Reminder: Ember Days

This Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are traditional (according to the 1962 calendar) Ember Days. Although the practice is not required by the US bishops, it is with generosity we can offer these small sacrifices (fasting and partial abstinence) in reparation for the many outrages going on in the world today.

link to post by Family in Feast and Ferial

Some notes on the Ember Days:

The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy.

There are four sets of Ember Days each calendar year; three days each – Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Ember Days fall at the start of a new season and they were ordered as days of fast and abstinence. The significance of the days of the week are that Wednesday was the day Christ was betrayed, Friday was the day He was crucified, and Saturday was the day He was entombed.

Ember Days were marked by fasting and partial abstinence from meat. Fasting allows one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening. The normal rule of thumb is that the two smaller meals should not equal one full meal. Eating between meals is not allowed, but liquids are allowed. Partial abstinence allows meat to be eaten at the principal meal.

More info here

The Video Already Being Shown

This was posted on The Rush Report. It was shown to a group of elementary aged children in their school on Aug. 28.
Check out the full story HERE.

MY RANT: Grab your kids and hide. After reading today about the H1N1 plans to force vaccination and possibly force confinement in who knows where, and after reading about the continued push to indoctrinate the youth of this nation, now, I have to see this. Where did the funding for this come from?????? Was it previewed by the administration? Approved by any parents or PTA's? Do the parents even know that their child(ren) saw this?
I feel like Glenn Beck . . . rant, rant, rant. When will we wake up???

UPDATED: Obama and School Kids

Update: Enough people were upset to stir a reaction from the White House. Albeit, not much. The document still has quite a slant to it and the speech is still on. Maybe I will post my own study lessons = smile
See latest news update here

One more article that expresses my concerns, but not as emphatically as I would like.

OK, Obama may be just going to talk to all the public school kids in this nation on the value of a good education and hard work, but I do distrust him. History has taught the world that charismatic leaders can have a profound effect on the youth - to the point of following blindly. His focus on recruiting the youth for forced "public service", his dream of a civilian national security force, and the web site to report those who did not support his health care agenda are enough for me to question his motives for this speech. Could you imagine if George Bush would have done this right before or after the invasion of Iraq? Maybe just before the vote on some important legislation which he had campaign for?

See article at WorldNetDaily, here
and
to see the teacher's study guide for before, during, and after the speech, here

For those of you who have or know public school kids, please pass the word about "Stay at Home Day" on September 8. My guess is there is no opting out of the unit study leading up to and after the speech.

St. Bernard

Today is the feast day of St. Bernard. I hesitate to say "one of my favorites" or "most loved" as I find it hard to become too attached to just one saint. Often times the saint I seem most attached to depends on my happenings in life at that time. But it is safe to say that St. Bernard of Clairvaux always comforts me in all situations. If you have not read much on this saint or you are looking for a GREAT book to read aloud to your children, you must pick up The Family That Overtook Christ (see link below). Also, a great introduction for adults is St. Bernard of Clairvaux from Amazon (below) or Tan.

St. Bernard's writings are awesome. In his treatise On Loving God, he describes four degrees of love. We see clearly here why we learn and teach our children to know, love, and serve God. You must know before you can love and serve!

• First, man loves himself for his own sake due to his earthly nature
• Next, man sees that he is dependent on something and faith leads him to seek God and love Him because of his dependence on Him - a selfish love.
• Through the practice of our faith and worship of God, we learn of God's Goodness, and love Him not only for what He had done for us, but because He is God.
• The perfect love being a totally unselfish love, where man loves himself only for God's sake - a total abandonment to oneself and a total giving of oneself to God.As expressed in the Psalms: "I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God: and will make mention of Thy righteousness only" (Ps. 71:16)

Quote

OK, I have been feeling really bummed out lately over a whole multitude of worries, so here is my thought for the day/week/month:

The world holds us to be fools; Let us hold it to be mad.
St. Francis de Sales

Although, I guess I should be thinking in these terms:

God bless thee; and put meekness in thy mind,
love, charity, obedience, 
and true duty!
William Shakespeare

A Couple of Videos

A couple of great, short videos from Real Catholic TV.com .

Please Support Belmont Abbey College

My daughter graduated from Belmont Abbey College this past spring. I would appreciate all support that you can give to help them in this matter. Please see contact info at bottom of this article from LifeSiteNews.com.

Feds Accuse Catholic Belmont Abbey College of Sexual Discrimination for Not Covering Contraception

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By Kathleen Gilbert

BELMONT, North Carolina, August 10, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has accused Belmont Abbey College of discriminating against its female employees by not covering contraceptives in its health insurance plan.

The EEOC stepped in after eight teachers filed a complaint over what they considered a discriminatory health insurance policy, and what Belmont Abbey says is simply faithfulness to basic Church teaching.

In December 2007 Belmont Abbey, a conservative Catholic campus in North Carolina, stopped offering abortion, contraception, and sterilization coverage that had been accidentally included as part of its employee health insurance packages.

