These look like ten excellent reasons for hope in the coming year, but I would add that we have two viable presidential candidates running for the Republican nomination who are Catholic. That's something you don't see often. In fact, I believe it's a first. And whereas Newt might be slumping in the polls, Rick Santorum is climbing rapidly. That, too, is hopeful!
Here's a link to last year's Top Ten Reasons For Hope by CatholicVote.org. Click HERE.
I know this is a day late... okay, two days late, but I've been traveling most of the Christmas holiday and purposely left my laptop at home. I didn't miss it.
Be sure to watch the whole video above. It's cute and hilarious. And although many churches are imitating this presentation on a smaller scale, THIS one is the ultimate to watch.
Since Newt Gingrich has become a serious contender for the presidency, lots of pundits have been sharing their opinions on the man...and his past. Most who have followed him closely for years have chosen not to be all that flattering. Peggy Noonan has been writing about him lately with both admiration and dread, as have George Will and several others.
My own opinion thus far is that I'm glad Newt is in the race, especially the debates, because he takes the discussion to a higher level. The personal baggage does not bother me, as Newt has undertaken the same religious path I took into the Catholic faith, and at the same time, entering the Church at Easter Vigil of '09. I am convinced of his sincerity and his love for the Eucharist. I share that.
The other baggage, being the career successes and failures, are fair game and should be vetted. Peggy Noonan feels we know too much about Newt to comfortably elect him. While I'm on the fence on electing Newt, I also share some of her concerns. I'm including the first three paragraphs of Peggy Noonan's latest column, and just to let you readers know, I agree with her only up to the middle of the last big paragraph near the very end (not included below) where she simply loses me. It sounds more like a description of Al Gore Jr. than Newt. Check it out.
The first potential president about whom there is too much information.
The Wall Street Journal: December 10, 2011
I had a friend once who amused herself thinking up bumper stickers for states. The one she made up for California was brilliant. “California: It’s All True.” It is so vast and sprawling a place, so rich and various, that whatever you’ve heard about its wildness, weirdness and wonders, it’s true.
That’s the problem with Newt Gingrich: It’s all true. It’s part of the reason so many of those who know him are anxious about the thought of his becoming president. It’s also why people are looking at him, thinking about him, considering him as president.
Ethically dubious? True. Intelligent and accomplished? True. Has he known breathtaking success and contributed to real reforms in government? Yes. Presided over disasters? Absolutely. Can he lead? Yes. Is he erratic and unreliable as a leader? Yes. Egomaniacal? True. Original and focused, harebrained and impulsive—all true.
Here's another CatholicVote.org video that rises to the occasion and hits a home-run. In this video a young girl asks President Obama, very politely, to stay out of her religion. It's kind of like Cindy Lou Who asking the Grinch why he's stealing the Christmas tree...but this Cindy Lou Who is not so naive. She knows all about the HHS mandate forcing catholic hospitals and schools to fund birth control and abortion drugs, and she knows who's behind it all.
Even Father John Jenkins, President of Notre Dame University, who boldly gave President Obama an honorary degree and allowed him to give their graduation commencement address, has signed his name to the letter presented by the USCCB to the president expressing opposition to the HHS mandate.
These days I seem to only find the time to blog when I am extremely inspired by something... like a news occurrence, a new movie coming out, a great speech, or an enlightening homily. The most recent speech given by Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput (SHAP-yu) at the University of Pennsylvania is one such example. It has a copyright at the Witherspoon Institute, which explains why the length of it on this post has been reduced to a few paragraphs, rather than the whole speech. Ryan Anderson contacted me today (11-14-11) and very politely requested I limit my usage to excerpts rather than the entire item. Seems they want readers to click on the link and come see the rest of it at Witherspoon. Fair enough. I have linked to them for almost two years now because they publish such great material. Please visit them online and donate if you can. They are a largely undiscovered treasure trove of great finds.
It's very hard to pick just a couple of paragraphs, as the Archbishop was making FOUR important points in defense of human dignity. But here are a few paragraphs to whet your curiosity:
America could afford to be secular in the best sense, precisely because its people were so religious. The Founders saw religious faith as something separate from government but vital to the nation’s survival. In his Farewell Address, Washington famously stressed that “religion and morality are indispensable supports” for political prosperity. He added that “reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” For John Adams, John Jay, James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Carroll, George Washington, and most of the other Founders—including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin—religion created virtuous citizens. And only virtuous citizens could sustain a country as delicately balanced in its institutions, moral instincts, and laws as the United States.
