Adding it back for speed issues ...

Being the amateur that I am I linked to some images off site which were taking a LONG time to load. They are now gone so the blog should load in less than 20 miuntes now ....

Hitlers Pope cooked up by KGB?

See Moscow’s Assault on the Vatican - The KGB made corrupting the Church a priority.

Can't wait to read these on Vert: Your {first} Catholic faux pax: January 28 - February 3

U.S. archbishop: Catholics need solid preaching, not feel-good fluff from HMS

I think there is a lot of assuming that people need simple and non-invasive in order to connect. I think the best preaching is the kind that appeals to all intellectual backgrounds. If a child gets something out of it AND a budding theologian gets something out of it then you have a success. That said, I am amazed at the things my 5 year old gets so the level of most homilies should consider the audience more intelligent than they currently do.

I think priests really underestimate the value of challenging the mind. It needs to be done.

Redemptive Nature of Childbirth

Seems in line with what is going on in our lives. My wife is due in a few weeks ... prayers welcome

Bishop warns against “contagious pessimism” from negative media coverage of the Church

Kinda hard when most published news is bad news ... Still, the gates of hell will not prevail. Hope.

Success for Knights pro-life billboard project

Someone locally bought a billboard space in town and used it to put a classic Madonna and Child painting. I was so thankful just for that. Imagine how this child will feel to know that a billboard saves his or her life?

“Mona Lisa” died in 1542 as religious sister, Italian expert says

Pope decries as perversion video games, films that exalt violence, trivialize sexuality

Notice he criticizes promoting violence and sexual perversion NOT video games, movies etc. Draw the line ... There wouldn't be a Vatican film list if the Pope condemned movies. Arkanoid anyone?

Vatican Astronomer: ‘Big Science’ and
‘Big Religion’ at Peace

Maybe between religious and scientists but in the minds of most people the two hate each other. I am currently reading through a chapter on science in the book "How The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization" ... Mentioned in the middle of a sentence in that book is Jesuit contributions to hurricane forecasting. I have read more on that in secular works on hurricane forecasting so that isn't just pro-Church prop ... Isn't it fascinating how much supposed hatred of science somehow resulted in so much important scientific achievement?

Todays MUST READ

Cardinal George has some choice words regarding what it means to be Catholic and typical American Catholic thought ...
Schools of Spirituality


Read for later

Moscow’s Assault on the Vatican

Today you get a list of what I plan to read

Messori: Married priests no remedy for “vocations crisis”

Catholic monarch ban 'should end'

The ban on Catholics becoming the British monarch should be abolished, according to the incoming Church of Ireland primate.

Interesting indeed.

Changing how the church is perceived among U.S. blacks

What's Lost in Prenatal Testing from CWN

Divorce rates in the EU

Cyprus and Ireland have the fewest divorces (almost 13), Italy 15, Poland 25. Off the chart are the Czech Republic with 67 and Belgium with 75 of 100.

This is just interesting because, according to the Wikipedia, Cyprus is known as one of the most religious countries in the EU.

No vote, no communion, says Catholic bishop

If you think people clamoring for bishops to stand tall against pro-abort politicians are taking it too far when they say "no communion", how about a bishop that prescribes no communion for those who fail to vote?

"Fitness cost of human reproduction."

This is the creepiest suggestion I have read all day .... bothersome ... very much so. Apparently a great concern has arisen that having children is bad for mom. I am worried what kind of warped decisions on policy can come form this in countries around the world?

90's flowchart - Heh heh

Vocations Surge

A local seminarian informed me recently that our diocese will be ordaining 5 men this year. Before scoffing at that count consider that 5 would be more than the usual one or none and the most in 25 years. Even better, all indication are that they tend towards believing what the Church teaches .... of course, I cannot figure why one would become a priest if they didn't believe. I think the post Vatican-II "we can change the church in numbers" vocations are on a decline. This generation that wants to change the Church simply isn't in church. They certainly don't think they can change the Church that way.

A few odds and ends

Story of pioneering black priest reissued

Here follows a pictorial journey of my trip to Rome ... Scroll down and check out the catacomb photographs. The pictures are of an undisclosed first century catacomb. An altar in first century worship ... pretty cool.

