Hair Spray, Hon!

DH and I saw Hairspray last weekend and enjoyed it. As a native Baltimorian, I appreciated John Travolta's attempt at a Baltimore accent. It seems they worked certain words into the script for just that purpose. Of course, NO ONE else in the entire cast had anything near a Baltimore accent, but, that's ok.

Dh kept telling me where in Baltimore he thought the movie was filmed, and I didn't have the heart to tell him, until after it was over, that I read it was filmed in Toronto or somewhere!

They definitely got the 60's down pat though. Other than the segregation, which is a running theme throughout the movie, there are 2 scenes in particular that made me smile at how much things have changed. One scene shows a faculty room which is awash in cigarette smoke. It brought back all those gatherings of adults in my childhood where everyone was smoking.

The other scene was a quick shot of a bar. We see 2 very pregnant women smoking and drinking some sort of cocktail. Yes, those were the '60's, alright!

Oh, another eerie thing: the movie opens with a shot of a newspaper. The date: my first birthday. If it had been my actual birth day, I think I would have screamed right there in the theater.

Here's a YouTube of "Good Morning Baltimore" from the movie soundtrack.

Hair Spray, Hon!

DH and I saw Hairspray last weekend and enjoyed it. As a native Baltimorian, I appreciated John Travolta's attempt at a Baltimore accent. It seems they worked certain words into the script for just that purpose. Of course, NO ONE else in the entire cast had anything near a Baltimore accent, but, that's ok.

Dh kept telling me where in Baltimore he thought the movie was filmed, and I didn't have the heart to tell him, until after it was over, that I read it was filmed in Toronto or somewhere!

They definitely got the 60's down pat though. Other than the segregation, which is a running theme throughout the movie, there are 2 scenes in particular that made me smile at how much things have changed. One scene shows a faculty room which is awash in cigarette smoke. It brought back all those gatherings of adults in my childhood where everyone was smoking.

The other scene was a quick shot of a bar. We see 2 very pregnant women smoking and drinking some sort of cocktail. Yes, those were the '60's, alright!

Oh, another eerie thing: the movie opens with a shot of a newspaper. The date: my first birthday. If it had been my actual birth day, I think I would have screamed right there in the theater.

Here's a YouTube of "Good Morning Baltimore" from the movie soundtrack.

Deliverance Prayer

From today's first reading:

The Lord (is) a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and, forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers' wickedness.
~The Book of Exodus

Today's Mass reading made me think of the concept of ancestral sin. I tread lightly in this area, because I have not done a lot of research on it, and as far as I understand, it is somewhat controversial. But even in the secular world, we know that some issues and addictions can be passed on for generations. Many of us have tried throughout our lives to "stop the train" of addictions and problems that seem to follow us throughout our families. Prayer and turning to God is always the answer. Here is a prayer of deliverance from ancestral sin from St. Michael Spiritual Warfare Catalog:

Prayer Of Renunciation Of Ancestral Sins

Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to You as Your child, purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I here and now reject and disown all the sins of my ancestors. As one who has been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, and strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of His Name, cancel out, O Lord, all demonic working that has been passed on to me from my ancestors. As one who has been crucified with Jesus Christ and raised to walk in newness of life, cancel, dear Lord, every curse that may have been put upon me and announce to Satan and all his forces that You, the Christ, became a curse for me when You hung on the cross. As one who has been crucified and raised with Christ and now sits with Him in heavenly places, I reject any and every way in which Satan may claim ownership of me. I declare myself to be eternally and completely signed over and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I ask You to command every familiar spirit and every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in or around me to leave me and to go where Jesus Christ tells these evil spirits to go. I now ask You, heavenly Father, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I submit my body as an instrument of righteousness, a living sacrifice, that I may glorify You in my body. All this I do in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

~Amen.

Deliverance Prayer

From today's first reading:

The Lord (is) a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and, forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers' wickedness.
~The Book of Exodus

Today's Mass reading made me think of the concept of ancestral sin. I tread lightly in this area, because I have not done a lot of research on it, and as far as I understand, it is somewhat controversial. But even in the secular world, we know that some issues and addictions can be passed on for generations. Many of us have tried throughout our lives to "stop the train" of addictions and problems that seem to follow us throughout our families. Prayer and turning to God is always the answer. Here is a prayer of deliverance from ancestral sin from St. Michael Spiritual Warfare Catalog:

Prayer Of Renunciation Of Ancestral Sins

Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to You as Your child, purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I here and now reject and disown all the sins of my ancestors. As one who has been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, and strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of His Name, cancel out, O Lord, all demonic working that has been passed on to me from my ancestors. As one who has been crucified with Jesus Christ and raised to walk in newness of life, cancel, dear Lord, every curse that may have been put upon me and announce to Satan and all his forces that You, the Christ, became a curse for me when You hung on the cross. As one who has been crucified and raised with Christ and now sits with Him in heavenly places, I reject any and every way in which Satan may claim ownership of me. I declare myself to be eternally and completely signed over and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I ask You to command every familiar spirit and every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ that is in or around me to leave me and to go where Jesus Christ tells these evil spirits to go. I now ask You, heavenly Father, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I submit my body as an instrument of righteousness, a living sacrifice, that I may glorify You in my body. All this I do in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

~Amen.

Which Saint Are You?

Which Saint Are You?

You are Joan of Arc! You don't really want to hurt anyone, but if they attack your friends or your country and no-one else will stand up to fight them, you head into the battle. Beware though, conviction tends to get you killed.
Take this quiz!









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Which Saint Are You?

Which Saint Are You?

You are Joan of Arc! You don't really want to hurt anyone, but if they attack your friends or your country and no-one else will stand up to fight them, you head into the battle. Beware though, conviction tends to get you killed.
Take this quiz!









Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Candles for our intentions

Here are three candles, for the intentions of faith, hope, and charity for us all. May God give us the grace to be faith-filled examples of hope and charity to all we meet.

Candles for our intentions

Here are three candles, for the intentions of faith, hope, and charity for us all. May God give us the grace to be faith-filled examples of hope and charity to all we meet.

Online Scrabble

Tired of solitaire?

Do you like to play Scrabble?

Click here to play Scrabble online.

Online Scrabble

Tired of solitaire?

Do you like to play Scrabble?

Click here to play Scrabble online.

sometimes i wonder
are tiny women worth more
per pound

Why go to Mass?

For people who say that they don't get anything out of going to Mass, I heard a beautiful explanation on EWTN today.

We are not supposed to go to Mass with an empty "basket" waiting for God to "fill" it. (We are especially not supposed to go thinking that the priest, the choir, our friends, or other human beings will "fill" it.)

We are supposed to go to Mass with a "basket" full of the stuff of our lives--good and bad. We are to come with our "basket" and offer it up to the Lord at the altar.

We may wonder why we can't just do this at home. That's a good question.

We need to go to Mass to give the Lord all our joys and pains, because, at Mass, Jesus makes present at the altar, across time and space, His Sacrifice on the cross in an unbloody manner. This is what the Catholic Church teaches. The Mass does NOT sacrifice Christ over again. It happened once and for all (Hebrews 10). God, in His power, has made possible, in every Mass, for us to be present at the foot of the Cross. How is this possible? With men, this is impossible; but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) because God Himself is above and beyond time.

We are to go to Mass, not to be entertained, or to watch passively, but to join with Christ in offering our sufferings and joys to the Father, and receiving His Grace in return. Because God is all good and all powerful, these graces are imparted to us whether we feel it at the time, or not. Thank God He does not rely on our fallible and changing emotions in order to care for us!

Mass is important and powerful because each Mass brings our salvation history to us. We begin with the confetitor (the "I confess"). We turn to Christ in all humility and acknowledge our sins and ask Him for forgiveness. We confess with our lips that Christ is our savior and that we, as human beings, cannot live a sin free existence without the help of the Lord. We, as fallible human beings need to confess our sins to God and each other often--every day, even. The Mass helps us to turn our hearts and minds to God because God is present to us in Mass, in a way that He is not outside of it.

Jesus appointed the disciples, who in turn, appointed others in an unbroken line throughout history, to stand in His place (in persona Christi), teach us the faith that was taught to them by Christ, absolve repentant sinners, and make present His saving Body and Blood to us .

Our Lord's words "This is my body, which is given for you" (Luke 22:19) correspond to those of Exodus 12:27: "[This ritual] is the sacrifice of the Passover in honor of Yahweh" when he freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.

The words "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28) echo those of Exodus 24:8 when Moses says: "This ... is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you."

(The Mass makes) present Christ's unique sacrifice on Calvary and in doing so ratifie(s) and renew(s) the new and eternal covenant.

Therefore, God has commanded us to worship with a sacrifice, his own unique sacrifice.

~quote from EWTN

If Jesus had not wanted us to come into His Presence at Mass, He would not have told His disciples "Do this in memory of Me." (Luke 22:19)

Why go to Mass?

For people who say that they don't get anything out of going to Mass, I heard a beautiful explanation on EWTN today.

We are not supposed to go to Mass with an empty "basket" waiting for God to "fill" it. (We are especially not supposed to go thinking that the priest, the choir, our friends, or other human beings will "fill" it.)

We are supposed to go to Mass with a "basket" full of the stuff of our lives--good and bad. We are to come with our "basket" and offer it up to the Lord at the altar.

We may wonder why we can't just do this at home. That's a good question.

We need to go to Mass to give the Lord all our joys and pains, because, at Mass, Jesus makes present at the altar, across time and space, His Sacrifice on the cross in an unbloody manner. This is what the Catholic Church teaches. The Mass does NOT sacrifice Christ over again. It happened once and for all (Hebrews 10). God, in His power, has made possible, in every Mass, for us to be present at the foot of the Cross. How is this possible? With men, this is impossible; but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) because God Himself is above and beyond time.

We are to go to Mass, not to be entertained, or to watch passively, but to join with Christ in offering our sufferings and joys to the Father, and receiving His Grace in return. Because God is all good and all powerful, these graces are imparted to us whether we feel it at the time, or not. Thank God He does not rely on our fallible and changing emotions in order to care for us!

Mass is important and powerful because each Mass brings our salvation history to us. We begin with the confetitor (the "I confess"). We turn to Christ in all humility and acknowledge our sins and ask Him for forgiveness. We confess with our lips that Christ is our savior and that we, as human beings, cannot live a sin free existence without the help of the Lord. We, as fallible human beings need to confess our sins to God and each other often--every day, even. The Mass helps us to turn our hearts and minds to God because God is present to us in Mass, in a way that He is not outside of it.

Jesus appointed the disciples, who in turn, appointed others in an unbroken line throughout history, to stand in His place (in persona Christi), teach us the faith that was taught to them by Christ, absolve repentant sinners, and make present His saving Body and Blood to us .

Our Lord's words "This is my body, which is given for you" (Luke 22:19) correspond to those of Exodus 12:27: "[This ritual] is the sacrifice of the Passover in honor of Yahweh" when he freed Israel from slavery in Egypt.

The words "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28) echo those of Exodus 24:8 when Moses says: "This ... is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you."

(The Mass makes) present Christ's unique sacrifice on Calvary and in doing so ratifie(s) and renew(s) the new and eternal covenant.