Here’s my purpose in mentioning this. The American Founders presumed the existence of natural law and natural rights. These rights are inalienable and guaranteed by a Creator; by “nature’s God,” to use the words of the Declaration of Independence. Such ideas may be out of fashion in much of legal theory today. But these same ideas are very much alive in the way we actually reason and behave in our daily lives.
Most of us here tonight believe that we have basic rights that come with the special dignity of being human. These rights are inherent to human nature. They’re part of who we are. Nobody can take them away. But if there is no Creator, and nothing fundamental and unchangeable about human nature, and if “nature’s God” is kicked out of the conversation, then our rights become the product of social convention. And social conventions can change. So can the definition of who is and who isn’t “human.”
How's that for a tease? There's a lot more to read by clicking on the links above or right HERE. Okay, one more paragraph. This one is really important:
It’s important for our own integrity and the integrity of our country to fight for our pro-life convictions in the public square. Anything less is a kind of cowardice. But it’s even more important to live what it means to be genuinely human and “pro-life” by our actions—fidelity to God; love for spouse and children; loyalty to friends; generosity to the poor; honesty and mercy in dealing with others; trust in the goodness of people; discipline and humility in demanding the most from ourselves.
There. That should be enough to get you interested.
Thirty-one years ago Milton Friedman appeared on Donahue and explained the necessity of capitalism to a hushed audience. He spelled it out so clearly as to leave Phil at least somewhat speechless. And what he explained is what President Obama and conspirators on the Left will never understand: Capitalism is the ONLY thing that works. This video is priceless.
A good explanation for All Souls Day, and a website to visit!
Also, if you live in or are passing through the Chicago area you might wish to stop by St. Odilo's church in Berwyn, IL where the National Shrine of Lost Souls is located to offer a prayer for deceased friends and/or relations. St. Odilo is the patron saint of lost souls. Fr. Anthony Brankin is the pastor and gives impressive homilies.
"Holy and learned, great St. Luke, we praise you, closely you followed in the steps of Jesus; as supreme witness to His life and teaching, shedding your life-blood.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you left in writing, for all time to study stories unrivaled for their depth and beauty, Christ's love revealing.
Yours are the records which we read with pleasure of the beginning of the Church to fervent, under the impulse of the true and living Spirit of Jesus.
Paul's earnest helper, sharer in his travels, zealous as he was, with a heart as loving; make our souls also steadfast and devoted to the Lord Jesus.
Tender physician, use your gift of healing, comfort our weakness with a faith unswerving, so that rejoicing we may praise forever God the Almighty. Amen." ---Pausibus Luca canimus (Hymn from today's Lauds in the Breviary.)
We are knee deep in this Orwellian nonsense now. We'll be up to our ears in it soon when power companies start shutting down, as Obama promised. It is imperative that we consider our choice of candidates very carefully, that he/she can win... and that he/she will do what is necessary upon winning to save us from a new dark age.
He made this speech to the American Enterprise Institute back in July of last year, but I have only just watched the whole thing, all videos, on You Tube today. Why did I wait so long to watch them and then post the best here? For the same reason most of you haven't seen them yet. The first thing I thought of when I found out Newt Gingrich was running for President was that he had no business doing so, that he could never win, and all because of his personal baggage sabotaging any attempt at victory.
But now, after seeing these videos and watching him in the debates, I am so glad he's running. Not because I want him to win. I'm not sure I do. The reason I'm glad he's thrown his hat in the ring is because he is drawing attention to issues that are important, and stating opinions in a convincing manner that should be considered in the greater lexicon of the national debate on the direction this country is headed. Like him or not, consider him a possibility or a hopeless long-shot, he is well worth listening to. And if nothing else, I hope he influences the platform of the Republican party at their convention next year.
I've included four parts of his speech here. You can see the whole speech by clicking HERE.
Where to begin... Okay, there is a new movie called October Baby that's being released October 25th in Mississippi and Alabama (early release) and then nationally in the Spring of 2012 that is certain to make waves and bring a lot of attention to the abortion issue. This at a time when so much attention has been directed to that topic since the '08 presidential election. The movie is about a teenage girl who finds out she was adopted as a baby after barely surviving an abortion attempt by her birth mother. So she decides to seek out said birth mother and find answers. In the process she learns many life lessons, as we can well imagine (but there must be surprises here), and learns how to forgive.
