Keep 'practicing', Madame Speaker

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a self-described, "ardent, practicing Catholic". Transcript excerpt via Drudge:

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

Here's the YouTube excerpt Drudge also linked.

March for Life pictures

I've uploaded pictures from Washington, DC last week to facebook in 4 albums:

Part 1 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7828&l=e7790&id=1625663626
Part 2 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7830&l=4650a&id=1625663626
Part 3 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8090&l=ec947&id=1625663626
Part 4 - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8092&l=88970&id=1625663626

It was an awesome experience, and I'm especially grateful to have shared it with Calvin and other St. Jude and west-side friends.

Good night...

It's poignant and profound to reflect that this might be the last time this kid crashes on his old man.

March for Life

We marched with our group of west-eiders from the National Mall to the Supreme Court. The picture shows 3 blocks of Constitution Ave., packed with marchers. Earlier in the march, when we were at the other end of Constitution, that same area was just as full with the marchers in front of us.

Youth Rally Sold Out

The picture is of the outside of the Verizon Center, which is unfortunately as close as we're going to get to the Youth Rally, which was filled to capacity before 9 am. Plan B is Mass at the National Shrine.

Bus Ride and Vigil for Life

Calvin and I made the bus trip with 50 other pilgrims from St. Jude, Lourdes, St. Antoninus, St. Leo, Our Lady of Victory, and St. Bernard to Washington, DC for the March for Life tomorrow.
The bus ride was long (11 hours)...Somehow, we ended up in the rear of the bus with the younger set. Very well-behaved kids, but still noisy. Oh well - it certainly could have been worse.
After checking in to the Quality Inn College Park, we attended the Vigil Mass for Life at the incredible Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Though it's the largest Roman Catholic Church in the US, there was still an overflow crowd. Mass was beautiful, but the audio and video for the overflow crowd in the 'Crypt Church' was lousy. Still an incredible experience, though.
Tomorrow, we wake up early for 6:30 breakfast, catch the youth rally and 10 am Mass at the Verizon Center, and then attend the March for Life at the National Mall and Supreme Court.

What's Chinese for Catch-22?

Another tip to the Corner for this link from Mark Steyn:

This is a helluva story on some of the grislier consequences on the ChiComs' (demographically disastrous) one-child laws:

A court in central China has sentenced a woman to death for hiring someone to strangle her 9-year-old son so she could have another child with her new husband without violating population laws, a court official and reports said Friday.

And this next sentence is headspinning:

Li initially received a death sentence suspended for two years because she had suffered from depression after having two abortions due to the rules against her bearing another child, the reports said. Such sentences are often commuted to life in prison.

Check out the whole post. Steyn updated it with a reader comment that sums up the whole sad, Orwellian truth.

Celebrate (Sanctity of Human) Life (Day)

Wouldn't this be a nice way to mark the Sunday before the Roe v. Wade anniversary every year (h/t K-Lo and the Corner):

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2009
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.

The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother.

America is a caring Nation, and our values should guide us as we harness the gifts of science. In our zeal for new treatments and cures, we must never abandon our fundamental morals. We can achieve the great breakthroughs we all seek with reverence for the gift of life.

The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women. On this day and throughout the year, we aspire to build a society in which every child is welcome in life and protected in law. We also encourage more of our fellow Americans to join our just and noble cause. History tells us that with a cause rooted in our deepest principles and appealing to the best instincts of our citizens, we will prevail.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 18, 2009, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

President Bush has done this each January since at least 2002. I don't know if any Presidents issued similar proclamations before then. I wonder what it would take to make this a permanent observance?

Help Wanted @ Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good?

From the Columbus Dispatch (tip, Jonah Goldberg at The Corner):

Ex-state official charged in online-prostitution case

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:52 PM

By Theodore Decker

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Columbus vice detectives monitoring online discussions among clients of prostitutes for years have noticed a man posting under the names "Sullivant Guy," "Broad Street Guy," "Toby" and "God O Thunder."

The man, like many others on the sites, would trade information about street hookers and online escorts. He would recommend some prostitutes, issue warnings about others and give advice on ways to avoid law enforcement.

Detectives said today that they arrested the "go-to guy" behind those posts.

Robert Eric McFadden, who was the director of Gov. Ted Strickland's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives until his transfer to another state job in fall 2007, was arrested in Dublin.

McFadden, 46, of 6290 Hyland Dr. in Dublin, was taken into custody on seven prostitution-related counts, including charges that he promoted a 17-year-old prostitute online.

The charges include compelling prostitution involving a minor, promoting prostitution and pandering. He is being held in the Franklin County jail pending an appearance in Municipal Court this morning.