Therefore, God has commanded us to worship with a sacrifice, his own unique sacrifice.

~quote from EWTN

If Jesus had not wanted us to come into His Presence at Mass, He would not have told His disciples "Do this in memory of Me." (Luke 22:19)

Talking bird

Did you know that starlings can talk?! I didn't. Watch this video:


According to the owner, the bird (Damar) is saying
NICK, SHE SAID KISS ME DAMAR
MY SURGERY
PIZZA
NICHOLAS
COME HERE DAMAR
HEY
THE BEAST GONNA BE SOME MORE
COME HERE DAMAR
COME ON
SHE SAID, RIGHT?

Its kind of eerie at times, listening to this bird imitate the sound of the young owner's laughing.

Talking bird

Did you know that starlings can talk?! I didn't. Watch this video:


According to the owner, the bird (Damar) is saying
NICK, SHE SAID KISS ME DAMAR
MY SURGERY
PIZZA
NICHOLAS
COME HERE DAMAR
HEY
THE BEAST GONNA BE SOME MORE
COME HERE DAMAR
COME ON
SHE SAID, RIGHT?

Its kind of eerie at times, listening to this bird imitate the sound of the young owner's laughing.

Happy Birthday

This goes out to dear ds, who will be 19 tomorrow at 5:10pm. Nineteen years ago tonight, he attended the first of many of his dad's concerts, albeit in utero , at Fort Meade in Maryland with his 6 month old cousin, Barbara. He apparently liked what he heard, because by the next evening he was greeting the world.

Happy Birthday, Craig!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday

This goes out to dear ds, who will be 19 tomorrow at 5:10pm. Nineteen years ago tonight, he attended the first of many of his dad's concerts, albeit in utero , at Fort Meade in Maryland with his 6 month old cousin, Barbara. He apparently liked what he heard, because by the next evening he was greeting the world.

Happy Birthday, Craig!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I'm old. I admit it.

You know you're in the 21st century when you are missing your recently-moved-out offspring, so you just go to his YouTube channel and watch the latest entry again.

Just sign me,
Pitiful Middle Aged Mom :)

Yeah, I'm old. I admit it.

You know you're in the 21st century when you are missing your recently-moved-out offspring, so you just go to his YouTube channel and watch the latest entry again.

Just sign me,
Pitiful Middle Aged Mom :)

the rain on the asphalt
lit up by the amber streetlight
red umbrella

Bank line

men and women stand
in anonymous silence
waiting for their god.

in my dreams
i go back to warn you
you're already dead

Martha, Martha

Today's Gospel was the story of Martha and Mary. Terry over at Abbey Roads 2 likens Martha to the stereotypical, nosy "church lady" who is always getting mixed up in everyone else's business, complaining to the priest that things are just not going the way she thinks they should. (My dh likens Jesus' refrain of "Martha, Martha" to "Oscar, Oscar".[!])

At any rate, traditionally, this story has been said to represent the two ways of expressing faith: contemplation and action. I think we each need a bit of both. We cannot contemplate to the point of neglecting our daily duties, but we should not be so focused on what we do that we neglect our life of prayer.

And, further, those who cannot accomplish what most people think is necessary in this life, are not worthless. They are not to be looked down on or treated unfairly. As John Paul II showed us in his later years, their lives can be a shining example of patience and prayer.

Martha, Martha

Today's Gospel was the story of Martha and Mary. Terry over at Abbey Roads 2 likens Martha to the stereotypical, nosy "church lady" who is always getting mixed up in everyone else's business, complaining to the priest that things are just not going the way she thinks they should. (My dh likens Jesus' refrain of "Martha, Martha" to "Oscar, Oscar".[!])

At any rate, traditionally, this story has been said to represent the two ways of expressing faith: contemplation and action. I think we each need a bit of both. We cannot contemplate to the point of neglecting our daily duties, but we should not be so focused on what we do that we neglect our life of prayer.

And, further, those who cannot accomplish what most people think is necessary in this life, are not worthless. They are not to be looked down on or treated unfairly. As John Paul II showed us in his later years, their lives can be a shining example of patience and prayer.

Do You Remember?

Where were you exactly 38 years ago? Thanks to my dad, who woke us up moments before it happened, my sister and I watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon. I remember being so excited that I talked incessantly and almost missed the famous quote:



And another view:

Do You Remember?

Where were you exactly 38 years ago? Thanks to my dad, who woke us up moments before it happened, my sister and I watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon. I remember being so excited that I talked incessantly and almost missed the famous quote:



And another view:

Elijah-another patron for us

Rachel has an informative post about the Prophet Elijah, who had nearly given up on his life when an angel of God came and rescued him. As Rachel has rightly pointed out in the com box on this blog, St. Elijah can be a wonderful patron for those of us who suffer from depression.

(Elijah) went a day's journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death: "This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.

He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again,but the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, "Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!" He got up, ate and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

~1 Kings 19: 4-8

God is at our side, urging us to take some nourishing sustenance, both bodily and spiritually, and keep going.

Elijah-another patron for us

Rachel has an informative post about the Prophet Elijah, who had nearly given up on his life when an angel of God came and rescued him. As Rachel has rightly pointed out in the com box on this blog, St. Elijah can be a wonderful patron for those of us who suffer from depression.

(Elijah) went a day's journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death: "This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.

He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again,but the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, "Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!" He got up, ate and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

~1 Kings 19: 4-8

God is at our side, urging us to take some nourishing sustenance, both bodily and spiritually, and keep going.

An interesting day!

I don't get to tell "amusing toddler stories" anymore, but I get to tell "amusing 80-something stories" now.

Today, one of my tasks at my mom's house was to convince my 80 year old aunt that the red lights in the back of her car are normal, belong there, and have been there since she got the car.