If the story rings a bell, you might be thinking of Gianna Jessen, to whom we were introduced during that '08 presidential campaign as an abortion survivor, herself, as she campaigned against then-Senator Obama, who worked against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (both as Illinois State Senator, himself making a speech against the bill on the floor of the Illinois legislature, and as Senator from Illinois in Washington DC for the national version. Both bills passed and were signed into law.) which also brought Jill Stanek national attention, but I digress... The film is loosely based upon Gianna's personal story, and it is a film that has, by her own account, been very cathartic for her. Thank God.
A big hat tip goes to Lisa Graas, who is a contributor to Live Action. Be sure to watch the preview below (expect to have your heartstrings pulled, THIS IS A POWERFUL FILM), and please stick around for the message from the two producers of this film.
It is important to be reminded that the racially-self-righteous Democrat party has a warehouse of skeletons crammed in their closet, and that today's Democrat party has only become more subtile in its racism toward blacks and other minorities. Not to sound redundant to the video, but you don't have to look hard to find liberal Democrats showering conservative blacks with old racial slurs like "Sambo," "house nigger,""welfare queen," and others. Just ask Allen West, Condoleezza Rice, Alan Keyes, and a whole host of other conservative blacks about the abuse to which they've been subjected, merely for having opinions that differ from Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, and other race-hustling pimps that lace the Democrat party.
STATEN ISLAND, NY – Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, has issued the following statement:
“For the past several years, my Ordinary, the Most Reverend Patrick Zurek, Bishop of Amarillo, has given me permission to do the full-time pro-life work that I have done since 1993. In 2005, I made a public promise in a Church ceremony in Amarillo, presided over by a Vatican Cardinal, that this full-time pro-life work would be a lifetime commitment. That’s a commitment I promise to fulfill without wavering.
“This past week, however, I received a letter from the Bishop insisting that I report to the Diocese this Tuesday, September 13 and, for the time being, remain only there.
“I am very perplexed by this demand. Despite that, because I am a priest of the diocese of Amarillo, I will be obedient and report there on the appointed date, putting the other commitments that are on my calendar on hold until I get more clarity as to what the bishop wants and for how long. Meanwhile, I continue to retain all my priestly faculties and continue to be a priest in “good standing” in the Church. The bishop does not dispute this fact. Rather, he has said that he thinks I am giving too much priority to my pro-life work, and that this makes me disobedient to him. He also has claimed that I haven’t given him enough financial information.
“Now, although Bishop Zurek is my Ordinary, he is not the bishop of Priests for Life. Each of our staff priests has his own Ordinary, and the organization has an entire Board of Bishops. We keep them all informed of our activities, and of our financial audits.
“I want to say very clearly that Priests for Life is above reproach in its financial management and the stewardship of the monies it receives from dedicated pro-lifers, raised primarily through direct mail at the grassroots level. To this end, Priests for Life has consistently provided every financial document requested by Bishop Zurek, including annual financial audits, quarterly reports, management documents—even entire check registers! Priests for Life has been completely transparent with Bishop Zurek and any other bishops who have requested information regarding our management and finances. Indeed, we have 21 bishops and cardinals who sit on our Advisory Board, and they are kept fully informed about our finances.
“Therefore, in the interest of preserving my good reputation as well as protecting the valuable work done by the Priests for Life organization, I have begun a process of appeal to the Vatican. This process aims to correct any mistaken decisions of the bishop in my regard and to protect my commitment to full-time pro-life activity for my whole life. We are very confident that the Vatican will resolve this matter in a just and equitable fashion. Because of this confidence, we are not currently making any changes in any positions at Priests for Life, or in any of our projects and plans.
“I also want to point out that, according to the canon law of the Catholic Church, because I have begun this process of appeal to Rome, the Bishop’s order that I return to Amarillo has been effectively suspended. Nevertheless, because of my great respect for this Bishop and my commitment to be fully obedient at all times, I am reporting to Amarillo this Tuesday, in hopes that I can sort this problem out with the Bishop in a mutually agreeable and amicable way.
“I would like to note that, unlike other organizations, which have sometimes been critical of the Church hierarchy or other institutions within the Church, Priests for Life has always remained 100% supportive of the Bishops, never criticizing any Church official, and always acting as a megaphone for the Bishops’ pro-life statements. Moreover, we serve dioceses and their priests and laity without asking for any speakers’ fees, and distribute millions of pieces of pro-life literature to dioceses completely free of charge. We do not seek parish collections, and we work to reinforce in each diocese the local pastoral plan which the bishop wants to implement for pro-life activities.