A couple of notes ... headed out this morning .. no comments

Possible Miracle attributed to John Paul II

From Exceptional Marriages -- which you should read every day -- Oral contraceptive risks

Higher rates of blood clots in women taking the Pill and substantially higher rates of blood clots in obese women (BMI > 30) taking the Pill.

Your daily reading ...

English-speaking writers join in pleas for 1962 Missal

A group of English-speaking writers and intellectuals has joined similar groups in France, Italy, and Poland in a statement of support for Pope Benedict’s plans to broaden use of the pre-conciliar liturgy.

Lots of news surrounding this:

Polish archbishop resigns before installation

New York Times editor uncovers false reporting in Latin American abortion story -- BTW a correction was issued by the NYT today. See Corrections

I keep an eye on things in all dioceses in the state and I found an article that referenced Vatican art in New Orleans. I did a little digging and found this ....

Vatican mosaics coming to New Orleans

The New Orleans showing of "Exhibition of the Vatican Mosaic Studio," from January 28th to June first, will be the only stop outside Rome

I am SO there

A few days ago I found a blog/blogring that is specifically geared towards converts and reverts. I think this is awesome since I find, as a convert, that I like to read conversion stories. I get so excited when I meet a convert because I know that eventually the "conversion story" will come up. Now I have an online resource of nearly endless conversion stories ... I have since joined the ring. You should too.

Here is a subset of posts related to my conversion ...

First off, I have a Whirlwind conversion story that I wrote recently in response to a post on Steve Ray's Catholic Defenders forum. That gives a short summary of actions involved in my conversion process. More of the detail is included below:

My lifelong affirmation of the Real Presence
Virulent anti-Catholicism
Ignorance about Catholic teachings
Beauty
Contraception
My own struggles with the people in the pew next to me.
My struggles with incorrupt saints and relics
Easter Vigil

German birth subsidies prompt mini-baby boom

What would Jesus' Birth be like today?

INFANT DISCOVERED IN BARN, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES LAUNCH PROBE

Watched Who killed the electric car last night. Pretty interesting. If I had 92,000 dollars just lying around I would drop it on this:


Boise State!!!! won the Fiesta Bowl in what some pundits are calling the best college football game ever. Most exciting? Yes. We will let time decide the other titles this game will be given.

If you didn't see it, take the 10 minutes now and watch ...
Fiesta Bowl -- There is a VIDEO segment on the page ... Its worth watching the whole thing but if you are short for time the 4th quarter and OT are the best.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Its been WAAAAAY too long since I have posted here ...

NFP: A Defense and an Explanation

An excellent overview of the documents of the Church pertaining to the use of NFP.

Thus I would argue that the just causes stipulated by Paul VI for the licit use of NFP would include such reasons as stress, both physical and emotional, and considerations of general bodily health, housing conditions and income.

In the US, I would think that physical and emotional considerations are by far the most likely reasons why one would choose to space children. As I have pointed out in numerous posts in the past the necessary infrastructure for raising a large family in the United States is, for the most part, non-existent (see Depression, families and lack of community support).

Aside - How NFP differs from contraception (link forthcoming)

Some quick reading ... ecclesiastical authorities doing their jobs ...

Catholic Church denies communion to two men after same-sex wedding
Vatican upholds Call to Action excommunications

While I am on that ... a quick rant ... I am convinced that there are two types of orthodox Catholics out there. Those that are thrilled every week that they get to receive Christ in the Eucharist and those that are pissed off that they are receiving it wrong. I used to get bent out of shape at every mass I went to. That wasn't the kind of Catholic I wanted to be because it angled me towards isolation and it made me miserable at the most awesome part of every week. I entered the Church with such tremendous joy and I wanted to recapture that. Today, I am blessed in that I go to a great parish. Even if I didn't I am THRILLED to be CATHOLIC. Still, I feel like if I let people know my parish is actually good that they will not believe me because everyone knows that the Catholic Church in the US is manned solely by modernists and it just simply cannot be true that there are orthodox priests who strive every bit to abide by liturgical norms in a post-Vatican II world.

