Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Extra Credit for Creativity?
Funny (and very wrong) answers to test questions. This is why I always liked multiple-guess questions...If I didn't know an answer, I didn't have the creativity or the guts to make something up. (HT: Jonah Goldberg in the Corner).
Monday, May 14, 2007
Ascension Prayer
Thanks to Dr. Paul Ford for this beautiful Ascension imagery and prayer:
The Ascension of the Lord
“. . . since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, let us approach . . . in absolute trust . . . “
John 13:34
Reflection
Across altars all over the world—stones scarred with five crosses for His nailed hands and feet and lanced side, washed with baptismal water, stained with chrism, and set alight with candle wax, charcoal, and incense—Christ’s very Body and Blood makes a way for us, for me, into the heart of God.
Yes, the Bridegroom is now absent, but, oh, when he returns!
Prayer
Ascended Christ, I ascend to your/my/our Father through
the wounds in your hands, your feet, and your side.
HT: NPM 'Sunday's Word for Pastoral Musicians' 5/14/2007
The Ascension of the Lord
“. . . since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, let us approach . . . in absolute trust . . . “
John 13:34
Reflection
Across altars all over the world—stones scarred with five crosses for His nailed hands and feet and lanced side, washed with baptismal water, stained with chrism, and set alight with candle wax, charcoal, and incense—Christ’s very Body and Blood makes a way for us, for me, into the heart of God.
Yes, the Bridegroom is now absent, but, oh, when he returns!
Prayer
Ascended Christ, I ascend to your/my/our Father through
the wounds in your hands, your feet, and your side.
HT: NPM 'Sunday's Word for Pastoral Musicians' 5/14/2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Happy Mother's Day !!!
Loving God,as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children,
so you watch over your Church.
Bless these women,
that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers.
Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.
Grant that we, their sons and daughters,
may honor them always
with a spirit of profound respect.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
from the Book of Blessings
Friday, May 11, 2007
Chant 101
Why chant? What should be chanted? What settings are most effective?
Jeffrey Tucker at The New Liturgical Movement starts what looks to be an awesome series of posts that teaches about chant in terms that even an old rocker like me can understand.
Not that he needs them, but he also gets bonus points for the accuracy of his description of Catholic musician conversations and discussion boards.
Jeffrey Tucker at The New Liturgical Movement starts what looks to be an awesome series of posts that teaches about chant in terms that even an old rocker like me can understand.
Not that he needs them, but he also gets bonus points for the accuracy of his description of Catholic musician conversations and discussion boards.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
From the Sports Desk
Given my current lack of knowledge, I should limit my posting on sports even more than my ventures into political discourse. This year, though, the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons have renewed a playoff rivalry that made me remember when I could name the starting 5 of the better NBA teams. Though the Pistons are humiliating the Bulls this year, I'm enjoying the Bill Laimbeer-Scottie Pippen-Zeek Thomas-John Paxson-Joe Dumars-Bill Cartwright-Vinnie Johnson short shorts-wearing memories.
Church and State
Topic warning - politics style.
Two successive posts from First Things examine the selective vision of some Catholic leaders.
Michael Novak sheds some light upon progressive (even imperialist?) domination of Catholic social and political action where conservative thought is excluded from the arena of ideas. The Cliff's Notes version:
In short, there is more than one way of grasping the principles, working out the middle axioms, and examining with accuracy and through open, respectful debate the concrete realities addressed by Catholic social thought [SNIP] Catholic social thought has more than one wing. It needs at least two to fly.
Alas, the imperialist Catholics try to foist off their monolithic, myopic vision of Catholic social thought as though it were the whole of that beautiful, long-lived, and many-colored intellectual tradition. Theirs is only a splinter, not the whole beam.
If Mr. Brennan were content to present his own views, and those of his allies, as one option among many, I would have no quarrel with them. We could then have many useful arguments about the concrete realities, as well as about the policy options most likely ofsuccess.
