Stroh, grabbed his guitar and led the group in a rousing rendition of a song that he wrote, called I Like To Be Catholic. I was so surprised and pleased by the song. It immediately became the unofficial theme song of LoveToBeCatholic.com. After much begging and pleading, Justin's friend Brad posted a music video of the song on LoveToBeCatholic.com. Now I wish to share this fun uplifting song with you. - Tom Hall

Lol. :-)

Report: "Major U.S. city officially condemns Catholic Church"

This was an outrageous civic action taken in San Francisco about two years ago (via WND):

A San Francisco city and county board resolution that officially labeled the Catholic church's moral teachings on homosexuality as "insulting to all San Franciscans," "hateful," "defamatory," "insensitive" and "ignorant" will be challenged tomorrow in court for violating the Constitution's prohibition of government hostility toward religion.

Resolution 168-08, passed unanimously by the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors two years ago, also accused the Vatican of being a "foreign country" meddling with and attempting to "negatively influence (San Francisco's) existing and established customs."

It said of the church's teaching on homosexuality, "Such hateful and discriminatory rhetoric is both insulting and callous, and shows a level of insensitivity and ignorance which has seldom been encountered by this Board of Supervisors."

As WND reported, Resolution 168-08 was an official response to the Catholic Church's ban on adoption placements into homosexual couple households, issued by Cardinal William Levada of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican.

The fine folks at the Saint Thomas More Law Center aren't about to let this one go:

Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, which is appealing the District Court decision on behalf of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and two Catholic residents of San Francisco, disagrees with Patel's decision.

"Sadly, the ruling itself clearly exhibited hostility toward the Catholic Church," he said in a statement. "The judge in her written decision held that the Church 'provoked the debate' by publicly expressing its moral teaching, and that by passing the resolution the City responded 'responsibly' to all of the 'terrible' things the Church was saying."

Thomas More attorney Robert Muise will present oral arguments in the case tomorrow morning in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

"Our Constitution plainly forbids hostility toward any religion, including the Catholic faith," he said.

You can read the original document in PDF here (thanks to the AmP reader who sent it to me).

Jill Stanek asks pro-lifers to "Stand with Phill"

And I join her:

The KS primary election is in less than 3 weeks.

The most watched and important race is for Johnson Co. District Attorney Republican nominee: Phill Kline vs. the establishment opponent who will drop the only criminal case in the U.S. against Planned Parenthood.

As many of you have followed, Kline filed 107 charges against Comprehensive Health of PP of KS and Mid-MO in October 2007.

Since then PP has wielded all its influence in a state run under pro-abortion Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to delay the evidence from ever getting before a jury. PP's plan: run out the clock on Kline's term in office. Kline has courageously fought against overwhelming odds to enforce the law against this $1 billion abortion cartel.

Now, Kline needs the help of the nationwide pro-life community. There is no one else but us. The only way Kline can get his message of truth out is to go around the Kansas City Star with a final days, aggressive, multi-faceted ad campaign. (Recall KCS has pounded Kline since the day he took office, reearning the "Maggie Award" PP gave it in 2006 for helping unseat Kline in the Attorney General's race.)

Phill needs to raise $300,000 in a week. To reach that goal, StandwithPhill.com has launched a "$50 for Phill" campaign. 6,000 people or families must contribute. Please be one. View this inspiring video of Kline's long battle to bring PP to justice and then participate in the "$50 for Phill" campaign to help him get his word out around the liberal media. If Kline doesn't win on August 5, the 5 year battle to get the only criminal case against PP will be lost forever.

There are encouraging signs. [Read about them here.]

Photo: Dogs are more spiritual than Cats

From the "I just can't take this seriously" files:

Survey: "Only 3 in 5 Christian Radio Listeners Tune In for Music"

Well duh, most Christian Radio music isn't that good.

:-P

Report: "Church Cancels Semiautomatic Assault Rifle Giveaway"

From the Christian blogosphere:

Sorry kids, the Windsor Hill Baptist church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA (where else?) won’t be giving away the AR-15 assault rifle it bought for that purpose.
You’ll have to wait till next year:

Church Cancels Semiautomatic Assault Rifle Giveaway

An Oklahoma City church called off plans to give away a semiautomatic assault rifle at a weekend gathering of teenagers, the church’s pastor said.

Plans called for Windsor Hills Baptist to give away the weapon as a way of encouraging attendance at the gathering but plans changed when one the event’s organizers was unable to attend, KOCO 5, Oklahoma City, reported Sunday.

... The gun giveaway has been taken down from the Web site, but Ross said the church will give the gun away next year.

I dislike all "let's trick the kids into coming to Mass/services" ploys like this one. I don't think, however, the concept is quite as innately offensive as the picture which the blog chose to accompany the story.

Photo Caption Call - 7/16/08

[For today's blog topics, click here.]

[Source: Associated Press]