Musings from one of the women

Heaven on Earth

2012-02-01T17:59:00.003-05:00

Part of growing in wisdom is being able to admit that you were wrong. When Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to the office of Supreme Pontiff, I was less then thrilled. What a difference a few years, a little bit of learning and a lot of prayer can make!!

I receive a daily press release from the Vatican, and on Wednesday, it includes the Holy Father's weekly address. I found today's message particularly inspiriational, so I share it with you.

Here is a little taste~
The Gospel says that the disciples were unable to remain awake for Christ, and Pope Benedict concluded his catechesis by saying: "Let us ask the Lord for the power to keep awake for Him in prayer, to follow the will of God every day even if He speaks of the Cross, to live in ever increasing intimacy with the Lord and bring a little of God's 'heaven' to this 'earth'".

Confession~ A balm for the soul

2012-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
I have a regular confessor who also acts as my spiritual director, and over the past few years I have really learned to love and appreciate this Sacrament.

Sadly, many Catholics do not avail themselves of this great gift of the Church.

A therapist friend of mine often says "When things are right with you, the things around you become right." There is a lot of wisdom there that can be brought into the context of confession.

The USCCB published this wonderful list outlining 10 benefits of confession This is from the article.

Peace of soul leads to peace of heart leads to peace beyond oneself.

If there is peace my soul and in my heart, that is the start to peace in the world. I can't think of a better reason for confession, can you?

Vocation Awareness Week

2012-01-12T19:15:00.002-05:00

It is Vocation Awareness Week.

As we all know, too well, there is a serious lack ofvocations to the priesthood and religious life in our diocese. I leave out the Permanent Diaconate, because Ibelieve that our diocese is fairly strong in fostering this vocation, as thereare 9 (or there about) men who are in formation who are scheduled to beordained this year, and many more in various other stages of formation. Praise be to God for these men and theirfamilies!

That said, I find it very sad that except for St. CharlesBorromeo in Greece, who dedicated the front page of their bulletin to vocationsawareness and St. Pius X in Chili, who published the prayer for vocations intheir bulletin, I found no other parish bulletin in Rochester that evenmentioned Vocations Awareness Week. Andto make matters even worse, there is no mention of it at all on the DORwebsite, or the “Vocations Home Page”, which incidentally, does not look likeit has been updated in quite a while.

Vocation Awareness Week should be an important part ofevery parish. We should be praying forand fostering vocations and the only way to really do this is to actuallytalk about them!!

Wouldn’t be wonderfulto hear your priest tell his vocation story in a homily? To talk about how he heard “the call” andwhat he did to foster that? I would betthe farm that he would say that at some point, it was another parishioner whoplanted the seed in his heart, or who saw his potential and encouragedhim. And isn’t that our job? Prayers are important, but sometimes, youactually have to do something!!

Take a moment, pray for all priests, deacons, and religiousbrothers & sister and pray that we, as a Church, can foster more vocationsand that we all will live the vocation that God has planned for us with joyfulhearts. And if you know a young man orwoman, who you think may have a vocation to the religious life- talk to themabout it!

Encourage them!! Be there forthem!! Do Something!!

Prayer for Openness to God’s Call

Lord Jesus,once You called the first disciples in order to make them fishers of men.Continue to let resound today Your sweet invitation: “Come and Follow Me.”

Grant to young men and women the grace of responding promptly to Your voice.Sustain our bishops, priests, and consecrated souls in their apostolic work.Give perseverance to our seminarians and to all those who are fulfilling theideal of a life of total consecration to Your service.

Enkindle in our communities a missionary zeal. Send, Lord, workers into Yourfields and do not let mankind be lost because of a lack of pastors,missionaries, and people dedicated to the cause of the Gospel.

Mary, Mother of the Church, Model of Vocations, help us say “Yes” to the LordWho calls us to collaborate in the divine design of salvation. Amen.

~PopeJohn Paul II

Thoughts on the new translation

2012-01-07T00:42:00.000-05:00

While I still am having some issues with some parts of the new translation, I am finding that I am loving some of the new "Collects". This is the one from Friday, January 6th.
What beautiful imagery!

Cast your kindly light upon your faithful, Lord, we pray, and with the splendor of your glory, set their hearts ever aflame, that they may never cease to acknowledge their Savior and may truly hold fast to him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

A baby changes everything

2011-12-25T01:38:00.003-05:00

"The history of 20 centuries begins in this stable,

for the Child, is in very truth the source of all things." ~Blessed John XXIII

Have a very merry & blessed Christmas!!

O Emmanuel

2011-12-24T15:49:00.002-05:00

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Father in heaven,

I am eagerly awaiting

the gift of my redemption,

Jesus, the Christ

the Son you sent to save me

Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Bleesed are we who embrace

Him, for by doing so,

we embrace You!

O Rex Gentium

2011-12-23T08:18:00.002-05:00

O Come, Desire of the nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven's peace

Father in heaven,
join me together with all your children,
so that in living your will,
we make bring your kingdom here to earth.

O Oriens

2011-12-21T23:45:00.003-05:00

O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death's dark shadow put to flight.

Father in Heaven,

as we enter into the darkest night of the year,

help me to remember that the light of your Son

is with me always.

O Clavis David

2011-12-20T22:54:00.000-05:00

O Come, Thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heav'nly home,
make safe the way that leads on high,
that we no more have cause to sigh.

Father in heaven,
My path is rocky and my heart is heavy,
be with me on my journey and
and help me to not fall into doubt & despair.

O Radix Jesse

2011-12-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

O Root of Jesse
by Ansgar Holmberg, CSJ

O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem,
from ev'ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

Father inheaven,

You promiseda Savior

who woulddeliver me from sin & death.

Help me to prepare my heartto receive Him.

O Adonai

2011-12-17T20:48:00.001-05:00

O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times didst give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe

Fatherin heaven,

Grantme the strength & courage to follow your ways.

Evenwhen it is difficult and I feel all alone,

Iknow that you will always be with me
to straighten my crooked path.

O Sapientia

2011-12-16T22:34:00.000-05:00

O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

Father in heaven,
grant me the gift of wisdom,
to hear and understand your voice.
Teach me your paths and lead me into your light,
so that my thoughts, words & deeds give glory to you always.

Thomas Merton

2011-12-11T20:33:00.001-05:00

The writings of Thomas Merton have been an important part of my spiritual journey. In fact, it was after stumbling across this prayer, that I made the decision to return to the faith.

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
~ Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"
© Abbey of Gethsemani

Last year, a friend shared this little gem of advent wisdom from "Fr. Louis"~

The Advent mystery is the beginning of the end of all in us that is not yet Christ.

Praying with this piece of wisdom last year proved to me quite enlightening, and helped me to participate in the joy of the Incarnation is a way that I never had before.

Yesterday, December 10th, was the 43rd anniversary of Thomas Merton's death, and I found a link to the Thomas Merton Institute, where I signed up for an Advent reflection newsletter. This arrived in my "in-box" this morning~

"the only way to enter into that joy is to dwindle down to a vanishing point and become absorbed in God through the center of your own nothingness. The only way to possess His greatness is to pass through the needle's eye of your own absolute insufficiency.

~Thomas Merton. New Seeds of Contemplation. (New York: New Directions Books):

Needless to say, "Fr. Louis" has given me another great Advent gift. I have a feeling that contemplating on these words, in light of where I am on my journey, will bear much fruit.

The Gospel of Mark

2011-12-09T22:45:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, my spiritual director at the time, recommended that I take some time and read the Gospel of Mark in one sitting. I took this advice while on a private retreat at a friend's home on Keuka Lake. It was a wonderful week of solitude and contemplation, that was enhanced by my reading of Mark's gospel. For the first time, I saw the humanity of Jesus in a whole new way, a way that I could relate to.

Since then, I find myself, every so often, carving out some time to re-read it, and let Mark's words speak to those parts of me that need to hear them.

So, as I was reading bulletins from parishes in my area this week, I was delighted to see that one of our local parishes was sponsoring an event called Mark's Gospel Live!

Fr. Joseph Morris, in a "one-man performance" recounts the Gospel of Mark, as the early Christians would have heard it, as a story. I experienced Mark's gospel in a way I never thought possible- to actually hear the whole thing from beginning to end, told by a master story-teller, was a powerful and moving spiritual experience. If you ever have the opportunity to see this, please take it! It was truly a blessed experience!

Clay in the Potter's hands

2011-11-28T00:18:00.001-05:00

I was talkingwith my spiritual director the other day and he offered this observation. How many people do you know who spend extratime each day/week, working on something that they are longing for? For example- the runner, who in addition totheir normal exercise routine, spends an extra ½ hour a day working on strengtheningtheir leg muscles. Or the musician whospends extra time on a practicing their “fingering” so as to keep their fingerslimber. Or the person who schedules time with a counselor or therapist to work on emotional issues and communication skills. Then he asked me if I spend any extra time working on those places in my "spiritual life" that need strengthening, and if not, why not? Is not my spiritual health just as important, if not more important, than my physical or emotional life?

An intriguing questionand one that I thought merited a little pondering. How do I spend my prayer time? I know that I have very deep wounds, whichonly God can heal, but have I actually taken the time to really share them withGod in prayer, to work through my issues with His help, and to open myself toreally hear what He is trying to tellme?

As I ponderedthese questions, I came to realize that sometimes the answer is no. And the reason for this answer is because, inmy humanness, I will do anything that does not cause me pain or discomfort.

HHHMMMM……

So, as I sat in mypew this morning, the First Sunday of Advent, I heard these beautiful words fromIsaiah 64:7

Yet, O LORD, youare our father;
we are the clay and you the potter:
we are all the work of your hands.

God is thepotter and I am the clay. I getthat. God is the creator, and forms mein His image, but in my quest for understanding, I had to go deeper. Just what does it mean to be clay in thepotter’s hands?

So, using myfriends “Google” and “Wikipedia” I did a little research on pottery and whatI found, well it shouldn’t have surprised me, God really does have one hell of a sense of humor!

Before an artistcan even think about beginning the design process, the clay needs to beprepared. It needs to be kneaded, todistribute the moisture and to release the air that is trapped within it. Basically, one needs to beat the crap out ofit before it is ready. And I started to think;doesn’t God do the same thing to us? Istarted to think about all the hard times, when I thought God was nowhere to befound, and was sending pain, hurt and anger my way to punish me, the times Ilooked up to the sky, shaking my fist and saying “Why, God? Why are you doing this to me?” This was God’s way of kneading me, of gettingme ready to look to Him for the answers that I was seeking.

So far sogood. Being clay in the potter’s hands-a good thing, God is working in me, but it can’t just stop there. If it does, I am still just a lump of clay,with no purpose. Something has to comenext.

That’s where “throwing”comes in! Throwing is a way to form thatpiece of clay into something useful and beautiful. From Wikipedia-

During the process of throwing, the wheelrotates rapidly while the solid ball of soft clay is pressed, squeezed andpulled gently upwards and outwards into a hollow shape. The first step ofpressing the rough ball of clay downward and inward into perfect rotational symmetry is called centeringthe clay--a most important skill to master before the next steps: opening(making a centered hollow into the solid ball of clay), flooring (makingthe flat or rounded bottom inside the pot), throwing or pulling(drawing up and shaping the walls to an even thickness), and trimming orturning (removing excess clay to refine the shape or to create a foot).

So, once I amkneaded, the real formation begins. Firstthere is the “centering”, an important step that brings the clay into perfectsymmetry. In the spiritual sense, I seethis step as one of the most important. This “centering” has to come from me; I have to choose to allow God tobe the center of my life. Only once Imake that decision, can God continue to shape me.