“We are committed to going forward with that same spirit, regardless of the recent action taken by Bishop Zurek.
“In the interest of full transparency, I would like to make it known that I do not receive any salary or financial remuneration from either the Diocese of Amarillo or from Priests for Life. Priests for Life, as a Private Association of the Christian Faithful, does provide for my residence and the expenses associated with the ministry, but these expenses are very small. Though, as a diocesan priest, I have never taken a vow of poverty, I have basically chosen to live in that fashion in solidarity with the pre-born children we are trying to protect—who are the poorest of the poor.
“I want to be clear that I do not harbor any ill will towards the Bishop of Amarillo, nor do I foster suspicions about his motives. I am merely confused by his actions. It is impossible for me to believe that there is no place in the Church for priests to exercise full-time ministry in the service of the unborn. We do it for the sick, the poor, the hungry, and the imprisoned. But where in the Church is the place where a priest can exercise the same kind of full-time ministry for the children in the womb? That is the question that is at the heart of my own calling.
“I am confident that we will be able to resolve this difficulty soon, without any harm to either my own reputation and without any slowdown of the valuable pro-life work we do at Priests for Life.”
The Official Statement from Bishop Zurek can be found on LifeSiteNews, HERE. It would seem that the Bishop's complaint is based entirely on what he perceives as a lack of control over his priest. Is it an issue of obedience? Or pride? If pride, then whose pride? The dirty laundry is being aired and I don't much care for it, but since aired we must get to the truth as quickly as possible!
These women, along with anyone else who opposes a mosque at Ground Zero, have been called intolerant. The truth is that the only intolerance these people possess is and intolerance to more attacks, like the ones against their sensitivity...
There are other mosques already in NYC, including Manhattan. No one attacks them or calls for their removal. The real purpose of THIS mosque is to stand as a victory monument for the cause of extremist Islam. Those who support the building of this anathema lack tolerance or sensitivity for the survivors of 9-11, much in the same vein as those crackpots who protest military funerals do. They may have legal rights to do so, but are trampling on the spirits of others.
This video comes from Blazing Cat Fur, with a hat tip from Atlas Shrugs. Visit them both for more information.
At the 2008 Commemoration most of the first responders here had to stand outside with no view of the stage, like today.
As you all know today was the 10th Anniversary of the 9-11 attacks against our country, specifically on The World Trade Center towers, The Pentagon, and who-knows-exactly-where which was thwarted by the heroic passengers of Flight 93 which went down in Shanksville, PA. I had planned to show up at any one of the three to cover events in person, but plans fell through. Due to unexpected personal expenses and worrisome weather reports, I did not go anywhere today. Warnings about car bombs had nothing to do with it, as I refuse to let those people dictate where I go and when I go there. The coverage would have been lengthy with much photography. So all I am left to do is make a few passing comments and link to here and there.
First I want to say that first responders have entered what I like to refer to as the forbidden zone at each of the 9-11 Commemorations, but only in small numbers. I have photos of the 2008 Commemoration in which I acquired a press pass and sat with the privileged that morning. But many more first responders had to stand out of view behind the obscuring trees and only listen to events in that zone. I have a photo of THAT, too.
We have been told that religious and first responders have never been officially invited in the past 8 Commemorations, so "why now?" And, "the precedent has been set for the past 8 Commemorations that no religious attend," and that their attendance would cause problems.
I draw your attention to the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance that took place at the National Cathedral in Washington D. C. on 9-14-01, a mere 3 days after the attacks occurred. A Muslim Imam, Billy Graham, a rabbi, and an Archbishop all prayed aloud, delivered sermons, homilies, etc... and no one complained. After all, there were many muslims killed in the twin towers who had nothing to do with hijackings. And it was there at that Cathedral where the true precedent was set. IMHO, it has been broken by NYC every year since. And Mayor Bloomberg sees no reason to get it right.
From 2008: Some first responders who got inside the forbidden zone.
If you saw the documentary film by those two french brothers entitled "9-11" then this picture should mean something to you. Again, from the 2008 Commemoration.