"As a Roman Catholic institution, Belmont Abbey College is not able to and will not offer nor subsidize medical services that contradict the clear teaching of the Catholic Church," said Belmont Abbey President William Thierfelder. "There was no other course of action possible if we were to operate in fidelity to our mission and to our identity as a Catholic college."

After faculty members filed complaints with the EEOC and the North Carolina Department of Insurance, Belmont Abbey says the EEOC told the school in March 2009 that it would close the file on the discrimination charge, as it had not found the school's decision in violation of its statutes. But the agency later reversed itself, and issued a determination letter to the school on August 5 affirming that the ban amounted to gender discrimination, because it pertains only to women.

"By denying prescription contraception drugs, Respondent (the college) is discriminating based on gender because only females take oral prescription contraceptives," wrote Reuben Daniels Jr., the EEOC Charlotte District Office Director in the determination. "By denying coverage, men are not affected, only women."

Belmont Abbey College has been directed by the EEOC to reach an agreeable resolution with faculty. If this does not happen, Daniels will advise the parties of available enforceable court alternatives.

BAC president Dr. William K. Thierfelder said he was surprised at hte EEOC's reversal, and called their decision "disappointing."

"We are disappointed that this matter has taken this very unusual twist, but we remain committed to ensuring that all of the College's policies and practices follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, which includes valuing all life and treating individuals with dignity and respect, and providing equal opportunities for all," said Thierfelder in a statement on behalf of the school.

"The College is confident that its actions ultimately will be found to be in compliance with all federal and state laws and with the U.S. Constitution," said the statement. "Accordingly, the College will be asking the EEOC to reconsider each of the current determinations it has made in connection with the charges filed against the College."

The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), who has included Belmont Abbey in its list of top conservative Catholic campuses in the U.S., told EEOC acting chairman Stuart Ishimaru in a letter today that "It is ironic that the federal agency responsible for protecting against discrimination has so blatantly engaged in an inexcusable violation of religious liberty in its Belmont Abbey ruling,"

CNS also is sending a letter to all Catholic bishops in the United States, informing them of the EEOC action against Belmont Abbey College, and highlighting the dangerous precedent this ruling sets to force Catholic employers to include contraceptive coverage in employee health plans.

"No Catholic college or other institution should be required by government to violate the Catholic Church's clear moral teachings," said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. "The apparently increasing insensitivity to religious beliefs should frighten all employers and employees. We urge religious leaders to stand in defense of Belmont Abbey College."

To respectfully express concerns:

Reuben Daniels, Jr.,
EEOC Charlotte District Office Director
129 West Trade Street
Suite 400
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
phone: 1-800-669-4000
fax: 704-344-6734

Stuart Ishimaru,
Chairman, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
131 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20507
Phone: (202) 663-4900
TTY: (202) 663-4494
info@eeoc.gov

Goals and Tools to Reach Them

I posted our school schedule and will follow up with my game plan - my goals for first grade. Note that I am only homeschooling one. In high school with my older children, I preferred a "canned" curriculum with few substitutions, mainly religion and sometimes science. In these early grades, I really like individualizing the curriculum to my child. I really like CHC and Charlotte Mason, both, but it ends up being a hodpodge of subjects and text that I think will work for us.
Here are the goals I have set for the first grade and the tools I plan on using to help meet them. Pay close attention to "School is FUN". It is listed last, but will be a focus this year.

(Hint: Use the icon in the top right hand corner of the Scribd frame below. It toggles to full screen where you are able to zoom also.)

First Grade Goals 2009

FOUND * MIssing Texas Teen * FOUND

Deo Gratis. Luke has been found.

Please pray for the safe return of Luke Diller. Please see Colleen's blog for further info.

First Grade Schedule

I have been busy working on school stuff. We are very laid back when it comes to schooling, but you could not tell it by our schedule. Evening work is done with Dad . We always get the core curriculum done, but everything else is movable. Here is what it is looking like.

2009 Schedule

Video of Young Traditionalists

This is a great video of young traditionalists who recognize where their futures lie.

No to Catholic News Service

In the past I have always carried the Catholic News Service on my Shared Items on the sidebar. After reading this article I am removing the site from my Google Reader.

ArticleFor Those Who Are Among Us, But Not With Us

Thanks to +JMJ+ at Totus Tuus for pointing to this article on those who refuse to accept the Catholic Church's teachings and want to change the Church that Our Lord founded.
The following paragraph sums up my frustrated feelings over the last several years and why I am a Traditional Catholic.

You are free to decide where and with whom you stand. You do not, however, have the right to try to change the Catholic Church to suit your opinions or wishes. No matter how brilliant you are, you are not above the Magisterium. No matter how persuasive the political position, you cannot ignore the law of the Church and the Natural Law. Doctrine and Orthodoxy may be distasteful words in this age of personal freedoms, but if you call yourself Catholic, you need to know what Catholic doctrine actually says and follow it. All of it – not just this or that particular idea that suits your preferences. The Church is not a cafeteria. You are not free to take some things and leave others.

and, there is this:

Either live as a Catholic Christian or don’t, but stop trying to remodel the Church to make it more appealing to the world. Learn your Catholic faith, understand it correctly and LIVE IT out in public without apologizing. Stop compromising the truth. Quit trying to rewrite Church teaching to bring it “up to speed” with modern times. The Church is not out of step with society; society is out of step with the Church. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and thus His Church is timeless, ageless and always perfectly relevant. It is not the Church who needs to change her thinking; it is society that needs to CORRECT its thinking.