I realize that some people don't want to see sin in the world. Others, however, don't want to see the good in the world. Its like they get an odd thrill out of watching the Church grow ever perillously close to hell actually prevailing because then they can continue to be "right" about what is wrong. They don't want to see young priests coming in who are on fire for the faith and loved JP2 and have positive outlooks regarding Vatican II. They don't want to see bishops doing their jobs. That would mean things are getting better and that would make them "wrong" which is just impossible. They are, of course, incapable of being wrong. After all, they are really Catholic ... their faith assures them that they are right about EVERYTHING, not just that small subset of faith and morals stuff that the Church actually teaches about. Personally I see all of the positive things I mentioned as very good. I am going to rejoice when things go well in the Church mostly because I am sick of letting others complaints make me a grouch.

There is always room for hope and holding on to the expectation that the gates of hell will not prevail. They simply won't. I would rather be of the disposition to be joyful and thus communicative and useful rather than to be bent out of shape and desiring to avoid every Catholic out there because of it.

The Church will never return to its roots if those of us who believe it leave the reins to those who don't. Hope people. Grab a little joy and stay for a while. Good things ARE happening.

I'll admit it. My Christmas lights display is somewhat secular this year. It has a lighted train that the kids love and some Charlie Brown lights around a few windows and the front garden. Part of me feels like I have left something out because there is not a manger in my front lawn. Those are getting increasingly rare. Still, I figure the kids like it and outdoor displays are more for kids than anyone.

I understand the winter scenes and the toy scenes ... maybe Santa, some reindeer etc. They all celebrate different aspects of the holiday season as it has come to be celebrated in the United States. Still, the secularization has brought forth many groans

Keep Christ in Christmas

or for my more Catholic audience

Keep the Mass in Christmas

Today though, I saw something I had only joked about with my wife. You can now add "bowl season" to the number of holidays celebrated by lights in front of your home. I saw a home decked in purple and yellow lights and around here that can only mean one thing. Somebody remembered to keep the Tigers in Christmas.

I know being a college educated ex-Episcopalian myself likely gives me less reason to post this but one of the main reasons I converted to the Catholic Church was its moral teachings, most specifically its teaching on the immorality of artificial contraception. That is why I can't help but comment on this doozy -- from Amy Welborn -- An interview that will go down in infamy.

Recently elected head of the Episcopal church in the United States, Bishop Kate Schori interviewed by the NY Times:

How many members of the Episcopal Church are there in this country?

About 2.2 million. It used to be larger percentagewise, but Episcopalians tend to be better-educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than some other denominations. Roman Catholics and Mormons both have theological reasons for producing lots of children.

Episcopalians aren’t interested in replenishing their ranks by having children?

No. It’s probably the opposite. We encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and not use more than their portion.

I am not one for intelligent commentary so bear with me. If an intelligent person happens to stop by there are plenty of nuanced words you can insert into my statements to make this say what you want to hear. Bishop Schori quite simply fails to realize that American Catholics do not tend to heed Mother Church on this particular teaching. In fact, Catholics contracept at the same rate as the rest of the nation. Fortunately this concerns our bishops who released the first document on the topic since the late 1960's in recent days. That would lead me to think that most new Catholics are NOT coming from large orthodox families with 12 kids. They are coming from conversions and from replacement rate Catholics. Furthermore, the Catholic Church in the United States is increasing in numbers despite the fact that ex-Catholics would supposedly make up the second largest Christian church in the US if they were all together in one denomination.

So our members are leaving in droves, contracepting just like the rest of the crowd and yet our numbers rise?

Care to explain those dwindling numbers again?

I'll give you a hint. The GROWING churches in this country have something in common and it has nothing to do with the birth rates of its members (a few of them being -- Assemblies of God, Orthodox, Catholic, Southern Baptist) ... The majority of churches whose memberships are decreasing also have something in common (a few of them being -- United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ) -- see 2006 Yearbook of Churches reflects membership and growth trends

And as Amy indicated, this Cafe Press item titled Kate Schori Goes Ecumenical is pure genius:

I thought it was funny ...

From Shine of the Holy Whapping

Second Meditation - On the End for Which We Were Created

Psalm 8

1 For the leader; "upon the gittith." A psalm of David.
2 LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens!
3 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have drawn a defense against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger.
4 When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place--
5 What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?
6 Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.
7 You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet:
8 All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
10 O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!

