Lenten Retreat - March 5 & 6

Credo of the Catholic Laity is presenting:

A Lenten Mini Retreat
__________________
Friday March 5, and Saturday March 6, 2004
at
The Historic Holy Family Old Log Church
Illinois Rt. #3 at Camp Jackson Rd.
Cahokia Illinois

Credo has arranged to have Msgr. Michael Schmitz, the American Superior of The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest to be our Retreat Master. Msgr Schmitz has given over eighty retreats to various groups over the years.. The Institute’s headquarters is located in Wausau Wisconsin in the Diocese of La Cross. This was the diocese of our new St. Louis Archbishop Raymond L. Burke.

Msgr Schmitz will be celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass with permission of Bishop Wilton Gregory Bishop of Belleville.

We expect to have a Latin High Mass on Saturday with the choir singing Gregorian Chant.

Cost will be $35.00 per person which includes lunch on Friday and Saturday.

Make checks payable to:
Credo of the Catholic Laity
C/O Howard Brandt, Treasurer
4386 Honeydew Lane
St. Louis Mo 63128

For more information,
Call (314) 894-0357

Directions
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Coming from the north, Holy Family Church is approximately 3 ½ miles south of the Poplar Street Bridge off Illinois Rt. 3 at Camp Jackson Rd.

From the south cross over the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. Take Rt. 255 north to the Cahokia turn off.

This will put you on Illinois Rt. 3 Going north. The church will be about 2 ½ miles on your right.


Additional Information
________________________

The Retreat Master will be Msgr. Michael Schmitz American Superior of The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. The retreat will start with confession at 9:00 Am Friday March 5th with Mass at 9:30 a.m. And conclude each day at about 4:p.m. There will be other opportunities for confession during the retreat. The cost for the retreat including lunch both days is $35.00.

Here is more information on the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest taken from one of their fliers:
“The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a society erected by the Catholic Church on September 1, 1990. Today it maintains Houses and Apostolates on several continents including North America. The goal of the Institute is the honor of God and the sanctification of priests in the service of the Church and souls through a spiritual formation in Roman Catholic Doctrine and piety. Its specific aim is missionary, to spread and defend the reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ in all realms of human life.”

This organization has its headquarters in Wausau, Wisconsin. This is in the diocese of La Cross under Bishop Raymond Leo Burke soon to be Archbishop of St. Louis. I understand that Msgr. Schmitz and the bishop are good friends. To see pictures of Bishop Burke consecrating the Institute’s St. Mary’s Oratory in Wausau click on www.institute-christ-king.org. then click on the Gate to Heaven Disc.

Agenda
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Day 1 Friday March 5, 2004
9:00 AM Confession
9:30 AM Latin Mass
10:45 AM Conference
11:30 AM Confession and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
12:15 PM Stations of the Cross
12:30 Conference
1:15 PM Lunch
2:15 PM Conference
3:00 PM Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
3:15 PM Rosary, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Confession
3:45 PM Closing Remarks
4:00 PM Close

Day 2. Saturday March 6, 2004
9:30 AM Latin High Mass
10:45 AM Conference
11:30 AM Confession
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Information on The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
1:30 PM Litany of All Saints in Latin
2:30 PM Rosary, and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
2:45 PM Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
3:15 PM Final Conference
4:00 PM Close

Bishop Burke on EWTN

Friday evening, Bishop Burke was interviewed by Raymond Arroyo of the "The World Over" regarding his recent pastoral letter and 'Notification'.

It was a good show and will re-air this evening at 10:00pm CST, if you did not catch it.

My Constituency Made Me Do It....

A response to 'Catholic' politicians and their supporters by Dr. Arthur Hippler, who is director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace for the Diocese of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

If Catholic legislators cannot be excused from defending "segregation" because of their constituency, how then can be excused from defending the right to life, which is more fundamental than the right to education or voting or housing? John Paul II explains "It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop" (EV, no.101). It is no less true now than it was during the time of segregation that the will of the majority cannot excuse injustice.

Latest on Bishop Burke from the Post-Dispatch:

No bishop has gone as far as Burke
This is a lame attempt to try to show that, since no other bishop has gone as far Bishop Burke in denying Holy Communion, maybe he is wrong? I must say, however, that the writer did hit many of the "Dirty Dozen" as chosen by the American Life League. The saddest part of this story is that it appears that no other bishop or cardinal (except, Bishop Bruskewitz & maybe a couple others) has the necessary equipment (that is, a complete set of spinal vertabrae) to do his canonical duty. Their inaction causes MORE SCANDAL than the actions of the politicians!

and this one:

Bishop Burke's actions could undermine trust in Catholic lawmakers
These are a few letters. Sadly mine did not make it, as far as I know. Maybe next time. Anyway, one can quickly pick up whether the understanding (or lack thereof) of the writer is based on reason or not...No more need be said.

AIDS Study Data Faked

I received this the other day....

AIDS Study Data Faked
by Keith Peters, Washington, D.C., correspondent

SUMMARY: Maybe you heard recently about a study that claimed "safe sex" is beneficial for teens and helps to slow the spread of AIDS. Now, there's word that the research was faked.

Three University of Maryland researchers have admitted fabricating interviews for the Focus on Teens HIV risk-prevention program. The researchers admitted they made up interviews with teenagers that they claimed were conducted in 2001.

More than $1 million in federal funds was paid for the study, which was designed to find out whether so-called "safe-sex" practices worked on black teens in a Baltimore housing development.

Tom McClusky, director of government affairs at the Family Research Council, was shocked at the news.

"Even though the researchers said they had conducted hundreds of interviews of these children, they hadn't interviewed one child and they had basically stolen the grant," McClusky said.

U.S. Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., said the revelation has led him to ask some basic questions "about the accuracy of the research in general, about the information process" -- including what the researchers plan to tell Congress and "what penalties there are if you manipulate research that
then is used to apply to kids who may be risking their lives?"

None of the researchers have been fired.

Souder said he now questions many of the claims being made about the viability of condoms.

"They were willing," he said, "to doctor condom research to try to get the results they wanted, to try to juice it up so that it would look more effective and yet they have
criticized conservatives for trying to put the light of day on this? It's a little bit backwards."

Souder added that the scandal underscores the need for oversight of all federal programs to ensure that taxpayer dollars aren't misspent and that science isn't manipulated.

It's a start, but it isn't quite enough

New Orleans archbishop says pro-abort politicians should not receive Communion
New Orleans, Jan. 16 (CWNews.com)

Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans has told Catholic politicians that they should not receive Communion if they support abortion or euthanasia.

In a column published this week in his archdiocesan newspaper, the Clarion Herald, Archbishop Hughes wrote: "When Catholic officials openly support the taking of human life in abortion, euthanasia or the destruction of human embryos, they are no longer faithful members in the Church and should not partake of Holy Communion."

The statement by Archbishop Hughes comes shortly after Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse, Wisconsin, issued a canonical directive barring pro-abortion Catholic lawmakers from the Eucharist. But a spokesman for the New Orleans archdiocese said that Archbishop Hughes was not going so far. Father William Maestri said that the archbishop's column called for pro-abortion politicians voluntarily to refrain from taking Communion. He said that the archdiocese had no plans to refuse the Eucharist to anyone.

© Copyright 2004 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

Catholic League weighs in on VOTF & Newsday

January 12, 2004

CHECKMATE:
NEWSDAY AND L.I. VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL

Catholic League president William Donohue explained why a report on Newsday and Voice of the Faithful was sent to every pastor on Long Island (the report is available at www.catholicleague.org):

“The Catholic League tracks anti-Catholicism in all 50 states. In doing so, we learn where Catholic bashing is most rampant and who is responsible. Of particular concern to us is the situation on Long Island. The local daily, Newsday, has been on a tear against the Catholic Church for the past two years. Moreover, it has led an attack against Diocese of Rockville Centre Bishop William F. Murphy that is scurrilous. Working in tandem with Newsday is the Long Island chapter of Voice of the Faithful (some who write for the newspaper are active in Voice).

“All pastors on Long Island are now in possession of a packet of information that the Catholic League mailed on January 9. It includes a report on Newsday and an article on Voice of the Faithful. The report offers excerpts from Newsday columnists and contributors in 2002 and 2003 that demonstrate a profound animus against both the Catholic Church and Bishop Murphy. The article, available in the current edition of Crisis magazine, is a whistle-blowing piece written by the co-chairman of the communications committee of the Long Island chapter of Voice of the Faithful; it shows the ideological agenda of this supposedly neutral group.