Well said.

A Great Article on What Might Come Next

This is a great article by David Kupelian explaining what may very well happen as a result of the killing of the abortionist. He actually wrote it before the attack. Read the entire article at WorldNetDaily.

Here is the beginning:

The real danger of right-wing extremists

---

Posted: June 01, 2009
12:23 am Eastern

© 2009

Author's note: Although I wrote the following article two weeks ago for the June edition of Whistleblower (titled "DON'T TREAD ON ME," for release later this week), the murder of Wichita abortionist George Tiller, M.D., makes its message especially urgent.

There's only one thing that could seriously, perhaps fatally, derail all the principled, well-intentioned, patriotic efforts currently taking place to rein in the shocking and unconstitutional power-grabbing by Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress. And that would be for elements on the Right to turn to violence.

Killing of Abortionist

Firstly, I believe this act was wrong and unjust. This man and all those who participate in providing abortions must be converted. This is justice. This will also be a huge setback for the prolife movement and cause much backlash.
I also call your attention to the St. Michael Icon that has been in the sidebar to the right for quite sometime. Please consider joining this noble apostolate.

HLI Achieves Milestone: 2 Million St. Michael Prayer Cards Distributed
We are very pleased to announce the extraordinary response to the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer Campaign so far: 2 million prayer cards have been printed and distributed to date.

It is heartening to see that so many people are ordering prayer cards from HLI and pledging to pray for the conversion of abortionists through this powerful prayer. Respect life coordinators in US dioceses and parishes have distributed many of the cards. While most of the demand for St. Michael prayer cards has come from the United States, many are asking for them from abroad, especially in Latin America.

HLI requests people to sign a pledge of support for the campaign and pray the St. Michael prayer daily, especially after each Mass, and send copies of the pledge to parishes to be inserted in the weekly bulletins. Click here to sign petition.

HLI has now produced St. Michael prayer cards in six languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Arabic.

Saint Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, Pray for us!

Dr. Allan Keyes Arrested at Notre Dame

See the story here
Watch the video here

SSPX Ordinations in France

Pictures from the SSPX's ordination at the
Church of the Benedictine Monastery of
Our Lady of Bellaigue in France can be found
here. They are absolutely beautiful!

Archbishop Burke - A Hero Again!

OK, I was elated to read a letter of suspension that turned out to be a hoax. But once again Archbishop Burke encourages me with his words. Perhaps if we locked all the US Bishops in a room with him for 48 hours . . . below is the article from FOX news.

One of the Vatican's highest ranked clerics and a frequent critic of President Obama said Friday that Notre Dame is causing a "scandal" by giving the president an honorary degree and a platform to address graduates at its commencement next weekend.

'The proposed granting of an honorary doctorate at Notre Dame University to our president, who is so aggressively advancing an anti-life and anti-family agenda, is rightly the source of the greatest scandal," said Archbishop Raymond Burke, who is the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican's highest court.

Burke, the former archbishop of St. Louis and vocal opponent of giving communion to politicians who support abortion rights, told Catholics at a national prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C., that "with unparalleled arrogance, our nation is choosing to renounce its foundation on the faithful."

He pointed to several Obama administration decisions that he said have damaged "the fundamental society that is the family," citing the repeal of the conscience clause, which prohibits health care workers from refusing to participate in abortion-related services; repeal of the Mexico City policy, which allows federal funding to be used abroad to provide abortions; presidential support of the Freedom of Choice Act, which prevents government from in any way denying or interfering with a woman's right to choose; and support of the U.S. Population Fund, which he noted supports China's one-child policy.

He blamed loose morals for legislation that would allow same-sex marriages and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which states have implemented to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"At the root of the confusion and error about marriage is the contraceptive mentality which would have us believe that the inherently procreative nature of the conjugal union can in practice be mechanically or chemically eliminated while the marital act remains unitive. It simply cannot be sold," Burke said.

Obama has considerable support from Catholics, having won 54 percent of the Catholic vote in the presidential election. In a Quinnipiac national poll released at the end of last month, 57 percent of Catholics said they approve of the way Obama is doing his job, while 33 percent disapproved.

By comparison, 76 percent of Jewish voters approved of Obama's performance while Protestants were the most split -- 44 percent approval to 42 percent disapproval. The poll had 2,041 registered voters

Burke noted the Catholic support, saying a majority of Catholics freely chose leadership that is now implementing decisions that conflict with the tenets of their faith.

"The path of violation of the most fundamental human rights and of the integrity of marriage and the family which our nation is traveling is not accidental," he said. "As Catholics, we cannot fail to notice with the greatest sadness the number of our fellow Catholics who cooperate fully to the advancement of a national agenda which is anti-life and anti-family."