Then next thingis “opening”, or in a spiritual sense, maybe a better word is “emptying”. A hole must be made in the clay in order tomake it a usable vessel. If I am goingto be a “usable vessel” for God, I must open myself to His love; therefore I mustempty myself of all the things that keep me from that love.

Next is the “flooring”,making a good solid foundation. I seethe Church and the Sacraments as the foundation. By making a commitment to my faith andreceiving the Sacraments, especially Eucharist and Reconciliation, I am helpingto build a good foundation for my life, one that is stable and strong, and willsupport me, even when I am filled to the brim with anxiety, fear andtrepidation.

Now, with theclay prepared the “pulling” starts. This is where God draws me up to Him, and this is the place wheresymmetry is most crucial. If the clay isnot perfectly balanced, the vessel will collapse. This is where my free-willcomes into play. I can cooperate withthe potter, or I can choose not to. If Ichoose not to, I end up just another lump of clay, with no real purpose.

And finally,there is the “turning”, the removal of any excess clay that hinders the beautyand functionality of the piece. It is now that the piece is ready for the kiln, to be strengthened and changed into a instrument that has a purpose. For me,this means that God is removing all the things that may hinder my relationshipwith Him- my need to be “in control”, to rely on myself rather than relying onHim.

If you have everseen someone working in pottery, you know that it is a very messy job! Just like life! And thinking that God is just the “GreatFixer” who, with the wave of His hand, could, if He wanted too, make things “allbetter” is a very easy trap to fall into. But without all of these steps, that would be a hollow victory. Without all of the kneading, forming andtrails, I am still just a lump of clay. But in the hands of God, this insignificant lump of clay can become avessel, filled to the brim and overflowing, with the unconditional love of God.

Living aspiritual life, one where God is the center of everything, is socounter-cultural in our age, which is why I think that this metaphor is onethat many may not understand today. Ittakes patience, love and perseverance to mold a lump of clay into a beautifulvessel. Thankfully, God has all of thosethings and more!

As we begin thisAdvent season, this lesson is a very important one, I think. Now is the time to prepare for the coming ofour Lord & Savior, JesusChrist. It is the time of year where Ican look at how I can sometimes fall back into that lump of clay, by ignoringthe hands of the artist, and repent and allow myself to be “worked”, sometimesmessily, and often painfully, by the loving hands of God, so that I may becomethe vessel that carries His love out into the world.

Happy Advent!

Happy Advent

2011-11-26T23:36:00.001-05:00

A special musical treat to begin my favorite season of Advent. This is probably my favortie modern versions of this hymn, Enya has the voice of an angel!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T20:49:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Not because of the food, which is always awesome, plentiful and made with love. Not because of parades & football & classic movies that keep me entertained all day. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because the sole purpose of the day is to take some time, gather with those near and dear to me and thank God for all of the blessings that He has bestowed up me the past year. Some of them wonderful, and some not so wonderful, and all of them blessings just the same.

I have so much to be thanful for- a wonderful husband, a loving family, an awesome spiritual director, a wonderful cicle of friends, old & new, who support, encouage and love me enough to point out my shortcomings when needed, two jobs that I love and let me use the gifts given to me by God to serve His people and, most importantly, for the Grace that God has bestowed on me this past year.

It's about the "simple things"...

Happy Thanksgiving!
Please remember to keep all those who go without today, all who are alone, all those who are working to protect us and take care of our loved ones while their families gather without them, and for all those who are far from home in your prayers today.

Why Autumn is my favorite season

2011-11-12T00:45:00.001-05:00

An autumn day at Mt. Hope Cemetary

Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits. ~Samuel Butler

Thank God for the Jesuits!

2011-11-05T12:08:00.001-04:00

St. Ignaitus by William McNichols,
comissioned for the 125th Anniversay
of Creighton University.

Today is the Feast of All Saints & Blessed of the Society of Jesus.
St. "Iggy" and the Jesuit way have made me a better Christian.
Thanks be to God for all these wonderful men, and the men & women they have inspired through-out the ages.

Suspice of St. Ignatius of Loyola
TakeLord, and receive all my liberty,
Mymemory, my understanding
Andmy entire will,
AllI have and call my own.
Youhave given it all to me.
Toyou Lord, I return it.
Everythingis yours; do with it what you will.
Giveme only your love and your grace,
Thatis enough for me.

AMDG!!

If this is our "future", we are so screwed!

2011-11-03T14:44:00.000-04:00

So, just exactly what is is you people want?!
Y'all need to GROW UP!!

I prayed for what?!

2011-10-30T23:29:00.003-04:00

In about a month we will begin using the new translation of the Roman Missal. In January 2010, I posted these thoughts about the new translation. Since then, through much thought, study and prayer, I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the new translation, if for the only reason that it will make everyone
s-l-o-w d-o-w-n.

I have become aware lately of how fast we say our prayers in the parishes I attend. I have made it a point that last few months to slow down, and concentrate on what I am saying, not just say the words. And in doing so, I had a very profound revelation.

One day at daily Mass, during the Our Father, the congregation said it so fast that they finished before the priest did. I could compare it to a 5 year old singing the ABC song, they know the letters and their order well enough that they can sing it like it is all one giant word. That's how the Our Father sounded to me.

Now, I know that the Our Father is not changing, but I am going to use it as an example.

When I made the conscious effort to slow down while praying the Our Father, something hit me like a ton of bricks! I will never forget the day! I was literally stopped in my tracks! What did I just say?

"forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us"

I was asking God to forgive me as I forgive others.
Did I really want Him to do that?!
I left Mass that morning with that thought in my head.
What if God forgave me as I forgave others?
I may have said I forgave someone, but did I really?
Did I continue to hold a grudge?
Was I looking for some sort of acknowledgement from the person who "wronged' me?
Did I want that person to suffer because they made me suffer?

Sadly, my answer to many of these question was YES.

It really made me start to think. Before this revelation, the prayer was just words, now I saw it more of a challenge. Forgiveness is a gift. It is not something that one earns, it is not pardon, it is not forgetting the wrong done to me or even reconciling with the person who wronged me. It is acknowledging a hurt and then letting it go. It is saying to the other person, you hurt me and I may not like it, but I will not let this thought/word/deed keep me a prisoner in my own heart.

I have learned the hard way that sometimes it is too late to tell someone that you love them and that you forgive them for the things they have done to hurt you. That holding a grudge does nothing to the person who I hold the grudge against, but to me. It has made me give forgiveness that I have been withholding out of pride, and seek forgiveness from those who I have wronged. I cannot change other people, as much as I would like to try sometimes, I can only change myself.

Forgiveness is never easy, and it is always necessary. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Not an easy thing to do, but then I don't think that being crucified was either.

Peace to all!

Make Mine Freedom

2011-10-30T01:56:00.001-04:00

Sad to say, but we really haven't learned that much, have we?

So it's been a while...

2011-10-30T00:53:00.004-04:00

and now I am back!!
A special thanks to Ben at Cleansing Fire for helping to get the fire started again!
He asked me to be a guest writer (you can read that post here), it's a little silly for me to post it here, but I will be adding more to my story over the next few days.

So stop by, read a while, make a comment or two.
Hopefully I can educate, enlighten or just amuse you for a minute or two!!

Peace to All!!

Pearls...

2010-11-05T06:17:00.000-04:00

Words of wisdom from St. Charles Borromeo, on this, his feast day.

"Christ summons the Church, as she goes her pilgrim way, to that continual reformation of which she always has need, insofar as she is an institution of men here on earth. Consequently, if, in various times and circumstances, there have been deficiencies in moral conduct or in Church discipline, or even in the way that Church teaching has been formulated—to be carefully distinguished from the deposit of faith itself—these should be set right at the opportune moment and in the proper way"
(Decree on Ecumenism, 6, Austin Flannery translation).

In Memory

2010-09-11T07:52:00.000-04:00

May we never forget the events of that day. May we always be grateful for the daily scarifices, made by ordinary people in our own communities- fire fighters, police officers, EMT's military personnel.
God Bless them and God Bless America!

The prayer of Fr. Mychal Jugde, OFM. Chaplain of FDNY and the first recorded casualty of the attacks of 9/11/01

Lord,

Take me where you want me to go.

Let me meet who you want me to meet.

Tell mewhat you want me to say,

and keep me out of your way.

Eternal rest grant unto them o Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them

May they rest in peace

Pearls...

2010-08-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

How does one become a butterfly?

You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."

~Trina Paulus

Pearls....

2010-07-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

Christopher Robin to Winnie-the-Pooh~

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

I can't help but to think that God whispers the very same words to me, especially when I seem to be at my most vulnerable.

Some thoughts for the 4th

2010-07-04T00:21:00.000-04:00

As we celebrate the 234th birthday of the United States, I think it is only fitting to read (or re-read) the Declaration of Independence. The Founding Fathers, while declaring their independence from the tyranny and oppression of King George III, have given us these timeless words of courage and conscience. Methinks that now, more than ever, we as Americans need to remember these words and recognize that, in many ways, our country is not living up to the standards set forth by the men (and women) who gave up everything to start this great country.

This Fourth of July, I pray that all of us take these words to heart, and try to bring our country back to the ideals that it was founded on.

(Emphasis is mine!)

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Pearls...

2010-06-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the sea.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Building boats or (re)building the Church,

either way, some very wise advice!

You've got to be kidding me...?!

2010-06-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is suing McDonald’s.
You can read the article here.

I have so many problems with this, I will not go into them all, but my biggest issue is the attitude that parents need help from the courts and the government in doing what is best for their children, as evidenced by this quote from Michael Jacobson, Executive Director of CSPI.

"At some point parents get worn down," Jacobson says. "They don't always want to be saying no to their children. We feel like an awful lot of parents would be relieved if this one pressure was removed from them."

PUH-LEASE!!!

Saying “NO” is a parent’s job, not the governments, not the courts!
No wonder the US is in the shape it is! God help us all!

Pearls...

2010-06-19T13:08:00.000-04:00

From “The Little Gidding” by T. S. Eliot
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,...

2010-06-11T17:30:00.000-04:00

Requiescat in Pace

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael G. Plank, 25, of Cameron Mills, N.Y.; assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 9 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
My prayers are with his family and friends.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Semper Fi

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord...

2010-06-11T11:52:00.000-04:00

Requiescat in Pace

Army 1st Lt. Joseph J. Theinert 24, of Sag Harbor, N.Y.; a New York Army National Guardsman assigned to the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 4 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device during a dismounted patrol.
My prayers are with his family and friends.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

The Gift of St. Ignatius

2010-06-05T03:08:00.006-04:00

About a year ago, I heard the following story.

A young rabbi said to the master, “You know when I study and when I join others in great feasts, I feel a great sense of light and life. But the minute it is over, it’s all gone; everything dies in me.”

The old rabbi replied: “It is just this feeling that happens when a person walks through the woods at night, when the breeze is cool and the scent in the air is delicious. If another joins the traveler with a lantern, they can walk safely and joyfully together. But if they come to a crossroads and the one with the lantern departs, then the first must grope her way alone unless she carries her light within her”
Tales of the Hasidim

I was at an information session for the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and this was used as part of the opening prayer and reflection. I will admit that, at first, I thought to myself,
“This is all fine, well and good, but in the end the person is still alone!”

Looking back now, that night, was probably the single most important night of my life!

The previous 4 years had not been that easy. I had returned to the Church, but was still more wrapped up in what I wanted from God and Church. The Church, IMHO, was wrong on so many levels, and I pursued my education so that I could work from the inside to help change the Church into what I thought she should be.

