"Nun Sense" - National Review Online

Kathryn Lopez from National Review Online wrote a great article about "Nuns", or more properly Religious Sisters. It is a pretty wide ranging article that covers the health care issue, the visitation, the call to religious life, and more. Sister Prudence is a great ambassador for religious life and hopefully as many people as possible will read this article. I hope more bloggers pick up on it. Here is just one Q &A between the two - please go read the full article:

LOPEZ: You’ve got a Ph.D. Why would you ever take the vows you have, wear a heavy, colorless habit, and spend so much time praying?


SISTER PRUDENCE: The simple answer is that I received a call from Jesus Christ to follow Him, who was poor, chaste, and obedient, and who came to serve. The specific way of following was revealed over time not only to me but also to those in charge of the formation of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma. The vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service we freely take bind us to Jesus Christ forever, in a spiritual marriage. We live a common life in a spirituality of communion with our sisters, who are formed in the specific charism of our foundress, Venerable Catherine McAuley. Our particular charism is expressed in works of mercy at the professional level. So we become educated, not for ourselves, but to give ourselves in service to the Church and the world. It is a joy to serve this way.


We wear a religious habit as a sign of our consecration. It represents the spousal bond with our Lord, as we belong totally to Him. It is an individual sign and a communal sign, as we wear the same habit. We sew them ourselves as a way of living the vow of poverty. It frees us to be who we are called to be for the Church and the world, witnesses of the Kingdom of Heaven, the final reality to which we are all called. In our case, they are not “colorless,” because they are blue or black. If you check our website or the website of over 100 religious communities, you will see that there are lots of variations in color and style. Our religious habit is also only heavy (wool) in the winter; in the summer — and for our sisters who are living in or working in education or medicine in warm climates, such as in Australia, Africa, India, or Haiti — it is a light-blue pinstripe material.

Former Marvel/DC Comic Illustrator turns to Christian Comics

Found this story over at "A Catholic View":

Professional illustrators come in all shapes and sizes, but very few of them have a pro-life or Christian perspective. But that is something that Dan Lawlis, a professional illustrator for over 20 years who has created comic book art for companies like Marvel and DC Comics, wants to change.


Lawlis is endeavoring to use the internet to bring a new comic book vision to the world, and has made his first go at the effort with the comic called “Orange Peel” – a story set in a technologically advanced future, where evil aliens plot to take-over the neighboring planet Godderth for conquest. However, they first plan to make conquest easy by getting the inhabitants of Godderth to abandon their morality, destroy the family unit, and become so morally impoverished that they will welcome their would-be conquerors with open arms.


The premise of the book is that somewhere in the future, human beings learned how to transport themselves to distant planets, but the transportation led to transformations in their appearance, making them alien-like.


The comic’s artwork is visually stunning and appealing, and little wonder: Lawlis has worked on characters like Spiderman, the Hulk, X-Men and more.


But those characters, he said in an e-mail to LifeSiteNews.com (LSN), are more or less atheistic in their outlook. Instead, he was looking for a character that would appeal to comic book and science fiction fans and help introduce a pro-life Christian message “into what is mostly an anti-Christian atheist entertainment culture.”

You can also read the story at Life Site News: Marvel/DC Illustrator creates Pro-Life Comic

His artwork is pretty sweet! I wish he would do a "Defend Us in Battle..." comic. I could write for him, he could illustrate... oh the gloriousness of Angels & Saints battling it out in the spiritual realm against some demons... oh what imaginative gloriousness! Anyways... go check out his site... and drop him some love either via email or donations.

ORANGE PEEL.com

Will you stop lightening!

Oh god, its thundering which is what i really, really hate during the rains. I feel like am going to get struck any moment and with its threatning flashes, i'm already melting away in fear :(. So, just stop it Mr.lightening for i want to resume my pending work. You get all powerful and i turn so fearful whenever i watch you, so please stop.. and Mr.Thunders, don't you get louder! :)

No Blessings at Communion - Abp. Chaput

This is done at my parish, and I have seen it done at others. Archbishop Chaput, who is usually dead-on accurate with his take on... oh just about everything explains why the idea of "blessings" at Communion time are improper because of both context and Catechetical reasons.

Taken from Beliefnet.com:

"As members of the community move forward to receive holy Communion during Mass, parents will often bring their small children along. Over the years, it has become a custom in many parishes for these children to receive a blessing. I don't really know where this practice began, but it's worth some reflection.


"Usually the children in line will look up expectantly at the person distributing holy Communion. The minister then responds by doing one of several things: He or she may pat the child's head, or touch the head in a sign of blessing, or mark the child's forehead with a sign of the cross. As warm and well intentioned as the gesture may be, in the context of the liturgy, the Communion procession really isn't the time for a blessing of children or adults who are unable to receive Communion.


"There are times in the liturgical year when the laity assist in specific acts of blessing, such as the blessing of throats or the distribution of ashes. These are clearly indicated in the Book of Blessings. But extraordinary ministers of holy Communion do not ordinarily have a commission to bless in the name of the Church, as priests and deacons do. At this point in the liturgy, they have a very specific function: to collaborate with the clergy in the distribution of holy Communion.


"As we'll explore in a later column, the blessing of the assembly properly occurs at the end of the Mass. As the body of Christ, the assembly is blessed together before we depart to live the fruits of the liturgy.


"What would be appropriate for children to do who accompany their parents in the Communion procession, and adults who do not receive Communion?


"The Communion procession is an opportunity for parents to begin to teach their children about the great gift of the Eucharist. First of all, children could learn to give reverence to the Lord hidden under the forms of bread and wine. Children can already learn from their parents, and others receiving holy Communion, to give honor to the Lord by bowing reverently.


"Parents and catechists should start teaching the mystery of the Eucharist at an early age. Children will soon begin to desire to receive holy Communion. This earnest desire to receive our Lord sacramentally is traditionally called a 'spiritual communion.' Regrettably, we don't talk about spiritual communion as we once did. But Thomas Aquinas, Alphonsus Liguori and many other great saints strongly encouraged spiritual communion as a practice.