The archbishop also slammed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who was confirmed by the Senate last week on a 65-31 vote. Opponents cited her ties to an late-term abortion provider, George Tillman, who is a supporter of the former Kansas governor.

"The appointment of a Catholic as secretary of health and human services who has openly and consistently cooperated with the industry of procurative abortion in our nation is necessarily the source of the deepest embarrassment to Catholics and a painful reminder of the most serious responsibility of Catholics to uphold the moral law, which is the irreplaceable foundation of just relationships among the citizens of our nation," Burke said.

He added that it "grieves me to say that the support of anti-life legislation by Catholics in public office is so common that those who are not Catholics have justifiably questioned whether the church's teachings regarding the inviolable dignity of innocent human life is firm and unchanging. It gives the impression that the church herself can change the law that God has written on every human heart since the beginning of time."

After initial criticism of the invitation, Notre Dame University President Rev. John I. Jenkins called Obama an "inspiring leader" who follows in a long tradition of presidential guest speakers. He added that the invitation does not mean universal support for Obama administration policies.

"The invitation to President Obama to be our commencement speaker should not be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of human life, including abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Yet, we see his visit as a basis for further positive engagement," he said in a statement addressing the cricitism.

The White House also has heard the criticism about the president's appearance but is not deterred. The president "greatly looks forward to delivering the commencement address at Notre Dame" on May 17, said a spokesman.

"Any commencement is a very special occasion for students and families that are involved. I think Notre Dame has a strong record of healthy exchange of differing viewpoints and ideas," the spokesman said.

FOX News' Molly Henneberg contributed to this report.

Prayer Time

Blogging time is not only limited, but non existent right now. I do want to post this article about Mr. Obama's refusal to pray publicly for our country. He has decline to recognize the National Day of Prayer (see link and excerpts below). Please, let us, remember to pray for all our country's leaders.

PRAYER FOR CIVIL AUTHORITIES

We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice, through Whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist, with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fottitude, the President of the United Srates, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness and be eminently useful to Thy creatures over whom he presides, by encouraging due respect for virtue and for religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.

Let the light of Thy Divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government; so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge, and may perpetUate to us the blessings of equal liberty. Grant that our leaders recognize and acknowledge publicly that Thou art our Sovereign and only good.

We pray for his Excellency the governor of our state, for the members of the legislature, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare; that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise to Thee O unbounded mercy! all our brethren and fellow citizens, throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge, and sanctified in the observance, of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union and in that peace which the world cannot give; and, after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

And here are excerpts from The Washington Times article, "Obama to be prayer day no-show":

President Obama is distancing himself from the National Day of Prayer by nixing a formal early morning service and not attending a large Catholic prayer breakfast the next morning.

"For those of us who have our doubts about Obama's faith, no, we did not expect him to have the service," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America. "But as president, he should put his own lack of faith aside and live up to the office."

Referencing a remark the president made at a recent press conference in Turkey that Americans "do not consider ourselves a Christian nation," she added: "That was projecting his own beliefs, but not reflecting what the majority of Americans feel. It's almost like Obama is trying to remake America into his own image. This is not a rejection of Shirley Dobson; it's a rejection of the concept that America is a spiritual nation and its foundation is Judeo-Christian."

However, the White House did host an April 9 Passover Seder for family and friends - the first time a president has hosted that Jewish religious meal.

But the president passed up the fifth annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, scheduled for the Washington Hilton and expected to have 1,300 participants.

For this year's prayer breakfast, Catholic members of the administration have been invited. They include Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

None has responded, Mr. Cella said.

The keynote speech will be given by Archbishop Raymond Burke, the former St. Louis prelate who now heads the Signatura, the Vatican's top court. He has recommended that pro-choice Catholic politicians such as Mrs. Sebelius not be allowed to receive Communion.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is scheduled to speak.

The Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother

On the 1962 liturgical calendar, we have the Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother. For an excellent meditation on Our Lady's Sorrows, go here.

Polish Painting Masterpieces
"Our Lady of Sorrows", tempera on wood, beginning of the sixteenth century, Franciscan church in Cracow

Rogier van der Weyden

Crucifixion Altarpiece, c. 1445

by Rogier van der WEYDEN
From Web Gallery of Art:

The Crucifixion Triptych, like the Seven Sacraments Altarpiece, is impressive in its composition. The two are linked not only by the use of a painted golden frame structure in the picture (not found, or not yet found, in any other surviving works by Rogier), but also in the style of the underdrawing. Both works may have been created at roughly the same time, and the dating of the triptych to around 1445, on dendrochronological evidence, would support that theory. Certainly the designs of both pictures derive from Rogier himself, but his assistants seem to have been involved in the execution, and perhaps did some of the preparatory underdrawing as well. The figures of the triptych are executed to a very high standard.

Crucifixion Triptych (central panel)

Crucifixion Triptych
(left wing)

Crucifixion Triptych (right wing)

Meditation on the Annunciation

Bartolomo Esteban Murillo. Annunciation.
c.1660-65. Oil on canvas. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. (Source)

A nice meditation on today's feast over at America Needs Fatima blog . . .
and also at Happy Catholic.