Looks like the ACLU is up to its usual harassment of local schools and other organizations they assume are too weak to fight and too willing to buckle. But they didn't count on The Alliance Defense Fund! And just who are THEY? Well, they're lawyers for Jesus, basically. And from what I once heard from one on a Sunday morning in Stockton, CA at church (guest speaker), they keep very busy fighting against those who would fight against our constitutional rights to freedom of religion.
In the video above, you'll hear about how the ACLU is trying to force a GA school district to remove internet filters from school library computers, thereby allowing lesbian, gay, and transgender sites to be accessed by the very children that school swears to protect. And no doubt, when the kiddies aren't subjected to sexually explicit content on these sites, there will be attempts by those sites to recruit those impressionable children. How disgusting that so many predators are vying for access to our country's youth to exploit and sexualize them before the age of consent. And even more disgusting that the ACLU is blazing the path for them!
Where does the ACLU get its funding? The video below is older --2007, I believe, but I doubt things have changed much. Let Bill O'Reilly shed some light on this...
I love Rick Santelli's rants. He always puts notions that have fallen askew back in their proper perspective.
I agree with Rick that regardless of the details of the S&P report showing Republicans sharing the blame for not agreeing to tax increases to go with tax cuts, the most important thing we know is that we are on the WRONG PATH. History shows that with any increase in taxation, increases in spending are soon to follow (Parkinson's 2nd Law: Expenditures rise to meet income). And this is because the politicians act like they have more money for pet projects.
Plus, it's my opinion that S&P was attempting to be a bit too politically correct in trying to spread blame evenly. The Democrats were never interested in reducing the debt, and it took Republican (Tea Party) pressures for the Dems to consider ANY reductions in their horrendously high projected increases in the debt ceiling and runaway spending, both of which have become "routine." Remember, even after the downgrade President Obama made a speech promising more spending on even more social programs with money we don't have. They still think the solution is to spend, spend spend. THAT should've been at the top of the list of reasons for the downgrade, not because the Tea Party tried to stop the Democrats.
But the biggest reason of all to question the motives of S&P for any blame given to Republicans is that back in April they gave a negative outlook (threat to lower rating in future) if the government didn't reduce the deficit by $4 trillion, which Cut, Cap, and Balance would've done. It was the Republican party which tried very hard to pressure the Dems into passing this bill in order to avert a downgrade.
And the key word is LEADERSHIP. As she states in the above video, Obama has shown NONE. He blames everyone else for the mess he claims he inherited, and then goes on vacation. WATCH THIS VIDEO.
And in so doing, Senator Kerry used inflammatory rhetoric to make his case, claiming that "Congress was held hostage..," and "People wanted to literally cut the baby in half." Senator Kerry has been a member of Congress (in both House and Senate) long enough to remember government shut-downs, several dozen filibusters, and other parliamentary maneuvers done by members of both parties in efforts to get their way. His effort to get the media to put a gag on dissenting opinion just shows how desperate the Democrats are in their efforts to retain power long enough to transform our nation into something second rate. Or maybe he simply misses being relevant.
One thing is certain. There is one group of people who are serious about fixing the debt problem, and there is another group who isn't. The Republicans have proposed Cut, Cap, and Balance which would go far in reversing several decades of irresponsible fiscal management. You may or may not agree with how the plan works, but you have to admit it IS an attempt, at the very least.
Senator Reid had a plan...to do something...but that something had little to do with the debt situation except to raise it. And President Obama had no plan at all. But after the "compromise," the President did voice his support for new spending on new social programs which would require the debt ceiling to be raised even further. So when the Democrats in power say they're in favor of solving the debt problem... they are actually in favor of someone else (republicans) taking the heat for a watered-down plan (compromise) that does virtually nothing but get democrats re-elected.
Senator Rubio is a fresh face with an up-to-date perspective on the silliness of these dinosaurs who got us into this mess, and offers his opinions. It's worth watching the 14 minute video just to see him slam Senator Kerry. Heh.
The number of African-Americans in the US in 2010 according to the Census is 42 Million (includes black and mixed race), which makes up 13.6% of the total US population. However, it is estimated that since 1973, more than 15 million African-American babies have been killed in the womb. Those aborted black babies make up almost 36% of today's population of blacks in America.
Most Republicans are aware of these figures and are fighting to end abortion, while most Democrats, who have no excuse not to know these stats, are trying to make the "service" more available in minority areas. So why do African-Americans keep voting Democrat??? It's a mystery.