Police said they have seized a computer and two vehicles. One was his wife's car, which detectives said was the setting for photos of the 17-year-old girl that McFadden then posted online.

Police have identified the girl, who is cooperating with the investigation.

Detectives said McFadden was one of the men involved in a hooker-review Web site that spawned what police called a raffle for sex last fall and the creation of a Brewery District brothel.

Police had arrested an academic adviser at Ohio State University, a sex-abuse caseworker at Franklin County Children Services and a real-estate agent in connection with the brothel.

Through that investigation they learned that McFadden had been promoting the girl, who already had been advertising her sex services online, Sgt. Stan Latta said.

It is unclear how McFadden was compensated, if at all, for furthering the girl's business, police said.

Vice detective Jeff Ackley, stressing that he was speaking only generally, said johns have been known to promote prostitutes in return for sexual favors.

Before joining the Strickland administration, McFadden served as field director for Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.

He was hired in February 2007 to lead the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He was paid $36 an hour but was transferred to the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in late October that year, Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said.

The Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is charged with making it easier for such organizations to compete for public funding, encouraging partnerships among the groups and measuring the impact those partnerships have on needy Ohioans.

"It had become clear that he wasn't a good fit for the office," Dailey said. "It wasn't working out. The position was a leadership position. He wasn't the right person to lead such an important office."

McFadden, who told police today that he is unemployed, was laid off by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in March because of budget cuts.

Dispatch reporters Mark Niquette and Alan Johnson contributed to this story.

In addition to Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (are pro-lifers and conservatives against the common good?), McFadden was past president of Catholics for Faithful Citizenship; worked for Catholics for Kerry in 2004; and was the State Faith & Values Outreach Director for Hillary Clinton in 2008.

It is widely held that many pro-life and conservative voters stayed home because of apathy, or voted Obama because of economy. The next time it's difficult for you to be inspired by the candidate your well-formed conscience should vote for, remember what positions this guy might have aspired to in a President Hilary Clinton administration.

Rest in Peace - Fr. Richard Neuhaus

The blog's been dormant as life has been a little too much to blog about lately. I've recently been missing it more and more, and considering what it would take to maintain the blog and other web resources for work and family. I'd even considered making it a New Year's Resolution, though I'm glad I didn't doom this good intention to the same fate as dozens of attempts to lose weight, quit drinking, etc.
What I've missed more than blogging is staying in touch with the writers that made me want to blog in the first place. It started with Fr. Kyle Schnippel's weblog 'Called by Name', where I 'met' Fr. Martin Fox, Rich Leonardi, Amy Welborn, and all the bloggers that are now my bookmarks, although I hardly seem to have the time to visit much these days.
Fr. Neuhaus' writing at 'First Things' and interviews on EWTN and Catholic Radio shaped my spirituality and my world-view. He lived and loved everything Catholic, and regardless of the subject, seemed to clearly articulate why Catholics believe and do what we believe and do. Here are links to what my others have written about the most articulate voice on the Catholic internet:
First Things post, K-Lo at The Corner (tip to Amy Welborn)
Washington Times obituary (tip to Rich Leonardi)
and a collection of other sources, some of which I'm not as familiar with, courtesy of CatholicCulture.org.
I can hardly hope to match Fr. Neuhaus' intellect or holiness, but I hope my writing might join countless others in appreciation and tribute, as his legacy continues to teach and preach. Let us pray now for his soul, and to one day join him, ready for death after a life, like his, well-lived.

Happy Independence Day

In a culture where freedom of choice translates to choosing anything we want and is prized above the individual liberties of those who can't choose, here is a nice article by Ken Blackwell (via RealClearPolitics) reflecting upon a scary story from the UK:

The Gospel according to Laugh-In

In honor of Sunday's Gospel, here's a somewhat more light-hearted translation (HT to the NPM user-group e-mail broadcast):

Updated 9/19 with correct title and College for author Timothy Fulop - Thanks, Genie Addleton

Prodigal Son in Key of F

Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his fond father to fork over his farthings. He flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting fabulously with faithless friends.
Finally facing famine and fleeced by his fellows-in-folly, he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farmyard. Fairly famished, he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder fragments. "Fooey, my father's flunkies fare far fancier," the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing facts.
Frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he fled forthwith to his family. Falling at his father's feet, he floundered forlornly, "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited family favor." But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.
The fugitive's fraternal faultfinder frowned on the fickle forgiveness of former folderol. His fury flashed, but fussing was futile. The farsighted father figured, "Such filial fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivity for the fugitive is found. Unfurl the flags with flaring, let fun and frolic freely flow. Former failure is forgotten, folly forsaken. Forgiveness forms the foundation for future fortune."