"Both children and adults can make a spiritual communion. They may come forward with their arms crossed and bow before the Eucharist. Then the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister could say to them kindly, 'Receive the Lord Jesus in your heart.' This is not a blessing, but an invitation to worship, so no gestures are made.


"This spiritual communion would more authentically carry out the spirit of the liturgy. Being faithful to the truths of the sacramental celebration allows all of us, young and old, to enter more deeply into worship."

This was taken from EWTN.com: Blessings for Non-Communicants. The full piece has much more as to why this isn't a proper practice, nor the proper time. As I have been discussing in my: "We must seek the Sacred" posts, children are very perceptive. They are sponges and soak up everything. Not only are children this way but so are adults. When we do something consistently we create a way of being, and people will begin to construct in their head, even subconsciously, an explanation as to why things are done a certain way.

Here are some snippets from the full piece, which are written by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University:

"My most serious hesitations, however, stem from a fear that, over time, the practice of giving blessings to non-communicants could create a new perception or mentality regarding Communion itself that makes it somehow equivalent to a blessing, thus weakening the special value that Communion should have for Catholics. This danger could be especially present in a school environment with a high proportion of non-Catholics who receive only a blessing. On the other hand, some priests have mentioned that it can lower the danger of sacrilegious communions in predominantly Catholic schools as children and adolescents find it easier to ask for a blessing than to stay (alone) in their pews."

"From what has been said above I would suggest that you avoid ritual gestures that might cause confusion, especially to the Catholics present. However, the formulas provided for the extraordinary ministers of Communion in the ritual for Communion outside of Mass could also be used in the presence of non-Catholics. They usually have a third person plural formula such as "May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life."


If you wish to offer some spiritual activity to all present beyond the Communion service, then, with the permission of the parish priest, you could offer some acceptable common prayer once the Communion service has been finished — for example, praying an hour of the Divine Office, which is almost totally scriptural, would be one possibility."

"I also see no pastoral advantage in using it for children before their first Communion. A child who observes parents and siblings approaching the altar should have a greater sense of hope and desire to be able to participate just as they do.


As we mentioned before, a blessing in this case could even weaken the awareness of the greatness and uniqueness of holy Communion. It can also cause pastoral problems insofar as it is an easy custom to introduce but, once in, very difficult to renege upon, due to parental sensitivity."

Obviously this isn't the worst thing to alter the Mass that has been seen, but we need to create continuity and purpose of action. Otherwise we are changing our faith and changing the meaning of the external and physical symbols of the Mass, the summit and pinnacle form of Worship that we have. We wouldn't allow this in our sports, why do we allow it in our religion.

Some precious awards from a friend

Thanks Bluedreamer, for these lovely awards you passed on to me. It will make its place into my collection page soon along with your name and site. Bluedreamers sincerity and love towards other bloggers in the blogosphere generates an enlivening atmosphere around here, and of course not to forget the sweet and kind comments that come from him... they are always so motivating, and no matter what we have written, his good wishes never seem to fail on our posts :)

He's hosting a few contests which i'm very excited about, and since i'm participating for the first time in blog idol 3 in which he would be also giving away prizes.. its going to be an fun!

I would like to share the awards with everyone in my blogroll and even if you are not there, welcome to grab it :)

Convert 2D movies to 3D on your Samsung 3D TV

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of goviral. All opinions are 100% mine.

I remember watching many 3D films at the cinemas during my childhood and of course, they were always kids movies. Those days we used to be given a pair of dark glasses and the experiences were truly breath-taking. I also remember trying to grab an ice-cream which makes me feel funny now when i think about it. I was like any other kid so mesmerized by all the powerful bright imagery right before my eyes, so i would'nt feel like leaving the the hall! Not that my kids haven't watched 3D as they did so at an many auditoriums. We once watched a science film and it was pretty funny yet fascinating with all the 3D sea-creatures roaming around us! Aryan loved it. But now its really pleasing to know that with Samsung's latest innovation, we all as customers would be able to enjoy an immersive and life-enriching experience right within our homes! Our kids are going to love this and we would all have great family times in front of our home cinema ;)

Samsung 3D TV offers the ultimate immersive viewing experience by liberating content from the flat confines of the TV and turning it into explosive imagery and i guess this would be compared to cinema, when people would opt for the 3D TV home experience. So get your Samsung 3D tv soon :)

Social Experiment...with a Rosary

I don't see it so much now that I live in Alaska, but in any major city in America you will find people in everyday life outwardly expressing their religious beliefs. This is usually done in the form of religious dress, but there are other means as well. But do we as Catholics ever do that? Maybe to some small degree, but I rarely can spot a Catholic in a crowd... why is that? I wrote this post a while ago:Prayer Challenge: Rosary

What if we walked around physically holding a rosary. Not necessarily praying it completely but using it as a sort of reminder? Or what if we looped it on our belts like monk or nun? I know there is a concern of "wearing" religious Sacramentals as jewelry, but why don't we have more outward signs of our faith that correspond to daily life? Maybe we should try this... see what happens. It might even get us to pray more... :) But if nothing else it will get others to recognize that there are Catholics out there, normal everyday people.

A 'New Task' for Catholic Fathers - Missal Translation Catechism

Pope Benedict has called the movement towards the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal a: "New Task" His statement at the end of his letter announcing the approval of the new translation states:

"A new task will then present itself," the Pope affirmed, "one which falls outside the direct competence of Vox Clara, but which in one way or another will involve all of you -- the task of preparing for the reception of the new translation by clergy and lay faithful."

He acknowledged that "many will find it hard to adjust to unfamiliar texts after nearly forty years of continuous use of the previous translation."

"The change will need to be introduced with due sensitivity," the Pontiff said, "and the opportunity for catechesis that it presents will need to be firmly grasped."

