Categories

Suggested Books

Swear to God: The Promise and Power of the Sacraments
Swear to God: The Promise and Power of the Sacraments

Crossing the Threshold of Hope
Crossing the Threshold of Hope

The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth
The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth

Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures
Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei
Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei

The Pope, the Council, and the Mass, Revised Edition
The Pope, the Council, and the Mass, Revised Edition

Prayer for Beginners
Prayer for Beginners

You Can Understand The Bible: A Practical And Illuminating Guide To Each Book In The Bible
You Can Understand The Bible: A Practical And Illuminating Guide To Each Book In The Bible

Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words
Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words

Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Posting Frequency


I haven’t posted much lately, but not for a lack of wanting to.  I’ve been a dad for almost a year now which makes free time a bit more precious.  The other reason I haven’t posted as much is because many times I just want to spew forth a few comments but upon taking a moment to think before I post, this pause has usually lead me to praying about the situation versus commenting on it. 

For those who read blogs there’s nothing better than a good blogger who posts regularly.  Since blogging is not my day job I don’t want to just post what ever comes to mind, I’d prefer to think about it a bit and develop it to make sure its worth reading and honestly not a lot has been sticking in my head to post about.

Sure I could post about the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad, but there is already plenty of chatter about it.  My thought is I only wish the Catholic Vote ad on the Obama Ultrasound would have been played last year.  I think it’s amazing that this situation shows the “pro-choice” crowd for who most of them truly are and that is “pro-abortion”.  Again I best pray instead of comment.

Sure I could comment on the scandle within the USCCB poor use of donations and selection of stewarts of the faithfuls resources, but my comments would be far from charitable so it is best that I just pray for the situation.

Sure I could comment on the vast failings of the Obama administration but there is enough of that to go around but prayers for them are few and far between, again it is best that I just pray for them.

Lastly before I close, let me ask you to pray for these things, and those things that are in your heart.

3 Things This Week


So it’s been about a week since my last post.  A few things have crossed my mind since last week. 

First my priest spoke about the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade last Sunday.  He was at the March for Life in DC on the 22nd.  I think it’s great that he spoke about abortion in his homily as I feel Catholics across the United States, as a whole rarely, hear about abortion from the pulpit.  If there are any priests reading this, I implore you to speak about abortion from the pulpit and speak about it with authority.  Yes there are men and women in the pew who have had abortions or participated in them.  Ask them to come to reconciliation if they have not already or to attend a retreat.  But what ever you do please don’t stay quite about the issue because you’re afraid of offending someone.

Second, during my priest’s homily on abortion, I was thinking about our taxpayer dollars going to fund Planned Parenthood.  This has to stop.  A parallel when through my head.  Would the government fund dentists that gave out candy?  Common sense tells you that a dentist that hands out candy doesn’t have your best interest in mind.  The candy will cause you to have more cavities which will make the dentist more money on repeat visits.  This is exactly how Planned Parenthood works, they hand out condoms and sell birth control on the cheap and when they fail Planned Parenthood cashes in on the abortion.  This is the very definition of evil.

Lastly tonight I’m flipping TV channels and came across Celebrity Rehab on VH1.  I’m not sure what to think of the show.   I’m sure arguments can be made both for and against for having the show on TV.  What comes to mind is that these people not only need medical help, which they are getting on the show, but they need spiritual help.  They need prayer, and they need my prayer.  As easy as it is to dismiss these people as not worth of my time, which is what I’d like to do, this is not what Christ asks of me.  I can, and should, pray for these people and others dealing with addiction.  I have known addictions in my life and they can be beat, and its much easier to beat them with Christ in your life.

Thank You Scott Brown


It was back in 2007 when my brother told me that if Rudy Giuliani won the Republican nomination that he would not vote for him in the general election in November of 2008 because he was pro-abortion.  I told my brother he was crazy, because his opponent would also be pro-abortion and that Rudy would be a way better choice than Hillary or Obama.  He said he just couldn’t vote for someone who was pro-abortion no matter what, and that he would just not vote in the November election if that was the case.

I believe the election last Tuesday shows why that argument is just lame.  Catholics have a duty to vote even if both viable choices are pro-abortion.  Had Scott Brown, who is pro-abortion, not been elected we undoubtedly would be  have new “health-care” legislation shoved up our backside that would cause way more abortions to occur in the country and would have had the American taxpayer help foot the bill.  With the election of pro-abortion, Scott Brown, that is no longer the case and the situation buys the American people time to get a new congress in place.