I had suffered much loss and grief and at the time was in a spiritual desert. There was an occasional oasis- God sending someone into my life to show His presence, but all too often I became dependant on others to give me things that I should have been seeking within myself.
I wanted peace in my life. I wanted a richer prayer life. I wanted to be able to trust in God, but my experience had been that no one could be trusted, that, in the end, I was going to get hurt, and that I was, in fact, unlovable.
How was I supposed to believe that someone I could not see actually loved me, and that love was unconditional? In my experience, love has always come with conditions!

As I sat in this meeting, I wondered to myself what I was doing there. How is this “retreat” going to help me? It was way too structured for my taste, and the time commitment was intense! Silent prayer for an hour, every day- it might as well been an eternity! Yet, something kept telling to me that this was what I needed to do. So after a couple weeks of prayer and pleading, I took the leap and applied.

I was accepted into the program, and so began my transformation. It was not easy. As a matter of fact, there were days, even weeks, that I wondered what I got myself into! The Exercises called me to look at myself and my relationships, with others and with God. They helped me to see where I was attaching myself to things, ideas and people, so that my focus was not on God’s will, but on my own. And slowly, with the help of a wonderful group of people who were sharing the journey with me, a very patient prayer guide and the grace of God, I have found the peace, love and trust I was seeking.

I can say with all honesty, that I am in the best place spiritually and mentally that I ever have been. The light within me, that I thought had died out long ago, was fanned and nurtured with love, kindness and friendship, and I am not longer afraid of being alone in the dark woods, because my light, the light of God in my life, is shining bright, and I now know that no person or event can ever extinguish that light!

It is an awesome feeling!!

The Exercises have been a great gift to me. They have helped me to start to live the truly authentic Catholic life I craved. The helped me to realize that I am who I am because God made me that way, and that He loves me, even in spite of myself. And the prayer of St. Ignatius has become my prayer also-

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

My memory, my understanding

And my entire will,

All that I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

That is enough for me

In the words of Jerry Garcia…what a long strange trip it’s been!
And one that I am so blessed to have been able to take!

So, for anyone of you out there in blog land, who may be looking for a way to enrich your prayer life and your relationship with God, I strongly encourage you to look into the 19th Annotation. Here in Rochester, we are lucky to have both Assumption in Fairport and the Mercy Prayer Center who offer this experience. The retreat will start again in the fall, but there is a lot of planning on the part of those facilitating, so if anyone is interested, I recommend that you contact one of them soon. And if anyone has any questions feel free to e-mail me at oneofthewomen@gmail.com, and I will do my best to share my experiences.

Peace to All!
AMDG!

Pearls...

2010-06-03T10:36:00.000-04:00

Time invested in improving ourselves cuts down on time wasted in disapproving of others.

In Honor of Memorial Day

2010-05-29T02:05:00.000-04:00

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918), Canadian Army

Memorial Day weekend, the un-official start of summer, and a day that is filled with picnics, parties and travel. The last day of what was a 3-day and is fast tuning into a 4-day weekend, And while many communities do their part to honor their sons & daughters who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country it saddens me that the meaning behind the day seems to be getting lost.

I myself will be picnicking with friends and doing a little bit of traveling. But I will also be attending a Mass on Monday and praying the Office of the Dead for all those who so valiantly gave their lives so that I may enjoy the freedoms that I do. It is my hope that you to will do something to honor them.

Happy Memorial Day!

Have fun, be safe, and please rememer the real reason for the day!

Peace to All!

Pearls...

2010-05-29T00:59:00.000-04:00

"One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own."

~ John O'Donohue (1956-2008)

And another gift is the Grace to realize that sometimes discouragement, especially from someone you love, is doing the same thing!

Come Holy Spirit

2010-05-23T09:33:00.001-04:00

John 14:26-27
The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

The Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is one that I understand the least, but appreciate the most.

As Jesus said, the Father will send the Advocate to teach us everything and remind us of what He told us. What an awesome gift!

Problem is, sometimes the Holy Spirit works so subtly, so quietly, so mysteriously, that if I do not listen attentively and lovingly, with my whole heart, soul and mind, I will never hear the Spirit speak to me, and if I can’t hear the Spirit, the Spirit cannot work through me.

The Holy Spirit lights the fire for God in our hearts. Let us pray that we can be aware of the workings of the Spirit in our lives, and be thankful for this amazing gift of the loving and merciful God, who sent the Sprit to dwell in us.

Come, Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your divine love. Send forth your spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful, grant, that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. We ask this through Christ our lord. Amen.

Thank You BXVI!

2010-05-11T14:08:00.000-04:00

On his way to Portugal while speaking to reporters, the Holy Father made the following comment,

"The greatest persecution of the church doesn't come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sins within the church," the pontiff said. "The church needs to profoundly relearn penitence, accept purification, learn forgiveness but also justice."

While I agree that the media, and many others have jumped on the "anti-Catholic" bandwagon in recent months, the one issue I have always had is that is seemed that the "blame game" was even being played by the Vatican.(Remember, back in 2002, when the "scandal" broke here in the States, it was an "American problem!")

My prayers have been answered!
Let the healing begin!!

The Power of Prayer

2010-04-23T13:04:00.002-04:00

It is only at the end of this world that we shall realize how much the destinies of persons and nations have been shaped, not so much by the external actions of powerful men and by events that seem inevitable, but by the quiet, silent, irresistible prayer of persons the world will never know.

Anthony de Mello, SJ

The power of prayer is indeed a miraculous thing. And now with the technology of the Internet, it is possible to solicit prayers from all over the world, which is exactly what I am doing with this post.
Someone very dear to me, we will call her "M.", who had battled breast cancer about 18 months ago, and was in remission, just found out that the cancer is back, this time with a vengeance and in her liver and bones. The prognosis is “fair” at best. Right now, she has opted to fight this disease. I have posted to the right, the prayer of St. Peregrine, for those suffering from cancer. I humbly ask that anyone who visits my blog, please take a moment and pray for her.

Thank you and God Bless!

Pearls...

2010-04-18T10:13:00.000-04:00

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being....
Correction does much, but encouragement does more."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Eternal rest grant unto him, O, Lord...

2010-04-14T11:17:00.000-04:00

Requiescat in pace

USMC Sgt. Frank J. A. World, of Tonawanda, NY, was killed in action in Afghanistan on Thursday April 1, 2010. He leaves a wife and 2 small children. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family & friends.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O, Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Semper Fi

This is the day that the Lord has made.

2010-04-04T08:39:00.001-04:00

Let us rejoice and be glad !

Christ has Risen!

Alleluia!

But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he told her.

John 20: 11-18

May the blessings of our Risen Lord be with you and your famiily !

Happy Easter!

In the Tomb

2010-04-03T12:07:00.001-04:00

This year the Triduum has taken on a new meaning for me. It is a grace I have received from my participation in the 19th Annotation. For the past few weeks, I have been using the Passion accounts from all of the Gospels in my prayer time. For an hour (or sometimes more) per day, I have been praying and meditating with these passages using a technique called the “application of the senses” in which I fully enter into the stories in which I am reading, seeing, hearing, touching smelling and tasting everything, as if I am truly present. I have, with the grace and help of God, been able to “be” with Jesus and his disciples as the events of His passion have unfolded.

It has not been an easy few days. Reliving the betrayal and abandonment of Jesus by his friends, has brought up a lot of my own “stuff”. Betrayal and abandonment are things I would not wish on my worst enemy, let alone my “best friend”, and I fully understand how Jesus must have felt. I would much rather deal with physical pain than with the emotional pain caused by such acts. For me, the betrayal and abandonment of a friend was far worse that any physical pain I have ever suffered, and while the gaping hole left in my heart and life by this experience has been healed through prayer and by the grace of God, there are still twinges of pain when I am reminded of the happy times that I had spent with my friend. And this pain, I believe, will never fully go away. It is something I will carry with me for the rest of my days. It is there, in the form of doubt, when I am about to share something of myself with another. It is there as a constant reminder that the unconditional love that I seek is something that can only be given to me by God and God alone.

As I sat in Good Friday services yesterday afternoon, and at the Tenebrae service I attended last night, thinking about what Jesus did for me- the suffering, the humiliation, the pain, the abandonment, I was overcome with grief. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to know how the people that I loved could betray and abandon me. I wanted to know how, people who claimed to be Jesus’ friends and followers could have handed Him over to such a horrific fate. And then I heard Jesus’ words so clearly, that I almost thought He was sitting right next to me,

“Father forgive them: they do not know what they are doing.”

and suddenly things became crystal clear.

As a human being, I am a sinful creature. My sinfulness comes out of my thinking that I am in control of things, and that my will is what is important. What Jesus showed me on the cross is that it is not, has never been and never will be my will that brings me peace and salvation. Only God, through the life, death and resurrection of His son, can do that for me. The catch is I have to let Him!

As I prayed before the cross last night, I offered all of my feelings of anger, loss, grief, abandonment and betrayal there at the foot of the cross. Today, as I “sit in the tomb”, I can, with God’s help, finally let go of all of the negative emotion that has brought me into my one personal “hell” the past few months. I can offer my suffering in solidarity with that of Jesus’ suffering. I can take my human brokenness and leave it there in the tomb, so as to make room in my heart for the awesome gift that Jesus has in store for me,
new life in Him!

I found this beautiful image of Jesus being laid in the tomb at www.sistermarygrace.artspan.com. through a "google image" search. There is much more artwork available. I urge you to take a moment and check out the website, and maybe even buy something. I know I will!

Judas, what were you thinking?!

2010-03-29T23:20:00.000-04:00

As we enter into Holy Week, my prayer time is bringing me deeper and deeper into the Passion, and I find many of my thoughts, outside of my prayer time, are of Judas.

In today’s Gospel, Mary anoints Jesus with some very expensive oil. Oil that Judas believes could be better used by selling it and giving the money to the poor. That is not really a bad thing, is it? 300 days wages was a lot of money. It still is, if you really think about it. If I work 5 days a week, for a whole year without a day off, it is only 260 days. Would I have felt the same way Judas did? Would I have seen what Mary did as wasteful?

I remember watching a program on the History Channel, I believe, that speculated on who Judas Iscariot really was. I do not remember all of the details, and unfortunately do not even remember the title of the program, yet I do remember that it brought up some very interesting ideas. The basic premise was that Jesus and Judas had been life-long friends, and that their families had a long connection. It went on to speculate that Jesus and Judas were “revolutionaries” who fought against the Roman occupation during what we refer to as the “lost years” in the life of Jesus. The speculation continues with the idea that Judas, discouraged by the fact that they had not eradicated their Roman oppressors, continued to believe in, and follow that path that Jesus now took in His public ministry. Judas is named as one of the 12, and we can only assume that for the years of His public ministry, Judas was working side by side with Jesus in preaching the Good News.

So, I can’t help but to think, might it have been this episode from today’s Gospel that was the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” for Judas? Were things not happening fast enough for him? Did he have a misunderstanding of what Jesus was actually trying to teach? Was Judas looking for a prize? Was his understanding of “kingdom” that of one of wealth and power and not one of love and service? What causes someone to betray someone that they love?

I don’t have to imagine how Jesus must have felt. I have been there. The betrayal of a friend, in my experience, is like having a piece of yourself ripped from within you. It leaves a jagged, gaping hole in your heart and in your spirit. The darkness can consume you if you let it. I know, because I almost did. And I remember praying, no pleading with God, to take this pain away, and make everything “better” again.