Many people have trouble with the concept of Papal Infallibility simply because they don't understand what it means, or they assume it means something it doesn't. Although Fr. Baron explains it fully in the video above from the Word On Fire's Catholicism series, I'd like to touch on a few points.
First, it's necessary to know what Infallibility (Pope-wise) doesn't mean. It doesn't mean he never sins. To never sin would be impeccability, which no Pope could claim. In fact some Popes in the Catholic Church's rich past sinned an awful lot, eg., Pope Alexander VI (Borgia), who led a rather immoral and lascivious lifestyle, and is considered by many to be the most corrupt man ever to hold the office.
What Infallibility means is that the Pope is never wrong when defining doctrine regarding faith and morals (when speaking ex cathedra). You can read a much longer definition by clicking HERE, where you will also find biblical scripture to back up the concept.
But what I do is simply look more closely at Alexander VI for proof. Because a man living such an evil life in a position of enormous power (much more so in those days) would seek to validate such lasciviousness by perverting Catholic dogma to his own selfish ends so he could live out his twisted desires openly and without scorn. So why didn't he do that? Because by virtue of his position, though God allowed him (and other Popes) free will to act badly, The Holy Spirit would not allow him to pervert doctrinal teaching on faith and morals, any more than the Pope could claim 2 + 2 = 5.
Visit the Word On Fire website by clicking HERE to stay updated on when the DVD's of this excellent series will be released.
I lived in this Chicago neighborhood (Buena Park) from August '90 to February '95, only a block and a half from this church. At the time I considered myself an agnostic and had little or no interest in attending Mass anywhere, let alone the church on my street. I admired the architecture from the outside and found it a pleasant sight when I walked by toward my apartment, but never felt motivated enough or curious enough to enter through its doors to see if the inside did the outside its due. So after more than 16 years I returned on Saturday to venture through its doors... and nearly wept, both at the beauty of what I saw and the fact that I missed out on it years ago...
The mural on the other side (not pictured) was used as a backdrop in a scene in the movie Flatliners, where a young Kevin Bacon's character picks on a little girl on the playground. I saw the actor, among several movie set people scouting this location one day. He looked different with his hair all matted down, but not unrecognizable.
The lights were off when I was allowed to tour after hours. There is a link to a gallery of the church with lights on if you're interested.
Queen of All Saints Basilica, located near the Peterson exit off the Edens Expressway in the far northwest side of Chicago, has eight different shrines devoted to The Virgin Mary as well as seven display cabinets containing dozens of Holy Relics (bone fragments of The Apostles, bits of different saints, small piece of Jesus' clothing, etc...). The style of this basilica is "modern gothic," and taken in altogether is breathtaking. Again, the photos don't do it justice. It has to be experienced.
What's a Catholic church without Knights?
This room contains the baptismal font and lots of Holy Relics
What could very well be the most beautiful basilica in the US, other than the National Shrine in DC (if you don't mind that blond Jesus behind the alter), St. Hyacinth Basilica leaves one (at least me, anyway) spellbound. From the ornate engravings on its large bronze doors depicting the history of the basilica, to the bronze statues outside of Jesus Christ (with Sacred Heart) and John Paul II, the magnificent alter and inner dome, the building inside and out shows its Roman and Polish influences. Here are my photos that cannot possibly do it justice.
Looking up from the pews
Some objected to the "modern art" style of this statue, but I think it grows on you.
My friend Kevin and I visited Holy Name Cathedral the other day at 735 N State St. in Chicago, after visiting St. Peter's in the Loop for Reconciliation, and were very impressed with its beauty. Above the alter, if you look closely you will find five Galeros (Cardinal hats) symbolizing the five deceased Cardinals who served Chicago to date. "Traditionally, this symbol of a Cardinal is raised to the ceiling of his cathedral upon his death. The hat hangs until it turns into dust, a reminder that all earthly glory is passing"
Surprisingly, even though this is the Cathedral of the Chicago Archdiocese and looks impressive (as you can see in the pictures) it is not the largest nor the most magnificant of Chicago's catholic churches. In addition to the Cathedral, there are THREE basilicas, each of which I visited. But only two of which I can share pictures. Sadly, Our Lady of Sorrows' Reverend asked me not to post online any of the pictures I took. It seems that some photographers with bad intent were taking pictures of the shrines within the basilica and selling them for profit. Even though I assured him I would do no such thing, he assured me that someone might swipe them off my blog and sell them. So,...I promised. The following pics are from Holy Name Cathedral only:
I suppose you can tell I've not been posting much, but politics, as fun as it can be to rant about, has been wearing thin for me lately. This will change, I'm sure. But in the mean time...