Luke 1: 26-35

26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? 35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Words of Wisdom - Archbishop Burke

Archbishop Raymond Burke, prefect of the Vatican’s highest court, says canon law requires that Communion be denied to pro-abortion politicians.

In a March 2 interview with Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry that was made public this morning, Archbishop Burke said Canon 915 specifies bishops, priests and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must withhold Communion when a pro-abortion politician presents himself or herself for reception of the sacrament.

Said Archbishop Burke, “The Canon is completely clear, it is not subject in my judgment to any other interpretations. When someone is publicly and obstinately in grave sin we may not administer Holy Communion to the person.”

Read more here at Lifesite News.

Abortion Chain Owner's Family Dies in MT Plane Crash

Abortion chain owner's family died in MT cemetery plane crash - near Tomb of the Unborn
Read more here.

As I live, says the Lord, I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but rather in the sinner’s conversion, that he may live.

Ezek. 33:11

Ecce Homo

Antonio Ciseri (1821-91)

"Behold the man,"
The Governor, Pontius Pilate. (John 19.5)

The scene - The Praetorium, Jerusalem, 30CE

John 19

1 Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head; and they put on him a purple garment. 3 And they came to him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows. 4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith to them: Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him. 5 (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man.

Alan Keyes in Full Force

See a man with passion . . . for truth, morals, and America.

The Crowning with Thorns

The Crowning with Thorns (1570)

Titian (TIZIANO VECELLI, called TITIAN)

The Scourging

"Christ after the Flagellation," by Diego Velazquez

Velazquez's Jesus is scourged, yet serene: The Spanish artist depicts the soul contemplating Christ -
Sr. Wendy Beckett's interpretation.

Novena to St. Joseph

March is the month traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph. One of his feast days is on March 19. To honor St. Joseph, I will be join Totus Tuus in beginnning today a novena to this great saint who exemplifies so many of the qualities I lack . . . Please join us, too!

Prayer to St. Joseph by Pope St. Pius X

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity.

New Blog - Alan Keyes

There is a new blog on the block, not homeschooling, nor even blatantly Catholic (although Mr. Keyes' Catholicism manifest itself frequently), but I expect it will be worth our time. It will be on my blog reader daily.

Check it out at Alan Keyes

Hi Everyone,
I'm writing to let you know that I've now developed a blog site that's available to the general public without the need to sign up for myspace.com or any other social networking service. You can find it at Loyal to Liberty . It is now my main outlet for sharing views and commenting on current events, updated daily. I will also be serializing longer works that will later be published as books or pamphlets.
Given Obama's push to overturn Constitutional government and make the U.S. a soviet style state, I think it's more important than ever that those of us who believe in liberty deliberate and work together. I hope you'll join me whenever you can at Loyal To Liberty.
Godspeed,
Alan Keyes

"Agony in the Garden" by Alessandro Botticelli

Luke 22:39-51

39 And going out, he went, according to his custom, to the mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was come to the place, he said to them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn away from them a stone's cast; and kneeling down, he prayed, 42 Saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done. 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. 44 And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground. 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow.

46 And he said to them: Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation. 47 As he was yet speaking, behold a multitude; and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus, for to kiss him. 48 And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss? 49 And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear, he healed him.

A very interesting read from the Archbishop of Denver on politics, Catholicism, and the likes.

Rendering Unto Caesar: The Catholic Political Vocation
ARCHBISHOP CHARLES J. CHAPUT, O.F.M. CAP.

The following lecture was delivered on Monday evening, February 23, 2009, to a standing-room only audience in St. Basil’s Collegiate Church on the campus of the University of Toronto.

Some excerpts:

. . . We need to remember that tolerance is not a Christian virtue. Charity, justice, mercy, prudence, honesty -- these are Christian virtues. And obviously, in a diverse community, tolerance is an important working principle. But it's never an end itself. In fact, tolerating grave evil within a society is itself a form of serious evil. Likewise, democratic pluralism does not mean that Catholics should be quiet in public about serious moral issues because of some misguided sense of good manners. A healthy democracy requires vigorous moral debate to survive. Real pluralism demands that people of strong beliefs will advance their convictions in the public square -- peacefully, legally and respectfully, but energetically and without embarrassment. Anything less is bad citizenship and a form of theft from the public conversation. . .

. . . I like clarity, and there's a reason why. I think modern life, including life in the Church, suffers from a phony unwillingness to offend that poses as prudence and good manners, but too often turns out to be cowardice. Human beings owe each other respect and appropriate courtesy. But we also owe each other the truth -- which means candor. . .

. . . and there's no easy way to say it. The Church in the United States has done a poor job of forming the faith and conscience of Catholics for more than 40 years. And now we're harvesting the results -- in the public square, in our families and in the confusion of our personal lives. I could name many good people and programs that seem to disprove what I just said. But I could name many more that do prove it, and some of them work in Washington.