God did not take my suffering away from me, just as He did not take the suffering away from Jesus. Jesus suffered the ultimate betrayal; He lost His life because of a friend. In the end though, Jesus not only gained new life, but He gained it for me, too. Jesus took the ultimate betrayal and turned it into the ultimate act of love.

Can I do the same?

True Friendship

2010-03-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

I am in the 3rd Week of the Spiritual Exercises. We are contemplating Jesus’ life during His final weeks. The past couple of weeks I have been praying with the stories of the Last Supper and the Agony in the Garden. There is much to be learned about friendship from Jesus' experiences.

This was Henri Nouwen’s Daily Meditation from March 23. I love Henri. I have read just about everything he had written, and his "The Return of the Prodigal Son" changed my life. I believe that this is the kind of friend Jesus must have been~

A friend is more than a therapist or a confessor, even though a friend can sometimes heal us and offer us God's forgiveness.
A friend is that other person with whom we can share our solitude, our silence, and our prayer. A friend is that other person with whom we can look at a tree and say, "Isn't that beautiful," or sit on the beach and silently watch the sun disappear under the horizon. With a friend we don't have to say or do something special. With a friend we can be still and know that God is there with both of us.

True friendship like this is a rare and wonderful thing. The pain of being betrayed or abandoned by a friend is one that cuts deep to the core. Jesus knew this. And I suspect most of us do, in some way or another.
Yet Jesus never stopped loving His friends, and, in the end, He gave His life for them.

Could I do the same?

In Honor of St. Patrick

2010-03-17T10:47:00.000-04:00

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of the sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the earth,

Firmness of the rock.

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me;

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's hosts to save me

Afar and anear,

Alone or in a mulitude.

Christ shield me today

Against wounding

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in the eye that sees me,

Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today

Through the mighty strength

Of the Lord of creation.

On Healthcare

2010-03-17T09:43:00.002-04:00

I have resisted the temptation to get involved in any debate about healthcare. I work in the industry, and have seen first hand the lunacy that is working with insurance companies, and the Medicare and Medicaid systems. I am not saying that I don't think something needs to be done, but "ObamaCare" is not the way!

A note to all politicians-

Until you can prove to me and to the rest of America that you can fix the systems we already have (Medicare & Medicaid), please do not try and come up with something new!

I received this in an e-mail today. “Maxine” is one of my favorite characters, so I share with you her take on healthcare-
don’t think I could have said it any better!

Let me get this straight......

We're trying to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that is broke.

What could possibly go wrong?

You know it's a Monday when...

2010-03-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

it seems like you are surrounded by idiots!!!!!

Some quotes about stupidity...
take from them what you will.

"The law is a rule to the fool, but a guide to the wise." ~ Anonymous

"There are two kinds of fool. One says, 'This is old, and therefore good.' And one says, 'This is new, and therefore better.' ~ Dean Inge

"In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man, it seems unfair that he did not also limit his stupidity." ~ Konrad Adenauer

Examination of Conscience

2010-03-08T00:15:00.000-05:00

I have a regular confessor. I find it is better for me to have someone who is familiar with me, and my patterns, as a confessor as he is able to help me to see these patterns and not only absolve me of my sins, but is able to give me sound advice as to how to avoid falling into the same traps of sinfulness over and over.

One of the things I have really come to appreciate in celebrating this sacrament is the preparation that is involved. Examining one’s conscience is never easy, and is always necessary to deepen one’s relationship with God. I have a few resources that I have found helpful, in particular one using the beatitudes, the Daily Examen from the Spiritual Exercise and the US Catechism for Adults. I find that using more than one resource helps me to really examine what my sins are and where my patterns of sinfulness are leading me away from God, so I am always on the lookout for something that causes me to look at things from a different perspective.

I came across this poem last week, in preparation for my confession, and it helped me more than any of the others had been, so I will share it with you. It comes from a wonderful little book called “Hearts on Fire- Praying with the Jesuits”. The poem was written by Leo Rock SJ, who has been director of novices for the Jesuits of the California Provence, is a spiritual director and retreat master.

Killing Time

How do I kill time?
Let me count the ways.

By worrying about things
over which I have no control.
Like the past.
Like the future.

By harboring resentment
and anger
over hurts
real or imagined.

By disdaining the ordinary
or, rather, what I
so mindlessly
call ordinary.

By concern over what’s in it for me,
rather than what’s in me
for it.

By failing to appreciate what is
because of might-have-beens,
should-have-beens,
could-have-beens.

These are some of the ways
I kill time.

Jesus didn’t kill time.
He gave life to it.
His own.

This was a real eye-opener, and helped me to go much deeper into my examination of conscience, which in turn helped me to have a wonderful confession experience.

And it has helped me to look more closely at how I am killing time!

The Call to Holiness

2010-03-07T23:16:00.001-05:00

I am not taking a class this semester, so I have been able to catch up on some personal reading, and because I am still not 100% because of my recent injury, I have decide to “slow down” a little bit, and use this down time as a way to take the psalmist’s advice and “Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46).

I am currently reading Rediscovering Catholicism, by Matthew Kelly. This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. You can find out more about him and his book at his website . As I was reading, I came across the following quote

“When the practice and preaching of Christianity are not clearly focused on the ‘universal call to holiness', the activities pursued in the name of Christianity disintegrate into nothing but a collection of social welfare initiatives. As the Church becomes more and more isolated from this call to holiness-whether locally, regionally, nationally, or universally- it very quickly begins to resemble little more than a massive social welfare committee, rather than the great spiritual entity she was established to be for every age.” (pg.71)

This statement was so profound to me on so many levels. Maybe it is because of my experiences with the Spiritual Exercises that made this jump out at me. The past few weeks I have been working with the following concepts, The Two Standards, The Three Classes of Persons and The Three Humilities

In a nutshell,

The Two Standards are the standard of Christ and the standard of Lucifer. Remember that Ignatius was a soldier, and at the time each side had a “standard (flag) - bearer” that rode in the front of the line of troops. For Ignatius, this was “spiritual warfare” and the most important choice for a person was what “standard” they would choose to follow.

The Three Classes of Person describes the 3 types of “spiritual disposition” most people have-

The first type- the one who says they want a relationship with God, but are not willing to do anything to help cultivate that relationship. They are more attached to the “things” in life

The second type- the one who tries had to have a relationship with God, but does everything but the one thing necessary. They try, but instead of doing what needs to be done, they are content have a “barter relationship” with God.

The third type- the one who says they want a relationship with God and is willing to let go of all their “worldly attachments” so that they may know and most perfectly fulfill the will of God.

The Three Humilities are general descriptions of the spectrum of humility as lived by men and women. In the Ignatian tradition humility is defined as the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the fullness of what it means to be human.

The first humility- this is one end of the spectrum. In practicing this level of humility, I do only that which I see as necessary to achieve salvation.

The second humility- this is the middle of the spectrum, what I call the “balance” that I believe that most of us who call ourselves Christians are looking for, the balance between living my life, but doing so through the lens of following God’s will and not my own.

The third humility- this is the most perfect version of the second humility, and a grace only granted by God. With this grace, the person practicing the 3rd humility is moved to follow Jesus Christ in the most intimate way possible.

So, needless to say, I have been spending a lot of time lately looking at my own “call to holiness” and how I have been doing at answering that call. And I started to think,

“You know, Matthew Kelly really has a point.”

The Church, in an attempt to work for “social justice” has seemed to forget that her primary focus should be on helping people to reach that holiness.

And then hit me,

If we as Church spent more time helping people to reach that state of holiness that we are all called to, and if I, in my words and actions, follow the standard of Christ, strive to become the 3rd type of person and live in at least the 2nd level of humility as an example to others, we would not need the church to work for “social justice” as it would be a natural consequence of living a life of holiness.

"With Open Hands"

2010-02-28T23:42:00.001-05:00

The debate regarding the “orans posture” and hand-holding during the Our Father is contentious, at best. People on both sides look to the rubrics, which tend to be vague, and what usually happens is both sides end up thinking their way is the only right way.

In an article from Catholic Answers, that you can read here, Fr. Paul Scalia states:

“In various areas the Church grants certain options and leaves the choice to our prudential judgment. We may find certain practices preferable. Yet we cannot insist on them, because the Church does not. On the other hand, we may dislike certain practices. Yet, again, we cannot fault others for doing what the Church permits. We stray from militant to belligerent when we mandate what the Church does not, or forbid what the Church permits.”

I think these are wise words and in the spirit of dialogue, I would like to share a personal experience. I do not claim to have any answers. What I can offer is the following gift of grace I was given regarding the “orans position” during prayer times, when appropriate, in private and public.

When I returned to the Church, I was quite inexperienced in “prayer”. My prayers were more like “wish lists” or a child’s letter to Santa, asking God for all sorts of things I thought I wanted. I never really paid that much attention to posture, and often just seemed to be going through the motions. I was seriously considering leaving again when some friends suggested I talk to a particular priest, who subsequently became my spiritual director, and who introduced me to the writings of Henri Nouwen. Actually, had it not be for this priest's kind words, attentive and non-judgmental attitude, and recommendation to read “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Nouwen, I can honestly say that I probably would have turned my back on organized religion all together.

After this initial introduction to Nouwen’s work, I read everything I could get my hands on. He had a simplicity about him that appealed to me and everything I read touched my heart. And then one day, while on private retreat, I stumbled into the library at the retreat house in the middle of the night looking for something- although I had no idea what! I found this small volume, with the most intriguing title, “With Open Hands”. I brought the small book back to my room, and in the next 90 minutes my understanding of prayer changed forever!

In a nutshell, what Nouwen so beautifully reminded me is that prayer is both giving and receiving.

How can I completely surrender- my worries, my cares, my will- to God, if my hands are clenched tight?

How do I receive the gifts of God’s grace, if my hands are not open to those gifts?

This experience is one that I will never forget. How something as simple as how I hold my hands can remind me that as I offer up all of my prayers, God is filling me with His grace and love. This was, I believe, the Holy Spirit at work, leading me to where I needed to be led, so that I could cultivate that “something deeper” I had been longing for.

How could I not think that this is pleasing to God?

For St. Ignatius says:

"Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.

And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created. From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it. For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created."

"Through this holy anointing..."

2010-02-19T23:53:00.000-05:00

I recently suffered an injury that while more of an inconvenience than anything, has caused me a great deal of pain, and has prevented me from fulfilling some of my obligations this week.

Today, I had the opportunity to receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. As the priest laid his hands on my head, and offered prayers to God on my behalf for the healing of not only my broken body, but also for my mind, heart and spirit, and then anointed my head and hands,

“Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
“May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Amen.”

I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit flow through my body. And for a brief moment, Father ceased being “Father” and became Jesus, laying His hands on me and releasing me from the burdens of my ills. And while the pain I am feeling is nothing compared to what Jesus endured, I have learned from this experience that I must learn to bear my sufferings with grace, dignity and complete surrender to the will of the Father, just as Jesus did when he died on the cross.

It was a grace-filled moment, that did indeed lift the heaviness in my heart that was keeping me in the “Why me, Lord?” mentality rather than bringing me into joy of solidarity with Christ in His suffering.

What an awesome gift this sacrament is!

"The Church Militant or the Church Belligerent?"

2010-02-16T17:08:00.002-05:00

An interesting article from Catholic Answers.

It made me think,

"Which one am I?"
"And in acting the way I do am I giving glory to God or looking for it for myself?"

Excellent questions to ponder this Lent, don't you agee?

Lent & The Spiritual Exercises

2010-02-15T22:00:00.002-05:00

I came across this resource for Lent on Fr. Longenecker’s blog Standing on my Head. Since I am in the middle of the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, I am looking forward to using this.