“The Catholic League is not walking away from this battle. Moreover, it is up to Newsday and Voice of the Faithful to reverse course. If they do not, we will take further steps to checkmate their efforts.”

William Donohue is helping to expose what these people are really up to...Good job!

Bishop's edict weighs heavily on Catholics' hearts

This opinion piece is from The Capitol Times in Madison, WI.

While it is, indeed, sad that many Catholics fail to understand right and wrong, it is sadder still that they do nothing to attempt to understand but are eager to complain about fairness and justice and tolerance. Yet, even their understanding of these terms is deficient, lacking in substance.

The theological virtues are misunderstood by so many. The hearts of many are closed to God's grace and therefore, they are incapable of faith and because they have no real faith they can have no real understanding. It is only when they come to realize that faith precedes understanding, that they may rejoice that Bishop Burke has determined that it is necessary for him to do more to help save their eternal souls.

Cardinal George Responds....

The link to the Cardinal's Letter which follows is here. The Open Letter of the 23 Priests can be found here:

On Monday, December 29, 2003, I received a call from Bishop Paprocki, the Episcopal Vicar for my part of the Archdiocese, ordering me to refrain from using any parish resources for personal opinions. He first said I was to remove the Open Letter from the parish web site, then said that the Cardinal had said, at the very least, I was to include his response. I am more than happy to include the Cardinal’s response to the Open Letter, which, although he made it available to the media the same day as the Open Letter, is not to be found on the Archdiocesan web site under news releases. Nonetheless, it is my hope that making these materials available for all those of good will can only serve to increase a healthy and helpful dialogue for all those affected by this pastoral concern which is shared by the Cardinal and those who signed the letter. Fr. Prendergast

December 19, 2003

Dear Father Prendergast,

Thank you for your courtesy in sending me a copy of your open letter to the bishops about the language of some Church documents speaking of homosexuality. Normally I don’t respond personally to an open letter addressed to a group, but your letter raises an important point and fails to address another. Hence, this response.

Your concern that language can make it difficult to welcome people is one I share. The Church speaks, in moral and doctrinal issues, a philosophical and theological language in a society that understands, at best, only psychological and political terms. Our language is exact, but it does not help us in welcoming men and women of homosexual orientation. It can seem lacking in respect. This is a pastoral problem and a source of anxiety for me as it is for you. It would be good to discuss it together.

Pastoring any group of people, however, means more than welcoming them. It also means calling them to conversion in Christ. This dimension of the pastoral life is absent from your letter. God is all-loving and all-forgiving; but he knows the difference between right and wrong, and he expects us to know it, to live accordingly and, as ordained priests, to preach the demands of the Gospel with integrity to every group and all people on their journey to holiness.

Pastors have to mediate the tension between welcoming people and calling them to change, to repent and convert and live according to Christ’s teaching transmitted by the Church. That tension is often resolved in practice by a pastor’s love for his people. I thank you for loving your people. If, however, you cannot resolve that tension between welcoming people as they are and still calling them to leave their sinfulness and become saints, or if you yourself do not accept the Church’s moral teaching on the moral use of the gift of sexuality, it would be all the more important for us to talk.

You and all the people you love and serve are daily in my prayers; please keep me in yours.

Fraternally yours in Christ,
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Chicago

Feb 5th Encore of the Da Vinci Code Lecture at Kenrick

Because of the overwhelming response to the lecture last night, an encore presentation will be held on Thursday, February 5 at 7:00pm. It is well worth the time if you can make it.

My report from tonight's lecture:
I had called Kenrick earlier to make sure I had my directions correct and to confirm all was a go. It was suggested that I arrive earlier as there had been numerous inquiries made recently and they were expecting a crowd. I arrived about an hour before the start of the program. It was the first time I had ever been there. It is an architecturally beautiful complex. I found out exactly where the program was to be held and how to get there. It was in the auditorium which is directly beneath the chapel.

About 6:30, I entered the auditorium to get a seat, and found a seat in the first row. With eyesight and hearing on the fritz, I prefer this. Not too many people had arrived yet, but by 7:00 pm, the place was overflowing, every seat was occupied, and two classrooms with video feed were set up to handle the extra attendees.

The order of speakers were Dr. Welch, Fr. Lockwood, and Fr. Witt. Dr. Welch began with an overview of the plot of the book and a description of the characters. He listed a number of basic errors and conjectures the author made and presented the factual information to refute the errors. He also discussed the subject of faith as defined in the book (page 341) which really isn't faith at all but appears to me to be basic relativism.

Fr. Lockwood then proceeded to offer an historical background on what many perceive to be the sources of the errors and inaccuracies in the book, namely the apocryphal writings of the first and second century, particularly those of the Gnostics. His presentation laid an excellent foundation for those who may have been unfamiliar with the various spurious works that existed early in the Church's history and how the Gnostics and others used the Gospels to elevate Mary Magdalen to extreme heights to bolster their views.

Lastly, Fr. Witt gave his presentation, which, indirectly challenged "The Da Vinci Code" by exposing the flawed, defective, and inconsistent sources from which the author drew his material. His 'outed' these sources, such as the book, "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", and others for complete shams by using the authors' own words. He demonstrated that the authors, while purporting to engage in historical research, were either incapable or unwilling to do so objectively. He revealed that many of Dan Brown's hypotheses and 'facts' were completely and utterly lacking in credibility, such as the 'Priory of Sion', which he showed was a 1950's invention of an eccentric anti-Semite rather than a secret society founded in 1099.

There was a question and answer period after the lectures and most of the questions asked seemed typical. I was quite surprised and elated, however, that the panel seemed to be rather unimpressed with the 'higher critical method' of biblical scholarship, Q source theory, a late dating of the Gospels that many of us have come to expect from many of the 'enlightened' these days. The last person to ask a question, after some rambling, posed the proposition that the book 'lifted up' the value of women because of the way Mary Magdalen was portrayed and wondered why the Church was so inclined to suppress women and treat them as second class citizens? Typical, this seems to happen at every conference or lecture. Fr. Lockwood and Fr. Witt both answered from different perspectives and both answers received a round of applause.

I would recommend this lecture for all, if for no other reason than to be better prepared to respond to those who may become confused by the book. Fr. Lockwood said that he became interested in doing this lecture when some of his parishioners asked him after Mass why the Church had never told the people that Jesus was married - why the Church withheld this information from them!

Folks, this really happens! Especially today in this age of uncatechized Catholics. You can help them and help yourself by being better prepared to give a reason for and explanation of the faith .

Don't Forget-DaVinci Code Seminar Tonight!

DaVinci Code Seminar at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary tonight @ 7:00 pm.

The presenters are all from the seminary faculty:
Rev. Gregory Lockwood will be talking about the misuse of the Gnostic gospels in this genre of literature and what the real story is.

Fr. Michael Witt will be talking about the "history" presented in the Da Vinci Code and where this stuff came from (specifically, the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail and how those authors misused history to make their outrageous claims.

Then Dr. Lawrence Welch, one of Kenrick's systematics professors, will discuss the theological and catechetical challenges involved.

Directions to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary are:
5200 Glennon Drive, off Weil in Shrewbury, approximately 6 blocks west of Chippewa and 10 blocks east of Laclede Station Road.

The phone number for more information is: 314-792-6103.

Followup to the article "Bishop Burke, 'Cafeteria' Bishop"

This is a followup to this post.

After doing a little research, first to Helen Hull Hitchcock's wonderful site, Women for Faith & Family, I ended up at "Voice of the Faithful-St. Louis".

And whose name do you think appears on the list of the Leadership Committee members of VOTF-SL?

Why am I not surprised....? I'm not sure.

A couple of other interesting notes about VOTF-SL, though:
I learned that "Faithful St. Louis" ( as it was formerly called) was promoted by St. Cronan's which, incidentally, encouraged parishioners (via the bulletin) to attend a lecture by Fr. Richard McBrien.

Not only that, and this could very well be coincidental, as I was reading the VOTF-SL History page, I came across a name which seemed familiar to me - Paige Byrne-Shortal.

It just so happens that Paige Byrne-Shortal is scheduled to speak at Immaculate Conception's "Inspiration Quest" series on Friday, Feb. 6, at 7:00pm. ICD's "Inspiration Quest" is promoted as an 'Adult Christian Learning Series'. Coincidental? Maybe....Not to mention, of course, her numerous articles in the National Catholic Reporter.