. . . Seventy years ago the great French writer Georges Bernanos published a little essay called "Sermon of an Agnostic on the Feast of St. Théresè." Bernanos had a deep distrust for politics and an equally deep love for the Catholic Church. He could be brutally candid. He disliked both the right and the left. He also had a piercing sense of irony about the comfortable, the self-satisfied and the lukewarm who postured themselves as Catholic -- whether they were laypeople or clergy. . . .

Another Catholic University Bites the Dust

Another article from LifeSiteNews (can you tell I really like this site) concerning Catholic University of Windsor. The president of the "Catholic" university states that the Church's teaching on abortion is not infallible. Well let's look at this :

Thus, in 1995 Pope John Paul II declared that the Church’s teaching on abortion "is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors . . . I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal magisterium. No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church" (Evangelium Vitae 62).

I have sent a letter (below) to this university and invite you all to do the same (cbertrand@assumptionu.ca ). Please do not copy my letter as I believe that "form" letters are not nearly as effective as your personal words. This makes us all responsible to educate ourselves about the issues we oppose.

Dear Sir,

I understand that your president does not consider the Catholic Church's position on abortion an infallible teaching. I point him and your “Catholic” University to the article found at http://www.catholic.com/library/abortion.asp . Here is an excerpt:

Thus, in 1995 Pope John Paul II declared that the Church’s teaching on abortion "is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors . . . I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal magisterium. No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church" (Evangelium Vitae 62).

It is an atrocity for your institution to be labeled Catholic. I also direct you to His Holiness’ address back in April 2008 :

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI told leaders of America's Roman Catholic colleges and universities Thursday that academic freedom has "great value" for the schools, but it does not justify promoting positions that violate the Catholic faith.

Benedict, a former academic, said that church teaching should shape all aspects of campus life and that Catholic educators have a "profound responsibility to lead the young to truth."

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-04-18-pope-colleges_N.htm

Maybe your president does not believe in the authority of the Pope, either . . . and if this be the case, you should remove your “label” of Catholic from the title of your university so not to mislead those who wish to follow the teachings of the Church.

Thank you,

Rabbi Sees the Problems within the Church

Great article from LifeSiteNews:
MY EMPHASIS ADDED

Left Wing of the Catholic Church Destroying the Faith Says Orthodox Rabbi

By Hilary White, Rome correspondent

ROME, February 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The dissident, leftist movement in the Catholic Church over the last forty years has severely undermined the teaching of the Catholic Church on the moral teachings on life and family, a prominent US Orthodox rabbi told LifeSiteNews.com. Rabbi Yehuda Levin, the head of a group of 800 Orthodox rabbis in the US and Canada, also dismissed the accusations that the Holy See had not sufficiently distanced itself from the comments made by Bishop Richard Williamson of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) on the Holocaust.

"I support this move" to reconcile the traditionalist faction in the Church, he said, "because I understand the big picture, which is that the Catholic Church has a problem. There is a strong left wing of the Church that is doing immeasurable harm to the faith."

Rabbi Levin said that he understands "perfectly" why the reconciliation is vital to the fight against abortion and the homosexualist movement.

"I understand that it is very important to fill the pews of the Catholic Church not with cultural Catholics and left-wingers who are helping to destroy the Catholic Church and corrupt the values of the Catholic Church." This corruption, he said, "has a trickle-down effect to every single religious community in the world."

"What's the Pope doing? He's trying to bring the traditionalists back in because they have a lot of very important things to contribute the commonweal of Catholicism.

"Now, if in the process, he inadvertently includes someone who is prominent in the traditionalist movement who happens to say very strange things about the Holocaust, is that a reason to throw out the baby with the bathwater and start to condemn Pope Benedict? Absolutely not."

During a visit to Rome at the end of January, Rabbi Levin told LifeSiteNews.com that he believes the media furore over the lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X is a red herring. He called "ridiculous" the accusations that in doing so Pope Benedict VXI or the Catholic Church are anti-Semitic and described as "very strong" the statements distancing the Holy See and the Pope from Williamson's comments.

Rabbi Levin was in Rome holding meetings with high level Vatican officials to propose what he called a "new stream of thinking" for the Church's inter-religious dialogue, one based on commonly held moral teachings, particularly on the right to life and the sanctity of natural marriage.

"The most important issue," he said, is the work the Church is doing "to save babies from abortion, and save children's minds, and young people's minds, helping them to know right and wrong on the life and family issues."

"That's where ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue has to go."

Although numbers are difficult to determine, it is estimated that the Society of St. Pius X has over a million followers worldwide. The traditionalist movement in the Catholic Church is noted for doctrinal orthodoxy and enthusiasm not only for old-fashioned devotional practices, but for the Church's moral teachings and opposition to post-modern secularist sexual mores. Liberals in the Church, particularly in Europe, have bitterly opposed all overtures to the SSPX and other traditionalists, particularly the Pope's recent permission to revive the traditional Latin Mass.

The Vatican announced in early January that, as part of ongoing efforts to reconcile the breakaway group, the 1988 decree of excommunication against the Society had been rescinded. Later that month, a Swedish television station aired an interview, recorded in November 2008, in which Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four leaders of the Society, said that he did not believe that six million Jews were killed in the Nazi death camps during World War II.