From what I understand from the site, four Jesuits (3 priests, 1 deacon) will guide the reader through Lent and give a brief introduction to and understanding of the Spiritual Exercises along the way.

The “Exercises”, have for me been life-altering and life-giving. My prayer life has been greatly enhanced, I have matured in my spirituality and I have been called to look deeply into myself. They have been a great gift, and one who’s graces I wish to share.

If you are still looking for something to enhance your prayer life this Lent, why not give this a try!

Sometimes something so simple...

2010-02-13T01:06:00.001-05:00

can be so profound!

“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
~Winnie the Pooh

Disney

Are we "One body"?

2010-02-11T13:13:00.005-05:00

Cleansing Fire and Fallacies & Fashions, two of the blogs that I read daily, have had some very interesting posts the past week or so regarding Bishop Clark’s book, Forward in Hope, as well as information for local Catholics as how to go about writing to Rome with their grievances, which got me to thinking about some things. I will admit that, in some cases, some of the things that are going on in the DOR are, in my opinion and based on my (limited) understanding of Church documents and Canon Law, not “kosher”.

Here are a few of the things that I see as problematic (not an inclusive list and in no particular order, just a few that come to mind right now):

1. Lack of respect for the “ordained” on the part of some lay ministers

2. Liturgies and homilies (and/or “reflections”) that are usurped by political and/or social agendas, that in many cases are contrary to Church teachings

3. Liturgical dancing (I still shudder every time I think of the “Chrism Mass” last year)

4. Poor catechesis for our young people

5. Lack of any meaningful adult education programs

6. The confrontational attitudes of people on both sides of the “orthodox vs. progressive” debate

I am sure that many people could add to this list and think that it does not go far enough, and that there are many out there who feel that I am “too traditional” in my thinking (something I have to say I have never been accused of!). But those are the extremes, and quite honestly, I am getting very tired of “extremes”.
Why does it always have to be “either/or” and not “both/and”?

CF has a tag that says

“Cleansing Fire is part of the daily reading of over 300 Rochester area Catholics, as well as several more Catholics across the globe.”

which I think is awesome! I have learned a lot from the guys over at CF, even though in the beginning, I thought they were “the enemy”. But as I was reading this past week, especially the posts linked above, I started to wonder- how many Catholics are we really talking about, on both ends of the spectrum?

If the DOR has 360,000 Catholics (according to it’s website) and 400 (I am rounding up) read and agree 100% with the views of the gang at Cleansing Fire, we are still only talking about 0.1% of Catholics in the Rochester area.
Now, I will say, for arguments sake, that 10% of Catholics in the Rochester area are “ultra-orthodox, say the black, do the red” Catholics and 10% are “ultra-liberal, let’s throw the book out the window and let the Spirit prevail” Catholics, what about the other 80%? What are they thinking and feeling about Catholic life in the Rochester area? How do they handle the changes that leave them wondering?

I can’t help but to think that our Church would be better served by more cooperation and understanding among the extremes, and less division and “cafeteria-ism” from both ends of the spectrum.
As St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians: 12-27

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, "Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. Or if an ear should say, "Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you." indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.

Are we, here in the DOR, “one body”? As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think we are quite there yet, but I will keep praying!

**I have disabled the comment box for this post. If you have something relevant to the orignal post that you would like to comment on please send me an e-mail at oneofthewoman@gmail.com, (names and e-mail adresesses will be held in strictist confidence and not be posted unless your permission is given) and I will post as appropriate. A special "thank you" to all who added constructive comments to this post and helped to facilitate the dialogue I am always looking for.
Peace, Persis
2/12/10 10:57pm

Tolkien~ not just hobbits, wizards and ogres

2010-02-10T19:24:00.000-05:00

I recently found a new blog, Standing on My Head, by Fr. Dwight Longenecker. So far, I really like what I see, so much so I ordered his book “The Gargoyle Code” for Lent. It is a book written in the same spirit as “The Screwtape Letters”, by C. S. Lewis. I am planning some Lenten reflections, so I will be sharing my thoughts as I use this in my Lenten practices this year. I can't wait!

I want to thank Fr. Longenecker for posting this quote by J.R.R Tolkien today~

"The only cure for sagging of fainting faith is Communion. Though always Itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate completely and once for all in any of us. Like the act of Faith it must be continuous and grow by exercise. Frequency is of the highest effect. Seven times a week is more nourishing than seven times at intervals. Also I can recommend this as an exercise (alas! only too easy to find opportunity for): make your communion in circumstances that affront your taste. Choose a snuffling or gabbling priest or a proud and vulgar friar; and a church full of the usual bourgeois crowd, ill-behaved children - from those who yell to those products of Catholic schools who the moment the tabernacle is opened sit back and yawn - open necked and dirty youths, women in trousers and often with hair both unkempt and uncovered. Go to communion with them (and pray for them). It will be just the same (or better than that) as a mass said beautifully by a visibly holy man, and shared by a few devout and decorous people. (It could not be worse than the mess of the feeding of the Five Thousand - after which [our] Lord propounded the feeding that was to come.)"

Now, I have never been much of a Tolkien fan. Oh, I read “The Hobbit” & the LOR Trilogy, but 'Narnia was where it was at', as far as I was concerned! I am a Lewis girl, and have been since my childhood. I must have read “The Chronicles of Narnia” a thousand times. In my teen-age years, “The Screwtape Letters” became my “bible”, and as an adult I have gained great appreciation for C. S. Lewis and his writings on Christianity and his journey. (As an aside, if you have not yet seen the movie “Shadowlands” I highly recommend it, it is a wonderful portrayal of Lewis, the man, brilliantly played by Anthony Hopkins) I have discovered that, in most cases, one is either a Tolkien fan or a Lewis fan, but usually not both.
Odd, especially considering that they were great friends and mentors to each other.

I have never seen this quote before, and only recently have actually read some of Tolkien’s writings on Christianity, so when I read this quote, it really stuck a cord with me. I know it is something that I will pray with the next few days and I invite you to do the same. These are wonderful words of wisdom for the people of the DOR, for those entrenched at both ends of the spectrum and the ones who are adrift in the middle.

"Spirit of Vatican II"

2010-02-09T23:06:00.002-05:00

The Church, post Vatican II, is all I know and I have, for most of my life, embraced the "Spirit of Vatican II" without really knowing what that meant. The past few months, I have begun to see that much of what has been touted as the "spirit of Vatican II", is a far cry from what I actually see in the documents.
I just took a class in sacramental theology, and had to read portions of Sacrosanctum Concilium, and as I was reading, I couldn't help but to think

"I am reading the same documents that our leaders in the DOR did?"

Because I am not taking a class this semester, I decided that I was going to use this time to actually read the Vatican II documents, so I have spent the better part of the past 3 weeks doing just that. And now, I have come to understand the need for and find myself hopeful about the “reform of the reform”.
That said, I do not believe that all of the changes that have come about in the past 40 years are necessarily a “bad thing”, but I do believe that the “envelope” has been pushed a little too far. I believe though, that any reform must be handled very carefully. It is my understanding that the initial reforms of VII were thrust upon the people, with no catechesis, no transition and with much admonishment of beloved traditions as “not part of what we do anymore”.
As we travel this road of reform, let us remember these words from Sacrosanctum Concilium

The Council also desires that, where necessary, the rites be revised carefully in the light of sound tradition, and that they be given new vigor to meet the circumstances and needs of modern times.(emphasis mine)

and in this effort to “reform the reforms” let us remember the mistakes that were made in the years after the 2nd Vatican Council, and try not to make the same mistakes again.

A missed opportunity?

2010-02-07T21:57:00.006-05:00

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;

from now on you will be catching men.”

When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition

As I was reading through some of the blogs I came across this post from Fr. Kyle Schnipple, the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

As Fr. Schnipple points out, this weekend’s readings are all about hearing and answering God’s call. What better weekend for priests everywhere to use the opportunity provided them as proclaimers and preachers of the Word, to share the stories of their own vocational call, and encourage other young men to listen to that voice that may be calling them also.

I wish I could say that this is the homily I heard this weekend. I am sorry to say, it is not.

What I got was a well-meaning, yet overly simplistic view of how we are all called, in some way, to serve God. Yes, vocations to the priesthood and religious life were mentioned, but the general theme was that we all have a calling and all of those callings are equal. I should also probably point out that this was not a homily by a priest or deacon, but by a “certified lay preacher”.

Now, I know that many can, and probably will, use this as an example of why lay preaching is “bad”, and in this case I have to say, I tend to agree. This, however, does not change my opinion on lay preaching, in general, as I believe that in the proper circumstances, lay preaching should be allowed. I do not want to make this post about that, while I agree that it is part of the problem, it is not the problem I see as being the biggest one in this case.

In my vast and varied career, one of the things I have learned is that a little planning goes a very long way. Knowing that these readings are part of the lectionary, one would think that the people, who are in charge of the Office of Vocations, would have used this weekend as an opportunity to reach out to young men in our dioceses. By encouraging priests (and deacons) to use the homily to talk of the importance of vocations to ordained ministry they could have opened the lines of communication for young men who think they are “being called”, planted the seed in the heads of young men trying to figure out what they want from their lives and helped others in the congregation to see the importance of praying for and nurturing of young men in the discernment process.

Sadly to say, I believe what we have here is another missed opportunity here in the DOR.

What is he thinking...?!

2010-02-02T22:38:00.001-05:00

Di Fide Catholica and Fallacies & Fashions both have excellent posts about Bishop Hubbard of the Diocese of Albany’s decision to distribute free needles to drug addicts.

I could speak volumes about this, and maybe I will in a later post, but for now I leave you with this…

Giving free needles to drug addicts is like treating a bullet wound with a band-aid.

It’s not going to work, and it will only make the problem fester even more.

Praying the Rosary

2010-02-02T21:58:00.001-05:00

Praying the rosary is not one of my favorite forms of prayer.

That said, the following plea for help comes as a great surprise to me.

A few years ago, I came across a way of praying the rosary that was a little different than anything I had ever heard before. I believe it was from a convent in France, but I have since lost the link.

The rosary was prayed in the typical matter, except that the mystery being meditated on was recited between the two stanzas of the “Hail Mary”, and included a petition for the grace to live the mystery as Jesus did.

For example, using the 4th Sorrowful mystery, (these are my words, just so you have an example of what I am looking for) one would pray~

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,

blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Jesus, as you carried your cross, you showed us the perfect example of what it means to do your Father’s will. Grant me the grace so that I too may bear my crosses in that same example of love and obedience.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Does anyone out there is “blogland” have any idea where I might find something similar to this. I am feeling called to maybe try this devotion again, and am thinking about using it as part of my Lenten practices this year, so any help or suggestions for praying the rosary would be much appreciated.

"Teaching" Mass

2010-02-01T22:42:00.000-05:00

Cleansing Fire had a post about an upcoming “teaching” Mass at St. Jude’s. The idea intrigues me, as I have never been to a “teaching” Mass. In theory, I have no problem with the idea. Actually I think it may be a good one, if it is done properly.

I know that, especially in the DOR, there is always a fear that things like this will not be done in a dignified and respectful manner.

I came across a “teaching” Mass program that covers a different part of the Mass, one each week for 5 weeks on the web from the Diocese of Baker in Oregon. I like the idea of stretching the teaching out over 5 weeks, and the hand-outs are a great idea. I am not sure if something like this format, all at once, in one Mass will be as effective, but I guess it is worth a shot.