The latest on Fr. Benedict Groeschel's condition

can be found here.

'Passion’ to debut on 2,000 screens

This sounds like great news. And it will be here next month.

Cardinal's condom move praised

Aids campaigners have welcomed a leading Catholic cardinal's acceptance of the use of condoms if one partner in a relationship is HIV positive.

Hopefully, the Vatican will soon clarify this issue that the good Cardinal Danneels has raised. Perhaps, silencing him would be appropropriate?

Bishop Burke, a "cafeteria" bishop?

While reading yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I saw this in the 'Letters to the Editor' section:

Selective morality

How interesting that our new archbishop, Raymond Burke, would carefully select the church teachings on the choices of women and dying to impose upon our civil society through coercion of Catholic politicians. What about long-standing teachings on birth control, opposition to war, the death penalty, divorce, neglect of the less fortunate, etc.?

I have heard of pick-and-choose "cafeteria Catholics," but a "cafeteria bishop"?

Then again, this might be just the beginning. It should be an interesting time for Catholics in St. Louis, especially for those who follow their conscience.

Robert Schutzius
Secretary,
Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church, Florissant

After having read the good bishop's notification and pastoral letter, I saw nothing of this "coercion" of which Mr. Schutzius speaks. The politicians, freely, are choosing an intrinsically evil murder over life itself. They are freely choosing to be Catholic or not. There is no coercion whatsoever from the bishop. It is an injustice and a lie to suggest otherwise.

Perhaps, if Mr. Schutzius actually attends Mass or is registered with a parish in North County, his pastor should sit down and have a chat with him. It is obvious that he has little or no knowledge of Bishop Burke or the true teachings of the Church, nor does he seem to understand what the Church tells us about 'conscience'. (Here's a clue, see the Catechism #1783)

Could it also be that he, and not Archbishop Burke, is the one who has a 'cafeteria' attitude? Why else would one be a member (& founder) of the dissenting organization, ARCC, which wishes to pick and choose what to believe? Why would a professed' Catholic want to belong to a group which promotes a so-called "democratic" church whereby the people vote for their own doctrine, and support of pluralism ("believe what you want") via a "Constitution" and a "Catholic Bill of Rights"?

I have a few suggestions to help clear up this confusion:
Read the Catechism.
Actually read the documents of Vatican II for yourself.
Seek refuge in Christ's Church after departing from the ARCC.

If none of these suggestions help, perhaps one should ask to meet with the Archbishop so one might persuade and convince him to join the fold of dissidents and malcontents who believe that 'conscience' rules supreme even when it is opposed to reason and truth.

Local Politicians' Opinions about Bishop Burke's Stance

Some local politicians seem to be a little uneasy about Bishop Burke's recent notification to Wisconsin legislators.

Statements such as:

"I'm very passionate about my politics and I'm very passionate about my religion," Scheve said, noting that she sends her daughter to a Catholic school. "For the two to collide is an issue that troubles me to my core."

This is fairly disingenious if is not a complete fabrication. It is impossible to be very passionate about one's faith if one does not know that faith and believe it. Sending one's children to a Catholic school hardly meets the criteria for being Catholic. But hey, after 35-40 years of exceptionally poor catechesis, what does one expect?

And then we have this bit of wisdom from the knowledgable reporter:

Scheve's counterpart, state Republican Party Chairwoman Ann Wagner, is Catholic.

Wagner and most of those Catholic officeholders share Burke's views on abortion and euthanasia. However, many of them likely disagree with the church on other matters - notably, the death penalty, which is practiced in Missouri. The Catholic Church opposes it.
Private speculation also is under way on whether Burke might expand the no-Communion order to the death penalty or other issues.

The Church, while not opposing the right of the State to impose the death penalty, does oppose the application of death penalty when bloodless means are available to protect society.
"Legitimate public authority has the right and the duty to inflict punishment proportionate to the gravity of the offense. Punishment has the primary aim of redressing the disorder introduced by the offense. When it is willingly accepted by the guilty party, it assumes the value of expiation" (CCC, no.2266).

The death penalty cannot be construed as equivalent to abortion. The deliberate murder of an innocent human being is not the same as the killing of a guilty person.

Other locals seem to think receiving Holy Communion is a matter between the priest and the communicant. How utterly ignorant!

A clear demonstration of the lack of knowledge many 'Catholics' have regarding the teachings of the Church.

Bishop Burke on the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility

Bish Burke has issued a pastoral letter on the duty of every one of the faithful to promote the culture of life in politics. He wrote the letter at the same time that he released a decree that local Catholic politicians who support abortion or euthanasia may not receive Communion in the diocese until they publicly denounce their positions.

A 'PDF' versions can be found at the Diocese of LaCrosse website here.

Zenit has a text version here.

Pay particularly close attention to this:

"The port of entry for the culture of death in our society has been the abandonment of the respect for the procreative meaning of the conjugal act. It is the contraceptive way of thinking, the fear of the life-giving dimension of conjugal love, which very much sustains that culture." He quotes Pope John Paul II (Evangelium Vitae, n. 13): "[T]he pro-abortion culture is especially strong precisely where the Church's teaching on contraception is rejected".

Perhaps Catholics may begin to learn that artificial contraception is sinful and that one may not appeal to to one's malformed conscience in determining right and wrong? Of course, priests may have to speak about this in an homily, perhaps at the risk of losing some less than faithful 'Catholics'.

An Open Letter to 23 Chicago Priests

The following is courtesy of Catholic Citizens of Illinois:

1/12/2004 9:57:00 PM
By Dan Cheely - Catholic Citizens of Illinios
For background see Chicago Priests Openly Rip On Church Teachings
###

An Open Letter to 23 Chicago Priests

In a time of crisis in the Catholic Church it is truly counter-productive to heap scorn on the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, and even the Pope himself, as he reiterates that age-old teaching. For Catholic priests to be the heapers is a grave scandal.

Let’s be frank. If the Church’s moral teaching on homosexuality had been fostered, embraced and followed by the criminal priests who preyed on Catholic children, and if those priests had accepted the need to struggle heroically to preserve chastity, 90% of those crimes never would have occurred. Moreover, if the Church’s teaching on chastity in general were fostered, actively preached, and practiced, none of the crimes would have occurred at all.


Secondly, the only public statements on the issue which have used rhetorically repugnant language are yours, not the Vatican’s. I challenge you to find a single document from the 25 year Pontificate of John Paul II where he uses the term evil or hateful to describe homosexuals. There are none. It is only your letter that uses this language to demean those who disagree with you. Does this exemplify the dialogue you claim to favor? It is obvious that it is this teaching of the Catholic catechism that you find offensive, and that any articulation of it whatsoever is painful to you. Your purpose in your public letter is to change the Church’s teaching, and to use wrongfully your position in the Church to undercut the clarity of that teaching. As you probably know, the Vatican’s statements are measured and mild as compared with the text of the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. Perhaps you consider these evil as well.

On the contrary, the traditional Biblical teaching on sexual morality is beautiful, uplifting, and transforming. It demands the best from human nature, calling into action high-mindedness, self-discipline, perseverance, dedication, fortitude, patience, mental focus, loyalty, honor, temperance, and self-control. Granted, it does necessarily involve the single dirty word condemned by our contemporary society. No!, but that self-mastery exercises and makes possible all those qualities which foster heroism in personal and social life, and thus energizes the truest kind of freedom: the power to be good and do good habitually, even when it is difficult.

Unlike your call to conform the Church to the times, the Church’s traditional morality is timeless, valid in all seasons. Christ, we believe, came to us as a revelation from the Eternal. Thus, his Church is constituted, not to conform to modern mores, but to create new men and new women, living lives radically different than what might be the prevailing practice around them. So it was in the first Christian centuries. So it must be now.

Your letter calls for dialogue, as if Christian Revelation were as negotiable as a services contract. There is a place for dialogue, but never at the expense of the critical mission of the Church. Dialogue on the part of the Church can only occur meaningfully if the Church has something unique to affirm which flows from her very nature and her unique role in passing on eternally the teaching of Christ as handed on through his Apostles. You seem to be scandalized that the Church dares make such affirmations at all. You would rather have the Church silent, simply to listen to the monologue of homosexual activists, implicitly denying the Church any authority or ability to teach.