I'm on vacation from my job on a pilgrimage to a city I once lived in as an agnostic from the late '80's up to the mid '90's, surrounded by beautiful Catholic churches which I typically ignored. Now with a fervent interest in Catholicism, I've returned to Chicago to photograph three basilicas, one cathedral, and a few beautiful churches --one from which I lived less than two blocks.
The first one visited today was St. Peter's in the Loop, which offers several Mass times daily along with Confession M-F, 7:30 to 6pm ALL DAY LONG. I try to go as often as possible to Confession since I almost always have something to say. This church is run by the Franciscans, who seem constantly available.
Note the cloisters at the top center of the photo.
Abort73 asks the question that many still struggle with regarding the abortion issue: "At what point does it become wrong to intentionally destroy a human being?"
After displaying the statistic that most people are comfortable with aborting babies in the first trimester, developmental photos and videos are shown. A very strong visual and evidentual case is made to ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy. Watch and see!
Filmed by Terje Sorgjerd atop El Teide Mountain in Spain. The setting is supposed to be the greatest location to view the stars... Watch this in full screen. You won't be disappointed.
Four whole days ago I was "tagged" with a "Lenten meme" by Jeff Miller at The Curt Jester, who himself had been tagged by Fr. Jay Finelli at iPadre. And so it continues... With hope the Lenten meme will become an Easter meme for those whom I tag.
Here are the rules:
Those tagged will share 5 things they “love” about Jesus/ Or why they love Jesus Those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers. Those tagged will provide a link in the comments section here with their name so that others can read them.
Here are mine:
1) I love Jesus for being active in my life, for giving me hope when I was on the brink of despair and strength to accomplish what I needed when I felt too weak to achieve.
2) Because of His endless fount of Divine Mercy. I needed a lot of forgiving for the years I didn't make Him a part of my life. And yes, I still need forgiving today...though not as much nor as often (thanks to His Grace).
3) Although He is all powerful, He is also humble, and showed this in His washing of the Apostles' feet.
4) He is in the Eucharist, His body and blood in the way He instructed us on Holy Thursday.
5) He loved me enough to die a cursed death on a tree to remove Adam's curse from me.
In this video it is said that the young people aren't simply the future of the pro-life movement, they ARE the pro-life movement. After attending the two most recent March For Life rallies in Washington DC, I can attest to that statement. Both marches were teaming with enthusiastic young people, eager to grab the banners and take the lead. The future is golden for this movement.
"Last Friday, I addressed the University of Notre Dame's 'Right to Life' student group. I urged them to be courageous in fighting for their beliefs, and to always remember what being Catholic REALLY means."
Here are excerpts from the speech called Politics And The Devil (I wanted to post the whole thing, it's THAT GOOD, but Witherspoon has a copywrite, so....:
...the idea that the “separation of Church and state” should force us to exclude our religious beliefs from guiding our political behavior makes no sense at all, even superficially. If we don’t remain true in our public actions to what we claim to believe in our personal lives, then we only deceive ourselves. Because God certainly isn’t fooled. He sees who and what we are. God sees that our duplicity is really a kind of cowardice, and our lack of courage does a lot more damage than simply wounding our own integrity. It also saps the courage of other good people who really do try to publicly witness what they believe. And that compounds a sin of dishonesty with a sin of injustice.
And this...
The moral and political struggle we face today in defending human dignity is becoming more complex. I believe that abortion is the foundational human rights issue of our lifetime. We can’t simultaneously serve the poor and accept the legal killing of unborn children. We can’t build a just society, and at the same time, legally sanctify the destruction of generations of unborn human life. The rights of the poor and the rights of the unborn child flow from exactly the same human dignity guaranteed by the God who created us.
And even THIS:
In Europe and the United States, our knowledge classes like to tell us that we live in an age of declining religious belief. But that isn’t quite true. A culture that rejects God always invents another, lesser godling to take His place. As a result, in the words of the great Jewish bioethicist Leon Kass, we live in an age of “salvific science.” In the place of the God who became man, “we have man become as god.” And in place “of a God who—it is said—sent his son who would, through his own suffering, take away the sins of the world, we have a scientific savior who would take away the sin of suffering altogether.”