He added, "I pray that in this way any risk of confusion or bewilderment will be averted, and the change will serve instead as a springboard for a renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world."

The "opportunity for Catechesis" falls not only on the priests and bishops but also on us as Catholic faithful. He explains that this change should not create confusion but be a "springboard" for "renewal" and a "deepening of Eucharistic devotion."

As a Catholic father, I find this opportunity as the perfect way to help in the "reform of the reform." I know that some have called the "reform of the reform" a hollow call and lackluster movement, but if not now, when? Is this not the perfect opportunity to reclaim the Mass? To bring it back from the throws of puppet shows, altar gatherings, ad-libbing, liturgical improvisation, and "Church-u-tainment"?

Many of the changes will require Catechesis to not only help the faithful learn the differences, but to also ACCEPT them. How better to reclaim the true meaning and mystery in the Mass then to seize this opportunity and ensure that what is taught and what we learn is true to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Many have complained of the 'abuses' that they see and hear in the Mass every Sunday and during the week. Well, what better time than now to instruct ourselves on the meaning, mystery, and sacredness of the Mass?

We cannot stand at the Ambo and preach the changes-as-Catechesis, but we do stand at the "Ambo" of the dinner table. We can begin to instruct our families and children on the changes, why they are changing and what they mean. We also can inform other lay faithful on the changes, and how they impact the Mass.

This is a new task... and it falls on ALL of us, especially those that have been calling for reform in recent years. It must start somewhere... so why not with YOU?

A Game and Series... for the Ages.

I know, I know... another sports post...

But the Washington Capitals v. Montreal Canadiens Eastern Quarter-Final Series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was one of those magical series that will forever be talked about. I know our culture has a penchant for making the recent into the 'Classic' but this really was. An 8 seed upsetting a 1 seed in a series that went 7 games. This after Montreal went down 3 games to 1. And most of all - Washington was the most dominant team during the regular season and has the most dominant player in the game on their team. It really will be one that people talk about for a long time.

More than anything... I think mostly that my dad would have thoroughly enjoyed watching this game, especially the third period. Fast action, one penalty, amazing goaltending and a full team effort on both sides. It was pure classic hockey.

I enjoyed watching this game... and the whole time I was missing him and wishing we could watch it together... what a game dad, what a game. Thanks for introducing me to hockey.

We must seek the Sacred - Part II

Yesterday I began an exploration of the Catechises we as Catholics encounter in our churches, and decided to write a series of posts about it called: We must seek the Sacred. The spark that light this fire inside of me is the disappointment I hear expressed in many parents when they talk about the Catechetical encounters their children receive.

Yesterday I argued that we as Catholics long for more in our Cathechetical education. That we desire to grow in our faith not only through knowledge, but also experience. I further argued that this is nowhere MORE evident than in the children of the Catholic Faith.

Watch closely at how children are taught the faith. I preface this by saying that I was raised in some very good pedagogical methods when it came to my schooling. I was not however formed very strongly in my faith, mostly because I sort of wandered alone. Out in the wilderness of the world of faith, to find my own way home. The direction I took was my own, and the education of it was self sought. This very much aligned with my schooling as a child. Very experience based... encountering the constructs around me to both awaken my spirit but also my mind.

As a child, I spend my early school days in Montessori schools. There is a heavy emphasis placed upon encounters with the larger world. The things you learn are often taken out of their pedagogical box and placed smack-dab in the context of the "real" world. If that it is too "abstract" for the student, based on their age or experience with the knowledge, the concept is in the very least presented in a tangible and multi-sensory way.

For example, when learning math, tangible didn't mean a flash card it meant the "Golden Bead" system. It was about the analytical and the experiential. It was encountering those intangible things that were floating around in my head from the explanation of my teacher. It means one thing to hear her say, "Multiplication is like addition only bigger!" Sure, when you learn to add 2+2 you can easily memorize that it equals 4. You can even take 2 apples and then 2 more apples and then count them, up to 4. The '+' and the '=' become symbols for the process. That is easy, but when we go to a large abstract concept like multiplication... how do we count 10 or 15 apples let alone 50 or 100? Having the experience of such lofty and intangible ideas helps. Hence... the concept of the "Golden Bead." So one  can see how when concepts are difficult or "mysterious," allowing a child to experience those things on their own can be very, very helpful to their learning process. In fact one could argue that it could be invaluable. (NB: This is not a plug or endorsement for the Montessori Method. I know that Montessori schools are controversial, especially within the Catholic community due to their anti-Catholic franchises, and their use and abuse of Catholic facilities. That is another topic for another time. Please do not indict my post based on this issue.)

So why then do we not allow the same for our Children in terms of their religious education? Why do we water everything down? Why do we not let them experience the Sacred? I remember in Kindergarten and 1st grade playing with the "Golden Beads" featured above. Only, no longer was I simply counting them or adding, I was also experiencing them in Cube form. 10 + 10 became 10 x 10. Sure I didn't "get it"; multiplication for a 1st grader? Might be able to memorize it, but not understand it... or did I? Did my "experience" with that "higher concept" help me later on? You bet it did. To this day when I talk about sq/ft or cubic feet I think of little wire-twisted cubes of glass beads. So how is this not true with the Church? Doctors recommend playing music while you are pregnant with your child because it helps them learn and develop mentally. How can this not be true about the Faith? Now this doesn't mean take your kids to a lecture by a Cardinal or read them a Papal Encyclical, but it does mean that they need to EXPERIENCE the faith in a tangible and mysterious way, even if we think it is beyond their comprehension.

So if this is true, why would we subject them to a watered down, non-mysterious form of the Sacred? Why do we attempt to replace the Sacred with the Common place? Do we even know what I mean when I use the word Sacred? Do we know what the Sacred looks like? How about a child? If we told a child the definition of SACRED and then showed them two pictures:

Sure we could argue, and our adult minds might pose this point: "Well they are both Sacred, they just go about it in different ways." But which would the CHILD choose? What helps them understand the mystery and beauty of Christ? Which one lifts their eyes up to Heaven? Which draws them nearer to the ULTIMATE TRUTH - Jesus Christ?