If the Church cannot proclaim its own long-standing morality, it is not even free. St. Paul wrote to Timothy that the Church leader should be prepared to preach the traditional teaching in season and out of season, even at the risk of being unpopular. A Church that says yes to every moral difficulty is not a Church at all, but rather, useless. Is it any wonder that when the Church spoke with a clearer, more united voice in matters of faith and morals that Catholic identification, solidarity and commitment was high, and that the reverse is true today? Is it mysterious that those Communities and Churches which promote the most challenging & demanding adherence to traditional faith and morals are those which are healthy and growing, both within and outside the Catholic Church? Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, it is fit for nothing. . . .

Despite your misguided desires, the authority of the universal Church will never lose its savor; we have the Holy Spirit’s guarantee for that. We would encourage you to re-examine the beautiful moral teachings of the Church you once pledged to serve, and to recommit yourselves to her as Mater et Magistra.

Dan Cheely, Director
Catholic Citizens of Illinios

This is a great letter. I'm not sure sure what else could be said.

Belgium Cardinal continues to confuse the laity

Godfried Cardinal Danneels of Brussels is claiming, if this report is correct, that he could reluctantly accept the use of condoms as a means to halt the spread of AIDS. The story I saw is here.

The Church teaches that:
1. the use of artificial contraception is always immoral, and
2. the only morally acceptable method to prevent AIDS transmission is abstinence.

No wonder Catholics in Belgium are lost.

Fr. Groeschel Critically Injured in Car Accident

EWTNews-Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, well known to EWTN viewers for his numerous series and appearances on the network, is in critical but stable condition at Orlando Regional Medical Center after being struck by a car near Orlando International Airport in Florida. The incident occurred Sunday evening. Details are sketchy but sources say the priest was walking to a restaurant for a meal when he was hit. EWTNews will keep you informed of this situation as it develops. Please keep Fr. Groeschel in your prayers.

Russell Shaw is coming to St. Charles County

I do not have all of the details yet, but Russell Shaw will be coming to St. Charles county to give a talk on the subject of vocations and living our vocations. This is being sponsored by the St. Charles Serra Club.

I will post the details just as soon as I can confirm them.

The crying and whining begins!

Many articles have been published and many news reports have been aired on radio and TV since Archbishop Burke's 'Notification' has been made public.

A rather interesting one is here. It has a host of people decrying the fact the the bishop has done is job. But they see it all differently. To them, the bishop is a "fanatic" - so says Dan Maguire, a theology professor from Marquette. This ma be understandable if you read his writings, like this one called, "The Voice of
the Faithful (VOTF) in a Clergy Dominated Church". Who is really the fanatic?

Bishop Burke needs our prayers at a time like this. He is doing exactly what the Holy Father requested of all bishops nearly 2 (yes, 2) years ago:

POPE CALLS ON BISHOPS TO PUBLICLY REPRIMAND DISSENTERS FROM CHURCH'S MORAL TEACHING Strongly Implies Dissent is at the Root of the Scandals and Must be Bishops' First Priority

ROME, April 26, 2002 (LSN.ca)
***************************
- At the conclusion of the meeting between Pope John Paul II and the Cardinals of the United States Wednesday, the pope called on the "Pastors of the Church" to "publicly...reprimand individuals who spread dissent." At the meeting discussing the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy the pope noted that "doctrinal issues" underlie "the deplorable behavior in question" and proposed three "lines of response." This may be an especially difficult task for some of the bishops and cardinals since in the U.S., and even more so in neighbouring Canada, where dissent or toleration of dissent on moral issues is deeply ingrained in many church leaders and institutions.

Did I say that I was so looking forward to Archbishop Burke coming to St. Louis? He is a man whose actions should give us all encouragement to fight the good fight. He is standing up for Christ and leading us into battle against the powers and principalities that wish to take us all to hell with them. This is a case of spiritual warfare! And we have been so blessed to receive this man as the spiritual leader of our diocese.

Archbishop Burke's Notification

As Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, I am bound to be "solicitous for all the faithful entrusted to [my] care" (Code of Canon Law, can. 383 Sec.1). With respect to the fundamental responsibility of safeguarding and promoting the respect for human life,it is my duty "to explain, persuade, correct and admonish those in leadership positions who contradict the Gospel of life through their action and policies" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics [November 1998], n. 29).

His Holiness Pope John Paul II, upholding the constant teaching of the Church, has frequently reminded us that "those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a grave and clear obligation to oppose any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them" (Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life [November 24, 2002], n. 4 Sec.1). A Catholic legislator who supports procured abortion or euthanasia, after knowing the teaching of the Church, commits a manifestly grave sin which is a cause of most serious scandal to others. Therefore, universal Church law provides that such persons "are not to be admitted to Holy Communion" (Code of Canon Law, can. 915).

I hereby call upon Catholic legislators, who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse, to uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life. To fail to do so is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful. Therefore, in accord with the norm of can. 915, Catholic legislators, who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion. They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publically [sic] renounce their support of these most unjust practices.

I ask for the prayers of all the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and of all people of good will within the Diocese of La Crosse, that Catholic legislators who have promoted procured abortion or euthanasia, with the help and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may undergo a conversion of heart in this most grave matter, so that human life may be protected and fostered in the greatest way possible and these legislators may be admitted once more to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Given at La Crosse, on the twenty-third day of November, the Solemnity of Christ the King, in the Year of the Lord 2003.

Lawmakers who back abortion, euthanasia told not to receive Communion

Lawmakers who back abortion, euthanasia told not to receive Communion
By Dan Rossini
Catholic News Service
LA CROSSE, Wis. (CNS) -- Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has formally notified Catholic lawmakers in the La Crosse Diocese that they cannot receive Communion if they continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia.

The four-paragraph canonical notification, published in the Jan. 8 edition of The Catholic Times, the La Crosse diocesan newspaper, called upon Catholic legislators in the diocese "to uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life."

"To fail to do so is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful," it said.

Archbishop Burke, who is to be installed Jan. 26 as St. Louis' new archbishop, released the canonical notification along with a 10-page pastoral letter to Catholics in the La Crosse Diocese about their political responsibility to uphold the value of human life.

He noted that the documents were issued while he is serving as diocesan administrator of La Crosse following his Dec. 2 appointment as archbishop of St. Louis. However, he said, the pastoral letter and the notification carry the full weight of his authority as bishop of La Crosse because both were signed Nov. 23, the feast of Christ the King.

"Catholic legislators who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive holy Communion," the notification said. "They are not to be admitted to holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices."

The two documents followed reports in the secular press in December that Archbishop Burke had sent private letters to three Catholic legislators in the diocese, warning them of the spiritual dangers of their votes against human life.

According to Archbishop Burke, the notification became necessary as an outcome of his correspondence with Catholic legislators. None of the three lawmakers to whom he wrote accepted his invitation for a private meeting to discuss their voting records, and in letters to the bishop indicated they were not open to changing their positions.

"After several exchanges of letters, it became clear in all three cases that there was no willingness to conform to the teaching of the church," he said. "So the notification became a necessity in order that the faithful in the diocese not be scandalized, thinking that it is acceptable for a devout Catholic to also be pro-abortion."

Archbishop Burke has declined to name the three politicians but secular news reports have identified two of them as state Sen. Julie Lassa and U.S. Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wis.

The archbishop said the simultaneous release of the two documents was a coincidence, since the pastoral letter had been in the works for months. "I'd been thinking about it for a long time, and working on it with the help of others, and we finally got it into its (final) form," he said.

"I've come to understand as bishop that there is a real confusion on the part of many people in the diocese with regard to the relationship of the moral law to our civil laws," he added. "So I wanted to write a letter to clarify this."

In the letter, titled "On the Dignity of Human Life and Civic Responsibility," Archbishop Burke said many Catholics misunderstand the concept of "separation of church and state," taking it to mean that church teachings have no application to political life.

The letter affirms, on the contrary, that Catholics have the obligation to form their political judgments from church teachings, "especially in what pertains to the natural moral law, that is, the order established by God in creation."

"If the Catholic Church insisted to legislators that they vote for laws that punish people who steal, no one would find anything objectionable in that," said the archbishop in the document. "People all recognize that to take someone else's property is a crime. The natural law teaches us that. So also it teaches that human life is inviolable."

The letter also addresses the position of some Catholic politicians who say their efforts to help the poor and marginalized make up for the fact they do not vote consistently in favor of protecting life, and that in a democracy legislators are bound to vote according to the will of the majority of their constituents.

The archbishop's notification on reception of Communion cites a passage from the "Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life," issued by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in January 2003.