And, yes. She is still driving.

An interesting day!

I don't get to tell "amusing toddler stories" anymore, but I get to tell "amusing 80-something stories" now.

Today, one of my tasks at my mom's house was to convince my 80 year old aunt that the red lights in the back of her car are normal, belong there, and have been there since she got the car.

And, yes. She is still driving.

Lives of the Saints--A Spiritual Treasure

A couple of conversations, both in real life, and on the net, have made me think of the importance of reading the lives of the saints. As a kid, I was entranced by stories of St. Teresa of Lisieux, St. Rose of Lima, St. Zita, St. Margaret Mary, and others. They came off the pages of those books to tell me of a Church that seemed to have disappeared during my lifetime. These saints lived through both good times and bad, and turned to God in a heroic way, often at a young age. Their spiritual sacrifice and love for God was inspiring and showed me the real Church, that existed beyond the petty, conflicts that sadly occur when sinful humanity attempts to coexist.

A recent book I read (or rather, listened to) was Taylor Caldwell's "Dear and Glorious Physician" about St. Luke. I got it out on tape from my local library and listened to it in my car.

Try finding a story of a Saint's life to read this summer. To me, some of the most inspiring are Saint Therese of Lisieux , St. Rose of Lima, St. Gemma, St. Margaret Mary and St. Francis of Assisi.

Lives of the Saints--A Spiritual Treasure

A couple of conversations, both in real life, and on the net, have made me think of the importance of reading the lives of the saints. As a kid, I was entranced by stories of St. Teresa of Lisieux, St. Rose of Lima, St. Zita, St. Margaret Mary, and others. They came off the pages of those books to tell me of a Church that seemed to have disappeared during my lifetime. These saints lived through both good times and bad, and turned to God in a heroic way, often at a young age. Their spiritual sacrifice and love for God was inspiring and showed me the real Church, that existed beyond the petty, conflicts that sadly occur when sinful humanity attempts to coexist.

A recent book I read (or rather, listened to) was Taylor Caldwell's "Dear and Glorious Physician" about St. Luke. I got it out on tape from my local library and listened to it in my car.

Try finding a story of a Saint's life to read this summer. To me, some of the most inspiring are Saint Therese of Lisieux , St. Rose of Lima, St. Gemma, St. Margaret Mary and St. Francis of Assisi.

Our House

I am blessed to be married to a dh whose idea of a vacation is to paint the house! Our house has virtually no architectural details to recommend it, so we have to go with paint colors to "cuten" it up. Here is the result.

Our House

I am blessed to be married to a dh whose idea of a vacation is to paint the house! Our house has virtually no architectural details to recommend it, so we have to go with paint colors to "cuten" it up. Here is the result.

Speaking from the Mountaintops

A story told by Old Wolf, a Cheyenne chief from Montana

In the land of the Cheyennes, there is a mountain higher than all the mountains around him. All the Cheyennes know that mountain; even our forefathers knew him. When children, we ran around wherever we wanted. We were never afraid to lose our way so long as we could see the mountain, which would show us home again.

When grown up, we followed the buffalo and the elk; we cared not where we pursued the running deer, so long as the mountain was in site; for we knew he was ever a safe guide, and never failed in his duty. When men, we fought the Sioux, the Crows, the white men. We were after the enemy, though the way ran high up, and low down. Our hearts trembled not on account of the road; for as long as we could see the mountain, we felt sure of finding our home again. When far away, our hearts leaped for joy on seeing him, because he told us that our home came nearer.

During the winter, snow covered all the earth with a mantle of white; we could no longer distinguish him from other mountains except by his height, which told us he was the mountain. Sometimes dark clouds gathered above. They hid his head from our view, and out of them flew fiery darts, boring holes in his sides. The thunder shook him from head to foot; but the storm passed away and the mountain stood forever.

This mountain is the Black-robe. (A Native American expression for a Roman Catholic priest.) His heart is firm as a rock. He changes not. He speaks to us the words of truth. We are always sure of our path, when we look to him for guidance. He is the mountain that leads us to God.

~from Magnificat Magazine

Speaking from the Mountaintops

A story told by Old Wolf, a Cheyenne chief from Montana

In the land of the Cheyennes, there is a mountain higher than all the mountains around him. All the Cheyennes know that mountain; even our forefathers knew him. When children, we ran around wherever we wanted. We were never afraid to lose our way so long as we could see the mountain, which would show us home again.

When grown up, we followed the buffalo and the elk; we cared not where we pursued the running deer, so long as the mountain was in site; for we knew he was ever a safe guide, and never failed in his duty. When men, we fought the Sioux, the Crows, the white men. We were after the enemy, though the way ran high up, and low down. Our hearts trembled not on account of the road; for as long as we could see the mountain, we felt sure of finding our home again. When far away, our hearts leaped for joy on seeing him, because he told us that our home came nearer.

During the winter, snow covered all the earth with a mantle of white; we could no longer distinguish him from other mountains except by his height, which told us he was the mountain. Sometimes dark clouds gathered above. They hid his head from our view, and out of them flew fiery darts, boring holes in his sides. The thunder shook him from head to foot; but the storm passed away and the mountain stood forever.

This mountain is the Black-robe. (A Native American expression for a Roman Catholic priest.) His heart is firm as a rock. He changes not. He speaks to us the words of truth. We are always sure of our path, when we look to him for guidance. He is the mountain that leads us to God.

~from Magnificat Magazine

butter melting
paint brush filling in wood stain
nooks and crannies

Newest Church Document

On the heals of the Motu Proprio, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican has released another controversial document, called Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church. As the title suggests, the document attempts to answer some theological questions on the Catholic Church's doctrine about itself ("the Church").