I have no idea of what the “teaching” Mass at St. Jude’s will be like, but if it is anything like this format, I think that this may be a very good thing.

Thoughts, comments?

"Pastoral Planning"- An oxymoron if I ever heard one!

2010-01-29T21:47:00.001-05:00

You can find the latest news on the “Pastoral Planning” that is going on in Irondequoit over at Cleansing Fire.

I have been a part of this “process”, both actively in my former parish, and as an “outsider looking in” at another. I also have a good friend who was involved in the “planning process” in her own parish in the Eastern Greece/Charlotte cluster, and we have discussed our general mistrust of the whole process many times.

So I submit to you the epitome of oxymorons-

“Pastoral Planning”

Pastoral: of or relating to spiritual care or guidance especially of a congregation.

Planning: the act or process of making or carrying out plans, specifically: the establishment of goals, policies and procedures for a social or economic unit.

Ummmm…., not - even - close- , folks!!!

We need much less of this and a lot more leadership here in the DOR. This process, not only in Irondequoit, but in every other instance I know, has dragged on, pitted one parish against another, and has ultimately caused more division, animosity and mistrust than anything else.

I am a department manager, and while I like to give my staff a lot of latitude, sometimes I have to make the difficult and often unpopular decisions, it comes with the territory. I don't always like it, but "that's why I make the big bucks!" (LOL)

Should we expect any less from our Church leaders?

Pearls...

2010-01-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil big enough to draw on the ceiling.

~G.K. Chesterton

Give me a nice big cup of hot cocoa and this sounds like the perfect way to spend this frigid weekend!!

Pearls...

2010-01-28T22:49:00.000-05:00

O, God, give me the courage and strength

to be worthy of being called a Christian.

Karl Rahner, SJ

Eternal rest grant unto him O, Lord...

2010-01-25T12:51:00.000-05:00

Requiescat in pace

Marine, LCpl. Zach Smith, 19, of Hornell, NY was killed in action in Afganistan this past week by an I.E.D.
My prayers go out to his young wife (they were married this past summer), his family and the people of Hornell.

Eternal rest grant unto him O, Lord

and let pepetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Semper Fidelis

Why shouldn't we wait?

2010-01-23T23:25:00.002-05:00

I have very mixed feelings about the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

Some of it, I see no problem with. Other parts, I feel have lost something in translation.

The current translation is the only one I know. I find that there is a rhythm to the Mass that I find comforting, almost soothing. The new translation, from my understanding, is a more literal translation of the original Latin. I am not a linguist. But I do know that translating involves not only translating the word, but also conveying the proper meaning of the word in the context it is being used. In Greek, there are at least four words for love, whose use depends on the object of that love. In English, we use one word, “love”, when we talk about the feelings of a husband for a wife, a parent for a child, or for how we feel about chocolate- the same word, but three distinctly different connotations.

Which brings me to the question, why is literal better?

Why is “consubstantial” better that “one in Being with”?

Why is “incarnate” better than “born of”?

My feeling on these two examples is that the new translation takes away the relationship aspect of the humanity of our faith. “Incarnate” brings to mind a “mystical” sort of coming into the world, without the very personal, very human experience that Mary had in carrying and giving birth to Jesus. “Consubstantial”, of the same substance, seems more of a chemistry term to me than one that describes the relationship of God and Jesus, and that of Jesus’ nature of being both truly human and truly divine.

I think we should wait. I would like to hear some discussion as to why a more literal translation is thought to be better. I understand that many people are concerned that some priests take it upon themselves to change the words as they see fit. Do we really think that this won’t happen with the new translation? Shouldn’t we spend our efforts and energy on combating these abuses, instead of just changing the words?

Thoughts, comments..?

Pearls...

2010-01-22T14:39:00.000-05:00

Another gem from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta~

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world."

Is the world going bonkers?

2010-01-12T11:11:00.004-05:00

I believe that abortion is a terrible evil that we need to combat. How we should do that, I am not really sure. But what we need, I believe, is to have a mentality that ALL LIFE IS SACRED, and unfortunately when it comes to the abortion debate, apparently this is not the case.
In a story that I first saw on the “ticker” of Fox News this morning, and you can read here, the AP reports that judge Warren Wilbert will allow accused murderer, Scott Roeder,(who btw, does not deny that he is guilty) to argue that he should not be convicted of pre-meditated, first degree murder, but of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Dr. George Tiller.
Kansas law defines voluntary manslaughter as "an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force."
How exactly can one believe that this madman, who walked into a church, pointed a gun at the head of a parishioner and pulled the trigger was justified in his use of "deadly force"? Maybe (and I am saying maybe only as a hypothetical, I believe what Mr. Roeder did is murder, plain and simple, the same thing he was accusing Dr. Tiller of), I might buy this so-called defense if Mr. Roeder was at Dr. Tiller’s clinic, but in his church?!
You have got to be f****** kidding me!
Murder is murder is murder.
None of us have any right what so ever to play judge and jury and take away someone’s life. I do not agree with some of the things that Dr. Tiller did in the scope of his medical practice, but the man did not deserve to have his face blown off, in his church, during Sunday services.
How anyone can justify killing someone, and claim to be a Christian is beyond me.

Mr. Roeder should be convicted of 1st degree, pre-meditated murder, and should be punished for what he did. Case closed!

Spiritual Exercise

2010-01-10T01:41:00.008-05:00

From “When the Heat Waits” by Sue Monk Kidd

To be truly human, fully myself,

To accept all that I am, all the You envision

This is my prayer.

Walk with me out to the rim of life,

Beyond security.

Take me to the exquisite edge of courage

And release me to become.

Someone once told me that being human, like a triangle, had three sides, one side being the physical aspects, the other the emotional/intellectual aspects and the foundation is the spiritual aspect. And this person went on to say that while the two sides were very important, and we tend to concentrate most of our energy on maintaining them, they are meaningless without a good, solid foundation, which also needs attention if it is going to stay sound.

It was actually this idea, as well as a longing that I could no longer resist, that brought me back to the Church. I had been “un-churched” for about 20 years. Oh, there were the obligatory weddings and funerals, an occasional Christmas or Easter, and attempts at other churches, Episcopal, non-denominational Christian, etc., but in the end I longed for the ritual, symbolism and richness of the Catholic tradition. My only problem was I wanted all the “externals” the Church had to offer, (“the bells & smells”) yet I was not ready to give up my ideas of what the I thought the Church “should” be as an American woman in the 21st century.

As I look back, and see where life’s journey has taken me, all I seem to hear in my head is the Grateful Dead singing
“…What a long strange trip it’s been….”
That is has.

There has been illness, estrangement, death and lots of other darkness.
There have been so many times that I wanted to say the hell with it the past five years. I blamed God for a lot of the crap that was happening in my life. I couldn’t understand why everything seemed so dark all of the time. But, I stuck with it and kept praying, even when the only thing I could think to say was “Why, God?”

And slowly, the darkness has been lifted away. It has been a lot of hard work on my part- re-examining attitudes, looking at how I live my life, asking myself what it is I truly believe. It has not been easy and I know that I would not be where I am in my journey right now, had it not been for the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

The “Principle & Foundation” , as well as Ignatius’ encouragement of using one’s imagination in Gospel contemplation intrigued me, and with a little prodding from some friends, and a lot of prodding from the Holy Spirit, I embarked on this new phase in my journey this past August. It has been a most wonderful and rewarding experience thus far. Not always good, or even pleasant, but I have deepened my relationship with Jesus, have developed a very rich prayer life and appreciation for the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Eucharist, and am becoming more “spiritually mature”. If you are looking for a way to deepen your faith and enrich your prayer life, I highly recommend “the Exercises”, it is a life-altering and life-giving experience, and is helping me to build that strong foundation.

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

Pearls...

2010-01-09T12:27:00.001-05:00

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried."

Thanks to Ben at Fallacies and Fashions (see his "Twitter" updates) for this wonderful bit of wisdom from G.K.Chesterton.
Not sure when this was said, but it seems to me that this is more relevant now than it ever was!

So, what is the answer?

2010-01-08T11:09:00.003-05:00

There has been a lot of talk in the blogs about the importance of catechesis. And with the new translation of the Roman Missal finally approved, the need for catechesis on every level is going to be even more important.

That said, while I have seen a lot of gripping and complaining, I have not seen any ideas as to how to implement this catechesis.
How do we get people to understand that coming to church is not just “getting your ticket punched until the next week?” Coming to church should not be an “obligation” it should be a desire.
I attend Mass each week because I want to, not because it is a “mortal sin” to miss Mass.

I am a post-VII Catholic. I, along with the Novus Ordo, am celebrating my 40th this year. My “formal catechesis” as a child was lacking to say the least. It was all “fluff” and no substance. What I have learned as an adult has been on my own, except for the two years I have been a student at SBSTM, and as I have said before, what I have learned there has also made me look deeper. I have heard from most of the Catholics I know who were catechized in the pre-VII model (the Baltimore Catechism of the 40’s – 60’s & Catholic school), that what they learned was just rote memorization that had no meaning or substance to them, and has left them with a serious lack of understanding about the Church and her teachings.

Which begs the question, if people before VII didn’t understand their faith, how can we expect their children and grandchildren to understand it?

Ideas, anyone?

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T23:27:00.002-05:00

This is my wish for the new year.
I don’t know too much about the artist, Matisyahu, but this is an awesome song.

As someone who is an “idealist” this has been my prayer for a very long time.

Let us hope and pray that 2010 brings us this type of peace.

Happy New Year everyone, may it be filled with peace, love and the blessings of a loving God!

Eternal Rest grant unto him O, Lord...

2009-12-29T22:54:00.003-05:00

Requiescat in pace

Army Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24 of Albion, NY, of the 82nd Airborne Division gave the ultimate sacrifice on December 26, 2009 in Afghanistan when insurgents attacked his unit with an IED.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Time for a little laughter

2009-12-29T12:51:00.003-05:00

If you don't know about "Jib-Jab",
and want to laugh your A$$ off,
you need to check out their annual Year in Review

Check it out, you won't be sorry!!

Goodbye 2009,
Hello 2010, let's hope it's better than last year!

Peace!

I forgot about "Uncle Jay".
A friend send this to me, don't know too much about him, but this is pretty funny!
Enjoy!

I just can't...

2009-12-25T20:23:00.000-05:00

let my last post of Christmas Day be about death, so here is a little addition to the "Pearls of Sophia" for your pondering pleasure.

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you . . . yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”

~Mother Teresa

Requiescat in pace

2009-12-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

Major Phillip Wise of the Salvation Army.

He was murdered Chritsmas Eve, outside of the community center where he worked with his wife, also a Major in the Salvation Army.

His three children were witnesses.

Here is the story

A tragedy like this is awful anytime of year, at Christmas, and in light of this man's vocation, it makes this one all the worse.

My prayers go out to his family, friends and the Salvation Army.
I also pray that the people who participated in this cowardly attack see the error of their ways and turn themselves in.

SIGH...
Sometimes, as all you can say is 'wtf'?

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:37:00.001-05:00

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

Today we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our Lord, come to us, as one of us. As a vulnerable human child, God sent Jesus, our Emmanuel, to live our human experience, so that He could then teach us how to live. Christmas is so much more than the presents, the food, and the decorations. It is about the abundant love that God has for us. It is about having the faith to believe that a baby can change everything. It is about finding that little piece of the Divine in each and every human being. It is about celebrating that Incarnation, of God made flesh; it is about coming out of the darkness.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.”