Why do we spend hundreds of dollars and tens of hours organizing liturgical dance or a giant puppet show when we could save so much time, energy, and hassle simply by having an older form of the Mass? Why do we find circuitous ways to explain concepts to children that WE find difficult, but that they would accept and grasp with ease and simplicity? Is it because we truly don't understand how children think? Or is it something else? Is it something deeper and more difficult to discern? Is it maybe the fact that the teachers don't know the subject, even sometimes through no fault of their own? Is it maybe because the Sacred escapes those entrusted with the Catechises role?

To be continued.....



 

National Pro-Life T-Shirt Week

This week is national Pro-Life T-Shirt week. Check out the link for more information.

I have the opportunity to be the local attorney for a group of kids who are wearing their T-shirts to school (Public). Fortunately, they haven't needed me. At least not so far.

Please keep these kids in your prayers. They are the ones who will be instrumental in banning abortion in our country. Also, think about purchasing a t-shirt and wearing it all week! (Maybe wash it a couple times while you're at it...)

Alleluia!

Dear Cardinals,


Dear Brother Bishops and Priests,


Members and Consultors of the Vox Clara Committee,


I thank you for the work that Vox Clara has done over the last eight years, assisting and advising the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in fulfilling its responsibilities with regard to the English translations of liturgical texts. This has been a truly collegial enterprise. Not only are all five continents represented in the membership of the Committee, but you have been assiduous in drawing together contributions from Bishops’ Conferences in English-speaking territories all over the world. I thank you for the great labour you have expended in your study of the translations and in processing the results of the many consultations that have been conducted. I thank the expert assistants for offering the fruits of their scholarship in order to render a service to the universal Church. And I thank the Superiors and Officials of the Congregation for their daily, painstaking work of overseeing the preparation and translation of texts that proclaim the truth of our redemption in Christ, the Incarnate Word of God.


Saint Augustine spoke beautifully of the relation between John the Baptist, the vox clara that resounded on the banks of the Jordan, and the Word that he spoke. A voice, he said, serves to share with the listener the message that is already in the speaker’s heart. Once the word has been spoken, it is present in the hearts of both, and so the voice, its task having been completed, can fade away (cf. Sermon 293). I welcome the news that the English translation of the Roman Missal will soon be ready for publication, so that the texts you have worked so hard to prepare may be proclaimed in the liturgy that is celebrated across the anglophone world. Through these sacred texts and the actions that accompany them, Christ will be made present and active in the midst of his people. The voice that helped bring these words to birth will have completed its task.


A new task will then present itself, one which falls outside the direct competence of Vox Clara, but which in one way or another will involve all of you – the task of preparing for the reception of the new translation by clergy and lay faithful. Many will find it hard to adjust to unfamiliar texts after nearly forty years of continuous use of the previous translation. The change will need to be introduced with due sensitivity, and the opportunity for catechesis that it presents will need to be firmly grasped. I pray that in this way any risk of confusion or bewilderment will be averted, and the change will serve instead as a springboard for a renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world.


Dear Brother Bishops, Reverend Fathers, Friends, I want you to know how much I appreciate the great collaborative endeavour to which you have contributed. Soon the fruits of your labours will be made available to English-speaking congregations everywhere. As the prayers of God’s people rise before him like incense (cf. Psalm 140:2), may the Lord’s blessing come down upon all who have contributed their time and expertise to crafting the texts in which those prayers are expressed. Thank you, and may you be abundantly rewarded for your generous service to God’s people

When it rains, i'm born again!

I was expecting it would rain heavily today when i would able to enjoy the evening showers in harmony swaying to my music, but, the sun came up and spoiled my plans! hehe.. okay, actually yesterday it rained like cats and dogs for a while and before that there were thunders, as loud as maybe, nothing else i heard. I jumped from my place and ran to close my doors but the storm was tough, seems like i was being pushed and being ill, i could'nt handle the breeze all the more. Sand from the pathway blew blown into the house. God, it was too much to handle, but then luckily it started raining and the storm subsided. I was wondering what would be the state of the people on the roads. I know how it feels to get stuck in stormy rains! anyway, i sat down to enjoy the rains which had already turned to drizzles by then :(... so i was dying for it to rain today!


Along with enthusiasm for the rains, i am also excited for the mangoes which are in season. It's a belief that you should eat mangoes only after the first or second showers so that by then the heat from the mangoes would be alleviated and safe to eat or else, one would get boils and sores. Here in India the varieties are huge. In West Bengal the state when i live we can find the following varieties like West Bengal Bombai, Himsagar, Kishan Bhog, Langra.. lol.. funny names, i know! But you cant beat the juicy mangoes you get in India :)

I'm sorry this was a draft supposed to be posted yesterday, i forgot to! :(... it was cloudy today, lets see if it rains :)

Now get your medical supplies online!

I've seen lots of people who are either aged or tied down at home not able to shop for their needs and they are so dependent on neighbors all the time, but now everything can be changed for them. Online technology is powerful and brings out the independence within us all!

Are you one of those living alone in need of medical supplies, and no one to get them for you? don't worry now you can depend on JazzMedical.com which is a technology advanced online retailer offering medical supplies, home medical equipment and health care supplies at low costs. Jazz Medical also supplies health care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, so they are able to offer this wholesale healthcare supply which also includes other lifestyle products directly to customers in the US at such low prices. So now you can enjoy a secure and hassle free shopping for your medical and lifestyle supplies, online itself!

We must seek the Sacred - Part I

I have been thinking about the idea of Catechesis a lot recently. The way in which we educate children in the faith, and the concept of Catechesis in general, how we as humans learn our faith. I am not only talking about the precepts, or rules of the faith, but also how we learn to be spiritual beings - the unification of body and soul.