James Kerian notes how selectively the USCCB chooses to apply church teaching in this article. He concludes:
It seems far more likely that after over three decades of succumbing to cultural pressure, our clergy are simply eager to show their courage in the face of the law on the first safe issue that has presented itself. [SNIP] If one is going to stand up to the law, it may as well be a law that many people already ignore.
Two successive posts from First Things examine the selective vision of some Catholic leaders.
Michael Novak sheds some light upon progressive (even imperialist?) domination of Catholic social and political action where conservative thought is excluded from the arena of ideas. The Cliff's Notes version:
In short, there is more than one way of grasping the principles, working out the middle axioms, and examining with accuracy and through open, respectful debate the concrete realities addressed by Catholic social thought [SNIP] Catholic social thought has more than one wing. It needs at least two to fly.
Alas, the imperialist Catholics try to foist off their monolithic, myopic vision of Catholic social thought as though it were the whole of that beautiful, long-lived, and many-colored intellectual tradition. Theirs is only a splinter, not the whole beam.
If Mr. Brennan were content to present his own views, and those of his allies, as one option among many, I would have no quarrel with them. We could then have many useful arguments about the concrete realities, as well as about the policy options most likely ofsuccess.
James Kerian notes how selectively the USCCB chooses to apply church teaching in this article. He concludes:
It seems far more likely that after over three decades of succumbing to cultural pressure, our clergy are simply eager to show their courage in the face of the law on the first safe issue that has presented itself. [SNIP] If one is going to stand up to the law, it may as well be a law that many people already ignore.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Role-Reversal
The abundant writing and speculation about relaxing the permissions required to pray the traditional Latin Mass as it was in the 1962 Missal have provided an interesting insight for me courtesy of a caller to last Friday's 'Catholic Answers' radio show. The caller (from 47 minutes into the podcast) relates that she 'lived through' the change from Latin to the vernacular, and believes she'll have to 'live through' the 'reversal' from the vernacular back to Latin.
Notwithstanding the merits of (or lack thereof) the caller's concerns, it did cause me to consider the upheaval many of the faithful must have experienced with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. That awareness goes a long way to explain why this is taking longer than some expect, and why the Vatican is proceeding carefully.
Notwithstanding the merits of (or lack thereof) the caller's concerns, it did cause me to consider the upheaval many of the faithful must have experienced with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. That awareness goes a long way to explain why this is taking longer than some expect, and why the Vatican is proceeding carefully.
Bob Kurzhals fund-raiser
St. Jude 6th grade girl scouts will be washing cars at Buster's Creamy Whip, 6581 Glenway Rd. (next to Rally's near Glenway/Bridgetown/Race intersection) to raise money for the Kurzhals family. Buster's will also be donating 20% of sales to the Kurzhals when customers mention Bob's name with their order.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Bring Flowers of the Rarest...
Two May Crownings in 2 days (and I get paid to be there - lucky me). Very different celebrations, though...St. Jude the Apostle (May 1 afternoon) celebrated May Crowning within the format of Evening Prayer, while St. Lawrence (May 2 evening) followed the outline from World Library's Missalette (Liturgy of the Word plus Litany & Act of Consecration).
I was very impressed with St. Lawrence's children's choir. There were 20-plus middle-schoolers, and their tone was clear and bright. Music for both celebrations was traditional and similar, but playing the Mighty Schaedle-tzer at St. Lawrence was nice. I'd like St. Jude's children's choir to hear what Becky Rogers does with the kids from St. Lawrence. I hope it would encourage the current 4th & 5th graders to sing through 6th, 7th, & 8th grades...if they do, I think they'll be something special in a couple years, too.
I was very impressed with St. Lawrence's children's choir. There were 20-plus middle-schoolers, and their tone was clear and bright. Music for both celebrations was traditional and similar, but playing the Mighty Schaedle-tzer at St. Lawrence was nice. I'd like St. Jude's children's choir to hear what Becky Rogers does with the kids from St. Lawrence. I hope it would encourage the current 4th & 5th graders to sing through 6th, 7th, & 8th grades...if they do, I think they'll be something special in a couple years, too.
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