That document reiterates the pope's teaching that Catholics involved directly in lawmaking bodies have a "grave and clear obligation to oppose" any measure that is an attack on human life. "For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them," it says.
- -
Editor's Note: The pastoral letter and the notification are posted on the Web site of the Diocese of La Crosse, www.dioceseoflacrosse.com.

This bishop (our new Archbishop) is a man to be proud of...I can't wait to meet him! The actual notification is here.

Lenten Retreat Update just received...

Credo will be holding a Lenten Retreat at Holy Family Old Log Church in Cahokia Illinois on Friday March 5th and Saturday March 6th.

The Retreat Master will be from The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Wausau Wisconsin. (Bishop Burke's Diocese of LaCrosse) The Retreat Master will be celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass with the permission of Bishop Wilton Gregory, Bishop of Belleville. Look for more information in our news letter which should be out in a about two weeks.

See the sidebar for information about Credo.

What can you do for Dad on Father's Day?

How about a trip to Disney World in Orlando on Father's Day Weekend! But before you purchase those tickets, read this from CNSNews.com:

The Family Pride Coalition announced it has picked Father's Day weekend, June 17-20, for its first-ever gathering at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

"This official Family Pride event...has been specially designed for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) parents and their families," the group said in a press release.

"Disney has been a wonderful support in the planning of a very special and exciting weekend for our families," said Aimee Gelnaw, executive director of the Family Pride Coalition.

I, myself, will never go back to Disney World. We were there in 1998 for a special tournament in which our kids participated. However, the same week we were there in June, Disney was hosting "Gay Days". Our hotel was packed, the swimming pool was packed. We were confined to a gaming area where the kids competed for college scholarship prizes so we missed most of the "gay days".
Personally, as much as we enjoyed the various exhibits, rides, food, and other festivities, I cannot lend support to an organization which continues to obfuscate the true meaning of family and which subjects unsuspecting parents and children to the homosexual culture.

More Sacred Music from OCP?

Is this what the Holy Father envisioned in his Apostolic Letter, SPIRITUS ET SPONSA on the 40th Anniversary of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM wherein he says:

4. Then with regard to the different elements involved in liturgical celebration, the Constitution pays special attention to the importance of sacred music. The Council praises it, pointing out as its objective: "the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful"13. In fact, sacred music is a privileged means to facilitate the active participation of the faithful in sacred celebration, as my venerable Predecessor St Pius X desired to highlight in his Motu Proprio On the Restoration of Sacred Music Tra le Sollecitudini, whose centenary occurs this year. It was this very anniversary that recently gave me an opportunity to reassert the need to preserve and to emphasize the role of music at liturgical celebrations, in accordance with the directives of Sacrosanctum Concilium and mindful of the Liturgy's real character as well as the sensibility of our time and the musical traditions of the world's different regions.

Be sure to have your sound turned up!

PONTIFICAL ACTS: NAUMANN APPOINTED TO KANSAS CITY

7-January-2004 -- Vatican Information Service
VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

-- Appointed Bishop Joseph F. Naumann, auxiliary of St. Louis, U.S.A. as coadjutor archbishop of the archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas (area 32,425, population 1,174,500, Catholics 197,752, priests 159, religious 756), U.S.A.

Congratulations to Bishop Naumann.

New document on liturgy to appear soon, with "rigid" rules removed

Catholic World News (cwnews.com) has reported that the long-awaited document on the liturgy that the Holy Father called for in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, will soon be made public. It seems to have been delayed by high-level disagreements within the Vatican. It is also reported that the document will not contain any striking innovations.

In Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul had said that the new document would provide juridical norms regarding the celebration of the Eucharist. The purpose of the document, Vatican officials disclosed at the time, was to curtail liturgical abuse-- a problem that was viewed by the Holy See with grave concern.

CWN reports that the editors of the document-- which has been prepared primarly by the Congregation for Divine Worship-- were reportedly under heavy pressure to avoid causing controversy by taking positions that would be judged as extreme. The final document will avoid that danger by confining itself to a repetition of previous Vatican statements and standards. In effect, informed sources report, the new document will be a distilled version of the liturgical norms already published in the General Instructions for the Roman Missal.

So if CWN sources are correct, we are going to get yet another toothless document without the 'prescriptions of a juridical nature' which the Holy Father requested. No 'rigid' rules for us, please! We do so love our our warm, fuzzy liturgies with dancing, bongos & drums, clapping, with electified guitars and such....It's just so, Matthew Fox - you know what I'm talking about - his Cosmic Techo Mass!

If this report is true, and I certainly don't want to prejudge the document itself, many will be greatly disappointed. There are enough documents already that clarify the rules and far too many priests ignore them and some bishops are too weak to correct them.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

DaVinci Code Seminar Update at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary

Here's some info on the program we are presenting:
Thursday January 15, 2004 at 7 PM at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.

The presenters are all from the seminary faculty:
Rev. Gregory Lockwood will be talking about the misuse of the Gnostic gospels in this genre of literature and what the real story is.

Fr. Michael Witt will be talking about the "history" presented in the Da Vinci Code and where this stuff came from (specifically, the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail and how those authors misused history to make their outrageous claims.

Then Dr. Lawrence Welch, one of Kenrick's systematics professors, will discuss the theological and catechetical challenges involved.

Directions to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary are:
5200 Glennon Drive, off Weil in Shrewbury, approximately 6 blocks west of Chippewa and 10 blocks east of Laclede Station Road.

Speaking of things to come...

In Spain, a homosexual group is suing the country's Roman Catholic primate for suggesting that same-sex marriages would bring down the country's social security system.

Speaking the truth is equated with slander and incitement to discrimination. Are we there yet? See the full story here.

Pro-life group at Gonzaga law school denied official status

From Catholic News Service...

SEATTLE (CNS) -- A pro-life club seeking recognition at a Catholic university is not normally the subject of media attention. But the Student Bar Association at Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane has drawn newspaper headlines and the ire of an educational rights organization over its decision to deny official status to a newly formed pro-life group because its leadership requirements exclude non-Christians. The Pro-Life Caucus, founded last fall by two second-year law school students to oppose abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, was denied recognition by the Student Bar Association as a university-sponsored group because the group's leadership positions are limited to Christians -- although people of other religions are welcome as members. The university's administration backs the Student Bar Association's decision because of the discriminatory element, but supports the group's purpose, said Dale Goodwin, Gonzaga public relations director, in a telephone interview with The Catholic Northwest Progress, Seattle archdiocesan newspaper.

I wonder if the the president of the college, a respected and apparently orthodox Jesuit priest who has been a guest on Catholic Answers, etc., approves of this? What a wonderful lesson and example of 'politcal correctness'! I wonder how they feel about "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis"?

Is this what will come to pass?

I received this from a friend recently. It brings tears to my eyes. And I have no doubt that we could end up in this situation. Some (Peter Singer, for one) have already advocated that we begin to allow the choice of terminating a child's life for a period of time AFTER he or she has been born.

----------------
Thirty-one years ago, abortion on demand was legalized. Now, even a child in the process of being born can be killed with impunity. Laws attempting to protect a child during his or her birth are challenged in the courts, and cannot be enforced. How far will this culture of death go? The following is from the parish newsletter of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Arlington, Texas:

Dear Mom,
Gosh, can you believe it’s 2023 already? I’m still writing ‘22’ on nearly everything. Seems like just yesterday I was sitting in first grade celebrating the century change. I know we haven’t really chatted since Christmas. Sorry. Anyway, I have some difficult news and I really didn’t want to call and talk face-to-face. Ted’s had a promotion and I should be up for a hefty raise this year if I keep putting in those crazy hours. You know how I work at it. Yes, we’re still struggling with the bills.

Timmy’s been ‘okay’ at kindergarten although he complains about going. But then, he wasn’t happy about day care either, so what can I do? He’s been a real problem, Mom. He’s a good kid, but quite honestly, he’s an unfair burden at this time in our lives. Ted and I have talked this through and finally made a choice. Plenty of other families have made it and are much better off.

Our pastor is supportive and says hard decisions are necessary. The family is a ‘system’ and the demands of one member shouldn’t be allowed to ruin the whole. He told us to be prayerful, consider all the factors, and do what is right to make the family work. He says that even though he probably wouldn’t do it himself, the decision is really ours. He was kind enough to refer us to a children’s clinic near here, so at least that part’s easy. I’m not an uncaring mother. I do feel sorry for the little guy. I think he overheard Ted and me talking about ‘it’ the other night. I turned around and saw him standing at the bottom step in his PJ’s with the little bear you gave him under his arm and his eyes sort of welling up. Mom, the way he looked at me just about broke my heart.