3. Why did God make us?
God made us to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in heaven.
Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him. (I Corinthians 2:9)

Had to get in my occasional cyclone post ... Gigantic Polar Storm Spotted on Saturn from Heart, Mind & Strength

Apparently they are pretty different from terrestrial hurricanes.

Wanted to post this because it had me laughing for about 5 minutes. Be sure to click on the image if you want to see a closer view OR are interested in ordering a shirt.

corrected for some sloppy wording

ACOG Statement of Policy
As issued by the ACOG Executive Board

OUT-OF-HOSPITAL BIRTHS IN THE UNITED STATES

Labor and delivery is a physiologic process that most women experience without complications. Ongoing surveillance of the mother and fetus is essential because serious intrapartum complications may arise with little or no warning, even in low risk pregnancies. In some of these instances, the availability of expertise and interventions on .an urgent or emergent basis may be life-saving for the mother, the fetus or the newborn and may reduce the likelihood of an adverse outcome. For these reasons, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) believes that the hospital, including a birthing center within a hospital complex, that conforms to the standards outlined by American Academy of Pediatrics and ACOG,1 is the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period. ACOG also strongly supports providing conditions that will improve the birthing experience for women and their families without compromising safety.

Studies comparing the safety and outcome of U.S. births in the hospital with those occurring in other settings are limited and have not been scientifically rigorous. The development of well-designed research studies of sufficient size, prepared in consultation with obstetric departments and approved by institutional review boards, might clarify the comparative safety of births in different settings. Until the results of such studies are convincing, ACOG strongly opposes out-of-hospital births. Although ACOG acknowledges a woman's right to make informed decisions regarding her delivery, ACOG does not support programs or individuals that advocate for or who provide out-of-hospital births.

1American Academy of Pediatrics and /American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Guidelines for Perinatal Care, 5th Edition. Elk Grove Village, IL, AAP/ACOG, 2002.

Approved by the Executive Board October 2006

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 409 12th Street, SW, PO Box 96920. Washington, DC 20090-6920 Telephone 202 6385577

It is no shock that they are against it. The ACOGs problem is one, it seems, of assuming that just because they are doctors people should just turn off their brains and trust them. Many people see a pretty clear monetary conflict that could be at play on this very matter. After all, if more people choose out-of-hospital options, doctors lose clients and become more and more necessary only in the case of a medical intervention. Furthermore, they offer very little support for their positions in these public statements. Instead we get a vague statement like "Studies comparing the safety and outcome of U.S. births in the hospital with those occurring in other settings are limited and have not been scientifically rigorous." There is some truth to this statement as I have mentioned in our post regarding our decision NOT to homebirth with a VBAC. The average intelligent reader today, especially in this hyperlinked age, demands the evidence used to make the decision arrived at by the ACOG. They should be able to clearly demonstrate the faults of the studies. I have found that evidence on the internet after much digging but it should be very public so that you don't sound like you are whining just because you might lose some business.

In this day and age you have to give them a REASON to trust you even if you are an expert. After all, there are intelligent people out there besides doctors. We expect the president to provide reason for his actions and this nation recently voted accordingly when many felt he didn't provide adequate reason justifying some of the actions of his administration. It only stands to reason that other fields be expected to fall under the same public scrutiny.

---------------

On a related note that this statement makes very clear -- The logic of the world today regarding choice is telling:

On sex:
1. Kids will decide to have sex anyway SO
2. We have to provide them condoms and access to the morning after pill and abortion

On birth:
1. Parents will decide to have out-of-hospital births anyway SO
2. We will not support them in their decision (i.e. by being a backup doctor) because it is a bad one

ACOG: "Although ACOG acknowledges a woman's right to make informed decisions regarding her delivery, ACOG does not support programs or individuals that advocate for or who provide out-of-hospital births."

In a practical sense this results in the number of doctors willing to backup a homebirth or birthing center birth in Louisiana being extremely small.

Excepting a few states midwife assisted homebirth is legal. Unassisted homebirth is legal no matter where you are in the US. In the UK doctors have to backup midwives. Women truly do have a choice and they can feel comfortable knowing doctors are at their service when they are needed. That is what mothers should fight for.