The introduction clearly shows that this document is written for and about theologians, who, in recent decades, have been notorious for coming to conclusions about certain aspects of theology which go against the centuries old teaching of the Church in which they claim membership.

The consequent duty of theologians to expound with greater clarity the diverse aspects of ecclesiology has resulted in a flowering of writing in this field.The vastness of the subject matter and the novelty of many of the themes involved continue to provoke theological reflection. Among the many new contributions to the field, some are not immune from erroneous interpretation which in turn give rise to confusion and doubt.

This is why the document was written. To clarify some aspects of Church teaching after decades of erroneous assumptions on the part of many in the field of theology. These erroneous assumptions have of course, filtered down to the media, and even to many in the Church.

The document is written in question and answer format. The first question clarifies that the Second Vatican Council did not, in fact, change any teachings on the nature of the Church, despite many claims to the contrary. The answer to the second question states that The Catholic Church still believes that she is the Church Christ established on earth.

The document goes on to state quite clearly, however, that those churches and communities that are not in communion with the Holy See, possesses numerous elements of sanctification and truth and that the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation.

The document differentiates the Eastern Churches from Protestant Congregations in that the Orthodox Christians have preserved apostolic succession and The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist whereas the Protestant Communities have not. This perspective comes from 2 thousand years of the Church recognizing and preserving importance of the literal interpretation of Jesus' words at the Last Supper, "This is My Body".

Newest Church Document

On the heals of the Motu Proprio, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican has released another controversial document, called Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church. As the title suggests, the document attempts to answer some theological questions on the Catholic Church's doctrine about itself ("the Church").

The introduction clearly shows that this document is written for and about theologians, who, in recent decades, have been notorious for coming to conclusions about certain aspects of theology which go against the centuries old teaching of the Church in which they claim membership.

The consequent duty of theologians to expound with greater clarity the diverse aspects of ecclesiology has resulted in a flowering of writing in this field.The vastness of the subject matter and the novelty of many of the themes involved continue to provoke theological reflection. Among the many new contributions to the field, some are not immune from erroneous interpretation which in turn give rise to confusion and doubt.

This is why the document was written. To clarify some aspects of Church teaching after decades of erroneous assumptions on the part of many in the field of theology. These erroneous assumptions have of course, filtered down to the media, and even to many in the Church.

The document is written in question and answer format. The first question clarifies that the Second Vatican Council did not, in fact, change any teachings on the nature of the Church, despite many claims to the contrary. The answer to the second question states that The Catholic Church still believes that she is the Church Christ established on earth.

The document goes on to state quite clearly, however, that those churches and communities that are not in communion with the Holy See, possesses numerous elements of sanctification and truth and that the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation.

The document differentiates the Eastern Churches from Protestant Congregations in that the Orthodox Christians have preserved apostolic succession and The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist whereas the Protestant Communities have not. This perspective comes from 2 thousand years of the Church recognizing and preserving importance of the literal interpretation of Jesus' words at the Last Supper, "This is My Body".

amber waves
of goldenrod
summer's here

Number one the day you were born

Although the title for this YouTube vid says "1965", this site says that Del Shannon's "Runaway" was the number one song the day I was born, in 1961.




Here is the number one song for my dh's birthday in 1955. It happens to be one of his favorites. "Autumn Leaves"--the instrumental version by Roger Williams. The only YouTube I could find of it has it set to a visual of Disney's Pocahontas.

Number one the day you were born

Although the title for this YouTube vid says "1965", this site says that Del Shannon's "Runaway" was the number one song the day I was born, in 1961.




Here is the number one song for my dh's birthday in 1955. It happens to be one of his favorites. "Autumn Leaves"--the instrumental version by Roger Williams. The only YouTube I could find of it has it set to a visual of Disney's Pocahontas.

Rest In Peace

Lady Bird Johnson died today at the age of 94. She was the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, who became president on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, TX, when John F. Kennedy was assasinated there. She is pictured here (left) standing behind her husband as he takes the oath of office on Air force One, with stunned widow Jackie Kennedy on the right. Lady Bird Johnson survived her husband by 33 years.

Rest In Peace

Lady Bird Johnson died today at the age of 94. She was the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, who became president on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, TX, when John F. Kennedy was assasinated there. She is pictured here (left) standing behind her husband as he takes the oath of office on Air force One, with stunned widow Jackie Kennedy on the right. Lady Bird Johnson survived her husband by 33 years.

This is a first

We just made a hotel reservation. Our AAA membership has expired so we were looking for an alternative discount. We discovered that DH qualifies for a SENIOR discount!!! Ok, just barely, but he's in!

This is a first

We just made a hotel reservation. Our AAA membership has expired so we were looking for an alternative discount. We discovered that DH qualifies for a SENIOR discount!!! Ok, just barely, but he's in!

The Dentist

I've always thought that going to the dentist was a bit like going to confession. You don't want to do it, but you always feel better afterwards for having done it.

Today I realized, though, that when going to confession, you tell the priest your sins. With the dentist, he tells *you* your "sins"!

After lying in the chair and getting a sharp object stuck repeatedly in my gums, and hearing ever increasing numbers being calmly called out by the hygenist, I hear someone in the next room getting, "2-2-2; 1-2-2; 2-2-2" and similar numbers being read. I bet the patient was in his teens. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

The Dentist

I've always thought that going to the dentist was a bit like going to confession. You don't want to do it, but you always feel better afterwards for having done it.

Today I realized, though, that when going to confession, you tell the priest your sins. With the dentist, he tells *you* your "sins"!