But I honestly believe this is better for Timmy, too. It’s not fair to force him to live in a family that can’t give him the time and attention he deserves. And please don’t give me the kind of grief Grandma gave you over your abortions. It is the same thing, you know. We’ve told him he’s just going in for a vaccination. Anyway, they say it is painless. I guess it’s just as well you haven’t seen that much of him.

Love to Dad . . .
Jane.

The Fr. Paul Weinberger saga...

Many have followed the story of Fr. Paul Weinberger of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Dallas. While I do not know either Fr. Weinberger or Bishop Grahmann, from the information available, it seems clear that a great injustice has occurred. You may even come across purported statements by the diocesan ‘spokesman’, Deacon Bronson Havard, which were completely unfit to come from the mouth of an ordained man. From what I can gather and if these reports are true, both Bishop Grahmann and the ‘good’ deacon are two of the most miserable and detestable excuses for clergy I have read about, with the exception of practicing homosexual, pederast, and heretical clergy.

That having been said, it would seem to me that the best approach for Fr. Weinberger is to graciously accept the decision of his bishop with obedience and offer his sacrifices to the Lord. Those who are under no direct obligation of obedience to this seemingly misfit bishop can continue to write letters to the Holy See, to or for newspapers, or post articles on web sites. Fr. Weinberger can look to those heroic saints who proceeded him under similar circumstances. St. Pio comes to mind immediately in this regard. His superiors actually treated him more severely yet Padre Pio, humble and obedient, took up his cross knowing that his superiors were quite ‘confused’.

Good and great priests are a threat to many. They are a threat because they are loyal to Christ and His Church. They accept the teachings of the Church. They catechize the faithful. They practice prayer, fasting, and mortification. They celebrate the sacraments in a reverent and dignified way, in a manner worthy of offering true praise and glory to God. They enlighten the hearts of the people. They illuminate the darkness with truth. They lead people to Jesus. They work for the salvation of souls. They give their lives so that others might be saved.

These good priests are a threat to evil. Moreover, they are threat to their brother priests who refuse to confront evil or who may even engage in evil. We must pray diligently for our good priests so that God will grant them courage to keep going amid the onslaught of attacks against them. We must encourage our good priests, our spiritual fathers, by inviting them to our homes as part of our families – because they are part of our families. We must get down on our knees and ask God for His help with these trials that our good priests must endure. And we must thank God for blessing us with our good priests and ask Him to send us more.

We must not forget, however, to continue to pray for those priests and bishops who have already lost the faith or are in the process of losing it - because they refuse to exercise their faith. Many of these ordained men have an atrophied faith because they have no longer know how to stand up against evil. They lack a life of prayer. Their souls have become empty. They have lost touch with Jesus. For these, we should pray even harder. Perhaps, if it be God’s will, their faith might be rekindled. We should continue to confront them charitably with the truth when they err. We should continue to ask them to help us toward heaven. And pray, pray, pray!

Here are a few links, in no particular order, to information about Fr. Paul Weinberger.

Fr Wilson’s Comments
www.cruxnews.com
www.markshea.blogspot.com


Rod Dreher’s Comments
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/blog/
amywelborn.typepad.com

Dallas Morning News stories about Fr. Paul Weinberger
www.dallasnews.com/religion/stories/

Fr. Paul Weinberger’s Correspondence
www.blessedsacramentparish.net/news.html

Other related info concerning Bishop Grahmann
www.bishop-accountability.org/tx-dallas/

Report on the Implementation of the Charter is available...

On the USCCB Web Site here.

Update on Cuenin, VOTF, and Bishop O'Malley.

Carol Mckinley has an update here.

"Fun" at Disney World?

Accused sex-abuse priests working at Disney World?

Sad day for the faithful of Blessed Sacrament Church, Dallas...

...as reported in the Dallas Morning News.

Carl Olsen and Sandra Miesel Crack the DaVinci Code...

A good article on Dan Brown's book "The DaVinci Code"...
A long read, so print it out, curl up, and have some fun....
Kudos to Carl and Sandra!

First Things 'critiques' Hans Kung's Memoir

Well, they could have let us know what they really think about it...

At age seventy-five, Catholicism’s best-known theological dissenter has published a memoir that is an unmitigated embarrassment. The vulgarity of the author’s self-aggrandizement is breathtaking, the viciousness toward those who disagree with him deeply saddening. He is the courageous warrior against “spiritual dictatorship” and “church totalitarianism.” Unlike others who sold out in their ambition for ecclesiastical power and prestige, Hans Küng would not compromise his conscience. His most particular target is Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, but he names many others who are allegedly traitors to the truth. But never mind, he is happy and has found power and prestige elsewhere. He notes with satisfaction that Kofi Annan has accepted an invitation to his 75th birthday party. “In all modesty, which I have learned in my childhood, in the tumult of the times I have been able to assert myself as a free man, a Christian, and a theologian.” The book ends with a letter from a Swiss pastor who compares him with the prophet Elijah. To which Küng responds, “Oh no, the fate of a professor is enough for me.” There is that modesty again. Küng says he is writing a second volume of memoirs. It is a pity that what he describes as his great success in life did not include friends who might have discouraged him from publishing the first.

When Catholic Catechetical Works Don't Teach the Faith

This story was reported on Nov. 12, 2003, but more of this was been brought up last week in a another article on Zenit.

First Friday, Time for Adoration

As this is the first Friday of the month and of the new year, perhaps a special effort should be made to spend an hour with Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament.

This would be a great opportunity to pray for vocations, an increase in faith, for a return to fidelity of the faith, for thanksgiving for the gifts we have been given, . . . for everything.

Can you not spend one hour with Him, today?

What Is Happening in Fatima?

An update from Zenit on a controversy which had broken out over the construction of a new building near the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.

CFFC Uses AIDS to Promote Homosexuality, Promiscuity

From C-Fam.org:

In its latest publication, the pro-abortion group “Catholics” for a Free Choice (CFFC) uses the HIV/AIDS epidemic in an attempt to undermine Catholic moral teaching on sexuality. In the pamphlet, “Sex in the HIV/AIDS Era, a Guide for Catholics,” CFFC writes that, “Economic, social and cultural conditions have expanded and challenged the church’s view that only in a lifelong, monogamous heterosexual marriage is sexual expression morally permitted.”

Yes, yes, yes, for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.

Not Listening to Heretics

Today's First Reading
From: 1 John 2:18-21

[18] Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.

[19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us.

[20] But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.

[21] I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth.

Commentary:

18-27. This passage covers one of the main themes in St John's letters--the
fidelity of Christians being tested by the heretics. The style, replete with
contrasts and parallelisms, makes what he has to say very lively.

First he describes the circumstances these Christians find themselves in:
the presence of heretics leads one to think that the antichrist predicted by
our Lord (cf. Mt 24:5-24 and par.) has come already and the "last hour" (v.
18) has begun. He goes on to unmask those who are cast in the role of
antichrist, and contrasts them with true believers: I) they are not of us
(v. 19), whereas you know the truth (vv. 20-21); 2) the heretics are
imposters who deny the basic truth that Jesus is the Christ (vv. 22-23),
whereas you "abide" in the Father and in the Son (vv. 24-25); 3) they
arrogantly present themselves as teachers, but the anointing "abides" in you
and you have no need of spurious teachers (vv. 26-27).

The repetition of the word "abide" stresses the need to keep the teaching of
the Church intact. The faithful have a right to practise their faith in
peace, and it is part of the mission of pastors to strengthen them in the
faith, as St John is doing here. When introducing his "Creed of the People
of God", Pope Paul VI said: "It is true that the Church always has a duty to
try to obtain a deeper understanding of the unfathomable mysteries of God
(which are so rich in their saving effects) and to present them in ways even
more suited to the successive generations. However, in fulfilling this
inescapable duty of study and research, it must do everything it can to
ensure that Christian teaching is not damaged. For if that happened, many
devout souls would become confused and perplexed--which unfortunately is
what is happening at present" ("Homily", 30 June 1968).