I have walked in the darkness for a very long time. Oh, there have been glimmers of light, shining through in people, I now know were sent by God, to be present with me, just as He is, but in a more tangible way, a way that I can see and touch and feel. That is the greatest give anyone can give, the gift of their presence. God did this for us on this day some 2000 years ago, He sent us His Son, His living presence among us. What an awesome gift! Let us rejoice today and everyday!

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Merry Christmas to All!

Advent Reflections

2009-12-23T19:36:00.000-05:00

It's the 4th week of Advent. It is the darkest few days of the year, my Dad died 3 years ago this week and I have been so sick I spent most of Monday and Tuesday in bed, only to go to work today and find a pile that will take me a week to get through.

It is times like this when my faith seems to be at it's lowest.

Then I remember these words...

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

I wonder if Mary realized what an awesome gift her faith was.

For me, that is all I want for Christmas this year.

O come, O Dayspring from on high

And cheer us by your drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadow put to flight.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,...

2009-12-16T20:55:00.003-05:00

Requiescat in pace

Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen

A soldier with connections to our area gave the ultimate sacrifice last week. Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, originally from Ohio, stationed out of Fort Drum, was serving in Afghanistan when wounded, he succumbed to those injuries a few days later at a hospital in Germany.

Losing a loved one is never easy, it is especially difficult during the holiday season.
I offer my prayers to SSgt. Hansen’s family and friends.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Advent Reflections

2009-12-13T00:11:00.001-05:00

Today is "Gaudete Sunday"

Brothers and sisters:

Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

In these words from this weekend’s second reading from St. Paul (Phil. 4:4-7) we are reminded that we are not in this alone. "The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all…,"

The dictionary defines anxiety as a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind over an impending or anticipated ill. And as much as I hate to say it, I seem to live here. I am often worried about the state of affairs in our community, our churches, our state, country and world. There is much too much violence and disrespect and not enough love and understanding. Anyone who was stuck in traffic on Thursday night knows that “common courtesy”, is unfortunately a thing of the past. (Side bar: This is Rochester, NY people; it snows here, sometimes a lot, real quick! Pay attention; turn on your headlights, clear the snow off your car and SLOW DOWN!) There is a lot to be anxious about. And add to that all the “preparations” that need to be done- the shopping, the wrapping, the cooking and baking, and it becomes very easy to forget about what is actually is we are really “preparing” for.

St. Paul then tells us, “…but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” In other words, we need to talk to God. And share with Him all of our worries, our fears, our hopes and dreams. We need to praise and thank Him for all He has already given us and pray for the grace to see His hand at work in our lives.

As we reach this mid-point of the Advent season, let us take the time to look at what makes us anxious and worried, and offer those things up to God in prayer. “Fast” from the shopping, wrapping, baking, whatever for a day and spend the time contemplating the Nativity story. What was it like for Mary? For Joseph? What will it be like for me, when we celebrate the coming of our Emmanuel, God-with-us, the Word made flesh? Thank God for all He has done for us so far and for all that He will do. Share our time, our talent and our treasure with those less fortunate. Love more, criticize and condemn less.

God is sending us our Saviour, let us Rejoice!

Happy Advent

The Peaceable Kingdom?

2009-12-11T23:57:00.000-05:00

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.

The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:6-10

The book of Isaiah has always been one of my favorites from scripture and I have reflected on this passage many times in my life. This passage was the subject of a daily meditation from the Henri Nouwen Society and got me to thinking and reflecting on it again. (As a side note, I am currently doing the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. It has been a wonderful experience so far, and has given me a whole new appreciation for the use of scripture and one’s imagination as very powerful tools for prayer.)

It was a tradition that we bought Dad a new ornament every year and along with other gifts and acquisitions that my Dad made throughout the years, I have amassed quite the collection of ornaments. While decorating the Christmas tree this year, I noticed that many of my ornaments are angels, depictions of the nativity and the lion and the lamb.

A powerful image, the lion and the lamb. I remember seeing one version of Edward Hick’s painting at the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo, and also saw a later version in the National Gallery. Wonderfully deep, rich and symbolic paintings, and also an image that leaves itself open to a wide variety of interpretation, from the “cute-sy” to the somber.

As we come to the middle of the Advent season, the days get shorter and the nights longer, and as I reflect on the experiences of the past couple of years, I have seen this passage in a whole new light.

As I look around- in my church, in my community, in my workplace and seemingly, ingrained in society itself, there is a division that runs deep and wide. We are about as far from the “Peaceable Kingdom” as Pluto is from the sun!

We have “red states vs. blue states”, “liberals vs. conservatives”, “orthodox vs. progressive”, etc, etc, etc. What we don’t have (at least enough of it to make a difference) is any attempt to look at what binds us together, that we are all beloved creations of a merciful and loving God.

As we enter more deeply into the mystery of the unfolding incarnation this Advent, I think it is wise to remember and celebrate our commonalities and set our divisions behind us and work toward the “peaceable kingdom” that Isaiah describes and so many have rendered so beautifully through the ages.

Happy Advent!

Advent Reflections

2009-12-06T22:07:00.001-05:00

As we start the second week of Advent, we hear the words of John the Baptist calling us to repent and seek forgiveness for our sins, and then he reminds of Isaiah the prophet’s words, “Prepare the way of the Lord…”

Prepare. This is a word that will be heard a lot the next few weeks.

"I have to prepare for that party at work."

"I have to prepare Christmas dinner for 14 people this year."

"Our Christmas preparations are not going as planned; we don’t even have a tree yet!"

These are many of the things that seem to take the forefront in this time of Advent.

And with all the preparations for Christmas that keep us hurried and harried, I wonder

What am I doing to prepare myself to receive the gift of the incarnation?

Do I need to seek forgiveness from someone? To give it? Do I need to make amends for something I have done, or not done? Do I need to celebrate in the joy of reconciling with someone or mourn the fact that I must reconcile with myself that the reconciliation that I pray for may never come? Can I love and accept all that I am, good and not so good, solely based on my faith that I am a beloved creation of God, created in His image, to be His face to all I meet?

Advent is a time of waiting. A time of anticipation. A time in which to listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, stirring deep within my heart. A time of emptying out all off the clutter that fills my soul, so that I may receive the present of God’s presence on earth as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It seems to me that this is the most important preparation I can do for Christmas this year.

Happy Advent!

Pearls...

2009-11-28T23:25:00.000-05:00

Love means to love that which is unlovable, or it is no virtue at all; forgiving means to pardon that which is unpardonable, or it is no virtue at all.

-~G.K. Chesterton

Advent Reflections

2009-11-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

The past few years, amidst a sea of loss, grief and personal tragedy, I have come to a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the season of Advent. It is a time of waiting. A time of anticipation. A time of hope.

For someone who was not graced with the virtue of patience, waiting has never been easy for me. And this time of year, with everybody rushing around, hurried and harried, trying to get everything on the “To Do” list done, the long dark nights, the cold and usually the snow (a huge “Thanks be to God” for the lack of that so far this season!), it is easy to lose sight of what a special and wonderful time of year it is.

The Church gave us a wonderful gift with the lectionary cycle. In this week’s second reading, I have found my Advent prayer. A wonderful reminder for us all of what this season of waiting in joyful hope is really all about.

Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love

for one another and for all,

just as we have for you,

so as to strengthen your hearts,

to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father

at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Let the wait begin!

Happy Advent!

Mea Culpa

2009-11-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

First and foremost I want to offer an apology.
My attempt at sarcasm was not taken in the spirit in which I meant it. I have often seen many comments and posts on the blogs regarding our Bishop, many priests, pastoral administrators and the like, that use “cheeky humor” and sarcasm, and decided to try a little of it myself. What I was trying to do was bring to light what I felt was “hypocrisy” in the different camps, - “orthodox and progressive.”

I IN NO WAY WHAT-SO-EVER MEANT TO IMPLY THAT FR. ANTINARELLI IS A HYPOCRITE!

I do not know the man, and have only heard good things about him.

I did not know that the “sign of peace” was optional. It has been part of the liturgy my whole life. I am still not sure if I understand “how” it is optional, and who makes the decision if it is done or not done, so it looks like I have a lot of reading to do, and maybe some more questions to ask.

"Peace be with you"

2009-11-22T17:21:00.005-05:00

My friends over at Cleansing Fire have posted about Fr. A at OLV “suspending” the sign of peace because of “flu concerns.” While I understand that many are concerned about the flu, this is not, I believe, what this is about. It is no secret that many Traditionally-minded Catholics have a problem with the sign of peace.
As quoted from Cleansing Fire

“Something tells me that the flu will not ever go away, in the eyes of the administration of Our Lady of Victory in Rochester.
And thanks be to God for that.”

I am a little confused.

I hear a lot about “rubrics” and “that is not what they meant with “Vatican II”, “No one has the right to deviate from the prayers of the Church due to personal beliefs.”(a comment from one of my posts).

Please enlighten me.
How is it OK that Fr. A is doing this, even though it is in blatant disregard of the following?

From the GIRM (that we are using now, not the new one that was just approved)

The Rite of Peace
82. The Rite of Peace follows, by which the Church asks for peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.

As for the sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by Conferences of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. It is, however, appropriate that each person offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner.

From Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy)
A) General norms
22. 1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.
2. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.
3. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.

Yet…have a guest lay preacher as part of a parish retreat, female altar servers, music by Marty Haugen, or dare to receive Communion in the hand, all of which fall into a “gray area” of interpretation and you have your faith and level of Catholicity called into question.

Would any one like a cookie with their cup of hypocrisy?

I mean no disrespect to Fr. Antinarelli, or the good people over at Our Lady of Victory. This is a perfect example of my "problem" with this whole "orthodox vs. progressive mentality", the rules seem to only apply if one is agreeable to them. Rules are rules, and should be followed to the letter and the spirit of the law. Maybe we should be using this "flu pandemic"(she says sarcastically), as a way to re-evaluate our practice of this custom and bring it back to a sober and sanctifiying moment in which we can forgive each other and then approach the altar with clean hearts.

Pearls...

2009-11-21T20:29:00.001-05:00

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within."

~ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

The lovers, the dreamers and me

2009-11-16T22:22:00.002-05:00

I have been going through some notes from class (I am studying sacramental theology this semester) and some of my journal entries from the past 9 weeks of my 19th Annotation experience (the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius) and there seems to be a recurring theme of “sign” vs. “symbolism”.

I ask that you indulge me for the next 3+ minutes, find your “inner child” and listen to and enjoy this clip.

The rainbow, in the Judeo-Christian culture, is a sign the God will never again destroy the earth. The “symbolism” that this “sign” has taken on in secular culture, to some, may seem the antithesis of the “sign”, but that is the beauty part of “symbolism”- it all depends on one’s perspective, so, in essence, no one has the ‘wrong’ idea!

Kermit is right about one thing… "someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.”

And for me, this “rainbow connection” is peaceful co-existence of "orthodox & progressive" so that we may be the “one, holy catholic and apostolic Church” and work together to spead the Good News!

Peace to All!

The Inclusive Language Debate

2009-11-16T15:10:00.004-05:00

Ahhh, language, what a beautiful thing!

The issue of “gender neutral” language in the liturgical setting seems to me, to be one of the proverbial “lines in the sand” between orthodox and progressive Catholics. My friends over at Cleansing Fire have posed some interesting questions, so as to not hijack the “com box’ there, I give you my humble opinions on the matter here.

In some respects, I believe this whole debate is a bunch of malarkey!
Jesus was a man, there is no way around that, and whenever we refer to him, it should be as a man!
God, however, is neither male nor female, as we were both created in God’s image. God is more than that. In the relational aspect, God was Jesus’ father therefore that is how Jesus referred to God.