After lying in the chair and getting a sharp object stuck repeatedly in my gums, and hearing ever increasing numbers being calmly called out by the hygenist, I hear someone in the next room getting, "2-2-2; 1-2-2; 2-2-2" and similar numbers being read. I bet the patient was in his teens. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

I Love my DH!

I'm trying to eat healthy. DH is on vacation this week. So, this means I'm making him all kinds of wonderful VEGAN foods!!!!! Anyone who knows my dh knows how wonderfully patient he is being to actually eat this stuff.

Today it was Portobello Mushroom "burger" on whole wheat roll for lunch and quinona for dinner. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Bless my dh for eating a giant mushroom for me!

I Love my DH!

I'm trying to eat healthy. DH is on vacation this week. So, this means I'm making him all kinds of wonderful VEGAN foods!!!!! Anyone who knows my dh knows how wonderfully patient he is being to actually eat this stuff.

Today it was Portobello Mushroom "burger" on whole wheat roll for lunch and quinona for dinner. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Bless my dh for eating a giant mushroom for me!

I'm in the Simpsons Movie!

This is me as a Simpson's character.

You can go to the Simpson's movie website and make yourself as a Simpson's character.

Hat tip to Netorama.

I'm in the Simpsons Movie!

This is me as a Simpson's character.

You can go to the Simpson's movie website and make yourself as a Simpson's character.

Hat tip to Netorama.

The Latin Mass

Here is a very brief news story on the "why" of the Latin Mass, which was made more accessible by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday in the motu proprio. As the priest being interviewed explains,

"...there’s something attractive about this ancient form of the liturgy -- its dignity, and its sort of very just lofty quality, especially in some of its forms. To be part of something ancient, that goes way, way back, into the ancient past, using an ancient language--this is the Mass that most of the saints knew."

Click on the arrow below to watch the interview.

Belief & Practice Latin Mass 06 July 207 Episode no1045
Uploaded by demerzel85

The Latin Mass

Here is a very brief news story on the "why" of the Latin Mass, which was made more accessible by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday in the motu proprio. As the priest being interviewed explains,

"...there’s something attractive about this ancient form of the liturgy -- its dignity, and its sort of very just lofty quality, especially in some of its forms. To be part of something ancient, that goes way, way back, into the ancient past, using an ancient language--this is the Mass that most of the saints knew."

Click on the arrow below to watch the interview.

Belief & Practice Latin Mass 06 July 207 Episode no1045
Uploaded by demerzel85

More Dizzy songs! :)

DS has posted another of his songs on his MySpace page. As a doting mom, I'm obliged and excited to let the world know. He also has posted explanations for both of his current songs (although, not the lyrics. It is something he doesn't do. Oh well.) Enjoy, people!

More Dizzy songs! :)

DS has posted another of his songs on his MySpace page. As a doting mom, I'm obliged and excited to let the world know. He also has posted explanations for both of his current songs (although, not the lyrics. It is something he doesn't do. Oh well.) Enjoy, people!

Some thoughts on the Motu Proprio

With today's Motu Proprio, Pope Benedict XVI begins to roll away the cumbersome stone of misinterpretation of Vatican II that has been with the Church for the past 40 years. The crux of the document seems to be that such misinterpretation and agenda-driven running wild directly following the Second Vatican Council is what drove masses of people, old, and, now, young, into begging for the return of the Latin Mass and now, sadly, has caused some groups to split with the Church over the issue. John Paul II in his document Ecclesia Dei, encouraged a "a wide and generous application" of the Latin Mass, but many bishops openly resisted its use.

In the explanatory letter accompanying the motu proprio, the Holy Father talks about the reason for the surprising tenacity with which some of the faithful held onto the Latin Rite Mass:

This occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear.

This is the crux of the issue, I think. When "everything changed" in the mid-1960's, suddenly so much of what had been taught was seemingly completely thrown out. Much of the "creativity" that occurred with the "New Mass" was pointedly against Catholic Church teaching, and, we are now paying the price for generations of the faithful (and now, many priests, sadly) who have grown up with this nebulous non-teaching education, both formally (in religious education classes of various stripes) as well as by osmosis (in what they saw going on around them in the Mass.)

The Holy Father responds to fears that the "freeing" of the Latin Mass will cause a split in parishes between those preferring it and those preferring the Novus Ordo--Mass in the Common Language, (also known as the Mass of Pope Paul VI).

The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal.

In other words, if the transition to the Mass (in English) had gone the way Vatican II documents prescribed and assumed it would, we might not have had this outcry for the so-called "Old Mass" (also known as Tridentine or Latin Mass) in the first place. Further, those preferring to hear Mass in English would not feel so threatened by those preferring to hear the Mass in Latin (and vice versa) because both versions of the Roman Rite (and the Pope stresses they are both the same rite) would be said reverently and be recognizable as The (same) Mass.

In the 40 years since Vatican II, we have lost a sense of what The Mass is. In the resulting vacuum, people have substituted other meanings for The Mass (which is now more often than not, called anything but "Mass" these days). With the Motu Proprio, the Holy Father is bringing back the real meaning of the Mass.

Some thoughts on the Motu Proprio

With today's Motu Proprio, Pope Benedict XVI begins to roll away the cumbersome stone of misinterpretation of Vatican II that has been with the Church for the past 40 years. The crux of the document seems to be that such misinterpretation and agenda-driven running wild directly following the Second Vatican Council is what drove masses of people, old, and, now, young, into begging for the return of the Latin Mass and now, sadly, has caused some groups to split with the Church over the issue. John Paul II in his document Ecclesia Dei, encouraged a "a wide and generous application" of the Latin Mass, but many bishops openly resisted its use.