These fleeting thoughts were congealed by The Crescat's post yesterday. I finalized realized why my heart has been so restless lately. It is because of what I have witnessed in the way that our churches, by this  I mean individual parishes and not the greater CHURCH, interact with us, the faithful, and attempt to provide us with Catechetical training, especially our Children.

St. Augustine once said,

"You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You."

So then why has my heart been restless? Is it because my heart has not seen proper Catechesis for our children and our parishes? Is it because when I go to church functions which purport to be Catechesis on some topic, they end up leaving so many unfulfilled? I think that my heart has been restless because I am yearning for more... and if I am not being fulfilled then, there must be others that feel the same.

So what is the fatal flaw? Where have we as a faith community, as the Body of Christ gone astray and neglected our duty in raising others in the faith? How have we arrived at a point where what we teach and how we teach it, has become so watered down that when we see something like the Pontifical Mass at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception it appears foreign and confusing? How have we arrived at this point:

(Source: CARA - Georgetown)

This is part one.... I plan to do this in parts so that I may contemplate and pray about each part. Check later for PART II. I plan to explore what is the source of this restless, why it exists, and some possible solutions.

"Swing Time" - Timeless Tuesday

Swing Time is a movie starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is one of those films that really is timeless. It came out in 1936 and is regarded as Astaire & Rogers' greatest film together. A brief synopsis from IMDB.com:

Lucky is tricked into missing his wedding to Margaret by the other members of Pop's magic and dance act, and has to make $25000 to be allowed to marry her. He and Pop go to New York where they run into Penny, a dancing instructor. She and Lucky form a successful dance partnership, but romance is blighted (till the end of the film at least!) by his old attachment to Margaret and hers for Ricardo, the band leader who won't play for them to dance together.

 There is something about the clothes and dancing in this movie that make it timeless. The plot isn't what one would call, captivating, but the visuals in this movie combined with the funny exchanges make this one of the all time great movies. All one has to do is look at the pictures and clips to understand the magic of this movie. And needless to say, looking at Ginger Rogers makes one wonder if she was an Angel that fell from heaven.

People have asked me how "Timeless Tuesdays" fit into the theme of this blog. I think that if we can see the intrinsic goodness in things that aren't directly related to the Sacred, we should easily be able to find the timelessness and intrinsic beauty in the Sacred itself.

The Ordinary become extraordinary

The Crescat has posted one of the most concise and important posts that I have read in a long time. She covers vocations, the importance of the Mass to our faith, and the necessity for our clergy  and the Church to interact with children in a real and personal way. She explains how this interaction cannot be watered down and aloof. It must be authentic and real; the interaction must convey the normalcy and happiness that accompanies the religious life. Never has this message been more important than now, in a time when we as a Church face so much adversity and pervasive evil.

I hope other blogs link to this. I just found it and imagine it will sweep the Catholog-os-phere like wildfire... and if it doesn't the bloggers are slacking in their duty:

... I blog what I know and observe. I am no expert on the mass in the extraordinary form. I can not provide deep theological pontifications from a scholarly perspective. I also can not give you details of who was in attendance, those Catholic celebrities... I am terrible with names. This isn't that type of blog, and jokes aside, I am really not that type of Catholic. I'm from a simpler sort, and this post is from an even simpler perspective... that of a child.

The blog coverage of the Pontifical Solemn High Mass has been vast, with commentary and extraordinary photos. I took a few myself with my cell phone but the quality was poor. I wish I snapped a few shots of the children though. I regret that.

More so than all the beauty that surrounded me at that mass, within the liturgy and the church itself, was the beauty and looks of absolute wonder on the children's faces. I guess because I am mom I notice these things.

I noticed two little boys in some matching traditional Asian dress who kept peeking around the pews. They would get up and cautiously walk up as close as they could to see what was going on. The babies in their parents arms would raise their sleepy heads and look around at the sound of the chorus, as if angels had called their names. Toddlers sat in stunned awe and craned their necks to look at the ceiling mosaics or stand on their tip toes to look over the seated heads.

It was a mass that enveloped their entire senses; sight, sound and smell. I know it will leave a lasting impression. I still remember the first time I went to a Catholic mass as an unchurched child and the mark it left on me unbeknownst at the time but resurfacing almost two decades later.

It was a mass that fosters vocations... as I believe any reverently celebrated mass has the opportunity to be. Any time a child witnesses something so out of ordinary [hence "extraordinary" form] it burns itself into their memory.

It is why I am so adamantly opposed to the removal of sacred art from churches, or congregational centered worship. If we can think of it in terms of our children, our future, then we owe it to our faith to keep our churches beautiful and our masses solemn. The look of wide eyed wonder on their faces said it all.

Afterward I took my son to the blognic... yes, The Boy was in bar. Parental fail, I know. Let me justify, I would never miss a chance to have The Boy interact with clergy and seminarians. I think it is important for him to see that they are men. Normal men. Men who like to be sociable and love to laugh over a few beers enjoying the camaraderie. Too often when people think of the vocation of the priesthood the first thought is of all the things you must give up. Worldly things. Like material possessions and sex. My son needs to see that being a priest doesn't mean giving up your love of life and your desire for joy and fun. He sees them as intelligent and charismatic. Role models. Good role models. Men who are genuinely happy.

I have one rule for my family... they must never bash The Church or say anything negative about a priest or other member of a religious community in front of my son. So far they have respected my wishes. Whether my son becomes a priest or religious is between him and Christ, but I will do my damndest in the meantime to not persuade his opinion in a negative direction.

I wish I had thought to thank the seminarians and priests who talked with my son. They treated him with respect, talked to him not as a child but really conversed with him. And even now, he was still talking about the chicken fingers Fr. Z bought him and the Roy Rogers he got to drink at the bar with the young man in a cassock who was wearing glasses... I wish I could remember his name. He told The Boy he knew he wanted to be a priest when he was only nine years old.

I can't imagine the grace involved in that. I am almost 35 and still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up.