For me, that is also my image of God, as a loving, patient, father, waiting for me to “come home”. For others, though, that may not be the image of “father” that they have. Their image of father may be one of fear and intimidation and I don’t expect that is how God would want someone to feel about Him.

I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, in the format that most priest and deacons do, which was written by men and for men. When I read the word “men” as it relates to the community or the world, I do not see just the male of the species, but all of human kind, because I know that up until about 30 years ago, this was an accepted practice! We did not get so wrapped up in the “what you said vs. what you meant” mentality. (Which is a whole other post!)

And then there is the Holy Spirit. I have heard the Spirit referred to as the “wisdom of God”. Well, in Greek, a language that many of our Latin translations come from, wisdom was personified as a woman, Sophia. Again, is there any reason to “box” in the Holy Spirit to one gender? If the Holy Spirit is the “essence” of God’s unfathomable wisdom, love and mercy, is it right to say that it must be either/or?

For me, this is all a very personal issue and depends on my relationship with God. That said, I do believe that we need to have some “structure” as to our liturgical practices. My idea of how to “bridge the gap” between the two sides is this…

When referring to a specific person, Jesus, Mary, one of the apostles, saints, etc., use the specific pronoun.

When referring to God, unless it is in direct relation to Jesus’ relationship, leave off the qualifier. (God, the father, we ask that you hear our prayer…) We acknowledge the relationship when we end our prayer, “We ask this through Jesus Christ, your son…, without using “gender specific language”

The Holy Spirit is a tough one. In the Creed, when I pray it privately, I use the feminine pronoun to refer to the Holy Spirit (“with the Father and Son she is worshiped and glorified, she has spoken through the prophets…”). I guess it depends on my mood at Mass, and where I am, if I say it there, and if I do use the feminine pronoun, it is barely audible, as I do not want to offend anyone around me. I am not sure what I would do in this case, and am glad that I do not have to make the decision.

Which brings us to the most important thing, ultimately, it is up to the Church to decide on translations. This, from my understanding, is a very daunting and intimidating task, as many words have more than one meaning, and we cannot always be sure of context, syntax, grammar, etc.

I (we) can only pray that the people whose job it is to do these things act out of the knowledge that we all, male and female, were created in the image of a loving, benevolent, merciful God and that to use language to diminish that all encompassing love is, in my humble opinion, wrong.

Peace to All!

This is a joke, right?!

2009-11-12T10:31:00.003-05:00

This was the question posed by a collegue when I reported the following from Harvard University.

Today, November 12, 2009 at 4:30pm, our infamous and disgraceful former Governor (and Attorney General)

Elliot Spitzer

will be giving a lecture at Harvard University, entitled,

"From Ayn Rand to Ken Feinberg- How Quickly the Pardigm Shifts. What Should Be the Rational for Government Participation in the Market?

(Anyone from NY should remember his participation in the market...)

Honoring All Who Serve

2009-11-11T10:41:00.000-05:00

For all who have served,

THANK YOU

Your courage and sacrifice has not gone unnoticed,

we pray with you and for you,

this day and everyday!

MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU!

MAY THE LORD LET HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU ,

AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU!

MAY THE LORD LOOK KINDLY UPON YOU

AND GIVE YOU PEACE!

Thank you for making America great!!

Lay Preaching & Canon Law, pt. 2

2009-11-02T13:37:00.002-05:00

I will admit that there was a little fear when I finished writing my post on lay preaching, and I did hesitate before pushing "publish now", I must say I am very glad I did not hit "delete" instead!

A very special "Thank You!" to Dr. K. for his information and comments and thanks to all who commented, helping to make this post a "true dialogue".

I have had a chance to read Dr. K's documentation, and to talk to a priest who is a Canon Lawyer, and have come to recognize that canon law does indeed prohibit "lay preaching" when it comes to the homily. I have been told that the DOR has it's own set of guidelines regarding "lay preaching" and I have talked to a couple of my contacts in the DOR about getting my hands on a copy, as of this posting I do not have it yet.

I am still not completely convinced that "lay preaching" at the time of the homily is an entirely bad thing, but I am willing to conceed that, at this time, it is strickly prohibited. Roma Locuta Est, Causa Finita Est

That said, I would like to continue this dialogue, in regard to when, exactly, is "lay preaching" allowed.

I propse the following scenarios:

Assuming that the homily is "allotted" 15 minutes of Mass time, would it be acceptable for the priest/deacon to give a 10 minute homily, and let a "lay preacher" reflect for the next 5 minutes?
The same scenario as above, with the "lay preacher" speaking after the "prayer after the Eucharist", but before the final dismissal?
What about during "Communion Services" during the week that are in place of a "Daily Mass"?
What about prayer services that do not include Eucharist?

I would also like to comment on something that I am afraid I hear all to often, both in "blog land" and in "real life" that I will admit "bugs" me to no end because my perception of the comment is that it is an "insult to my intelligence", yet in this diocese, I can see where this may be a problem.
The comment, "lay preaching blurs the lines between the the "sacramental priesthood" and that of the "lay preisthood".
In a word, HOGWASH!!
I know the difference between a priest and/or deacon and a lay person, and I have yet to meet someone who cannot make that distinction. As I said, in this particular diocese, the lines get blurred, I believe, when you have "alb-wearing lay preachers" homilizing and then standing behind the altar during consecration! This situation, to me is much larger than the "lay preaching" issue, goes to help illustrate my point of "for who's glory" even more, and is something that I hope to explore in another post sometime soon.

I am looking forward to hearing more thoughts and insights on this issue.

And again, my deepest appreciation to all who have helped to make this a "true dialogue".

Peace to All!

Pearls...

2009-10-31T15:10:00.003-04:00

"There came a time when the risk to remain

tight in the bud was more painful

than the risk it took to blossom."

Anais Nin

Lay Preaching & Canon Law

2009-10-30T00:25:00.004-04:00

So I have been reading the blogs for a few months now. Admittedly, my motives in the beginning we purely from a "keep your friends close, but you enemies closer" perspective. In light of my studies, my embarking on the 19th Annotation retreat, personal experiences as a member of some of the most "liberal" parishes in the DOR and a growing maturity in my faith that perspective is not so clear anymore.

There are still many things that I do not understand.
And one of the things that I have some (OK, A LOT) of trouble with is the "it's not in the rubrics" or "canon law forbids this" stuff.

So, never being one to by shy-
I'm going to jump in with both feet!

Let's start with some questions about "lay preaching".
Now, yes, I know this is a "hot topic" sure to bring strong reaction, my prayer is though, is that this helps to bring about a stronger response! I am not trying to use the Canon to suit my own agenda, I am looking for answers.

Here you will find the Canon regarding preaching.

According to Canon 766~

Lay persons can be permitted to preach in a church or oratory, if necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems advantageous in particular cases, according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops and without prejudice to ⇒ can. 767, §1.

which states~

Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent; in the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year.

Canon 767 is the one I see cited most often in describing "lay preaching" as liturgical abuse.
And while I know pretty much nothing about Canon Law, I do know a little about civil law, and enough to know that the most important phrase in these two canons is "without prejudice".

My understanding of this, in this context is:
The homily is reserved to a priest or deacon,
but...
if need be, or better yet, if it seems advantageous, a lay person could preach a homily and it would not be a violation of Canon 767.

If you continue to read the whole section on preaching there are all sorts of very interesting things that could add a lot to this debate, but I think the most important ones are Canons 769 & 772.

As I said, I have no real knowledge of Canon Law, that is why I put this out there. I have not taken Canon Law yet, but will have to to complete my degree. I do not know any of the priests in the DOR who are Canon Lawyers well enough to bring this to them directly, so if there are any Canon Lawyers out there that can shed some light, that would be awesome!

Peace to All!!

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

2009-10-28T20:01:00.002-04:00

I am introducing a new feature to my blog.
I pray that it is not a regular feature, but I feel that it is an very important one.

A soldier from Rochester died recently (2 actually the past few months), and I want to do my part to make sure that our native sons & daughters are not forgotten. I will be posting, sometime before Veteran's Day I hope, a listing of all those who have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom that are from the Rochester area. If you have names of friends or relatives you would like to add send me an e-mail to oneofthewome@gmail.com.
Before I say anymore, this post is not about how I feel about the war!!

This is about honoring the men and woman who gave the ultimate sacrafice so that you and I can bit@# about it and the state of our govenment, each other, the world... WHATEVER!
It is about remembering that they were someone's child, parent, spouse or friend,
and a beloved child of God.
These men and women, and all of those who served before them and with them, deserve our respect, our prayers and our never ending gratitude for their service to our country. Please honor them by not making this political.

Requiescat in pace

Army Pfc. Daniel J. Rivera, 22 of Rochester, NY, died October 18, 2009 in Mosul, Iraq.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.

Peace to All!

Imagination: A gift from God

2009-10-25T02:01:00.006-04:00

Over at Ten Reasons, Mr. Leonardi makes yet another comment against Bishop Clark that I find very confusing. I was not at the African Mass, and do not know for sure what context his (Bishop Clark's) comments regarding "imagine the day you were baptized" were used in. The thing I find disturbing is Mr. Leonardi's (and some of the commenter’s) total dismissal of using one's imagination (which is a gift from God, is it not?), as a means to cultivate a relationship with God. Nearly 500 years ago Ignatius, in his own conversion, used his imagination to become closer to God, and has given us, in his Spiritual Exercises, explicit instructions for doing so.

I recently have embarked on the journey that is the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, and I have found that through the use of my imagination, by putting myself into the scripture passage I am praying with on any particular day, I find myself really becoming connected with the Word, which in turn has helped me to start to cultivate a deeper relationship with God and Jesus, and to have a greater appreciation for the richness and traditions of our faith.
I think that this is an example of what bothers me most about some (read some, not all!) traditional Catholics. Here we have a form of prayer that has been part of the tradition of the church for nearly half a millennium, that is being, in my perception, lumped into a category of "new age-y, progressive thought that has no place in our church" (not Mr. Leonardi's words, but my perception based on my experience with the "traditional" set.)
Prayer is a very personal thing. I have tried many forms of formal prayer- the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, contemplative prayer, Lectio Divina- some bring me peace and consolation (the Liturgy of the Hours especially, as no matter what time I recite a specific "hour" somewhere, someone else is doing it also, giving me a sense of community), and others (like the Rosary, which I find distracting, repetitive and not at all prayerful) do not. How I (or anyone else for that matter) find God through prayer is not what matters.
What matters is that I pray!

Peace to All!

What is essential?

2009-10-21T12:38:00.001-04:00

Lessons from "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery

The fox said:

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

I was reminded of this book in a conversation last night. It had always been one of my favorites as a teen-ager/young adult. I have not read it in quite a long time. I think I need to pick it up again!

Peace to All!

"Your sins have been forgiven, go and sin no more."

2009-10-16T10:49:00.002-04:00

How lucky are we that we have this awesome ritual called the Sacrament of Reconciliation?!

I will admit, that for much of my adult life (most of which was spent away from the church), I never really saw the need to confess my sins to another human being; I could just go straight to God.

And now, I see this sacrament as such a gift.

There is something about actually verbalizing my sinfulness, out loud and to another person, that gives me the sense of "letting go" of it, and allowing the unconditional love of God to manifest within my heart. There is a freedom in acknowledging my shortcomings and seeking the divine help of God, in knowing that I do not, ever, have to travel this road alone and that I am, and will always be forgiven and unconditionally loved by God.

Peace to All!