Author: Timothy E. Fulop is Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean, Lakeland College

Mother Teresa's 'Dark Night' in Context

Whether you read the new biography or not, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, who has made a study of psychology and the faith, and was a friend of Mother Teresa's, does everyone a favor by putting her writings in their proper context at First Things (HT Fr. Schnippel).

First Things is also front-paging Carol Zaleski's 2003 article 'The Dark Night of Mother Teresa' that the media ignored because it didn't bash this saint-to-be or scandalize the church.

Sacramentum Caritatis Bulletin Articles - #4

This is the fourth part of a series of bulletin articles on the March, 2007 apostolic exhortation from Pope Benedict the XVI entitled ‘Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love)’. For further study, refer to paragraphs 7 through 10 of SC.

Links to previous parts can be found here.
Thanks, Fr. Martin Fox.

Pope Benedict writes, ‘The first element of eucharistic faith is the mystery of God himself, Trinitarian love… In the Eucharist Jesus does not give us a "thing," but himself; he offers his own body and pours out his own blood. He thus gives us the totality of his life and reveals the ultimate origin of this love.’ (SC ¶ 7)
Jesus, the Son and Redeemer, was sent by God, the Father and Creator, and conceived by the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete and Sanctifier. God willed that we might be saved by one like ourselves. Jesus revealed the purpose of His mission in the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. The Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends in Jesus’ name, reminds us of all that Jesus taught us, and will be with us always (cf. John 14).
The new and eternal covenant of Jesus’ Body and Blood delivers us from evil and death. In addition to the Last Supper, consider how the Cross (Jesus’ Passion and Death) is also about the Eucharist. The ‘First Mass’ didn’t end with the end of the Holy Thursday meal, but continued through the entire Paschal Mystery of Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. As the Holy Father writes, ‘In instituting the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus anticipates and makes present the sacrifice of the Cross and the victory of the resurrection. At the same time, He reveals that He Himself is the true sacrificial lamb… The institution of the Eucharist demonstrates how Jesus' death, for all its violence and absurdity, became in Him a supreme act of love and mankind's definitive deliverance from evil.’ (SC ¶ 10)

adapted from presentations written by Rev. Martin Fox, published at http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com/; alt. GPW

Ministry Night at St. Jude

Tonight, the parish lectors, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, and Mass coordinators attended Vespers and a brief training session together in church. In spite of being scheduled at the same time as the Bengals game, attendance was great. Evening Prayer was beautiful, and presentations for all the lay ministers were concise and meaningful.
What a blessing to see returning familiar faces along with fresh, new faces coming together to offer our service for the glory of God.

Anglican Update

I haven't posted a link to an 'Anglican-communion-teetering-on-the-brink-of-oblivion' article recently, so here you go (courtesy of First Things, of course). Article author Jordan Hylden suggests:

The solution to the current crisis in Anglicanism, as more and more have been
coming to realize, is clear—walking together under the authority of the one Lord
Christ Jesus as revealed to us in Scripture.

That doesn't seem too difficult, does it? Quoting from the article again, pray that "mutual trust, promise-keeping, selflessness and community" prevail instead of "pridefulness and autonomy", and that all Christian churches may be one.

Sacramentum Caritatis Bulletin Articles - #3

Click here for part 2 & link to part 1:

For St. Jude's 9/2/2007 bulletin - Thanks, Fr. Fox!

SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS - Part 3
This is the third part of a series of bulletin articles on the March, 2007 apostolic exhortation from Pope Benedict the XVI entitled ‘Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love)’. For further study, refer to the 1st 6 paragraphs of SC.
The three sections of Sacramentum Caritatis are all titled after the ‘Mystery’ of the Eucharist. Each part is named ‘The Eucharist: a Mystery to be…(…Believed’, part 1) (…Celebrated’, part 2) (…Lived’, part 3). A quick scan of SC shows that Pope Benedict uses this term throughout the exhortation at least 70 times. This emphasis is an important insight in and of itself, but it requires us to understand the meaning of the word ‘mystery’ in the context of our faith.
The mysteries of our faith are realities that extend beyond our knowledge and comprehension. Our understanding of these mysteries is limited by our human nature, but made real to us by God’s revelation. In the Greek language of the New Testament, the word for ‘mystery’ (musterion) appears 27 times. When that same term is translated to Latin, the term that is often used is sacramentum, which is also from where the Church’s term ‘sacrament’ is derived.
Consider other common Church usage of the term ‘mystery’: to Eastern Rite Christians, what we know as the 7 Sacraments are referred to as Mysteries; the Paschal Mystery, where we refer to the Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of God in human form; at Mass, when we may be invited to prepare to ‘celebrate the sacred Mysteries’, or during the Memorial Acclamation of the Eucharistic Prayer where the priest invites all to ‘proclaim the Mystery of faith’.
When Pope Benedict writes, ‘[t]he Eucharist is a "mystery of faith" par excellence: "the sum and summary of our faith."’ (SC ¶6), he focuses us on the mysteries we believe. This belief invites us to encounter and know Jesus Christ, the Divine Son who became man, suffered and died and rose to make atonement for our sins and to unite us to God. This encounter and knowledge is given to us in the breaking of the bread - the real and substantial presence of Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity, in the Eucharist.