I apologize, I ramble. I just felt like it needed to be said. I love our priests, I support our seminarians. Thank you gentlemen.

The Consequences of Sex

Sword-tip to: Aggie Catholics:

These are some STUNNING Pictures. They speak for themselves.

Bishop Slattery's Sermon - Pontifical Mass at Basilica Nat'l Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The following is the full text of Bishop Slattery's Sermon from the Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception - Washington, D.C.  (Taken from Te Deum! Blog)

I was going to post excerpts, and direct everyone over there, but out of fear that some may not take the effort I want to post it. I challenge you to find me a better Sermon from over the weekend. Granted this was not on the Good Sheppard readings, and yet it was extremely poignant.

Please take the time to read this... I can almost gurantee you haven't heard a sermon or homily like this, in a long while.

Bishop Slattery's Sermon at Solemn High Mass at National Shrine

4/25/2010 - EOC Staff

Bishop Slattery's Sermon at the Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception - Washington, D.C.
Celebrating the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Benedict XVI to the throne of Peter - ad multos annos!

We have much to discuss - you and I …

… much to speak of on this glorious occasion when we gather together in the glare of the world’s scrutiny to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Joseph Ratzinger to the throne of Peter.

We must come to understand how it is that suffering can reveal the mercy of God and make manifest among us the consoling presence of Jesus Christ, crucified and now risen from the dead.

We must speak of this mystery today, first of all because it is one of the great mysteries of revelation, spoken of in the New Testament and attested to by every saint in the Church’s long history, by the martyrs with their blood, by the confessors with their constancy, by the virgins with their purity and by the lay faithful of Christ’s body by their resolute courage under fire.

But we must also speak clearly of this mystery because of the enormous suffering which is all around us and which does so much to determine the culture of our modern age.

From the enormous suffering of His Holiness these past months to the suffering of the Church’s most recent martyrs in India and Africa, welling up from the suffering of the poor and the dispossessed and the undocumented, and gathering tears from the victims of abuse and neglect, from women who have been deceived into believing that abortion was a simple medical procedure and thus have lost part of their soul to the greed of the abortionist, and now flowing with the heartache of those who suffer from cancer, diabetes, AIDS, or the emotional diseases of our age, it is the sufferings of our people that defines the culture of our modern secular age.

This enormous suffering which can take on so many varied physical, mental, and emotional forms will reduce us to fear and trembling - if we do not remember that Christ - our Passover - has been raised from the dead. Our pain and anguish could dehumanize us, for it has the power to close us in upon ourselves such that we would live always in chaos and confusion - if we do not remember that Christ - our hope - has been raised for our sakes. Jesus is our Passover, our hope and our light.

He makes himself most present in the suffering of his people and this is the mystery of which we must speak today, for when we speak of His saving presence and proclaim His infinite love in the midst of our suffering, when we seek His light and refuse to surrender to the darkness, we receive that light which is the life of men; that light which, as Saint John reminds us in the prologue to his Gospel, can never be overcome by the darkness, no matter how thick, no matter how choking.

Our suffering is thus transformed by His presence. It no longer has the power to alienate or isolate us. Neither can it dehumanize us nor destroy us. Suffering, however long and terrible it may be, has only the power to reveal Christ among us, and He is the mercy and the forgiveness of God.
The mystery then, of which we speak, is the light that shines in the darkness,Christ Our Lord, Who reveals Himself most wondrously to those who suffer so that suffering and death can do nothing more than bring us to the mercy of the Father.

But the point which we must clarify is that Christ reveals Himself to those who suffer in Christ, to those who humbly accept their pain as a personal sharing in His Passion and who are thus obedient to Christ’s command that we take up our cross and follow Him. Suffering by itself is simply the promise that death will claim these mortal bodies of ours, but suffering in Christ is the promise that we will be raised with Christ, when our mortality will be remade in his immortality and all that in our lives which is broken because it is perishable and finite will be made imperishable and incorrupt.

This is the meaning of Peter’s claim that he is a witness to the sufferings of Christ and thus one who has a share in the glory yet to be revealed. Once Peter grasped the overwhelming truth of this mystery, his life was changed. The world held nothing for Peter. For him, there was only Christ.

This is, as you know, quite a dramatic shift for the man who three times denied Our Lord, the man to whom Jesus said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Christ’s declaration to Peter that he would be the rock, the impregnable foundation, the mountain of Zion upon which the new Jerusalem would be constructed, follows in Matthew’s Gospel Saint Peter’s dramatic profession of faith, when the Lord asks the Twelve, “Who do people say that I am?” and Peter, impulsive as always, responds “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Only later - much later - would Peter come to understand the full implication of this first Profession of Faith. Peter would still have to learn that to follow Christ, to truly be His disciple, one must let go of everything which the world considers valuable and necessary, and become powerless. This is the mystery which confounds independent Peter. It is the mystery which still confounds us: to follow Christ, one must surrender everything and become obedient with the obedience of Christ, for no one gains access to the Kingdom of the Father, unless he enter through the humility and the obedience of Jesus.

Peter had no idea that eventually he would find himself fully accepting this obedience, joyfully accepting his share in the Passion and Death of Christ. But Peter loved Our Lord and love was the way by which Peter learned how to obey. “Lord, you know that I love thee,” Peter affirms three times with tears; and three times Christ commands him to tend to the flock that gathers at the foot of Calvary - and that is where we are now.
Peter knew that Jesus was the true Shepherd, the one Master and the only teacher; the rest of us are learners and the lesson we must learn is obedience, obedience unto death. Nothing less than this, for only when we are willing to be obedient with the very obedience of Christ will we come to recognize Christ’s presence among us.

Obedience is thus the heart of the life of the disciple and the key to suffering in Christ and with Christ. This obedience, is must be said, is quite different from obedience the way it is spoken of and dismissed in the world.