It’s time to wake up people, and pray for our country and our politicians like we’ve never prayed before so that we have true pro-life candidates in congress, not just those who pay lip service to the issue.

Politicians Can Ex-Communicate Themselves...


Why can’t the American Bishops just do the same thing the Spanish Bishops are doing with the King of Spain?

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/dec/09120703.html

…Spain’s Catholic bishops warned that those politicians who vote in favor of the law will have excommunicated themselves, having put themselves in an “objective state of sin.” The bishops wrote that “while the situation lasts,” politicians who vote in favor of the law “may not be admitted to Holy Communion.”

However, the Spanish Constitution of 1978 stipulates that new laws must be promulgated by the king, who is head of state, but who now faces possible excommunication if he gives royal assent to the bill…

Action Needed


Contact Members now through e-mail, phone calls or FAX letters.

1) Send an e-mail at www.usccb.org/action.

2) Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices.

Full contact info can be found on Members’ Web sites at www.house.gov and http://www.senate.gov/

NPR Says Bishops are Flexing Muscles


All I can say is keep flexing

http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=121057189&m=121063933

We Need to Pray For this Man


Bob Casey Won’t Say if Abortion Funding Will Prompt No Vote on Health Care
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 3

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — If pro-life advocates are going to be successful in preventing the 60 votes needed to approve the pro-abortion health care bill in the Senate, they could use the help of Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, a self-declared pro-life Democrat. However, Casey won’t say if abortion funding in the bill will prompt him to vote no.

Last month, the outgoing head of the pro-life committee at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said there is “no way” Catholic members of Congress can vote for a health care reform bill that includes abortion funding.

During a press conference at the National Press Club on November 20, CNS News asked Cardinal Justin Rigali, the archbishop of Philadelphia if it would be a “mortal sin” for any Catholic to vote for the bill.

Rigali said Catholic members of Congress need to vote with a well-informed conscience that reminds them abortion is “absolutely wrong” and there is “no way in the world” a health care bill deserves support if it funds abortions.

Now, CNS News has asked Casey if he agrees with Cardinal Rigali’s statement that pro-life Catholics can’t vote for a pro-abortion health care bill. Casey won’t respond either way.

“I’m not going to comment on what he [Rigali] has said in particular,” Casey said on Tuesday.

CNS News asked Casey, “Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia has said there is ‘no way’ the Senate health-care bill as it currently stands can be supported because it permits tax dollars to go to health plans that cover abortions. Do you agree with Cardinal Rigali that the bill as it stands cannot be supported?”

“I’m not one who compares what I say versus what someone else says about the bill,” Casey added. “I think it’s probably unfair to both sides to line up what I say versus what someone else says, so I’m not going to comment on what he has said in particular.”

“I’ll state my position–which has been my position from the very beginning–which is that we’ve had a consensus in this country for more than two decades that taxpayer dollars don’t pay for abortions,” Casey continued, according to CNS. “What we’re trying to do in this debate, among many things we’re trying to achieve here, is to continue the consensus that’s been in existence for 25 years that taxpayer dollars don’t pay for abortion.”

“It’s not easy to achieve that, it’s complicated, but that’s what we’re working on and that’s where we have this debate that’s taking place now on the floor with regard to abortion, as well as many, many other issues that are important to health care,” Casey concluded.

During the interview, Casey said he expected to vote for the Nelson-Hatch amendment that would remove abortion funding from the bill. He voted for similar amendments in committee.

Casey also confirmed he plans to offer an amendment to the Senate bill that would provide more support for pregnant women who may consider abortion.

The amendment would be a modified version of the Pregnant Women Support Act has bill that has been a hallmark of the pro-life group Democrats for Life of America.

Quite the Quote


“I just feel like if you are woman enough to open up your legs and let someone come in, you should be willing to let something come out,” said Jamie Sooniers of Westchester High School. “Abortions are just not right.”

The whole article can be read here… http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-abortion6-2009dec06,0,1451199.story

Fair & Balanced


Cardinal Rigali on Abortion & Catholic Lawmakers


We know the teaching now we need prayer. Much prayer and trust in Christ. All Catholics need to speakout against what is currently happening in Washington D.C.