adapted from presentations written by Rev. Martin Fox, published at http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com; alt. GPW

Grill-out with Seminarians

After the 11:00 Mass at St. Jude this past Sunday, the Cincinnati Serra Club hosted a grill-out for the seminarians who begin classes at Mt. St. Mary's of the West this week. The Mass was beautiful, and the grill-out was awesome. It was beautiful to meet and see the new and returning seminarians (including St. Jude's own Marty Bachman, Rev. Mr. Jason Bedel from St. Martin of Tours, Shawn Landenwitsch from Visitation, and Will Egan from St. Catharine of Siena).

The generosity and support of the Serra Club and the hospitality of several St. Jude families and vocations-friends (including 6 of my favorite blondes) made for a very joyful atmosphere. See all the pictures here.

'We Watched the Conception...'

When 8 yo Audrey told me what she did at the party with Claire tonight, I wondered if we might need to supervise her activities a little more closely...thankfully, that's not the case:

Vive el Concepcion!!!

Sacramentum Caritatis Bulletin Articles - #2

From St. Jude's 8/26 bulletin (click here for Part 1):

Sacramentum Caritatis is organized into three parts, all titled ‘The Eucharist: a Mystery to be…(…Believed’, part 1) (…Celebrated’, part 2) (…Lived’, part 3). In the Introduction, Pope Benedict writes of the Eucharist as the ‘food of truth’, and connects the ‘innate and irrepressible desire for ultimate and definitive truth’ that we all have to ‘[t]he Lord Jesus, "the way, and the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), [who] speaks to our thirsting, pilgrim hearts, our hearts yearning for the source of life, our hearts longing for truth.’ (SC, ¶2)
This introduction immediately establishes the real and uncompromising tone the Church uses in its teachings about the Eucharist. Christ is truly, really, and substantially present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. The truth of the ‘Mystery to be Believed’ is eternal and unchanging, not relative or symbolic.
When the Holy Father writes about the Eucharist throughout Sacramentum Caritatis, he teaches us that the sacrament itself and the celebration of the sacrament (the Mass) are one reality. To preserve our faith in the truth of the sacrament, it’s important to be faithful to the instructions the Church gives about the ‘Mystery to be Celebrated’.
The third part (‘A Mystery to be Celebrated’) follows naturally from our faith in and nourishment from the food of truth. Our encounter with God Himself in the Eucharist must continue to change us, and from that should flow a life lived in truth.

adapted from presentations written by Rev. Martin Fox, published at http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com; alt. GPW

Sacramentum Caritatis Bulletin Articles

With Fr. Martin Fox's inspiration and help, I'm going to attempt to write a very concise and simple bulletin review of Sacramentum Caritatis over the next several weeks. I wouldn't recommend it before Fr. Fox's insight and depth, but perhaps a 'Cliff's Notes' introduction in a church bulletin may lead others to dig a little deeper, and heaven knows how deep the Holy Father can take us.
If you haven't, read the exhortation along with the talks Fr. Fox has posted, beginning here (part 1) and continuing on his blog.
This introduction to the series for St. Jude's bulletin began last weekend:

SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS
Last March, the Vatican published an apostolic exhortation from Pope Benedict the XVI entitled Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love). Sacramentum Caritatis (SC) was the final document of a Synodal Assembly from October, 2005, which Pope John Paul II had convened to conclude the Year of the Eucharist.
The purpose of the Synod to end the Year of the Eucharist was to promote the reality, joy, and value of the Eucharist to the Catholics of today’s world. Forty years after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Synod evaluated the reception of Vatican II’s liturgical renewal, and found that, “[t]he difficulties and even the occasional abuses which were noted, it was affirmed, cannot overshadow the benefits and the validity of the liturgical renewal, whose riches are yet to be fully explored.”
(SC, ¶3)
SC is organized in 3 different parts: The Eucharist, a Mystery to Be Believed; The Eucharist, a Mystery to Be Celebrated; and The Eucharist, a Mystery to Be Lived. Over the next several weeks, this space in the bulletin will summarize different parts of SC, and attempt to shed some light on what this important document means to our local and universal church. If you’d like to read the document for yourself, it’s available on the Vatican’s web site, the US Bishops’ web site, or from EWTN (http://www.ewtn.com/). The parish has a limited number of copies available through our lending library, too. Please contact the parish office if you’d like to reserve a copy to borrow.