In the explanatory letter accompanying the motu proprio, the Holy Father talks about the reason for the surprising tenacity with which some of the faithful held onto the Latin Rite Mass:

This occurred above all because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal, but the latter actually was understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear.

This is the crux of the issue, I think. When "everything changed" in the mid-1960's, suddenly so much of what had been taught was seemingly completely thrown out. Much of the "creativity" that occurred with the "New Mass" was pointedly against Catholic Church teaching, and, we are now paying the price for generations of the faithful (and now, many priests, sadly) who have grown up with this nebulous non-teaching education, both formally (in religious education classes of various stripes) as well as by osmosis (in what they saw going on around them in the Mass.)

The Holy Father responds to fears that the "freeing" of the Latin Mass will cause a split in parishes between those preferring it and those preferring the Novus Ordo--Mass in the Common Language, (also known as the Mass of Pope Paul VI).

The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal.

In other words, if the transition to the Mass (in English) had gone the way Vatican II documents prescribed and assumed it would, we might not have had this outcry for the so-called "Old Mass" (also known as Tridentine or Latin Mass) in the first place. Further, those preferring to hear Mass in English would not feel so threatened by those preferring to hear the Mass in Latin (and vice versa) because both versions of the Roman Rite (and the Pope stresses they are both the same rite) would be said reverently and be recognizable as The (same) Mass.

In the 40 years since Vatican II, we have lost a sense of what The Mass is. In the resulting vacuum, people have substituted other meanings for The Mass (which is now more often than not, called anything but "Mass" these days). With the Motu Proprio, the Holy Father is bringing back the real meaning of the Mass.

Poison Iiiivyyyyyy

Ok. I've been trying to garden. I moved my poor St. Francis statue out from among the overgrown plants in the garden to sit in front of the bird feeder so I can see him. I moved a few trees that had planted themselves in our already crowded garden to sit around St. Francis.

So, now I have poison ivy. It was my own fault, for, although I had worn gloves (mostly!) I didn't wear a long sleeved shirt. I should have. Too late now.

Now that I *have* poison ivy, how do I get rid of it? I have hydrocortizone cream that I'm slathing on there and it sort of works.

Any suggestions on poison ivy treatment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Poison Iiiivyyyyyy

Ok. I've been trying to garden. I moved my poor St. Francis statue out from among the overgrown plants in the garden to sit in front of the bird feeder so I can see him. I moved a few trees that had planted themselves in our already crowded garden to sit around St. Francis.

So, now I have poison ivy. It was my own fault, for, although I had worn gloves (mostly!) I didn't wear a long sleeved shirt. I should have. Too late now.

Now that I *have* poison ivy, how do I get rid of it? I have hydrocortizone cream that I'm slathing on there and it sort of works.

Any suggestions on poison ivy treatment would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Narcissistic Self Worship--is it in your hymnal?

The idea for this next post was shamelessly stolen from Overheard in the Sacristy. It hit me, not only because banal lyrics for "church songs" (can't really call them hymns) is one of my pet peeves, but also because the contrast between some of these songs and the hymns from my previous post is glaringly obvious.

Ok, on to the post. Most "modern" church music is badly written, musically, and close to heretically written, lyrically. Many of these songs are virtually impossible for large groups to sing, having been written by and for solo guitar and voice.

The lyrics are even worse. Besides the confusing habit that new church songs have of letting the congregation sing from the point of view of GOD (gee, do you think this is UNINTENTIONAL?!), there are lyrics in the Eucharistic section of our "hymnal" that insist on talking over and over about the "bread and wine" and how we are "gathering" at the "table". People, if it's just bread and wine--if it's just a table--it's NOT a Catholic Church!!! You can do that at home!

The Worst of the Narcissistic Navel Gazing Offenders

In his article Ritus Narcissus: Why Do We Sing Ourselves and Celebrate Ourselves, Father Paul Scalia talks about a number of the worst of these songs.

"Bread of Life" by Rory Cooney has some of the most anti-Catholic lyrics you will come across in a Catholic Church.

I myself am the bread of life.
You and I are the bread of life
taken and blessed
broken and shared
by Christ
that the world may live.

Similarly, "The Bread that we Share" by Dominic MacAller says the following:

We become for each other
the bread,
the cup.

I DON'T THINK SO! If "you and I" are the Bread of Life, then we are in big trouble and all that the Church teaches is in vain. If you want a totally symbolic Eucharist, there are many, many Protestant churches to choose from. You can even start your own!

This next one, I think, should be the Narcissistic National Anthem. It is, appropriately enough, called "Anthem" by Tom Conry.

We are called,
We are chosen.
We are Christ for one another.
We are promise to tomorrow while we are for him today.
We are sign.
We are wonder.
We are sower.
We are seed.
We are harvest.
We are hunger.
We are question.
We are creed.

NOoooooooooooo! Tell me this song is not "all about me"! This song DARES to take images from Scripture that are about God Himself, and turn them into a song all about human beings!! How many times can one song that we are supposed to sing in church, in the very Presence of God, put the word "we" in it?!?! The audacity makes me speechless.

The Church is not "all about me". We do not go to church to discover ourselves, to celebrate ourselves or to feel good about ourselves. We go to church to worship. The very concept of worship means that we are worshiping a Higher Power--higher than ourselves. Higher than we could ever be. We are not the Bread of Life. We are not Christ. We are not The Sower. We are not Creed.

Sadly, generations have now grown up on this anti-Catholic crap. Many have no idea of the musical and lyrical beauty that is the heritage of the Catholic Church, and, as a result, many do not know the very teachings of the Church, because the "hymns" they sang at Mass every week went completely against those teachings.

Narcissistic Self Worship--is it in your hymnal?