At that time, the media erupted with protests and accusations that the Catholic Church, and especially Pope Benedict XVI, are anti-Semitic.

Rabbi Levin particularly defended Pope Benedict, saying he is the genius behind the moves of the late Pope John Paul II to reconcile the Church with the Jewish community.

"Anyone who understands and follows Vatican history knows that in the last three decades, one of the moral and intellectual underpinnings of the papacy of Pope John Paul II, was Cardinal Ratzinger.

"And therefore, a lot of the things that Pope John Paul did vis-à-vis the Holocaust, he [Benedict] might have done himself, whether it was visiting Auschwitz or visiting and speaking in the synagogues or asking forgiveness. A lot of this had direct input from Cardinal Ratzinger. Whoever doesn't understand this doesn't realise that this man, Pope Benedict XVI, has a decades-long track record of anti-Nazism and sympathy for the Jews."

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Rabbi Speaks on Pope Benedict Controversy: Leftist Catholics Using Jews to Attack the Pope
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021007.html

Lenten Recipes

The Parable of the Vineyard, Matthaeus Merian the Elder, 1625-30

Today is Septuagesima Sunday and I am home sick from Mass. Today begins the pre-lenten season and I received the following link from one of my Yahoo groups, the CHC Homeschool list, and thought it would be great to share. It looks like a great collection. Click here for the recipes.

Thank You, Archbishop Burke

From LifeSiteNews.com:

Vatican Official: Bishops Have no Choice But to Refuse Communion to Pro-Abort Politicians

. . .

"The Church's law is very clear," said Archbishop Burke, who was appointed last year by Pope Benedict XVI as the head of the Church's highest court, the Apostolic Signatura. "The person who persists publicly in grave sin is to be denied Holy Communion, and it [Canon Law] doesn't say that the bishop shall decide this. It's an absolute."

. . .

Archbishop Burke said that the issue had been debated enough. He rejected the idea that the matter should be left to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, saying the Conference has no authority in the matter. "This is a law of the universal Church and it should be applied."

. . .

When asked what the solution was, he responded, "Individual bishops and priests simply have to do their duty. They have to confront politicians, Catholic politicians, who are sinning gravely and publicly in this regard. And that's their duty.

Well said! Let us pray that the Bishops hear and are obedient.

Chesterton and ProLife

An interesting read on LifeSitenews.com entitled

Why Pro-Lifers (and Everybody Else) Should Read G.K. Chesterton

Also, there are some very goods links to those who might want to get started reading . . .

Prayer Request

Please remember to keep this young man, Phillip, in your prayers.

I had many medical appointments over the past two days, and the doctors wish to begin radiation and chemotherapy within the next few weeks. Radiation treatments will be 5 times a week for 6-8 weeks, and my hair will fall out around the third week. Chemotherapy is taken in the form of a pill five times a month, and will last for 1-2 years.

Because the treatments are starting so soon, I have decided to take a trip from February 4 - February 16 to visit Lourdes, Nevers, and Rome. Lourdes is the site of the Marian Apparition to Saint Bernadette, and Nevers is the location of Saint Bernadette's convent where her uncorrupt body rests behind glass. Fr. Price's heart is also buried near her body in Nevers.

In Rome, I hope to present the Holy Father with a prayer card to Fr. Thomas Price for my healing after the Pope's General Audience on February 11th. Providentially, this will be the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Please keep me in your prayers as I make this pilgrimage!

The Super Bowl - NOT so super

As most of you know, NBC (nothing but creeps) has refused to run the Catholic pro-life commercial (posted here) during the super bowl. JMJ over at Totus Tuus has posted an excellent response along with a letter to send to Ms. Morgan, the vice-president of advertising standards at NBC. Here is the contact info from Totus Tuus:

Send your complaints about the rejection of the ad to Victoria Morgan, Vice President, Advertising Standards, NBC Universal, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 1825 E. New York, NY 10112. Call (212) 664-4267 or fax (212) 664-6366 or email victoria.morgan@nbc.com

A Quiet Prolife Enemy

It has come to my attention that the administration is trying to pass this bill through while we are all distracted by fighting FOCA. Contact your senators and congressman, now! You can read about FOCA's evil twin at American Life League and at LifeSiteNews

Prevention First Act is FOCA's Dangerous but Overlooked "Evil Twin," says ALL Co-Founder

By Kathleen Gilbert

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 27, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - American Life League's (ALL) Judie Brown last week urged pro-lifers to actively oppose the Prevention First Act (PFA), legislation currently under review in Congress. The Act, if passed, would hand over millions to "family planning" methods, strike a blow to health providers' conscience rights, and financially pave the way for the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

The Mexico City Policy

A friend forwarded the following link out in response to last post on population control. Thanks, Mary! The Mexico City Policy comes up in the end - see the quote at the bottom of this post
Excerpt from here:

National Security Study Memorandum 200: World Population Growth And U.S. Security

by Stephen D. Mumford

. . . And uncovers why this commission's final report was ignored.