Have You Prayed for Vocations Today?

Vocations article by Benedict Groeschel for First Things magazine. My money one-liner:

We have only to look at the offerings of retreat houses run by some religious congregations to discover how silly people intending to be serious can sometimes become.

The Cliff's Notes quote:

Corruptio optimi pessimum, the old Latin proverb runs: Corruption of the best becomes the worst. We have seen it for forty years. The generation formed since John Paul II became pope is clamoring for something better.

(HT: Roman Catholic Blog and new bookmark Roman Catholic Vocations blog)

Vacation - Leg 2

We drove from Naples to Ft. Myers earlier this afternoon, and will be staying at Mia's sister & brother-in-law's home for the rest of vacation. Sharon and Noel Pooler have the nicest home I've ever been in. We'll get some pictures posted soon on the family page. It's unbelievable how fortunate I/we are to go from the Cranley's beachfront Naples home to the Pooler's...
Vacation reading is going well, but slow. I'm only 100 pages into the syrupy Southwell life story, but I've appreciated having the time to pray morning & evening prayer. Kids are having fun...we're getting new pictures & entries to the family blog almost every day.

Vacation Reading

I'm finally getting to read my wonderful Christmas present from Mia - The Life of Robert Southwell Poet and Martyr by Christopher Devlin. It was published in England in 1956 and is so well-written that it's frustrating, because I can't parse all its historical and cultural references. For example:

It was well known that [Queen] Elizabeth never forgot her old friends, and this was soon proved in Thomas [Copley]'s case; for being affianced in youth to a sister of the elderly Lord Chamberlain, Howard of Effingham, he met a girl more of his own age, Catherine Luttrell, who 'liked him better for her beauty', and he jilted the Chamberlain's sister. The enmity of so powerful a person might well have proved fatal (and later did); but the Queen smiled on his new marriage, and stood godmother to the eldest son, Henry, who was born in 1560.

Feel free to explain that to one me, Elizabethans-for-Dummies. Thankfully, there is much that isn't sailing above my head, though it's so rich that the reading is slow. The book cites this unpublished Southwell poem as a pathos-laden expression of love for his own mother within Our Lady's 'lament for the loss of her Child in the Temple':

And art thou slain, sweet Lord, with cruel death
Through wretched spite and bloody tyrant's hand?
Or dost thou live, dear child, and draw thy breath
Yet haply hid in unacquainted land?
If thou be dead, then farewell life for me,
And if thou live, why live I not with thee?

And if thou live, how couldst thou leave in woe
Thy mother dear that brought thee first to light?
How couldst thou leave thy mournful parent so,
That for thy weale takes care both day and night?
How couldst thou go some other where to dwell,
And make no stay to bid her once farewell?

I first read Southwell in a collection of Advent & Christmas meditations by Rev. Benedict Groeschel, Behold He Comes. Fr. Groeschel included this poem in an appendix of beautiful Advent & Christmas prose, poetry, & lyrics (tip luminarium.org).

FROM St. Peter's Complaint, 1595

THE BURNING BABE.
By Robert Southwell

As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
Alas, quoth he, but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defilëd souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I callëd unto mind that it was Christmas day.

Source:Poetry of the English Renaissance 1509-1660.
J. William Hebel and Hoyt H. Hudson, Eds.New York: F. S. Crofts & Co, 1941. 238.

Wish You Were Here...

This is the view from the beach-front home we're visiting in Naples, FL this week:

Sometimes, it's hard to be me...

UPDATE - More vacation pictures and kids blogging at our new family web page:

Benedict XVI & Music

Beautiful (and apparently spontaneous) words about choral singing from the Holy Father:

"Training in singing, in singing in choir, is not only an exercise of the
external hearing and voice; it is also an education of interior hearing, the
hearing of the heart, an exercise and a education in life and peace," the Holy
Father said in his improvised remarks."Singing together in choir and with other
choirs together, demands attention to the other, attention to the composer,
attention to the conductor, attention to this totality that we call music and
culture. And," he added, "in this way singing in choir is a training in life, a
training in peace, a walking together." (Zenit News Agency, HT NPM listserv)

The Pope has taken a lot of flak from the same NPM user-group that called my attention to this article. It's nice to see that some positive opinions are out there, too.