There is so much more to this speech than what I've posted above, and it's very well worth spending a few minutes to read and ponder. I've never read a speech of his that wasn't. I'm just waiting for the day he's made Cardinal...or even...dare I say?
A fine presentation with good graphics and a message made easy to understand. Congressman Paul Ryan of WI is the House Chairman of the Budgetary Commitee with a level of sanity lacking on the other side of the aisle. He's the man with the plan to fix a problem that I had thought by now to be beyond fixing. Check out the link above for his site.
CatholicVote.org is co-sponsoring this ad which is now playing in the Washington DC markets. Wouldn't it be nice to have it played in ALL the major markets? They are taking donations THERE now just to keep the ad playing in Washington. Any size donation will help.
By the way, Abby Johnson has not only converted to the pro-life movement, but she will also be entering the Cahtolic Church on Easter Vigil!
Here's a very cool and informative video I found on YouTube, which is listed as an official entry for the 2011 Expose Planned Parenthood contest. I expect it to finish very well.
It has been a while or two since I last posted, and not for lack of motivation. I just haven't had the time, and don't really have much now. But I could not resist posting this (or any other) CatholicVote.com video, as they are so darned good....each and every time. This is no exception.
Back in February in Chicago, the home of the most pro-abortion president in this nation's history, Planned Parenthood put on a little rally in favor of federal funding for baby-killing. The crowd it drew would make Larry Flint blush. Okay, maybe not him but you get the point. CatholicVote.org found several participants who not surprisingly were morally confused, self-loathing, and even hate-filled. Imagine that...at a pro-abortion rally. One guy toward the end of the video even thinks I should pay to raise his unplanned children! Though I'm sure that not all of those who support abortion rights are like those shown in the video, it's clear who Planned Parenthood's champions are.
The abusive language, of which there is plenty, was bleeped out for our sakes. Thanks. Enjoy.
Welcome once again (my first this year) to 7 Quick Takes Friday, in which I share a few personal items I feel are at least somewhat newsworthy and a few that are there to fill out the full seven takes.
1) First I would like to thank all the heavy hitters who were kind enough to link to my March For Life post, making me feel like a major blog if only for a week or so. It's really the only time I get massive numbers on Sitemeter (when I cover the March). Lisa Graas, Jennifer Fulwiler, Elizabeth Scalia, Jeff Miller (Curt Jester), Allen Troupe, and Mary DeTurris Poust[Our Sunday Visitor (Daily Take)] who said some really nice things about the work I did, all linked to me giving me more exposure in one week than I get all year long. Added to that was attention from the foreign press. It's nice to be noticed, and then to slip back into virtual anonymity (yeah, right). But I'd gladly end it if we didn't have to march at all anymore.
He got paid $120 for doing this!
2) The snow storms we had 2 weeks ago seem like a distant memory, and I thought at one point I would be routed around them, but no such luck. The picture you see is of a trailer I picked up in Hiawatha, IA that was backed against a building, causing the snow to drift toward the rear of the roof. If only I had taken the picture before the overpass on I-380 knocked the 5ft tower of snow off the rear. But as you can see I still had to hire someone who weighed less than me to climb up there and shovel it off, lest an avalanche fall upon an unsuspecting 4-wheeler en route. Plus, I went under another 14'6" overpass which knocked most of the rest off. The original sight looked like an elephant laying on its back with its hind legs in the air.
3) How is that stimulus (porkulus) from 2 years ago working out for YOU?
4) I mentioned sometime ago I was discerning a vocation for monastic life. Well, I still am but need to slow things down. Everyone wants me to attend their Triduum at Easter, and I'm expected to take time off work for a week to get acquainted. So I may put things off 'til next year.
5) In case you haven't yet heard, The US House of Representatives have voted bipartisanly to DE-FUND Planned Parenthood of the over $300 million it receives each year from the US Goverment. Now on to the Senate where stiff opposition resides. Phone your senator!!! Read more HERE.
6) Living out on the road in a semi for 4 weeks at a time, even though I have an apartment, is like living out of a suitcase. The cat and I came home today only to realize that the only thing I forgot to bring to the apartment was his medicine. It's specially made by a pet pharmacy located over 2 hours away (in the other direction), so I had to drive 45 minutes back to the truck to pick it up, and then another 45 minutes back home. Gasoline costs too much for mistakes like that. Number 6 is filler, in case you didn't know.
7) For other takes from other bloggers, including host Jennifer Fulwiler, click HERE.