The idea for this next post was shamelessly stolen from Overheard in the Sacristy. It hit me, not only because banal lyrics for "church songs" (can't really call them hymns) is one of my pet peeves, but also because the contrast between some of these songs and the hymns from my previous post is glaringly obvious.

Ok, on to the post. Most "modern" church music is badly written, musically, and close to heretically written, lyrically. Many of these songs are virtually impossible for large groups to sing, having been written by and for solo guitar and voice.

The lyrics are even worse. Besides the confusing habit that new church songs have of letting the congregation sing from the point of view of GOD (gee, do you think this is UNINTENTIONAL?!), there are lyrics in the Eucharistic section of our "hymnal" that insist on talking over and over about the "bread and wine" and how we are "gathering" at the "table". People, if it's just bread and wine--if it's just a table--it's NOT a Catholic Church!!! You can do that at home!

The Worst of the Narcissistic Navel Gazing Offenders

In his article Ritus Narcissus: Why Do We Sing Ourselves and Celebrate Ourselves, Father Paul Scalia talks about a number of the worst of these songs.

"Bread of Life" by Rory Cooney has some of the most anti-Catholic lyrics you will come across in a Catholic Church.

I myself am the bread of life.
You and I are the bread of life
taken and blessed
broken and shared
by Christ
that the world may live.

Similarly, "The Bread that we Share" by Dominic MacAller says the following:

We become for each other
the bread,
the cup.

I DON'T THINK SO! If "you and I" are the Bread of Life, then we are in big trouble and all that the Church teaches is in vain. If you want a totally symbolic Eucharist, there are many, many Protestant churches to choose from. You can even start your own!

This next one, I think, should be the Narcissistic National Anthem. It is, appropriately enough, called "Anthem" by Tom Conry.

We are called,
We are chosen.
We are Christ for one another.
We are promise to tomorrow while we are for him today.
We are sign.
We are wonder.
We are sower.
We are seed.
We are harvest.
We are hunger.
We are question.
We are creed.

NOoooooooooooo! Tell me this song is not "all about me"! This song DARES to take images from Scripture that are about God Himself, and turn them into a song all about human beings!! How many times can one song that we are supposed to sing in church, in the very Presence of God, put the word "we" in it?!?! The audacity makes me speechless.

The Church is not "all about me". We do not go to church to discover ourselves, to celebrate ourselves or to feel good about ourselves. We go to church to worship. The very concept of worship means that we are worshiping a Higher Power--higher than ourselves. Higher than we could ever be. We are not the Bread of Life. We are not Christ. We are not The Sower. We are not Creed.

Sadly, generations have now grown up on this anti-Catholic crap. Many have no idea of the musical and lyrical beauty that is the heritage of the Catholic Church, and, as a result, many do not know the very teachings of the Church, because the "hymns" they sang at Mass every week went completely against those teachings.

My Favorite Latin and English Hymns

Dymphna's Road has a nice, short music meme, which I've managed to make into an hours-long research project! It asks you to list your favorite Latin and English hymns. Where possible, I've included links to the actual song for those who are curious about some of the pieces. You may have to find the link once you get to the page.


Favorite Latin Hymns

Ave Maria--Gounod [I sing this one often, at weddings, and, once at a funeral.]

Adeste Fideles

Pange Lingua/Tantum Ergo

Gloria by John Rutter [This is worth listening to, IMO. Click on the link and then click on the second blue button--under "John Rutter--Gloria III." I sang this in my first year in college. What a privilege! It is sad that I learned more liturgical Latin in a public--very NON-Catholic--college than anywhere else.]

Ave Verum Corpus Sang this one in College as well.

Tu Es Petrus [Our college choir sang this song during the Mass that John Paul II had in the Mall in Washington in October of 1979.]

Hodie Christus Natus Est (You may have to scroll down to track 4--"Procession". It starts very softly.)


Favorite English Hymns

O Sacred Head Surrounded

Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

What Wondrous Love is This

Precious Lord [We sang this in college too. Beautiful.]

This Little Babe [I sang this in High School, believe it or not. Also a great privilege. For this one, you may have to scroll down to track 10.] (They don't have the entire song on there, but you'll get the idea. The whole CD is fantastic.)

If I had my hymnal at home, I'm sure I could go on and on. But I don't, so I'd better stop now!

My Favorite Latin and English Hymns

Dymphna's Road has a nice, short music meme, which I've managed to make into an hours-long research project! It asks you to list your favorite Latin and English hymns. Where possible, I've included links to the actual song for those who are curious about some of the pieces. You may have to find the link once you get to the page.


Favorite Latin Hymns

Ave Maria--Gounod [I sing this one often, at weddings, and, once at a funeral.]

Adeste Fideles

Pange Lingua/Tantum Ergo

Gloria by John Rutter [This is worth listening to, IMO. Click on the link and then click on the second blue button--under "John Rutter--Gloria III." I sang this in my first year in college. What a privilege! It is sad that I learned more liturgical Latin in a public--very NON-Catholic--college than anywhere else.]

Ave Verum Corpus Sang this one in College as well.

Tu Es Petrus [Our college choir sang this song during the Mass that John Paul II had in the Mall in Washington in October of 1979.]

Hodie Christus Natus Est (You may have to scroll down to track 4--"Procession". It starts very softly.)


Favorite English Hymns

O Sacred Head Surrounded

Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

What Wondrous Love is This

Precious Lord [We sang this in college too. Beautiful.]

This Little Babe [I sang this in High School, believe it or not. Also a great privilege. For this one, you may have to scroll down to track 10.] (They don't have the entire song on there, but you'll get the idea. The whole CD is fantastic.)

If I had my hymnal at home, I'm sure I could go on and on. But I don't, so I'd better stop now!