For those in the world, obedience is a burden and an imposition. It is the way by which the powerful force the powerless to do obeisance. Simply juridical and always external, obedience is the bending that breaks, but a breaking which is still less painful than the punishment meted out for disobedience. Thus for those in the world obedience is a punishment which must be avoided; but for Christians, obedience is always personal, because it is centered on Christ. It is a surrender to Jesus Whom we love.

For those whose lives are centered in Christ, obedience is that movement which the heart makes when it leaps in joy having once discovered the truth.

Let us consider, then, that Christ has given us both the image of his obedience and the action by which we are made obedient.

The image of Christ’s obedience is His Sacred Heart. That Heart, exposed and wounded must give us pause, for man’s heart it generally hidden and secret. In the silence of his own heart, each of us discovers the truth of who we are, the truth of why we are silent when we should speak, or bothersome and quarrelsome when we should be silent. In our hidden recesses of the heart, we come to know the impulses behind our deeds and the reasons why we act so often as cowards and fools.

But while man’s heart is generally silent and secret, the Heart of the God-Man is fully visible and accessible. It too reveals the motives behind our Lord’s self-surrender. It was obedience to the Father’s will that mankind be reconciled and our many sins forgiven us. “Son though he was,” the Apostle reminds us, “Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered.” Obedient unto death, death on a cross, Jesus asks his Father to forgive us that God might reveal the full depth of his mercy and love. “Father, forgive them,” he prayed, “for they know not what they do.”

Christ’s Sacred Heart is the image of the obedience which Christ showed by his sacrificial love on Calvary. The Sacrifice of Calvary is also for us the means by which we are made obedient and this is a point which you must never forget: at Mass, we offer ourselves to the Father in union with Christ, who offers Himself in perfect obedience to the Father. We make this offering in obedience to Christ who commanded us to “Do this in memory of me” and our obediential offering is perfected in the love with which the Father receives the gift of His Son.

Do not be surprised then that here at Mass, our bloodless offering of the bloody sacrifice of Calvary is a triple act of obedience. First, Christ is obedient to the Father, and offers Himself as a sacrifice of reconciliation. Secondly, we are obedient to Christ and offer ourselves to the Father with Jesus the Son; and thirdly, in sharing Christ’s obedience to the Father, we are made obedient to a new order of reality, in which love is supreme and life reigns eternal, in which suffering and death have been defeated by becoming for us the means by which Christ’s final victory, his future coming, is made manifest and real today.

Suffering then, yours, mine, the Pontiffs, is at the heart of personal holiness, because it is our sharing in the obedience of Jesus which reveals his glory. It is the means by which we are made witnesses of his suffering and sharers in the glory to come.

Do not be dismayed that there many in the Church have not yet grasped this point, and fewer still in the world will even consider it. You know this to be true and ten men who whisper the truth speak louder than a hundred million who lie.

If then someone asks of what we spoke today, tell them we spoke of the truth. If someone asks why it is you came to this Mass, say that it was so that you could be obedient with Christ. If someone asks about the homily, tell them it was about a mystery and if someone asks what I said of the present situation, tell them only that we must - all of us - become saints.

Does this mean Hell *CAN* Freeze over?

Sword-Tip to Laudator via Father Z:

H. Allen Smith, "The Achievement of H.T. Wensel," in Clifton Fadiman, ed., The Mathematical Magpie (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1962), pp. 141-142 (at 142):

The exact temperature of hell cannot be computed, but it must be less than 444.6° C., the temperature at which brimstone or sulphur changes from a liquid to a gas. Revelations [sic] 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." A lake of molten brimstone means that its temperature must be below the boiling point, which is 444.6° C. If it were above this point it would be a vapor and not a lake.

As the article points out, hell (below 445° C. = 833° F.) is actually cooler than heaven (525° C. = 977° F., computed from Isaiah 30:26).

My world is upside down. Also... I am no Math wizard, so I have no idea how he got 977 F from this:

And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days: in the day when the Lord shall bind up the wound of his people, and shall heal the stroke of their wound.

I am guessing he multiplied something by 7? But when you divide 977 by 7, you get 139.6. Maybe the math is slightly different in Celsius. Because the hottest recorded temp I found was 136.

I'm starting to drink the "Tea"

Look... I know I dabble in politics on here a bit, and I know I pledged not to do it too much unless it directly relates to Catholicism.

I haven't talked to much about Tea Parties, mostly because I have a lot of conflicting thougths about them. Although, for the most part I think they are a great thing.

This commercial is surely one of those great things:
 



Sword/Tip: Moonbattery

Weekend Blog Round-uP

I dont have a ton of time to blog tonight, because I was conspiring with Dan from Gun Lovin' Alaskan Club until quite late. Well, I shouldn't say  conspiring... well I just shouldn't say anything.

I did want to highlight some other blog stories I found. I know some people don't like this... but for those that don't make it round to all the other blogs this may be helpful:

• Full Text of Bishop Slattery's Sermon from the Pontifical Mass on Saturday: Of course Diane over at Te Deum has a nice post with all the goodies from the Pontifical Mass. Even if you didn't watch it, the sermon is a MUST READ!

• Cardinal George to Speak in Anchorage in September: The Catholic Anchor announces that Cardinal George will speak to the Archdiocese. 

• Does it glorify HIM? Another great Adoro Te Devote post. 

Whitney Houston - ♫ One Moment in Time ♫

Love the song by Whitney Houston.. it always gives me courage and strength when i listen to it, something similar to Mariahs 'hero'. Both the songs touch you to the core an make you feel better. I just love these singers like Mariah, Celine, Whitney, they always create such strength giving music and since being an 80's, 90's music lover, i've been killing them... oops, their music, throughout the years! hehe... Whitneys 'I will always love you' is yet another fave :)
In the video, Whitney Houston performs during the Grammy Awards. She cracks up since shes performing live but you must hear the original. Happy MM :)

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Live Blogging - Pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of theImmaculate Conception

3:07 [Eastern Time]:
The Mass is over... I hope that this was at least somewhat enjoyable for some folks.
I believe the Mass re-airs on EWTN at 12midnight eastern time. 
Sorry I didn't do more commentary, but I kept getting wrapped up in watching the Mass.
It really was beautiful to watch on TV, and I pray that it leads to the conversion of hearts and minds for those that may not fully understand the Mass in the usus antiquior. 