Heading for vacation

Thanks be to God, my wife, and my employers for enabling me to vacation with our wonderful family from 7/29-8/9. Besides enjoying Ft. Myers and Naples, FL, I hope and resolve to improve my prayer routine (especially Lauds & Vespers), and to do more original blogging. For the most part since I began this blog, all I've been doing is linking to what I've been reading on the web...hopefully, I can develop a few original thoughts and insights of my own, and contribute something to the great conversations happening in our churches and world.
Please feed the fish for me, somebody...anybody...Bueller?

Bulletin Blurb #3

for St. Jude's July 29 bulletin

How Can I Keep from Singing?
The song during the Preparation of the Gifts this weekend was written by Robert Wadsworth Lowry (1826-1899). Lowry was a 19th Century Baptist preacher who ministered at churches in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and served as chancellor of the University of Lewisburg (now Bucknell University).
He wrote hundreds of Gospel hymns, including “How Can I Keep from Singing” and “Shall We Gather at the River”. Ironically, he’s still renowned today for his music, though he would have preferred to be remembered as a preacher, having once said, “Music, with me has been a side issue... I would rather preach a gospel sermon to an appreciative audience than write a hymn. I have always looked upon myself as a preacher and felt a sort of depreciation when I began to be known more as a composer."

Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wadsworth_Lowry

Church of England Bishops Keeping Secrets?

I haven't linked to an Anglican-update in a while, but if this commentary from CMR is any indicator, it doesn't look like Bishop Gene Robinson wants any sort of communion with views and agendas contrary to his own.

Church Sign Apologetics

(HT Amy Welborn)
It seems as if talking church signs can figure out "Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church", that it shouldn't be too difficult for the rest of us.

Preaching the Message of the Motu

Fr. Martin Fox, from his homily this weekend:

This is why we aren’t supposed to be too “creative” with the liturgy. We believe the Holy Spirit governs the Church. But people are hard to work with—it takes time. Centuries—even thousands of years. Tradition is the accumulated effect of the Holy Spirit teaching us, sorted through all our human frailties. With great humility, we embrace our Tradition, rather than casting it aside because it’s “old,” or, “we don’t understand it.”

Whether you agree or disagree, you'll be enlightened if you read it all.

"Catholics recovering their heritage will make a huge difference in the world."

Great closing to a great article about the impact of Summorum Pontificum that goes a little deeper than trads v. rads or reform2 v. progressives (HT: RealClearPolitics). Read the whole thing. I don't know who David Warren is, but he seems interesting.

The Wrong Guy Sighting

It was awesome to see Bob Kurzhals with his lovely bride in church this weekend. We happened to pass the tabernacle at the same time, and both genuflected. May I never complain should my physical condition ever make such piety a challenge. See his thewrong guy page for details on his inspiring struggle, and send the Kurzhals family all the love and prayers you can.

My name is Greg & I'm a recovering NPM member...

I didn't miss the NPM National Convention in Indianapolis last week...I guess I'm showing my age. I had intended to go to a Choir Director's Institute to try and develop some choral leading and conducting skills, but it was canceled, so now there's really no excuse for getting all the filing and clean-up done this summer.
Amy Welborn cites 2 bloggers whose observations about the NPM convention resonate with me like a classic 'Before' and 'After' study.
Before: 'Overall the convention was great. I got to personally meet and talk to David Haas, Fr. John Foley, SJ, Fr. Roc O'Connor, SJ, Fr. Bob Dufford, SJ, Steve Angrisano, and Tom Booth! Totally awesome to get to discuss liturgy and music with the guys that are composing our church's music...Yes I know... I am Ben Story and I'm a Catholic music junkie.' Ben...you're not alone.
'As for the sessions themselves, they were generally good although most of mine turned into marketing seminars of sorts for the artists involved.' Methinks young Ben is on to something here.
After: 'Steven Warner’s opening address. Ok, much of it was good, but at one point he glorified the guitar Mass (enh...), talked about how we need a full implementation of Vatican II (yes...), and then turned and stated, “We do not need a reform of the reform!” (Applause ensued.) Whoa there, Wilbur! Many of us were feeling a mite uncomfortable, even unwelcome, after that - and this at a convention whose theme ostensibly was, “that all may be one”...Ricky Manalo’s plenum, all about multicultural issues, failed to mention even once the single most unifying element of our liturgy: the Latin language.' The Steven Warner remark about reform is a little scary, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the lack of context. In case you're unsure, I'd recommend you to what the Holy Father has written on the subject, or to what the servant of God John Paul II had to say about the same.

UPDATE - Here's the missing context (and it does soften the statement a bit) with a link to the entire Warner address (that also has some other provocative observations), courtesy of Todd Flowerday.