18. "The last hour": this expression was probably familiar to the early
Christians, who had a lively desire to see the second coming of Christ. As
many passages in the New Testament indicate, the fullness of time already
began with the Incarnation and the Redemption brought about by Christ (cf.
Gal 4:4; Eph 1:10; Heb 9:26). From that point onwards, until the end of the
world, we are in the last times, the last earthly stage of salvation
history: hence the urgency Christians should feel about their own holiness
and the spread of the Gospel. "To prevent anyone dragging his feet," St
Augustine urges, "listen: 'children, it is the last hour', go on, run, grow;
it is the last hour. It may be an extended one, but it is the last hour"
("In Epist. Ioann. ad Parthos", 3, 3). This eschatological sense of the last
times, which the prophets announced long before (cf., Is 2:2; Jer 23:20;
49:26), is also to be found in the Fourth Gospel (cf. e.g., Jn 2:4; 5:28;
17:1).

"The antichrist": one of the signs of "the last hour" foretold by our Lord
and the Apostles is the feverish activity of false prophets (cf. Mt 24:
11-24; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Thess 2:2ff; 2 Tim 4:Iff; 2 Pet 3:3). Although this
term is only to be found in the letters of St John (1 Jn 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn
7), the "antichrist's" features are similar to those of the "man of
lawlessness", "the enemy" St Paul speaks about (cf. 2 Thess 2:1-12) and the
"beasts" of the Apocalypse (cf., e.g., Rev 11:7; 13: 1 ff); the
distinguishing mark they all share is their brutal opposition to Christ, his
teaching and his followers. It is difficult to say whether the antichrist is
an individual or a group. In St John's letters, the latter seems to be the
case: it is a reference to all those who oppose Christ (the "many
antichrists") who have been active since the start of Christianity and will
continue to be so until the end of time.

19. "They were not of us": St John unmasks the antichrists; they could not
have led the faithful astray had they not come from the community; but they
were only pretending to be Christians--wolves in sheep's clothing (cf. Mt
7:15), "false brethren" (Gal 2:4)--and that is how they are able to sow
confusion. Our Lord himself warned that both wheat and cockle would grow
side by side in the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 13:24-30); the sad fact that this
is happening should not cause Christians to doubt the holiness of the
Church. As St Augustine explains: "Many who are not of us receive, along
with us, the sacraments; they receive Baptism with us, they receive with us
what they know the faithful receive--the blessing, the Eucharist and the
other holy sacraments; they receive communion from the same altar as we do,
but they are not of us. Temptation reveals this to be so; when temptation
overtakes them, they flee as if borne away by the wind, because they are not
wheat. When winnowing begins on the threshing floor of the Lord on the day
of judgment, they will all fly away; remember that" ("In Epist. Ioann. ad
Parthos",lII, 5).

20. "Anointed by the Holy One": it is difficult to say exactly what this
means (cf. also v. 27); St John says that this anointing has the effect of
countering the work of the antichrist. He may be referring to the sacrament
of Baptism or that of Confirmation, or both, where anointing with chrism is
part of the sacramental rite. In any case he is referring to the action of
the Father and of the Son through the Holy Spirit on the soul of the
Christian who has received these sacraments: this explains why the anointing
"instructs" Christians "to know everything" (v. 27; RSV alternate reading).

"The Holy One": St John uses this expression to describe God the Father
(cf., e.g., Rev 6:10; Jn 17:11), God the Son (cf. Jn 6:69; Rev 3:7), or
simply God, without specifying which Person. The last-mentioned use was
very, common among Jews of the time, to refer to the one true God.

"You all know": not only about the anointing but about Christian teaching in
general. Some important manuscripts, which the Sistine-Clementine Vulgate
follows, read: "You know all" (cf. RSV alternate reading). Both readings are
complementary, for the Apostle is stressing that Christians do not need to
listen to teachings other than those of the Church: they are being guided by
the Holy Spirit, who gives them sureness of faith. The Second Vatican
Council quotes this text when teaching about the "supernatural appreciation
of the faith ["sensus fidei"] of all the faithful": "The whole body of the
faithful, who have an anointing that comes from the Holy One (cf. 1 Jn 2:20
and 27), cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in
the supernatural appreciation of the faith of the whole people, when, 'from
the bishops to the last of the faithful' they manifest a universal consent
in matters of faith and morals" ("Lumen Gentium", 12).

----------------
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Media Advisory: U.S. Catholic Bishops' Charter Implementation Report

As posted on the USCCB Web Site.

This might be interesting. Then again, maybe not.

A little history lesson on Cuenin, VOTF, & others

What a zoo! Attempted destruction of the Church in Boston!

Defend marriage, Pope urges Christians

Vatican, Dec. 29 (CWNews.com)
At his Sunday public audience on December 28, as the Church marked the feast of the Holy Family, Pope John Paul II said that Christians "must do everything possible diligently to promote the good of marriage and the family."

Clearly alluding to the various bids for legal recognition of same-sex unions, the Pontiff remarked that "a misunderstood sense of rights sometimes obscures the nature of the family as an institution, and of the conjugal bond." He reminded his listeners that marriage is not based on laws or government policies, but on "a human and divine reality."

All Christians, the Pope continued, have a moral obligation to defend the family, which is the fundamental unit of any society. In light of public attcks on family life, "It is necessary to proclaim the Gospel with joy and courage," he said.

© Copyright 2003 Domus Enterprises. All rights reserved.

So are the priests who are advocating alternative famiy models really being fair to the faithful? Are they helping to lead them toward eternal salvation and union with God? What pathetic creatures they are...More prayers are needed, and decisive actions by episcopal leaders.

St. Louis' own version of Fr. Cuenin?

Figure this one out for yourselves, folks...
See this bulletin from one of St. Louis's finest.

The Feast of the Holy Family
We live in a time when people who pass themselves off as Christian and super patriots define family in the narrowest possible way. That is certainly not the way Jesus defined family. When informed that his mother and brothers were looking for him, he said, “Who is my mother and father and sister and brother? Those who hear the word of God and keep it are mother and father and sister and brother to me.” That is the contest of this Holy Family Sunday when we celebrate our connectedness and intimacy with one another and realize that it nothing to do with biology and everything to do with living out of the Gospel of love and compassion.

AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Sunday, January 25th
after the 10 a.m. Liturgy, Louise Lears and other
parishioners will lead us in a discussion on
“Different Models of Church”. This presentation
will give us food for thought as we meet in small
groups the following 4-6 weeks to explore the
theme of being church in the third millennium.
Childcare will be available.

This ought to be good! Different models of the Church and different models of the family....Makes me wonder what's next...?

I suggest a good commentary on just what exactly Jesus meantwhen he asked 'Who is my mother, etc." Someone seems to be a bit confused.

The recent stir over Fr. Walter Cuenin's new models for family life.

....
Many of which contradict Catholic teaching...And I wish someone would explain how a homosexual 'union' can be 'life-giving'?

Here is his most recent bulletin article....Note that he gets to meet with Archbishop O'Malley on Wednesday....Will anything be done to correct his heterdox poisoning of the faithful?

Gregorian Chant? Where?

From Zenit's Liturgy Question Box.

Gregorian chant may be used in any parish, even when Mass is celebrated in the vernacular. Not only is it appropriate, but Church documents positively recommend that all Catholics know at least some Gregorian melodies.

The Holy Father's Urbi et Orbi Message

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE
OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II

CHRISTMAS 2003

1. Descendit de caelis Salvator mundi. Gaudeamus!

The Saviour of the world has come down from heaven. Let us rejoice!
This proclamation, filled with deep rejoicing,
echoed in the night of Bethlehem.
Today the Church renews it with unchanged joy:
the Saviour is born for us!
A wave of tenderness and hope fills our hearts,
together with an overpowering need for closeness and peace.
In the crib we contemplate the One
who stripped himself of divine glory
in order to become poor, driven by love for mankind.
Beside the crib the Christmas tree,
with its twinkling lights,
reminds us that with the birth of Jesus
the tree of life has blossomed anew in the desert of humanity.
The crib and the tree: precious symbols,
which hand down in time the true meaning of Christmas!

2. In the heavens there echoes the proclamation of the angels:
"To you is born in the city of David
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:11).
What wonder!
By being born in Bethlehem, the Eternal Son of God
has entered into the history of each person
living on the face of the earth.
He is now present in the world
as the one Saviour of humanity
For this reason we pray to him:
Saviour of the world, save us!

3. Save us from the great evils which rend humanity
in these first years of the third millennium.
Save us from the wars and armed conflicts
which lay waste whole areas of the world,
from the scourge of terrorism
and from the many forms of violence
which assail the weak and the vulnerable.
Save us from discouragement
as we face the paths to peace,
difficult paths indeed, yet possible and therefore necessary;
paths which are always and everywhere urgent,
especially in the Land where You were born,
the Prince of Peace.