“In the words of a Commission member, Congressman James Scheuer (D.-NY): "The reasons were obvious -- the fear of attacks from the far right and from the Roman Catholic Church because of our positions on family planning and abortion. With the benefit of hindsight, it is now clear that this obstruction was the first of many similar actions to come from high places."

Then he goes on to describe the commissioning of the NSSM 200 study, its major findings and the Vatican’s responsibility in the failure to implement the study’s recommendations.

And a quote from then President Nixon:

We must help break the link between spiraling population growth and poverty....Where they have been tried, family planning programs have largely worked. .Many pro-life advocates .. .contend that to condone abortion even implicitly is morally unconscionable. Their view is morally shortsighted. . ..if we provide funds for birth control . . .we will prevent the conception of millions of babies who would be doomed to the devastation of poverty in the underdeveloped world.

Richard M. Nixon

And then a few words on the late President Reagan:

In response to concerns of the Vatican, the Reagan Administration agreed to alter its foreign aid program to comply with the church’s teachings on birth control. According to William Wilson, the President’s first ambassador to the Vatican, the State Department reluctantly agreed to an out-right ban on the use of any U.S. aid funds by either countries or international health organizations for the promotion of...abortions. As a result of this position, announced at the World Conference on Population in Mexico City in 1984, the U.S. withdrew funding from, among others, two of the world’s largest family planning organizations: the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.

http://www.population-security.org/mumf-93-01.htm

The new administration's focus on its "agenda" lends to mind a memo sent from Planned Parenthood to Bernard Berelson (President, Population Council) in 1969.
Some scary stuff.

Go to link above to read the entire memo. Here are some excerpts . . .

Memorandum to Bernard Berelson (President, Population Council) found in "Activities
Relevant to the Study of Population Policy for the U.S." 3/11/69 by Frederick S. Jaffe (Vicepresident of Planned Parenthood - World Population).

TABLE 1. Examples of Proposed Measures to Reduce U.S. Fertility, by Universality or Selectivity of Impact

Restructure family:
a) Postpone or avoid marriage
b) Alter image of ideal family size
Compulsory education of children
Encourage increased homosexuality
Educate for family limitation
Fertility control agents in water supply
Encourage women to work
. . .
Modify tax policies:
a) Substantial marriage tax
b) Child Tax
c) Tax married more than single
d) Remove parents tax exemption
d) Additional taxes on parents with more than I or 2 children in school
Reduce/eliminate paid maternity leave or benefits
Reduce/eliminate children's or family allowances
Bonuses for delayed marriage and greater child-spacing
. . .
Chronic Depression
Require women to work and provide few child care facilities
. . .

Payments to encourage sterilization
Payments to encourage contraception
Payments to encourage abortion
Abortion and sterilization on demand
Allow certain contraceptives to be distributed nonmedically
Improve contraceptive technology
Make contraception truly available and accessible to all
Improve maternal health care, with family planning a core element

Deo Gratias - Excommunications Lifted

Documents on the lifting of the excomunications:

From http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Decree of the Congregation for Bishops

CONGREGATIO PRO EPISCOPIS

By way of a letter of December 15, 2008 addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Mons. Bernard Fellay, also in the name of the other three Bishops consecrated on June 30, 1988, requested anew the removal of the latae sententiae excommunication formally declared with the Decree of the Prefect of this Congregation on July 1, 1988. In the aforementioned letter, Mons. Fellay affirms, among other things: "We are always firmly determined in our will to remain Catholic and to place all our efforts at the service of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the Roman Catholic Church. We accept its teachings with filial disposition. We believe firmly in the Primacy of Peter and in its prerogatives, and for this the current situation makes us suffer so much."

His Holiness Benedict XVI - paternally sensitive to the spiritual unease manifested by the interested party due to the sanction of excommunication and trusting in the effort expressed by them in the aforementioned letter of not sparing any effort to deepen the necessary discussions with the Authority of the Holy See in the still open matters, so as to achieve shortly a full and satisfactory solution of the problem posed in the origin - decided to reconsider the canonical situation of Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta, arisen with their episcopal consecration.

With this act, it is desired to consolidate the reciprocal relations of confidence and to intensify and grant stability to the relationship of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X with this Apostolic See. This gift of peace, at the end of the Christmas celebrations, is also intended to be a sign to promote unity in the charity of the universal Church and to try to vanquish the scandal of division.

It is hoped that this step be followed by the prompt accomplishment of full communion with the Church of the entire Fraternity of Saint Pius X, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope with the proof of visible unity.

Based on the faculty expressly granted to me by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, in virtue of the present Decree, I remit of Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta the censure of latae sententiae excommunication declared by this Congregation on July 1, 1988, while I declare deprived of any juridical effect, from the present date, the Decree emanated at that time.

Rome, from the Congregation for Bishops, January 21, 2009.

Letter to the faithful from Bishop Fellay
http://www.dici.org/dl/fichiers/Letter_Sup_Gen.pdf

From the SSPX - Press Release
http://www.dici.org/accueil.php?loc=US