Bulletin Blurb #2

This week's music background from the St. Jude Bulletin:

‘BICENTENNIAL’ Hymn
The Communion song this weekend is ‘You Satisfy the Hungry Heart’ (Gather #815). This song, which is notable for its quirky, uneven rhythms, is also known by the tune name BICENTENNIAL. The music was composed by Robert Kreutz (1922-1996), and the text was penned by Omer Westendorf (1916-1997).
The name of the tune comes from the year of its composition, 1976. This hymn was the winning entry of a hymn competition the Archdiocese of Philadelphia sponsored in connection with the 41st International Eucharistic Congress. Cincinnati native Omer Westendorf founded the World Library of Sacred Music, which published the first English language collection of Catholic liturgical hymns and texts, the People’s Mass Book. For years, Omer was the choir director and organist at St. Bonaventure in South Fairmount.

Biographical information adapted from http://www.canticanova.com/articles/liturgy/art9x2.htm

Bulletin Blurbs

I usually submit several different paragraphs for our parish bulletin each week. Often, I'll take some of the music we're singing and provide background, history, and/or context that might help parishioners understand why we sing what we sing. I'm going to start cross-posting these articles here, both for anyone who's interested, and for anyone who can add additional information or necessary corrections. This week's article was intended to help people understand what the General Instruction says about Gregorian chant, and to encourage parishioners to sing our communion chant in the spirit of Church teaching.

‘Taste and See’ plainchant
During Communion this weekend, we’re singing a Gregorian chant setting of Psalm 34. The simple antiphon (‘Taste and see the goodness of the Lord’) is repeated by the congregation in between chanted psalm verses. Singing Gregorian chant often begs the question, ‘Why?’, especially in cases where we know (and perhaps even prefer) other versions of ‘Taste and See’, like the setting by James Moore at Gather #814; or the refrain from ‘All Who Hunger’ (#820), which we sang last weekend.

Here are some reasons the Church gives for singing Gregorian chant, especially during the Communion procession (from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal):
“All other things being equal , Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy.” (¶ 41)
“While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants' union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the ‘communitarian’ nature of the procession to receive Communion.” (¶ 86)
“In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Communion chant: (1) the antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual…; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song from another collection of psalms and antiphons…; (4) a suitable liturgical song…” (¶ 87)

It’s worth noting that, consistent with the ‘pride of place’ mentioned in paragraph 41, the 1st option the General Instruction provides for singing during Communion is the chant from the Roman Missal or Gradual. If you still find yourself resisting plainchant, consider participating (by praying, listening, and singing) in the spirit of the General Instruction, and see if that participation may unite our spirits and voices, and express the joy in your heart.

Est Verus

It's official - many a blogger will be looking for something else to fill his free time now that B16 has issued the Motu Proprio approving more widespread use of the 1962 Missal. I'm sure I'm echoing many when I remind you not to believe what is reported about this...read the Holy Father's letter yourself. I can't add much light to the conversation, but if you want to read what my favorite blogs are saying about it, see Jimmy Akin, Fr. Martin Fox, Patrick Archbold's straight summary, Patrick Archbold channelling C.S. Lewis, and Catholic World News' coverage.

Happy Independence Day

Fireworks at home tonight...we'll see a larger display at a friend's beautiful home in Lawrenceburg tomorrow night. For the 4th, I offer an Independence Day prayer from St. Martin's bulletin (via today's Catholic Telegraph E-pistle):

God our Creator, your gifts are countless and your goodness infinite. As we celebrate Independence Day, we come before you with hearts filled with gratitude. We thank you in particular for the gifts of liberty and independence and a country that is filled with natural beauty.
We pray that the boundaries of nations will not set limits to our love and the challenge of the gospel to respond to the needs of our suffering sisters and brothers. Give us the courage to continue to build a nation that deeply respects the gift of life and the dignity of all people. Help us to play our part in the life of our country that its thoughts may be directed toward peace, justice, and the loving service of all God's people.
Amen.

If you prefer something more 'old school', enjoy this prayer by Archbishop Carroll from 1791.

Motu Mania

Yes, Virginia, there IS a motu proprio...(HT Jimmy Akin).
Fr. Martin Fox summarizes and puts in 'real-parish' context here.
Creative Minority Report laughs about it here, and takes care of the folk-Mass hangover, too.

Welcome Rev. Eric Bowman

This weekend, St. Jude welcomed only its 4th Pastor in its 50+ year history. Rev. Eric Bowman prayed his first Mass for our parish at 8:30 am, Saturday, June 30. He's everything I heard about him (which has been all good), and more. Mass attendance increased noticeably (another thought about this in a moment). Also of note to me were several things I heard during his Sunday Mass homily that probably hadn't been heard from the pulpit recently:

• I am excited to be here...


• I will make mistakes...


• Who-dey!