4. And you, Mary, the Virgin of expectation and fulfilment,
who hold the secret of Christmas,
make us able to recognize in the Child
whom you hold in your arms the heralded Saviour,
who brings hope and peace to all.
With you we worship him and trustingly say:
we need You, Redeemer of man,
You who know the hopes and fears of our hearts.
Come and stay with us, Lord!
May the joy of your Nativity reach
to the farthest ends of the universe!

A Blessed Christmas to All!

And the Angel said to them, "Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be for all the people; for this day is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger." !


And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will!"

The shepherds follow at once the voice of God which calls them to the manger; they exhort one another to do so; they seek the Redeemer and happily find Him; they make Him known to others, and heartily thank God for the grace given them.

Let us follow the inspirations of God with ready obedience; let us exhort one another to virtue by our good example and edifying conversation; let us make good use of the knowledge given us by God, give it to others, and praise God for this and all He has given us.

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the new birth of Thine only begotten Son in the flesh may deliver us who are held by the old bondage under the yoke of sin.

Wishing all a Blessed & Holy Christmas

Upcoming St. Louis Marian Conference

will be held at the Adam's Mark on January 9, 10 & 11, 2004.

Speakers include:

James Akin
Dr. Marcelino D'Ambrosio
Fr. Charles Becker
Dr. Scott Hahn
Fr. Bill Casey
Msgr. John Hickel
Michael Cumbie
Fr. Mitch Pacwa
Wayne Weible

For more info, call (314) 423-1075

Eucharist Is Antidote to Individualism says Cardinal Ratzinger

Considers Encyclical on the Sacrament the Year's Key Papal Document.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger believes that the greatest threat to man today is relativism, which ends by shutting him up in individualism.

Cardinal asks moratorium on new Vatican documents

Rome, Dec. 22 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Godfriend Danneels of Brussels has asked for a limitation on the documents and instructions produced by the Holy See.

Cardinal Danneels spoke of the "perpetual flow of paper" from Vatican bureaus to the world's bishops. "We need a moment of calm," he remarked, in an interview with the Italian monthly 30 Giorni.

"We are always inundated with very long documents, instructions, and manuals," the cardinal complained. "The deluge of documents that come from Roman dicasteries with an authoritative character, the norms-- which come without any organization which would indicate to us which are important and which are less so." The result, he said, is that diocesan bishops spend much of their time relaying messages from Rome to their own diocesan agencies.

Cardinal Danneels suggested "a moratorium on that all, to promote simplication." A break in the flow of documents from Rome, he said, would provide "a moment of calm, to catch our breath."

Questioned about the intense focus on the Pope as the head of the Church, the cardinal remarked that the mass media coverage is "concentrated on a personality, a detail, divorced from its context." While that is a common tendency of contemporary culture, he argued that "the identification of a role and a particular personality is not a good thing."

The only way to counteract that tendency, he suggested, is by "the humility of the man himself." As an example of that humility, he cited Pope John Paul XXIII.

Cardinal Danneels argued that during the second millennium of Christianity, the papacy was modeled after the national monarchies, especially those of Europe. In the future, he said, that model should be dropped, so that the Church "emphasizes the essential characteristics of the Petrine ministry."

Ah yes, this from the cardinal who did nothing to stop the complete destruction of the faith at the seminary at Louvain...

Perhaps if the documents were read and followed, there would not be such a need for so many? The good cardinal speaks of the "perpetual flow of paper" from the Vatican, yet this is the only way many of the faithful can be nourished since far too many times bishops and priests neglect to pass this information on. These "papers" from Rome are a welcome relief from the "perpetual flow of heresy and heterodoxy" that flows from the mouths of the dissenters.

I think that all we need to do is to take a close look at the state of the faith in his country to determine to what extent we should heed his advice on this matter.

Is it time to say goodbye to these "priests"?

How can these men remain priests if they reject the teaching of the Church, which they call "vile and toxic"? Why don't they flee to a group with which they can find comfort? What a bunch of apostate heretics!
Cardinal George responded:

If "you cannot resolve that tension between welcoming people as they are and still calling them to leave their sinfulness and become saints, or if you yourself do not accept the Church's moral teaching on the moral use of the gift of sexuality, it would be all the more important for us to talk," he wrote.

...Hopefully to either "convert" them or to remove them as heretics from the priesthood.

Bishop Wuerl on Faithful Citizenship in 2004 Election (Part 2)

Bishop Wuerl Tells What Top Political Issues Catholics Should Consider

What is the primary or most urgent issue facing the nation?
Today, the primary issue that our nation faces is the question of who has authority over human life.

Bishop Wuerl on Faithful Citizenship in 2004 Election (Part 1)

Pittsburgh Prelate Outlines Importance of the Common Good.

Some feminists want to dump (the Blessed Virgin) Mary

This is so tiring. What have these people done to themselves make them so ridiculous?

The Filling Station

(Note: this was passed on to me the other day. Just thought I would share it.)

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. He had no decorations, no tree, no lights. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. There were no children in his life. His wife had gone.

He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through. Instead of throwing the man out, George, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the space heater and warm up.

"Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy. I'll just go"

"Not without something hot in your belly," George turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew. Made it myself. When you're done there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old 53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked.

"Mister can you help me!" said the driver with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken."

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold; the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But mister. Please help...."The door of the office closed behind George as he went in. George went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building and opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting.

"Here, you can borrow my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. George turned and walked back inside the office.

"Glad I loaned 'em the truck. Their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new tires..." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The thermos was on the desk, empty with a used coffee cup beside it.

"Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought. George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator.

"Well, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on. "Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car.

As he was working he heard a shot being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The laundry company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound.

"Hey, they say duct tape can fix anything," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease. "Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills.

"You hang in there. I'm going to get you an ambulance." George said, but the phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your police car."

He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio. He went back in to find the policeman sitting up.

"Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him. "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.

"None for me," said the officer.

"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city." Then George added: "Too bad I ain't got no donuts."

The officer laughed and winced at the same time. The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun.

"Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George. "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun.

"Put that thing away," George said to the cop. "We got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need the money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pee shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time.

The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job. My rent is due. My car got repossessed last week..."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Being stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn.

"Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy works here," the wounded cop continued.

"Yep," George said. "Just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas, boy. And you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems." George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box.

"Here you go. Something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. A toy airplane, a racing car and a little metal truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. "And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that, too. Count it as part of your first week's pay." George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was getting a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will become a rich man and share his wealth with many people.

That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man."

Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again." The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the man's old leather jacket and his torn pants turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George, it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

Author Unknown

Christmas is not complete without "Liturgical Dance"

Great News! NOT!

In ICD's Sunday Bulletin.

Seamstress Needed
We are in need of a couple of simple gowns to be made for our liturgical dancers for Christmas. They are cut out and ready to be sewn. Call Sally @ 980-2011 or Suzanne @ 240-3289 to volunteer. Thanks!

Christmas Novena at ICD

Tonight is the fourth night of ICD's Christmas Novena and the homilist is Msgr James Hanson, former pastor of Immaculate Conception-Dardenne, a wonderful priest who is currently pastor of St. Joseph's in Zell, MO. I hope to be able to see him tonight.

This will be a welcome relief after having two protestant ministers give talks at a Catholic Christmas Novena. I will be able to attend only a few of these. I should have posted this earlier. Here is the schedule as listed in the parish bulletin. Fr. Gerry Kleba, by the way, is pastor of St. Cronan's (previously highlighted in articles on this site) and Fr. Robert Zinser is the author of "The Fascinated God", (also on this site) the book wherein faith and reason are diametrically opposed and where authentic truth is lost in the process.



I hope to attend 2 of these in particular with recorder in hand!

So, are you a Nutritionist or a Surgeon?

Diogenes starts his essay thus:

"Among orthodox Catholics concerned about reform one can identify two main approaches to the job: nutrition and surgery.

"Nutritionists believe that the Church's ills can be cured by fresh air, moderate exercise, and green leafy vegetables. Surgeons believe the patient has an aggressive cancer that demands cutting and cautery -- the sooner the better. "

Myself, I lean toward surgery...And you?

Martino...There he goes again....

Much has been said of the Cardinal's remarks of late.
It seems there are some at the Vatican who are concerned with Martino's embarassing remarks.