FYI I am looking for an official online link to the statement containing the above quotes - it is forthcoming.

Posted the following on DCF: Favorite Catholic resources

Include books, blogs, websites etc. -- I am only including websites tonight ... I have to give the books some thought ...

I'll knock a few of the obvious ones out of the way early ...

NewAdvent - Bible (with commentary), Early Church Fathers, Summa Theologica, 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia - Whats not to like? Well organized and easy to get around. Man, I didn't realize until today that New Advent had a bible with commentary. I may be up all night!!!

Catholic First - More ECF's, another online Catholic bible, CCC (all searchable) AND tons of writings of the saints. Also G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy. Less organized but the information is there.

EWTN's Library - I usually end up here after doing a web search but for the first time I actually browsed around. It is not as well organized as I would like but it may have just about any and everything you might be looking for. Lots of council documents, tons of JPII, encyclicals and works by a variety of folks on a variety of topics. In fact, I think I have just found all of those missing ECF references I have been looking for. :) Unfortunately many of the documents are zipped so that may be why they do not come up on search engines (or least they used to not) ... Pretty awesome.

Anyway ... I am just curious where folks here head when they are looking for answers about something Catholic.

I may update this post as I find more awesome Catholic resources ... then I will likely add them to the right of this blog.

Breastfeeding may not do much for verbal skills

A number of past studies have linked breastfeeding with higher childhood IQ scores. Certain fatty acids found in breast milk are known to aid nervous system development, and researchers have speculated that this explains the IQ gains.

But it's also possible, Gibson-Davis and her colleagues point out, that general parenting practices are the main factor. For example, mothers who breastfeed tend to be better educated, and they may be more likely to engage their children in "stimulating activities," such as reading.

I think it is great for a pro-beastfeeding blog like HMS to post something like this. Intelligent parents are typically going to breastfeed. From what I can tell of the studies that breastfeeding itself is the cause of intelligence gains are at best inconclusive for this very reason.

Still, I recommend breastfeeding and I wish they would do far more long term studies to further clarify the facts on breastfeeding.

Supposedly Stem Cells Used to Create Artificial Liver - but that would be those useless non baby killing cord blood ones. Move along.

I read a recent objection that this novel historical angle that my site presents is a good start for Catholics, after all there is no reasonable biblical reason to become Catholic... A fresh and new approach. Lordy, we might convert somebody yet!

Well .... not really. It is an old and tried approach. It is the one that led Cardinal Newman to Rome over a century ago. It is the appeal the patristic writers made 1600 years ago. There are most often no new responses to objections to the Catholic faith. They are all tried and old ... just recycled and believed new.

I was reading an honest thread on DCF between a searching atheist and a bunch of Catholics. The following statement was made.

...the Church has been around 2000+ years and there isn't a question she hasn't heard and answered.

You see, I converted to Catholicism because my experience is as the quote states above. I have yet to find an objection to Catholicism that I didn't feel had a reasonable response and as I read ancient debates from both the time of the reformation, the time of the Arian heresy and even before, I found common objections and almost always the same reasonable biblically based responses.

Or, I guess you could say that Catholics have been using the same stale responses for 2000 years.

On adoration nights I am going to summarize my often disjointed thoughts regarding the particular topic that I am focusing on. Notes and helper quotations, however many or few, will be posted that night.

It is interesting that the first 6 weeks of CCD for the Kindergarten class we are teaching is on creation yet not a single week yet has focused on man. That is upcoming. I find it timely that the chapter I am on in Introduction to the Devout Life focuses on that very thing.

See Introduction to the Devout Life - Chapter 9

Meditations on creation and my own existence

I acknowledge the reality that God's love is the source of my dignity.

It is He who holds me in existence for without His will that I exist I return to that from which I was created, which is nothing.

The root reason for human dignity lies in man's call to communion with God. From the very circumstance of his origin man is already invited to converse with God. For man would not exist were he not created by Gods love and constantly preserved by it; and he cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and devotes himself to His Creator.

- Vatican II - GAUDIUM ET SPES

Whether God exists? Summa - St. Thomas Aquinas
Wow ... I just thought I would leave with a resounding I LOVE BEING CATHOLIC