• I usually preach 6-10 minutes...


• I will love you with every ounce of my being...and that's a lot of ounces...

Laughter and applause marked all 3 Masses. At both meetings I've attended with Fr. Bowman (staff and worship commission), he's stressed the need for clergy and staff to earn and maintain the people's trust by being faithful to Church teaching and above scandal. I hope people continue to appreciate and respect Fr. Bowman if and when he preaches that which we don't want (but need) to hear.

I'm using the occasion to pray for vocations and priests, especially those changing parishes, like Fr. Rick and Rev. Paul Ruwe who is the new Pastor at Rich Leonardi's parish; and especially for Fr. Bowman's ordination classmates Rev. Edward Burns, Rev. Geoffrey Drew, Rev. Peter Helmlinger, Rev. Joseph Kindel, Rev. James Reutter, Rev. Kyle Schnippel, and Rev. Jamie Weber. What an incredible seminary class...may all our prayers for vocations result in more enthusiastic, holy priests like these men.

I mentioned Mass attendance in the 1st paragraph. I'm grateful to see more people in our pews. St. Jude, like most other parishes, has seen its 'October count' steadily decline in recent years, though the population is increasing within our parish boundaries. I have a lot of respect and gratitude for our former Pastor, Fr. Rick Dressman. I don't intend any of my praise for Fr. Eric to demean Fr. Rick. They're totally different people and priests. Fr. Rick is insightful, challenging, generous, kind, tolerant, patient, and (believe it or not) funny. I think it's a shame that a noticeable number of people couldn't see these qualities beyond the perception they had of Fr. Rick - a perception he wouldn't/couldn't do anything to change. Beyond that, I have a renewed appreciation for all who continued giving and sacrificing to contribute to parish life at St. Jude. May this kind of loyalty and selflessness inspire us all to holier lives.

Pray along with Bishop Trautman

My favorite blogs have much to say about Bishop Donald W. Trautman (Diocese of Erie, PA) and his opinions about and influence upon the translations in the forthcoming 3rd edition of the Roman Missal. This Missal was published in Latin in 2002, but is languishing in an alphabet soup of Bishops' Committees. Bishop Trautman doesn't seem to put much stock in the guidelines of Liturgiam Authenticam that call for literal exactness and fidelity in translations. His article for America Magazine almost reads like a populist appeal to the laity.

Rant alert:
Never mind (as Amy Welborn tips Happy Catholic for pointing out) that His Excellency uses sentences like this to lament these liturgical principles:

In fact, however, much of liturgical language is inaccessible not just to youth but also to the average Catholic, and there is a danger that some parts of the forthcoming translations of the Missale Romanum - particularly the use of obscure and archaic words and sentences with two or three clauses in nine and ten lines - will make our prayer texts even less accessible. (Prayer and Song for the People of God, Pastoral Music June-July, 2007, pub. by NPM)

Perhaps the Erie Ordinary is just using irony to make his point, but which is easier for you to understand? The argument above, or this prayer, which worries the Bishop:

“Accept, O Lord, these gifts,
and by your power change them
into the sacrament of salvation,
in which the prefiguring sacrifices of the Fathers
have an end
and the true Lamb is offered,
he who was born ineffably of the inviolate Virgin.”
(Prayer over the Offerings, Season of Advent)

And, with all due respect to the 'average Catholic', do you: pay major league ticket prices for 'average ball-players'? trust an 'average doctor' for open-heart surgery? accept 'average' speed and performance for your top-of-the-line wi-fi? I would think that average Catholics would do well to try and form themselves to the liturgical/linguistic ideals of the magisterium, rather than seeking liturgy that dumbs itself down to the lowest common denomination-ator.

Rant over.

This exchange of ideas has led to some amusing creative writing. Witness, from the comments at Amy Welborn's blog, the Lord's Prayer:

Dad in the happy place,
What a great name you have!
Have it your way here, like at your place.
Give us food, and forget our bads like we do.
And don't scare us, but keep us safe.
OK?

and the Hail Mary:

Greetings Mary, jam-packed with grace.
The big Guy is with you.
You are really a stand-out compared to other women.
And awesome is the product of your uterus. Jesus.
Really good person, Mary, God's mommy, Ask God to look the other way at our goof-ups.
Now, and when a doctor decides my quality of life is not worth living. Okay.

Translate those back into the mother-tongue, and everybody's happy, right?

Taking a Stand[-up] against Guiliani

Bishop Tobin of Providence, R.I. has a tongue-in-cheek-lashing for Mayor Guiliani. (HT: Fr. Larry Gearhart)

Who was the genius on Guiliani's staff who thought sending a fund-raiser invitation to the Bishop would end well?