 

2:55 [Eastern Time]:
BLOG CELEBRITY SIGHTING!!!
Can you spot them??

2:51 [Eastern Time]:
"The supreme form of active participation in the Mass... reception of Holy Communion in a State of Grace." 
 

2:45 [Eastern Time]:

 


2:32 [Eastern Time]:

 

2:27 [Eastern Time]:
The Sacred music at this Mass is beautiful... of course.
The Vestments are very beautiful, and fitting to this type of Mass.
There is something about this Mass that is special, I have a feeling that it will be the soil upon which many good things come. Goodness do we need a little of that in our midst right now.
 


2:19 [Eastern Time]:

2:16 [Eastern Time]:
Awesome explanation of the history of the Chalice being used.
 
 2:11 [Eastern Time]:

 



2:07 [Eastern Time]:

 The Burse

2:05 [Eastern Time]:
Sermon Quotes:

"So suffering and death can do nothing more than bring us to the Mercy of the Father."
"Peter, impulsive as always..." - AWESOME!
"Peter would still have to learn... to follow Christ, one must let go of everything that the world considers... valuable."
"To Christ, one must surrender everything, and become obedient."
"The image of Christ's obedience is His Sacred Heart."
"At Mass we offer ourselves in Union with Christ to the Father."
"Suffering then... is at the heart of personal holiness...Do not be dismayed that there are many in the Church that do not know this point."
"If someone asked why you go to Mass, tell them it was about obedience."



1:52 [Eastern Time]:
It is Sermon Time:

 
 

1:43 [Eastern Time]:
"...and upon this rock I will build My Church."


 1:43 [Eastern Time]:

1:30 [Eastern Time]:
If you dont have EWTN you can watch it live here:
http://www.ewtn.com/audiovideo/index.asp


1:15 [Eastern Time]:
I decided to Live Blog the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica since just about every east coast blogger is there... and well I am not.

A note from the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica

For those that want to witness the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, but cant make it to a church that  celebrates it, or if you would like to LEARN about it via a "play by play" - the Pontifical Mass at the Basilica of the National Cathedral is on EWTN right now.

As I am watching, the priests giving commentary said something vital to our understanding of the Mass. They were explaining how viewers not familiar with the Mass in the usus antiquior might be confused about all the extravagant and complex rituals that occur in the older Mass. The striking and important comment that they made about it was:

We have to remember that none of this [the rituals at Mass] is about us, but the Mass is all about God.

Liturgical Beauty - In the Usus Antiquior

The Q Continuum [A blog that I should not be linking to, since we are facing off in the 4th Annual Cannonball Catholic Awards] has posted an EXCELLENT primer or reflection on what to "look for" at Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

For those that don't know, Mass in the usus antiquior will take place at the Basilica of the National Shrine this weekend. Since a lot of Bloggers will be there, and a lot of folks who read blogs but that have never been to an EF Mass will be attending, The Q.C. prepared this primer:

Looking for signs of Liturgical Beauty

As I said, I shouldn't even be linking this :), but it is a really nice and succinct way at looking at the older form of the Mass, especially for those that may not be familiar with the usus antiquior. It is also a good instructional for those of us that find ourselves sometimes distracted at Mass - it gives us something to think about in terms of why we do what we do at Mass.

St. George's Feast Day

Sorry for the slow blogging day... I was celebrating St. George's Day by going out and slaying some Dragons!

Well... not really... but you could imagine.

I will most defenitely be updating this weekend. Part of the reason for the slow night last night, and this morning was because of some things I have been talking about, thinking about, and praying about in regards to my parish and the community therein.

St. George ~ Ora Pro Nobis ~ We all have dragons to slay.

For more Info on St. George:
St. George - Catholic Online

Green french beans on my platter these days

Recently i've been eating a lot of green (french) beans, which i believe is very high in dietary fiber and good for the immune system. I have suddenly began blogging a lot about health after neglecting my own, and landed up being very ill! anyway, my darling fussy kids too have began loving to eat beans, which normally they don't. You know the kids.. the very sight of 'greens' make them want to avoid meals or so, but i was not the one to give up and now they're enjoying beans in yummy carrot, bean and macaroni soup which we've been having daily! I know we're in the summers, yet i think soup is appetizing and beneficial to our bodies in many ways. I've also been cooking chow-mein(fried noodles) at home, which we normally have at restaurants. I guess there is nothing more satisfying than a homemade meal cooked with love and care :)

I didn't know one can fry these green beans... i mean in batter, etc... looking around i found this recipe online which i am going to share with you, and will be trying very soon too. Maybe tomorrow, because i cant already wait to taste the results! must be really crispy and crunchy :)

Buttermilk Fried Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 lb. green beans
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional but delicious)
Oil for frying

Method:
Trim, rinse, and thoroughly dry the green beans. Put them in a medium bowl and toss with buttermilk to coat.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag. Drain green beans and toss them in the flour mixture to coat thoroughly.
Bring about 1/2 inch oil in a wide, heavy pot to 350-375 degrees over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain that temperature range. Test temperature using a thermometer or by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around the handle, it is hot enough to fry the beans.
Shake excess flour mixture off beans as you add enough of them to form a single layer in the oil. Fry until golden to medium brown and beans are tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer with tongs or a slotted spoon to a cooling rack set over paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot. Repeat with remaining beans.

*******************************
Buttermilk Fried Green Bean bundles

In the image below, you can take four to five green beans at a time and bundle them together, tie them with green onion(onion leak) strips and add seasoning. Dip the bundles into a batter (ingredient above), and deep fry till golden brown. Relish the crispy, crumchy bean bundles with tomato ketchup!